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loose bands

bobdbobd Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 71
in Cigar 101
The bands on a lot of my cigars have gotten loose around the cigars, I am worried that this means they are dry.  The RH hasn't changed though, always between 65-70%, I have checked it with 2 hygrometer that have been salt tested.  Am i worrying too much or is something wrong? 
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Comments

  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 7,349
    Loose? like they slip off by themselves? Do the cigars burn okay and taste okay? Are they really brittle and crack?
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  • bobdbobd Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 71
    Yes they slip up and down the cigar.  The heads of a few of them did crack when I squeezed them.  They taste and burn ok though.
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  • bacon.jaybacon.jay Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 718
    What do they sound like when you pinch them lightly? The feel should be firm or slightly spongy, and only have a barely audible slight crackle sound to them. If it's any more than that then they're too dry. Can't explain why they would be if your Rh has been constant though, that's weird.

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  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 7,349
    what bacon said.. though some cigars just have a brittle wrapper...
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  • cabinetmakercabinetmaker Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,561
    Loose bands can also mean that the cigars are becoming properly aged and rested. Newer cigars can have tight bands, but as they sit and rest, then the bands should loosen slightly. My older cigars have bands that slide up and down freely unless thay have some glue between them and the wrapper.
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  • bobdbobd Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 71
    Well they feel and sound ok, so maybe they are just aging well as cabinetmaker said.  These are cigars that I have had for several months.
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  • HeavyHeavy Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,590
    Are the cigars in question all the same brand, or is it a variety of cigars that are having this issue? If it's all the same brand, it may be something exclusive to that brand (or even that batch - you know, the person putting on the bands that day might have had their mind on a hot little momasita he was meeting that evening instead of putting the bands on - lol!). If it's a variety of cigars with loose bands, I guess it could be related to your humi - rh, temp etc. Also as far as aging affecting your cigars, I wouldn't think a matter of months would cause something like this unless there were other factors involved.
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  • bobdbobd Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 71
    It is all brands, not unique to any certain cigars, but as I said they feel ok and seem to smoke ok.  Maybe I worry too much.
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  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 7,349
    Heavy has a point, aging refers to a few years. If they smoke and feel okay I wouldn't worry about it.
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