Clip Jar Storage???

[Buckler]

It seems ball jars are the standard for tobacco cellaring.

Wondering peoples thoughts (particularly if there is anyone who has used them) on glass clip lid jars.

They tend to have a wide mouth and are easy to open, so I imagine they would be convenient for use. They have the thick rubber ring which I am sure would make them air tight...

Thoughts?

 

[Casual]

They have the thick rubber ring which I am sure would make them air tight...

Are you sure? Because they aren’t airtight enough for jarring jam or other preserves because of that rubber ring.

I think they would be fine for some amount of time, but I don’t think they’re airtight enough for long term storage.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Tobacco dries out in bail top jars, found that out the hard way years ago.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

The apothecary jars are fine for short term storage but are not airtight like a mason jar. Why would you wish to buy them instead for long term storage? They're substantially more expensive and take up more room.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Ok for short term in my experience. Actual mason jars are better.

 

[olkofri]

Not airtight enough: my 1-Q got so dry inside one that I had to toss it. Don't bother.

Mason jars are the way to go. In fact, I'm considering using mason jars to keep my glue in: it dries out inside the jars/bottles it comes in.

 

[Sonorisis]

Yeah, they look like a good idea -- don't they? My experience is they don't work. Sorry.

 

[BROBS]

I have had tobacco in the bale top Bormioli Rocco Fido jars with the rubber ring and the tobacco stayed perfect. Any other kind are no good. The silicone seals are the worst.

The only problem I had with them is they take up too much space once your cellar gets ridiculous. So I switched to ball jars.

 

[rushx9]

I have a couple that I use for blends that I'm currently smoking and blends that never dry out no matter what. I'd love nothing more than to pop the top and find my MacB Plumcake and Sutliff Aromatic English nice and crispy?.
Like @BROBS said, they take up a lot of space and don't stack as well as you'd think. You can get a case of Mason jars for around $8 and it's often best to use lots of small jars instead of a few big ones. That way, opening one is like opening a tin to smoke while the rest stays sealed and ages happily.

 

[Buckler]

Well thank you so much everybody! So glad to be able to learn from other peoples bad (sorry) experiences.

I wanted to use these jars primarily because I think they look great No.1.
No.2 i thought they would have more ease of use then the two part ball jars.
I also theorised that perhaps the rubber in ball jars would not make great contact with out the process of heat and vacuum sealing. I figured the more bulky rubber ring on the bale jars would make for a much easier and efficient seal.
Space isn't too much of an issue for me (says the guy at the beginning of his pipe smoking adventure).

But primarily it was because I like how they look.

Guess Ill be buying a box of ball jars then.

Thank you again everyone from stopping me ruining a bunch of tobacco.
I luv being able to learn from a collection of learned knowledge.

Cheers

 

[saltedplug]

With very few exceptions, the only safe means to store tobacco are a jar with a ring and gasket and a round screw top tin. This is the wisdom of the board. Yet time and again other mediums are put forward, and the tobacco suffers.

 

[Buckler]

Which leads to the next question as to the ideal size ball jar to get. Perhaps I should do that in another thred... I know a lot of people use the little ones but I have seen some prefer the medium size ones with bigger mouths for easier use and better size for sticker placement...??

 

[Casual]

Which leads to the next question as to the ideal size ball jar to get. Perhaps I should do that in another thred... I know a lot of people use the little ones but I have seen some prefer the medium size ones with bigger mouths for easier use and better size for sticker placement...??

Whichever size you get, I suggest the wide mouthed ones to make it easier to pinch out the bottom bits, and ease flakes in and out.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

With very few exceptions, the only safe means to store tobacco are a jar with a ring and gasket and a round screw top tin. This is the wisdom of the board. Yet time and again other mediums are put forward, and the tobacco suffers.

7 mm mylar bags seems to be nearly as reliable if not just as reliable as the mason jars.

 

[saltedplug]

Yes, I've read that many times. But I am jar-centric.

 

[Buckler]

Yes, I've read that many times. But I am jar-centric.

I feel the same. I think the jars look great!

plus it seems more environmentally friendly ... ??

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Some of my Encheng 150 ml clip top jars that I use for smaller quantities. Silicone seals, I think, but they serve the purpose that I intend them to serve.

There are larger clip top jars of other brands with thicker, rubber, gaskets that I used many years ago with very good results, equal to Ball jars, based on over a decades worth of actual experience. But two part lid Ball jars are less expensive and they work fine.

I am firmly convinced that Mylar 7 mil bag, such as the ones from Pleasant Grove Farms, are as suitable as anything else for longer term storage. From a space standpoint, for me they work much better and I have switched from jars to Mylar for about 80% of my long term cellaring.

All of these products are in short supply, a situation that will get worse as people harvest their Covid gardens.

My principal aim in tobacco storage is to preserve it in smokeable condition. You can do that with a clean glass peanut butter jar and a Boveda. Age changes how tobacco tastes. You might like the changed taste, you might not. It might taste different pulled from a Ball jar than from a Mylar bag. You might like one over the other. You might notice a difference between tobacco stored in a Ball jar packed tighter than a tick as opposed to one with air space left. Or not. You might like one versus the.other. Or not. Or, at least as likely, your tastes might have changed.

There are lots of ways too keep Tobacco in smokeable condition for short, intermediate or long term use. No one way is right for everyone, “ forum wisdom” or not.

 

[Buckler]

That all makes sense. Thank you.
However the main thing I wanted to avoid was spoiling tobacco. And it seems a number of people have had tobacco dry out in bale jars. So i think I’ll avoid them. As much as I like the look.

I think that is one very true thing you have said, I can imagine taste definitely changing over time!

Some of my Encheng 150 ml clip top jars that I use for smaller quantities. Silicone seals, I think, but they serve the purpose that I intend them to serve.
View attachment 31903
There are larger clip top jars of other brands with thicker, rubber, gaskets that I used many years ago with very good results, equal to Ball jars, based on over a decades worth of actual experience. But two part lid Ball jars are less expensive and they work fine.

I am firmly convinced that Mylar 7 mil bag, such as the ones from Pleasant Grove Farms, are as suitable as anything else for longer term storage. From a space standpoint, for me they work much better and I have switched from jars to Mylar for about 80% of my long term cellaring. View attachment 31904

All of these products are in short supply, a situation that will get worse as people harvest their Covid gardens.

My principal aim in tobacco storage is to preserve it in smokeable condition. You can do that with a clean glass peanut butter jar and a Boveda. Age changes how tobacco tastes. You might like the changed taste, you might not. It might taste different pulled from a Ball jar than from a Mylar bag. You might like one over the other. You might notice a difference between tobacco stored in a Ball jar packed tighter than a tick as opposed to one with air space left. Or not. You might like one versus the.other. Or not. Or, at least as likely, your tastes might have changed.

There are lots of ways too keep Tobacco in smokeable condition for short, intermediate or long term use. No one way is right for everyone, “ forum wisdom” or not.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

it seems a number of people have had tobacco dry out in bale jars.

I have heard that there is such a thing as tobacco being to dry to smoke. ???

Seriously, though, for long term storage, Ball jars and 7 mil Mylar are the best options. But just for the record, there are very high quality bail top jars out there. Most are more decorative items than real long term storage solutions.

The nice thing about tastes changing is that they can change back.

 

[BROBS]

But just for the record, there are very high quality bail top jars out there. Most are more decorative items than real long term storage solutions

Exactly. The ones I mention above can be used for canning so they would work fine, besides the space issue I noted and costing much more than regular ball jars. I cringe to think how much I spent on jars that I don’t even use now.