Mason Jars Not Sealing Properly

[gervais]

I have over 50 jars that I have on rotation. They are opened up every month or so for the past 6 years. Not one has dried out to any noticeable degree that I have noticed. Never vacuum sealed one of them, just hand tighten

 

[Lumbridge]

Ive never used a vacuum sealer in decades. Like I mentioned, the only issue was the one jar that was the problem. Tens of thousands of pipers have stored tons of tobacco in millions of jars without issue.
I really don't believe the vacuum is the issue. The jar I had would not have sealed with a vacuum.

Same, I've never vacuum sealed any jars and it's never been a problem until now, and with two of this particular type of jar.

 

[Sig]

Same, I've never vacuum sealed any jars and it's never been a problem until now, and with two of this particular type of jar.

Are you using Ball brand jars?
On Amazon many sellers have jars they call "Mason" jars. But, they are actually Chinese knockoffs. They are cheap and say MASON right on them, but if you look close, they are made by a Chinese knockoff maker.
Ive learned to only buy Ball brand jars.
I believe these companies are using the Mason name to sell their jars.
Ball jars always say they are made by Ball.
This is just something I was thinking about.

 

[Lumbridge]

Are you using Ball brand jars?
On Amazon many sellers have jars they call "Mason" jars. But, they are actually Chinese knockoffs. They are cheap and say MASON right on them, but if you look close, they are made by a Chinese knockoff maker.
Ive learned to only buy Ball brand jars.
I believe these companies are using the Mason name to sell their jars.
Ball jars always say they are made by Ball.
This is just something I was thinking about.

I only buy Ball/Kerr jars and lids. The ones I had a problem with are the Kerr 8oz wides. Never had any other jar seals fail, but two of these dried out almost entirely. The weird thing is that the lid was suctioned on and I heard the 'whoosh' of air entering when I opened them, but the contents were crunchy. I'm just going to avoid these particular jars going forward.

 

[Lumbridge]

I only buy Ball/Kerr jars and lids. The ones I had a problem with are the Kerr 8oz wides. Never had any other jar seals fail, but two of these dried out almost entirely. The weird thing is that the lid was suctioned on and I heard the 'whoosh' of air entering when I opened them, but the contents were crunchy. I'm just going to avoid these particular jars going forward.

 

[gord]

Have this problem too. Misfitting lids are common amongst Amazoon imports. I can a lot as well so stick with domestic brands of jars, such as Ber-Nar-Din, or Mason, which are made to a high enough standard that misfits are not common, even if they too are stamped out overseas, which they just may be given the sleazy goings-on of imports and exports. They're still made to a higher standard.

 

[ThermionicScott]

One thing to think about: the seal on the lid will form to the rim of the jar. I try to make sure a fresh lid is centered pretty well on the jar and screw it down fairly tightly the first time around. Then when I'm closing up the jar again in the future, I'll gently slide the lid around to make sure it seats in its little groove before screwing down the ring. I feel like that helps your chances versus just slapping it all back together each time.

 

[woodsroad]

Yes, no lid when in the oven. The tobacco will feel a bit dry but it will be fine as the heat trapped in the jar will re-inject and maintain enough moisture.

Explain that to me?

*******
The two possible culprits for a faulty seal have already been mentioned: The jar rim is not flat OR the lid seal material is faulty. I believe that Ball recommends immersing the lids in boiling water to both sanitize the lid and to soften the gasket material so that it easily conforms to the jar rim. I don’t do that, but if I ever come across a failed seal, I’ll start!

A Failed Seal​

 

[mingc]

I believe that Ball recommends immersing the lids in boiling water to both sanitize the lid and to soften the gasket material so that it easily conforms to the jar rim. I don’t do that, but if I ever come across a failed seal, I’ll start!

Actually Ball recommends the opposite:

TIP: Preheating Ball® lids is not advised. The sealing compound used for our home canning lids performs better at room temperature than it does pre-heated in simmering water (180°F). Simply wash lids in hot, soapy water, dry, and set aside until needed. Preheating can lead to less vacuum being achieved during water bath canning, and to buckle failures during pressure canning.

https://www.ballmasonjars.com/water-bath-canning.html and https://www.ballmasonjars.com/pressure-canning.html

But then, canning is not same as jarring tobacco at room temperature, so who knows?

 

[woodsroad]

Actually Ball recommends the opposite:

Thank you!
It has been about 30 years since I last canned food ( it was pickles, as I recall) and 50 years since I helped my parents can the garden bounty.

 

[Sam Whiskey]

To ensure the lid seals properly, put the tobacco in a jar and the jar in the oven at 200F (pre-heated at that temperature, first). Leave it in for 15 minutes, take it out, and screw the lid on as soon as possible. After an hour or so check the lid as the heat in the jar will loosen it some. Check it again a day or 2 later, just in case.
You should hear the pop! sound indicating the jar is sealed fairly quickly. If not, no worries, it will happen later.
I've done this with all my jars and never encountered any issues.

I was going to suggest this myself, glad I scrolled through. Before I got a vacuum sealer, I used a similar technique to seal dry goods for long term storage.