Home› Cigar 101

Tunneling

bigharpoonbigharpoon Posts: 2,963 ✭✭✭
in Cigar 101
What causes this? The cigar I smoked this afternoon (RP 1990) tunneled hard on me. It was windy and I know smoking in wind is not advised but I was in the lee of my house and really it wasn't THAT windy. I can't always wait for great smoking conditions, I live in Maine for christ sake. I'd have like a four day season if I waited for perfection. I didn't smoke too slow, maybe the stick is too dry @ 62 RH? Bum stick? The wrapper just didn't want to burn like the filler did. I got it here at Ccom and its been in my humi for a month.

Comments

  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    smoking too slow sometimes causes this.

    maybe too wet of a wrapper.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • VidarienVidarien Posts: 246
    Ill concur with kuzi on his second point. High RH / Smoking in a high RH enviornment can cause this.
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    kuzi16:
    smoking too slow sometimes causes this.

    maybe too wet of a wrapper.
    really? that must be very slow then. I find that if I take too long than the cigar goes out, never had it tunnel on me, or would it be a combination of the two...
  • bigharpoonbigharpoon Posts: 2,963 ✭✭✭
    I tried another cigar later yesterday afternoon and it tunneled too. So I guess even moderate levels of wind are too much. It was like the eddy drafts I was sitting in were blowing on the cigar and keeping the wrapper from burning but the filler was shielded to burn away. My other theory is my humi is too dry and the filler dries faster than the oily wrapper and burns faster. I'm trying to get the RH up a little.
  • hawaiianbasshawaiianbass Posts: 123
    It could be the construction of the cigar too. Its always windy where I live and if I can find a relativly calm spot to smoke the wind doesn't affect the burn but I 've had a couple cigars that tunneled when I was smoking inside. My .02. CK
  • Jetmech_63Jetmech_63 Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    The wind screws with my cigars pretty bad. If it's windy and i get a good light thell usually start tunneling after the first ash falls off. Luckily i've been smoking when it hasnt been to windy, a light breeze is ok.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    by "tunneling" do you mean:
    A) burning of ONE side of the cigar. Similar to a hollowed-out canoe, a canoeing cigar leaves one side of the cigar un-scathed.
    or
    An inward burn is characterized by the filler burning inward as you draw on the cigar, while the wrapper and binder fail to remain lit.

    the forst one (A) is caused by improper rolling, which results in tight filler on one side and loose filler tobacco on the other. Canoeing can also be facilitated by NOT lighting the cigar foot evenly. An unbalanced light can result in an unbalanced burn rate. Another cause for canoeing could be a localized draft or wind blowing on the cigar; such as an air vent in a car or having the window slightly open while smoking and driving.

    the second one (B) is caused by poor rolling, uneven lighting, and/or bad fermentation. In addition, inward burn is frequently caused by an over saturated wrapper or uneven humidity within the cigar:
    meaning the inside/filler is drier than the outside/wrapper-binder.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • bigharpoonbigharpoon Posts: 2,963 ✭✭✭
    I'm talking about inward burn where the filler is burning but the binder and wrapper are not.

    kuzi16:
    inward burn is frequently caused by an over saturated wrapper or uneven humidity within the cigar:
    meaning the inside/filler is drier than the outside/wrapper-binder.
    I think this may be my problem, or at least part of it.
  • burchamsburchams Posts: 31
    bigharpoon:
    I'm talking about inward burn where the filler is burning but the binder and wrapper are not.

    kuzi16:
    inward burn is frequently caused by an over saturated wrapper or uneven humidity within the cigar:
    meaning the inside/filler is drier than the outside/wrapper-binder.
    I think this may be my problem, or at least part of it.
    So the treatment would be more time in the humi? Do you concur Dr. Kuzi?
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    probably. it would atleast even out the RH in the cigar.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • bigharpoonbigharpoon Posts: 2,963 ✭✭✭
    I got some generic beads and put them in my humi in addition to my foam puck. I got the RH up to 65% which I think is perfect. After sitting for a little while all my sticks seemed much better and more evenly humidified inside and out. The 5 Vegas classic and Padilla '68 I smoked this weekend didn't tunnel at all. Thanks for all the advice and help in solving my problem.
Sign In or Register to comment.