Flake Re-hydration Fail. Need Suggestions Please!

[plugugly]

My FVF tin from 2009 lost seal and the flakes are dry and brittle. I put it in a humidor for a week now at over 75% humidity and it's still really dry. the other problem is I don't think I can get the flakes out of the tin intact so its been "humidifying" while still in the tin. While this is bad enough, my tin of 2012 Penzance was just as bad and its been in there two weeks! I did a bit of a search before posting and the results have me asking for any solutions you all might have.
Thanks,

Plugugly

 

[mountainman]

I have had success re-hydrating flakes from tins that lost their seal. I typically only rehdyrate what I am planning on smoking, and not the whole tin. I gently break the flake up into pieces, and then place it in a small plate. I then cover it with a wet paper towel (wrung out) and put it in a sealed Ziploc bag. I will check it intermittently, but usually within about 30-60 minutes the tabac is more pliable and can be broken up further without disintegrating. I have done this with success and restored pretty dry tobacco to a nice smokable state.

 

[sparroa]

I use Boveda packs to moisten dry blends that I intend to smoke immediately - not for long term storage.
I figure it's better than nothing because they are fairly trusted to preserve cigars and they are very unlikely to introduce mold or other contaminants to the tobacco.
Your case may be too extreme for the 62% packs I typically use but there is a wide variety of Boveda packs out there to suit your needs and it might pay to experiment. It is discouraging that the 75% humidity is not having the desired effect but there is an 80+ Boveda designed for seasoning humidors that might be a good "nuclear" option if all other methods fail...

 

[pipestud]

1. Get a paper towel and soak it in distilled water

2. Wring out the paper towel with all your strength and then open it back up

3. Place the tobacco from the tin in the center of the paper towel

4. Wrap the paper towel around the tobacco

5. Put the paper towel and wrapped up tobacco in a mason jar and seal it

6. 24 hours later take the paper towel wrapped tobacco out of the mason jar

7. Unwrap the paper towel

8. Your tobacco will be perfectly re humidified. Put a bowlful in your pipe and put the rest in a dry mason jar and seal for future enjoyment.

 

[sparroa]

I'm sure there are many ways to skin this cat!
One could probably come up with a lot of commonsense techniques that work just fine, especially if they intend to smoke the tobacco immediately. I strictly avoid directly applying water to the tobacco or introducing perishables like fruit just to be safe.

 

[instymp]

What PipeStud said.

 

[npod]

Dido pipestud.

 

[witchofthehollow]

pipestud chiming in, good info. I hadnt heard of placing the flakes directly onto the paper towel.

 

[homewaters]

What works best for me is to put the tobacco that needs rehydration and a small open bowl with distilled water or a wet paper towel in a bigger air tight container (no contact between water/tobacco) and wait. The tobacco will slowly get back to normal. I leave it in the furnace room in my house, where the temperature is always higher to speed things up. The only inconvenient is that it takes more time but I find if the water is directly in contact with the tobacco, there is too much of a risk for molds to develop. This method may take a week or more but I get excellent results each time. You want to let the tobacco do it's thing naturally.

 

[briarbuck]

A slice of white bread in a tupperware works as well.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Shard of terra cotta soaked in water, then placed in proximity to--or in--the dry tobacco, closed top. If in the tobacco, bits that stick can be easily removed and the piece re-used.

 

[whiteburleydude]

This time of year, I wait till the humidity is above 70% or so (the higher the better) and spread it on a plate and set it out. Let nature do it's thing. I do this on my patio where the wind and rain can't get it. Check on it every few hours. If you live in the desert, this might not work :wink:

 

[mawnansmiff]

I'll second the above. Used John's method many times and always with success. I speed things up by putting said terracotta chunks in a coffee mug with boiling water.....it absorbs that much quicker. Once cooled, a chunk goes into the tin of dried tobacco for 24 hours.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jpmcwjr]

... I wait till the humidity is above 70% or so (the higher the better) and spread it on a plate and set it out.

In this scenario, you'll never get below said 70%, which is still a touch on the humid side. (55-65% is a good range)

 

[sablebrush52]

A slice of white bread in a tupperware works as well.

Anything like this, including the ever popular apple, is an invitation to introduce mold.
Pipestud's method makes perfect sense to me, and given his level and length of experience, I'd be inclined to give that a try. I like the idea of gently introducing moisture from all sides, not just one.
My own way is the very traditional spreading of the tobacco over a clean surface, like a Pyrex baking dish, then covering the top with paper toweling that has been soaked with distilled water. Depending on the amount and depth of the tobacco in the dish, or bowl, I may give it a gentle stir after an hour or two. I check it every hour or two until I like the level of moisture, then jar it and forget about it for a few days to allow the moisture to even out through all of the tobacco.

 

[woodsroad]

I keep a separate humidor at 65% for pipe tobacco, and I can attest to the fact that even the densest plug will, in time, re-hydrate by simply letting it sit at the proper humidity level. But it takes a while!
I've had great success re-hydrating loose cut by simply misting with distilled water and mixing well. Flakes will be more resistant to this method, but I'd mist them, then either set it out on a very humid day (we're just somewhat shy of 99.99% here today) or seal it up in a Tupperware with a wad of damp paper towels. Just be sure to check on it regularly to avoid mold.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Distilled water: Yes, it's better than tap water. But I've not used it for years, as tap water has introduced no effects whatever.

 

[briarbuck]

A slice of white bread in a tupperware works as well.

Anything like this, including the ever popular apple, is an invitation to introduce mold.

After the bread I spray everything down with 409. Boom. No more mold.

 

[woodsroad]

Most commercially made made bread today will not mold, because it’s made with the same anti-fungal used on some tobaccos.
EDIT: 409. Boom! :worship:

 

[brooklynpiper]

You need to trade all your tobacco with the guy who keeps getting in trouble at work when he dries his tobacco. Just switchy. There, both problems solved.