correct humidity, but dry sticks.

lane meyer

i have a humidor about the size of a shoebox. it has a top tray, and a glass top. the analog hygrometer is innacurate, so i bought one thats digital, and can be calibrated. i calibrated it in a ziplock overnight with damp salt in a bowl. the humi has  heartfelt beads in the round 3" container they came in. 70% version, and for a bigger humi than mine. the disc lays in the bottomfacing up. the temp is from 66-70F, and humidity is anywhere from 67-72%, and my sticks are dry feeling and tasting. the box is about 1/2 full. the sticks feel dry and slightly crackly when squeezed. how can they be dry when they have been in the same humidity range for at least 2 months.  also when i add distilled water to the beads, the humidity goes to 78% for a few days then settles back to the normal 67-72% range.

rwheelwright

Maybe the sticks were dry when you put them in your humi. That wouldn't explain the dry feeling now but might explain the cracks. Have you tried another hygro?

lane meyer

i got the humi for xmas from cuban crafters. at first i was using the humidifyer that came with it, and switched to heartfelt beads about 2-3 months ago. i seasoned it again then too. ive had some don kiki greenlabels in there most of the time, and thay are the driest, and have yet to have a good one. i just added 25 romeo y jilieta vintages, and dont want them to get dry as well. since the beads were added, the humi is in a good 67-72% range, and temp is always 66-70F. this has been 2-3 months like this. shouldnt the dry ones have come back by now?

bbc020

ScottU

I'm no expert, but I just happened to read Alex's blog on prelight ritual (again) and if I understand correctly, the filler is supposed to crackle slightly when squeezed....

lane meyer

mine crackle on the outside. they dont seem very spongy and i guess you could say "quiet" when squeezed. the kikis were received in the mail in january, and i live in NY so they likely froze on the way to me. does this affect anything? i bought the 25 don kiki greenlabels, because i got one with my humi, and it was excellent. i also keep random sticks in there, like a 16 stick variety sampler from thompsons or something like that.

Otter Tail Joe

I'm pretty new at this so take it for what it is worth . . . I just removed all my cigars from the cellophane as I found there was a fair amount of variation in individual cigars coming out of the same humi set at . . . say 70%.

I pulled the cigars out of the cello and my position is that is as it is supposed to be. If cello breaths, it certainly does not breath as well as an unwrapped smoke. Just my opinion.

Hope this helps.