Yes, a vacuum is the only way to kill the eggs effectively. If you decide you want to do this I would think you would need something like a pump and seal system that is used for food storage. I have to admit that I have not done this myself with a cigar. I have with pipe tobacco but that is very different.
Some cigar manufacturer's ship their cigars vacuum sealed... They don't claim it's for beetles, but no air means no drying out of the sticks... I've used this method and have had no problems at all
beetle eggs can't stand being in a vacuum, they will burst. Many manufactures will put there sticks in a big vacuum to destroy any eggs before shipping. Read about that a while ago, very interesting...wonder if a ziploc vacuum seal will work
The principle behind this is the same as what you might have seen in a high school science class where a marshmallow is placed into a vacuum and it expands. The key is that all air must be out. As long as you are able to accomplish this then it will work. Any air left in will not work. I can illustrate this with tins of pipe tobacco. The tins have a vacuum but the cans (like what C &D use) have only a light vacuum for lack of a better descriptor. The cans have to potential to have live eggs the tins do not.
The sticks from which I had trouble with beetles had been sealed in a vacuum bag when shipped by the retailer.
Now, I follow the recommendations of the folks at cigar aficionado; to freeze my orders and then store them below 72 deg F. I haven't had a problem since. (Of course I know of some people that have done nothing to kill beetles/larvae/eggs and have never had a problem)
I do have a food saver vacuum sealer, I wonder if it would be good enough to get all the air out and destroy the eggs?
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Now, I follow the recommendations of the folks at cigar aficionado; to freeze my orders and then store them below 72 deg F. I haven't had a problem since. (Of course I know of some people that have done nothing to kill beetles/larvae/eggs and have never had a problem)
I do have a food saver vacuum sealer, I wonder if it would be good enough to get all the air out and destroy the eggs?