Problems! Help me diagnose Please

[denver24]

Lately I have been having problems with wrappers cracking and cigars splitting. I keep my humi at 70% and it is very constant with almost no fluctuation. I like to keep my humidity higher because Colorado is very dry. Just today I took a smoke out and let it sit on my desk for about 3 hours before I smoked it and the sum' bitch split right down the side!

My questions are these:

Should I dry box?
How long should I dry box?
Can I just use an old cigar box with out humidification?
Any other ideas as to why this might be happening?

Thanks all!

[Eville]

Dry box them.
At least a day. If they still split, dry box them longer.
That is one of the preferred methods. the key is no humidification.

[badwhale]

How about cranking your humi down to 63 and see what happens? Mine is set at 69 or so with an Oasis, and I've never dry boxed anything to smoke it.

I had a problem with stuff splitting on a vacation trip and a ziploc with a humi pillow in it. I think I should have just left that out. I damaged about 3 outta 12 on that trip

Edit: Mabye a salt test is in order for your hydrometer?

Will

[DeeDubya]

Lately I have been having problems with wrappers cracking and cigars splitting. I keep my humi at 70% and it is very constant with almost no fluctuation. I like to keep my humidity higher because Colorado is very dry. Just today I took a smoke out and let it sit on my desk for about 3 hours before I smoked it and the sum' bitch split right down the side!

My questions are these:

Should I dry box?
How long should I dry box?
Can I just use an old cigar box with out humidification?
Any other ideas as to why this might be happening?

Thanks all!

If you're using 70% beads, don't wet them as much. I found that keeping them where half are white and half are clear is max. Then wait until most are white before re-wetting. Then, as they said, dry box before smoking. I transfer them to a small humi with one of the solution type sponges. Only I just use a small amount of distilled water. Probably around 60% or less in there. You don't want to let a cigar dry too much before smoking.

[denver24]

I've calibrated both hygrometers (digital and analog). I think I will try dry boxing for 1 day or so.

DeeDubya, I'm using 70 beads so I will try only wetting half of them.

Thanks for the input!

[Shelby07]

I've calibrated both hygrometers (digital and analog). I think I will try dry boxing for 1 day or so.

DeeDubya, I'm using 70 beads so I will try only wetting half of them.

Thanks for the input!

As DeeDubya said, you are only supposed to wet half of them anyway.

Drop your RH to 63-65%. Denver us too dry to take a cigar out of a humi kept at 70% RH and smoke it.

[denver24]

Thanks for the heads up Shelby! It's always good to get a little local knowledge. I think the cigars are getting "shocked when they go from 70 RH to pretty much 0 RH and then are cracking.

[bigwhiteash]

It may sound strange, but try running a cigar under a faucet for about a second, foot down, then blot off the excess water with a paper towel..

It sounds like your wrappers are drying out almost immediately in the low ambient Rh.