Foil Topped Lids

[hawky454]

Does anyone have any experience with the foil topped lids and long term aging? I was gifted a 7 ounce tin of Peter Heinrich's Special Curley from Smoking Pipes in 2010 and I have kept it in my cellar since. I have started to worry about the foil seal they have on top. Does anyone know how these type of tins hold up over time? Are they air tight?
While I'm at it, I was wondering if anyone had any experience with long term aging with Reiner Blend 71 (Long Golden Flake) tins? I love the paint can tin but does it hold up over time?

 

[hawky454]

This here is what I'm talking about...

 

[hawky454]

Nobody on these forums has any experience with these style tins? I find that hard to believe.

 

[ashdigger]

Hawky, I just saw this. I have a few tin foil lids that are over 6 years old.....they look fine.
One the Reiner Long Golden Flake (Paint Can)..... I have several of this blend in particular that are over 10 years old....they hold up fantastic. The flake in the opened one was very dark and perfectly aged and the flake was still moist.

 

[hawky454]

Ashdigger, thank you for your response. That's good to hear about the Reiner! I'm curious if you have any foil top lids that you've been able to open and inspect the tobacco? I'm worried that the foil top isn't completely air tight and the tobacco is drying out inside. I don't want to disrupt the aging process to transfer it to jars though.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Schrödinger's cat, you are worried that the seal has failed, yet if you open it, you kill the magic that could be happening. So, the tobacco is both alive and dead, but opening it will kill it for sure. In all of my tins foil and paint cans, I have never had an issue, nor I have I heard of anyone having an issue. I would think it best to leave the cat in the box till you're ready to smoke it. Just my $0.02

 

[rigmedic1]

Special Curley is my all time favorite. I only had it in the paint cans, but it's too good to waste. Me, I would smoke it now!

 

[hawky454]

Schrödinger's cat

I remember that theory, if I open the box and the cats dead, then I killed the cat! I think you're right, I'll leave the cat in the box for 3 more years.

Rigmedic, I have never tried it but I bet it's gonna be great at the ten year mark! SP used to be very generous with their gifts. I'm so very thankful they through that in with my order way back then. I'm also glad I didn't smoke it back then as I wouldn't have appreciated it like I will now.

 

[hawky454]

Damn I hate that you only have so much time to edit your posts... threw*** is the right spelling. I'm just on autopilot and I sound out words in my head but my fingers type something else...

 

[pipesmokingtom]

There's a really cool air-tight stretch tape the medical industry uses. I'm blanking on the name now, but you cut strips of it, then stretch it tight around whatever you're sealing and it sticks to itself at the end of the wrap. Could be useful for this type of lid for a little insurance or peace of mind.
EDIT: Parafilm. I believe it's called parafilm.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Peck has some that he has dipped in wax, but I don't think it was one of these tins.

 

[balkisobrains]

If you can't smell the tobacco, I wouldn't worry too much about permeability. I used to buy tins of Bali Halfzware and they used those. Or perhaps it was the Drum Halfzware with the foil tops. The Bali was a better tobacco, though. Either way, I remember that the tobacco was always fresh inside. Granted, I was opening them as soon as I got them.

 

[hawky454]

Thanks guys. Parafilm? I'll have to look into that, thanks!

 

[balkisobrains]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parafilm
I knew that Parafilm sounded familiar to me so I wiki'ed it. I used to use it as a masking film for airbrushing plastic models. It was good for doing stuff like masking aircraft nosecones, canopies, and things with complex curves. Says on Wiki that it breaks down over time, might want to reconsider buying it for long-term storage.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Says on Wiki that it breaks down over time, might want to reconsider buying it for long-term storage.

Says on Wiki "it is claimed" it breaks down over time. I don't trust passive voice with no citations, but YMMV as always.
I do know fellas that seal their tins with it as extra insurance and swear by it, though.

 

[balkisobrains]

True, but in any case I'd be surprised if it's any less gas-permeable at any time than a foil-top, but you would have to know how thick the foil is though. It would have to be thicker than .001 inch. I guess that the weak spots of foil tops that are thick enough could still be the impressed circular "breakaway" line that some have, or any adhesive that might be keeping the top in place. O2 might still get through those areas. Probably better off mylar-bagging the whole sealed tin with an oxidizer pack and some silica in the bag and then heat-sealing the bag shut if it's something special.