Humidors for Pipe Tobacco; are really Necessary?

[ivan08]

Hi everyone! This is my first topic since i joined the pipe forum! My question is about Pipe Tobacco Humidors. They are really a necessary item for pipe smokers? I live in Puerto Rico; a tropical island on the caribbean; the weather here is mostly warm and rainy on some months; temperature is about a range of 75F to 90F most of the time.. (too hot for the tobacco i think) With that weather a Humidor is a very important item for my tobacco?

I stock my tobacco in the closet in cookie jars or coffee jars. I put all the aromatics bags in one jar and all the English tins in a real big jar. This is a good idea? I keep my tobacco in their original ziplock bags inside the jars; and do the same when i buy tins. I put the sealed tins inside the jars and close them.

I smoke only like 2 bowls a week with my friends -my wife hates tobacco . That means that my tobacco pass too much time in that "no humidified" enviroment! (sealed but stocked too much time) And when i open a tin i dont know if is correct that i kept the tobacco in that same openened tin, take the quantity that i wish to smoke and storage again the tin inside the jar.
Is a good idea to kept the tobacco in the refrigerator to solve the temperature problem? The method that i use to protect my tobacco is correct???
(sorry for my bad english) (my first language is spanish but i will do my best to practice more my english) Good day for all of you people!

 

[PeriqueMyInterest]

I wouldn't put my tobacco in the refrigerator. I live in a relatively dry climate and if I leave tobacco out in a zip-lock bag it will dry out quickly but in a sealed jar, or previously opened tin, it stays good for a very very long time. I would invest in multiple small, air-tight jars for individual baggies of tobacco though, because the flavor of the tobacco can mix between baggies over a longer period of time.

 

[ivan08]

Thanxs for your help Assaad! I am grateful for your advice. I have all that questions because i was thinking in buy some of that jars with humidors devices inside. But only if is really a necessary (must have item)
Is a good idea to stick inside the jars some of that "Humid-EZE" that sells in the smoke shops??
I will start buying some multiple small jars to put the baggies in different jars.
So theres no problem in keeping the tobacco in a previously opened tin for a long time without any humidity system?

 

[papipeguy]

Pipe tobacco needs lower humidity than cigars. Cigars should be kept at about 72% while pipe tobacco is much lower around 20% although that is a guess on my part. I'm sure some of the experts here will let you know the proper humidity levels for pipe tobacco.

Also, welcome to the forum.

 

[pipetrucker]

Welcome to the forums. I spent some time in Puerto Rico when I was in the Navy. Beautiful place.
The advice to put different blends in their own sealed jars is good advice. A humidor is certainly not necessary and would be a waste of money in my opinion.

 

[bootlegbonvivant]

I would say that with your climate, the air-tight containers would be fine, without needing any of the humid-eze. I usually get pipe pouch moisteners like this or the ones that are plastic with a sponge inside them and they have a self adhesive backing. I use the latter for most of my jars and just use distilled water on them.

 

[ohin3]

In most climates a sealed glass jar like a Mason jar or canning jar will do just fine. I have stored tobacco in a Mason jar for over 10 years with good results. I transfer all tobacco from it's original package to a mason jar. I don't smoke all day every day so a tin may last me a few months or more.

 

[ivan08]

Thanks for the welcome papipeguy and pipetrucker! im glad that you liked Puerto Rico! And thanks for sharing that knowledge with me, im very new to pipesmoking and have too many questions! hehehe
Thanks BottleG, Basker and Ohin for that good advices! I will use the sealed glass jars method for storage. (different blends in separate jars) Thanxs for the information guys!
Baskerville I travel close to Alabama in 2008! Tennessee! but only stayed a few days! i want to go again! wonderful place! good weather, I stayed in Nashville and visited the Jack Daniels Distillery with my sister! wonderful whiskey land!! really cool pubs on Nashville!!