Pipes Magazine » Pipe Smoking Basics & Beginner Questions

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   redgentleman
   

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   Hey everyone,

   I've read a few different things about the "moistness" of tobacco. Do different tobacco's vary in moisture? And what would be the best way to keep tobacco fresh? I'm sorry if this sounds like a silly question, but I'd hate to buy some and see it go to waste for not taking the proper precautions.

   Posted 3 months ago #
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   Uberam3rica
   

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   Do different tobacco's vary in moisture?

   
   Different blend have different moistures. You don't want the tobacco to be moist when you smoke it. It will make the smoke hot and hard to keep lit. If you pinch some of it together and it sticks together, then let it dry before smoking. The amount of drying time depends on how moist it is.
   

   And what would be the best way to keep tobacco fresh?

   
   If it s in a tin, you can leave it unopened fora long time. If you have opened the tin or other container it came in, the best thing to do is to put it in a mason jar. They are air tight and will keep it fresh.

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   Posted 3 months ago #
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   redgentleman
   

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   That's great Uberam3rica, thanks for the advice!

   Posted 3 months ago #
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   Uberam3rica
   

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   No problem

   Posted 3 months ago #
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   cortezattic
   

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   Do different tobacco's vary in moisture?

   
   Welcome to the forums, redgentleman!

   From what I've read and heard, mostly here, the same leaf varies quite a bit in moisture content at each stage in the process that brings it from the farmer to you as a finished product. If you listen attentively to the video tours archived on this website you'll glean a good deal of information about moisture in tobacco. To get started, in the "Search On Site" box in the left hand column of this page, type in: tour (part

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   Posted 3 months ago #
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   captainbob
   

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   Craig Tarler always insisted that 15% is the proper tobacco moisture. He also insisted that the only way to make that determination is by weighing raw tobacco before the distilled water is added and that process is not practical for us smokers. It becomes an experienced judgement issue. I always use the "clump test". If it sticks tightly together when pinched tightly between your fingers, it is too moist. If it doesn't clump at all, it is probably too dry. If it just barely clumps, it is probably just right. In Wisconsin, we experience extremely dry Winter humidity conditions. Opening an air-tight tobacco container frequently, promotes dryness. Air is the enemy of tobacco. Therefore, I keep a small spray bottle of water on hand. If the tobacco is too dry, I simply give the underside of the tobacco container lid a spray shot of water and overnight, the tobacco absorbs the moisture and is just fine.
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   Posted 3 months ago #
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   cigrmaster
   

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   redgentleman, welcome to the forum. Keeping your tobacco at it's optimum humidity is a forever changing proposition. Sometimes when you open a tin it is perfect, sometimes is is soaked, on rare occasions too dry, same with bulks. Once you find the right humidity for you, then you need to figure out what storage methods are suitable to you. I have my ways and people have theirs. I would always prefer my tobacco to be too moist, this way I can always dry it out before smoking. Of course I love opening a tin that is perfect and have a storage method to keep it perfect, but for me, nothing is worse than tobacco that gets too dry and then it has to be re humidified. I believe it loses flavor and it is a rare instance when that happens to me, when it does then the subject of re humidification comes up and people have different methods for that. Here is a picture of my storage methods. On the first shelf are plastic jars that I store bulks in, I prefer these because they have silicone gaskets which do not deteriorate after 10 plus years. On the bottom shelf are plastic containers that I keep my open tins in, they will keep tins fresh like that for a couple of months or more. All of my storage jars and containers I buy at Walmart. Many people use mason jars for bulks and those work great as well. I prefer to age bulks in two pound containers just because of space issues. If you have an open tin, I would not suggest just leaving it out, it will dry out fairly quickly depending on your environment.

   

   Harris

   Posted 3 months ago #

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