This obsession started with cigars. I like most Cuban smokes to be low 60% range, definitely below 65%. Nicaraguans, I like more towards 70%. This is more, to me, controlling burn issues than looking for changes in flavours.
So, I searched for a long time to find a preferred Rh for pipe tobacco. As a Noob to pipes, it was always frustrating me to find the right humidity. Thanks to Mr. Pease, I did find that article he wrote. Now this brings in another bit of an issue. With cigars, you have a box of various sizes, to a cooler, wine-ador, even converted curio cabinets where you can have one electronic device to tell you (with varying accuracy) the Rh in that storage unit, fine, that's easy. However, that doesn't work for pipe tobaccos unless you have dozens of tiny hygrometers to fit in each tin or jar. And I don't know about anyone else, but I certainly don't want different blends in the same humidor so one hygrometer covers everything in that unit. I for one don't want my FVF in the same box besides my BCF along with Coniston Cut Plug.
So you're left with basically one single method; feel. If all tobaccos were of one single cut, that would be easy. But if you consider for example; McClelland's broken flake, something very hard like McClellands 2035 or Dark Star, Gawith & Hoggarth flakes, PS Cube Cut, shag cut, ribbon cut, plug, rope, coins (I.e.: PS Luxury Bullseye Flake), I find it quite impossible to know humidity of each type by feel.
There are times when I pull out a flake that feels perfect; smooth, kind of oily and smelling divine. I fold it in pref for rubbing out or stuffing, and it turns to dust.
There are times, like last night after supper, when I cut some coins of Brown #4 and Black XX to mix. The rope felt nice, the coins and resulting ribbon after rubbing felt perfect, but I thought I was going to need a soldering torch to light it.
Dark Star or 2035 is a total crap shoot.
I know it's just me (maybe), but this really takes away from the pleasure of smoking. I believe one of the easiest ways would be to limit my future purchases to a couple of types of cut, like GH flakes and shag cut, or something like that. But I am limiting myself from so many wonderful blends.
So I know my cellar is tiny compared to those of so many members here. I can't imagine how someone else does it.
Any suggestions for me?
So, I searched for a long time to find a preferred Rh for pipe tobacco. As a Noob to pipes, it was always frustrating me to find the right humidity. Thanks to Mr. Pease, I did find that article he wrote. Now this brings in another bit of an issue. With cigars, you have a box of various sizes, to a cooler, wine-ador, even converted curio cabinets where you can have one electronic device to tell you (with varying accuracy) the Rh in that storage unit, fine, that's easy. However, that doesn't work for pipe tobaccos unless you have dozens of tiny hygrometers to fit in each tin or jar. And I don't know about anyone else, but I certainly don't want different blends in the same humidor so one hygrometer covers everything in that unit. I for one don't want my FVF in the same box besides my BCF along with Coniston Cut Plug.
So you're left with basically one single method; feel. If all tobaccos were of one single cut, that would be easy. But if you consider for example; McClelland's broken flake, something very hard like McClellands 2035 or Dark Star, Gawith & Hoggarth flakes, PS Cube Cut, shag cut, ribbon cut, plug, rope, coins (I.e.: PS Luxury Bullseye Flake), I find it quite impossible to know humidity of each type by feel.
There are times when I pull out a flake that feels perfect; smooth, kind of oily and smelling divine. I fold it in pref for rubbing out or stuffing, and it turns to dust.
There are times, like last night after supper, when I cut some coins of Brown #4 and Black XX to mix. The rope felt nice, the coins and resulting ribbon after rubbing felt perfect, but I thought I was going to need a soldering torch to light it.
Dark Star or 2035 is a total crap shoot.
I know it's just me (maybe), but this really takes away from the pleasure of smoking. I believe one of the easiest ways would be to limit my future purchases to a couple of types of cut, like GH flakes and shag cut, or something like that. But I am limiting myself from so many wonderful blends.
So I know my cellar is tiny compared to those of so many members here. I can't imagine how someone else does it.
Any suggestions for me?
