Inherited Humidor

A family member of mine passed away last year and left his humidor to me, which I am about to receive. I don’t have the specifics on it but he was quite the Aficionado and I am told that it is a really nice unit. The only problem is that nobody has taken care of it since he passed away. I am told that it was emptied shortly after his passing so it has not had any cigars in it but I have has also been told that is has not been properly hydrated and most likely kept close during this time. I am wondering what, if any damage it could have suffered. If any damage could have occurred, what should I look for and what can I do to bring it back to life. I want to make sure that everything is OK before I put any of my babies in their new home.

Welcome to CS. If it's really dry, you may consider wiping down the inside with distilled water and letting it dry. Make sure there's no excess water in there, place a small bowl with distilled water in it inside, shut the lid and let it sit for 24 hoursish.

Sorry to hear of your loss.

I would guess your humidor hasn't suffered any long-term damage. I mean, it is a wooden box, and they don't come ready to go. If I were you, I would air it out for a day or so, then lightly dust it out with a rag, with no solvents or pledge or anything weird like that. Then wipe the insides out with distilled water. If it is a high-end humidor, it will be made of spanish cedar. The distilled water won't hurt it. I put a plastic bag in the middle of my humidor, then a damp rag of distilled water, and left it alone for a couple of days before I started using it.

If it already has a humidification device, I would probably look to replace it, at the least. Better yet, get yourself some beads from Heartfelt Industries. I think they last longer and are a better product than a humidifier. Then, fill your new humidor up from Camino Viejo cigar shop, and you'll be all ready to go. You should post some pics. I'd like to see what an older humidor looks like.

Oh, and hello from central Oregon.

Yeah you should be cool, just bring up the humidity slowly. Personally, I wouldn't wipe it down. If the wood is really dry it could swell and crack. Just put a shot glass of distilled water in there and keep it full for a couple of weeks then do the beads. You should be cool. Or just do the beads for a month or two.

1. Sorry to hear of your loss.

2. Welcome to cigarsmoker.com, please tell us a little about yourself.

3, Depends on the condition of the humidor and how well it is constructed. If it's been working fine for many years, then bringing it back online shouldn't be a problem. I had to do the same thing to my Humi when I returned from Iraq in January.

Here's a guide to set up the humi. (Click Me) Please read the whole post before you set it up. In your case, I would recommend, like Nhcigarfan said, use a shot glass and bring it back to life slowly. However, remember, you will need cigars to set it up with and eventually make it stable.

Lopaka

Welcome from NY.

I agree with ReV and mrtr. But I want to add that you should pick up a digital hydrometer as well. I would also thoroughly inspect the humidor for mold just in case.
Also read this thread by Lopaka:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/t3814-th...a-humidor.html
Step by step instructions on setting up your humidor that has worked flawlessly for many of us(if not all of us).

And post a little intro about yourself.

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Originally Posted by Lopaka

1. Sorry to hear of your loss.

2. Welcome to cigarsmoker.com, please tell us a little about yourself.

3, Depends on the condition of the humidor and how well it is constructed. If it's been working fine for many years, then bringing it back online shouldn't be a problem. I had to do the same thing to my Humi when I returned from Iraq in January.

Here's a guide to set up the humi. (Click Me) However, remember, you will need cigars to set it up with and eventually make it stable.

Lopaka

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mere seconds....

Great Minds think alike.

What happened to the sticks inside, you could of had a killer stash had they not been thrown away.

Welcome from Kansas.

First, I would like to thank everyone for the warm welcome, it was great to see. Second, I wanted to thank you all for your replies. A family member said that she could not find any name on the humidor so I am starting to question the quality. She said that it definitely had a cedar lining and it was cherry outside and it seems like nice quality.

I was, however, told that the humidor does have a bunch of cigars in it. Mostly Cobias, some brown but mostly black label and some Gurkhas. Unfortunately she told me that they have some white “mold” on them. Nothing fuzzy and only in a couple of spots here and there on the outside wrapper. Nothing on the ends. My buddy told me that this may just be plume which would be a good thing. I am still new to cigar smoking so I have no idea. Since the cigars have been in a humidor for over a year with no water, I find it hard to believe that they are moldy.

I will have to see when I get them.

Thanks again.

The wood in humidors, as well as cigars absorb moisture so there was water in the humidor.

Investigate the cigars when you get the humi. Luckily I've never had mold on one of my cigars. Nor plume(bloom)...one day... Anyway, in my research I've found that plume will be a light uniform dusting on the wrapper of the cigar(s). Mold will grow in patches and you might be able to see "stalks" of the mold if you look closely. Read me.

It sounds like it is mold to me, but you will have to see for yourself. If there is no mold near the foot(the open lighting end), trash em. You can assume that mold got inside. If it's not by the foot, you might be able to salvage them.

From cigarhumidors.vigilantinc.com:
Gently wipe the mold off of your cigars and leave them at room humidity for 36 hours, then place them back into your humidor (obviously after addressing the moisture problem that caused the mold in the first place). Check these cigars every few days to ensure that mold growth has stopped. Some people recommend more drastic measures such as placing your cigars in the freezer to kill the mold. Try our method first before going to such extremes. If your problem continues, you may need a new humidor. (click for full Q&A)

Did you ever get the humi?

Humidors are glorious, but make sure you keep it up in prime shape. I've heard many tricks, but one that is for certain in keeping your sticks in top form is to monitor pH level. I admit, I am a pH guy at heart, I know the ins and outs of it, but making sure your humidor isn't too acidic or too basic can really keep your stogies fresh. It's one of those things that you don't know you're missing out on until you do it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sinatra

Humidors are glorious, but make sure you keep it up in prime shape. I've heard many tricks, but one that is for certain in keeping your sticks in top form is to monitor pH level. I admit, I am a pH guy at heart, I know the ins and outs of it, but making sure your humidor isn't too acidic or too basic can really keep your stogies fresh. It's one of those things that you don't know you're missing out on until you do it.

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hmmmm, you have any interests in the sites linked in your sig? I've never measured PH in any of my humidors or coolers and my sticks seem to stay mighty smokeable. :smiley1:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sinatra

Humidors are glorious, but make sure you keep it up in prime shape. I've heard many tricks, but one that is for certain in keeping your sticks in top form is to monitor pH level. I admit, I am a pH guy at heart, I know the ins and outs of it, but making sure your humidor isn't too acidic or too basic can really keep your stogies fresh. It's one of those things that you don't know you're missing out on until you do it.

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What the hell are you talking about? NO SIR! I DO NOT WANT BUY ANY LITMUS PAPER!

Welcome to Smokers but this thread is worthless without pics.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sinatra

Humidors are glorious, but make sure you keep it up in prime shape. I've heard many tricks, but one that is for certain in keeping your sticks in top form is to monitor pH level. I admit, I am a pH guy at heart, I know the ins and outs of it, but making sure your humidor isn't too acidic or too basic can really keep your stogies fresh. It's one of those things that you don't know you're missing out on until you do it.

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:smiley54:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sinatra

Humidors are glorious, but make sure you keep it up in prime shape. I've heard many tricks, but one that is for certain in keeping your sticks in top form is to monitor pH level. I admit, I am a pH guy at heart, I know the ins and outs of it, but making sure your humidor isn't too acidic or too basic can really keep your stogies fresh. It's one of those things that you don't know you're missing out on until you do it.

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You know, being a still newish cigar smoker and on a constant quest for knowledge and dispelling of bullshit I took a look at what I could find about pH and cigars.

What I've found is that it's the soil or the smoke that are measured in pH, not the air in the humidor nor the cigars themselves, so if you came here expecting to sell something I think you're best off just heading right back out the door that you came in and head off to puff.com with your wares, we don't want them here.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sinatra

Humidors are glorious, but make sure you keep it up in prime shape. I've heard many tricks, but one that is for certain in keeping your sticks in top form is to monitor pH level. I admit, I am a pH guy at heart, I know the ins and outs of it, but making sure your humidor isn't too acidic or too basic can really keep your stogies fresh. It's one of those things that you don't know you're missing out on until you do it.

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http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...ll/bsmeter.gif

I check the PH once a week in our fish tank. Not in my humidor.

Same here. Been smoking for quite awhile now and I would consider myself fairly knowledgable when it comes to smokes. At no time has it ever mattered whatsoever what the humidor PH level is. Way to try to sell your crap here Jackass.

Absolutely keep your Ph neutral! Extremely, gigantically, superlatively important stuff! While you're at it you may want to go to my site at "geigercounter.bs.com" and pickup one of those. Keeping the background radiation in check is crucial to slowing stogie degradation. You really run the risk of lowering your tobaccy half life if you don't keep this kind of stuff in check!

:smiley2: