Humidity Packs vs Pouch Moisteners
- Thread starter throbinson
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If you have room. Mason jars are great. I found that Ball jars go back to the 1800's and they are fun to collect and put your tobacco in. You can Google "Ball Jars" and find out how old and rare they are. No one gives a hoot about Ball jars and you can get them for a song, even the really old ones. They seal great. Find them on ETSY and eBay.
I have never purposefully hydrated or humidified any pipe tobaccos. I tend to want my pipe tobaccos to become more DRY.
I do often dry out pipe tobaccos. And even though I have a lot of varieties of all sorts….. one illustration of my method…. When I am fortunate enough to find a pound tub (now 14 oz) of Prince Albert or regular Sir Walter Raleigh….. I will spread the whole can (tub) out on a cookie sheet and let it air dry in the sun for at least a day…. if not 2-3 days. I then pour it back into the tub…… and (for me) this equates to pipe smoking Nirvana in terms of “moisture”.
I do often dry out pipe tobaccos. And even though I have a lot of varieties of all sorts….. one illustration of my method…. When I am fortunate enough to find a pound tub (now 14 oz) of Prince Albert or regular Sir Walter Raleigh….. I will spread the whole can (tub) out on a cookie sheet and let it air dry in the sun for at least a day…. if not 2-3 days. I then pour it back into the tub…… and (for me) this equates to pipe smoking Nirvana in terms of “moisture”.
I have many Mason jars with tobacco, and I never use any hydration in them.
I do use the packets to rehydrate any tobacco that I've accidentlly left in a daily pouch for to long...
I do use the packets to rehydrate any tobacco that I've accidentlly left in a daily pouch for to long...
Well, seems like many against hydration, but not everyone... and again, no issues with mine. But going forward I'll just jar it.
What should the hydration be?
Maybe I should stick my digital hygrometer in, and if too moist, leave the lid off a while. Do that for each because some definitely light more easily than others.
What should the hydration be?
Maybe I should stick my digital hygrometer in, and if too moist, leave the lid off a while. Do that for each because some definitely light more easily than others.
Using boveda since the 90s in cigar humidor. 72 percent packs gets me a nice smoke. I suppose the humidity is about 65 plus or minus from my el cheapo digital gauge. Its a reference tool not a true measure. I've never used humidipaks for pipe tobacco. I like to smoke pipe tobacco drier anyway. Some either never dry out enough even leaving them out for weeks or they are perfect at 15 to 20 percent and that is where the mason jar keeps it. I vaccum seal the mason jars as well. Never had mold or too dry tobacco. Some folks think tobacco dries out too much but I've found that pipe tobacco is usually too wet as it comes. Unless the tobacco in pipes or cigars is so dry it's dust most likely its not too dry. I can't stand when people squeeze cigars. I don't think anyone really knows what a totally dried out unsmokable cigar looks like. Even for pipe tobacco.
Mold formation requires few things. Warmth, moisture, and minimal air circulation. And bad luck. I had one instance of mold. And it was without addition of moisture. The moisture in the tobacco was good enough. And it was a bit dry to start with. Adding moisture increases the chance of mold, but it doesn't guarantee it. And, you want your pipe tobacco to be on a bit of dry side anyway. No need to add moisture at all. But if you want to add moisture, go ahead. It's your tobacco.
Finally had the time to pay some much needed attention to my pipes. Full cleaning, polish, etc... and checked my tobacco jars with a few cheap hygrometers and up around 85%....
So... jars with little left I left open for the afternoon. Full jars, I laid out on paper towels on a table for the afternoon, every hour mixing it up and spreading out again.
Moisture pucks are gone. Cleaned a few up just in case, and a few were just a mess looking and tossed.
So, no more adding moisture, and WOW does this room smell amazing. I almost want to keep an open jar of tobacco in the car, better than an air freshener.
So... jars with little left I left open for the afternoon. Full jars, I laid out on paper towels on a table for the afternoon, every hour mixing it up and spreading out again.
Moisture pucks are gone. Cleaned a few up just in case, and a few were just a mess looking and tossed.
So, no more adding moisture, and WOW does this room smell amazing. I almost want to keep an open jar of tobacco in the car, better than an air freshener.
Here's a tip based on long experience. If you're going to buy and new pouch, get the roll kind as opposed to the zipper type. The roll up style keeps tobacco much fresher than zipper types. Don't ask me why, just does. 
Actually, weird coincidence, I own none and was just looking at the Brigham brown leather vintage style pouch last night...Here's a tip based on long experience. If you're going to buy and new pouch, get the roll kind as opposed to the zipper type. The roll up style keeps tobacco much fresher than zipper types. Don't ask me why, just does.
