Aged tins popping open

[Yambo]

Yesterday I took a box full of cellared tobacco tins to select a few for selling and another few for selling. Most dated from my begginer days and two of those were open, most likely from the gasses generated by the aging process. Both were square ones, one small (Peterson University Flake) and a big one (Dunhill Mild Blend), both from 2004. I have many other tins (mostly round ones but also a few of the square ones) from those days, but they seem to be fine.

My question is: how often does this happen? Does it happen more often with square tins? None of the round ones seem to be affected. Are they less prone to this kind of accident? And now that we're talking about it: how do those paint-like tins that HU uses for their 100 grams presentation hold the test of time?

I know some people vacuum-seal their tins, but I thought that the possibility of this happening was very remote.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Rarely-ish. More common with square tins. I don’t trust the paint cans so I jar them but many say they do fine.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

Never had an issue with any of my square tins. I have a couple round tins that have bloated as you can clearly see the tin is not in its original shape and don't sit flat anymore. Nothing has popped yet. A few years back I had a round tin that was bloated, and when I opened it, it basically exploded on me making a loud popping sound and the tin about jumped out of my hand. Definitely wasn't expecting that, but I know now for the future when I get around to opening those other tins.

 

[Yambo]

Never had an issue with any of my square tins. I have a couple round tins that have bloated as you can clearly see the tin is not in its original shape and don't sit flat anymore. Nothing has popped yet. A few years back I had a round tin that was bloated, and when I opened it, it basically exploded on me making a loud popping sound and the tin about jumped out of my hand. Definitely wasn't expecting that, but I know now for the future when I get around to opening those other tins.

Are you talking about Cornell & Diehl style tins? I have two bloated ones of those: one GLP Charing Cross from 2005 and one C&D Red Carpet from 2017. I'm not worried about those because that kind of tin seems able to hold well. The ones I'm worried about are the Dunhill-Peterson kind.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Wait until you hear a C&D one pop. Sounds like a firecracker going off.

 

[Yambo]

Wait until you hear a C&D one pop. Sounds like a firecracker going off.

Good to know. Maybe I should open that 2017 Red Carpet and feast on it!

 

[vosBghos]

Wait until you hear a C&D one pop. Sounds like a firecracker going off.

yeah a 20 year old McClelland made my cat jump and almost hit the ceiling , I'm wearing my shooting muffs next time I crack them old ones ...

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Square tins are notorious for popping, I seal em in food saver vac bags. The vac bags themselves dont really do anything to seal tins but they do keep pressure on the lids of square tins.

 

[Chalaw87]

+1 For vacuum sealing the square tins.
Another option is just to pop the square tins out of the gate and cellar in mason jars.

 

[AJL67]

Wait until you hear a C&D one pop. Sounds like a firecracker going off.

That reminds me, I have to sell a few of those tins from 2004. They’re getting real close.

 

[bullet08]

Save those square ones for the trick or treat on Halloween.

 

[prairiedruid]

Yep had an 8 oz. can of 5 year old Haddo's Delight pop last week. Damn now I'll have to smoke it.....life is hard.

 

[kcghost]

It is not a common occurrence among the round tins. It may be your ambient temperature is a little high.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Round tins disperse the pressure equally, while square do not. This is general simple physics, how it is applied to tinned tobacco specifically I do not know.

Aging or anaerobic fermentation of tobacco results in gas release, increasing the pressure within a tin. The more sugar in the tobacco or casing, the more gas release. Again, this is a generalization.

 

[Searock Fan]

If they were mine I would give them a sniff and if I liked what I smelled, I'd smoke em up ASAP.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

Are you talking about Cornell & Diehl style tins? I have two bloated ones of those: one GLP Charing Cross from 2005 and one C&D Red Carpet from 2017. I'm not worried about those because that kind of tin seems able to hold well. The ones I'm worried about are the Dunhill-Peterson kind.

Yes, it was a C&D tin. I've never had an issue with the Dunhill or Peterson style tins.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

Wait until you hear a C&D one pop. Sounds like a firecracker going off.

Been there, done that. LOL

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Do I need to get an alarm system that will notify me if a tin in my cellar pops? I just hope that I am not on vacation when it goes off.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Do I need to get an alarm system that will notify me if a tin in my cellar pops? I just hope that I am not on vacation when it goes off.

No rhythm or reason when they do it. I've had some with as little as 3-5 years explode and some much older. I still have tins from the mid '90s that are fine.

 

[bullet08]

Do I need to get an alarm system that will notify me if a tin in my cellar pops? I just hope that I am not on vacation when it goes off.

I guess that depends on the blend. Stock up on FVF. That crap won't dry before you get back.