Questions from the Cellar

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haroldt

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 4, 2013
243
2
Melbourne, Fl
First let me explain my general habits.
I typically have three blends open to me at a time. Early Morning Pipe seems to always be in my open stock, but I do change out the other two each month and bring something else out of the cellar. I smoke anywhere from no bowls a day to 3 or 4, depending on my work schedule. I'd guess I'd average about 2 bowls a day in an average week. So with three blends open, you can see I do not go through a lot of tobacco in a month.
When I cellar, I grab whatever size mason jar or spaghetti sauce jar I have available to me. (I guess I should get some baby food jars) Some are 2, 4, 8oz jars. So my question is this. When I open up one of the larger jars I would only be pulling out about 2 ounces of the tobacco, How do I handle the rest?
Should I just put the lid back on and put it back in the cellar?
Should I boil up some water and find a smaller jar and reseal it - and put it back in the cellar?

 

derfargin

Lifer
Mar 3, 2014
2,028
28
Kennesaw, GA
haroldt,
While I think your quest is a noble one, you may be over thinking it a bit. First might I recommend investing in some 1/2 pint, pint and even quart size jars mason jars. They're not too expensive will provide a much better home for your tobacco storage needs. The thought of you putting your fine pipe weed in an old jar that once contained food stuff gives me pause.
I know you're looking for that airtight seal, and while boiling might do what you want, just introduces the potential for disaster.(there have been a few forum members that have first hand experience in what I'm referring to) I have a few flats of each size jars that I mentioned, and I just reseal the jars tightly and over a few weeks time usually requires a little bit of effort on my part to pry the little lid from the glass as they seal themselves quite nicely.
You're on the right track, just need to augment your approach. I keep the larger quart size jars for the larger lots of bulk blends I buy, and I use a pint size as my go to jar until its empty. I then open said quart jar to fill my pint size "worker" jar. Repeat as necessary.
Take it from a guy that has about 45 open blends in jars, and I've had no problems whatsoever.(yes I'm sure there's some medication that I can take for my first world problem) ;-)
Happy smoking amigo. :puffy:

 

haroldt

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 4, 2013
243
2
Melbourne, Fl
Derfargin - sorry to have turned your stomach - however you might like a garlic and basal with your baccy! :~)
However, more to the point... thanks for your help. So that I get this all right. Are you telling me that you do not warm your jars first before you cellar your baccy? Everything I've read has suggested doing that. Kinda like canning.
I do agree, I need to visit my friends at Ace Hardware and pick up a case or two of 2oz mason jars. The short big mouth ones would be best, I think.

 

hawke

Lifer
Feb 1, 2014
1,346
4
Augusta, Ga
For those "working jars" I find the seal top glass "candle jars" my wife likes to buy are perfect. You can press in about an ounce of tobacco if need be. They seal quite nicely. To remove the left over wax an overnight stint in the freezer allows a easy removal, then the hot tap water. Seems to remove any scent from the candles.
I use canning mason jars of different sizes for my very modest cellar for long term storage.

 

andrew

Lifer
Feb 13, 2013
3,042
400
At first I did the heating the jar thing, then I realized the seal would naturally form over time and it was alot easier and less risk of a jar falling over and ending up with wet tobacco, which happened at first. Needless to say I did save the tobacco, but it taught me not to over think it. When I open a jar it's open, I smoke out of it, I put the lid back on, rehydrate it if necessary, and I find it does develop over time into different flavors, aging if you want to call it that.

 

peteguy

Lifer
Jan 19, 2012
1,530
906
I use smaller jars so that I do not interrupt the aging process. I have been told this is hogwash but I figure why take chances. I don't boil or anything, just screw the lid on tight. I do check the jars from time to time and try to re-tighten when I check them.

 

haroldt

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 4, 2013
243
2
Melbourne, Fl
Interesting that no one seems to boil their jars first. It will certainly save time not having to do that.
But more to my question - if you have a large jar and are only taking out some, do you just reseal the same jar or do you put the remainder in a smaller jar??

 

jitterbugdude

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 25, 2014
993
8
New Mason (and others) jars have a sanitization (anti microbial) coating applied to the inside right before they are packaged. I simply rinse mine in water, dry with a towel then load up my tobacco.

 

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,149
32,928
Detroit
If you are smoking 2 ounces at a time, just buy 1/2 pint wide-mouth jars. They hold about 2 ounces. (Some flakes may require pint jars, due to the size.) They don't cost that much. If you buy tins, leave the tins sealed until you are ready for them.

 
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