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Staying Lit

havefun79havefun79 Posts: 18
in Cigar 101
So I have been sampling cigars for a few years and finally bought a small humidor of my own to allow aging and a ready supply. Problem is most of the cigs dont stay lit when I have tried them. They start fine but after about a 1/4 to a 1/3 the wrapper stops burning. the filler will stay lit and burn up the cigar for a while until it cant get air, but then I either have to relight, which creates a very harsh smoke, or give up. My humidor is a small desk top with 50/50 solution. I usually try to keep it dry around 65% RH, but it is hot here, northern california, so keeping them at 70 degrees is tough and they often hit 80. Is this a humidor problem or something in the way I'm smoking them? any suggestions?
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Comments

  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    you may be smoking a bit too slow. aim for about a puff a minute.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • 4bob44bob4 Posts: 212
    Is it happening with all (or at lest most) of your cigars? Have you been smoking the same stick over and over or changing it up? I assume that since you said you've been sampling that you've been changing it up. If it is all one cigar type it may be construction issues.
  • TheedgeTheedge Posts: 316 ✭
    Are you leaving the cigar in your mouth so that the end is getting overly wet?  If I smoke while doing something and leave the cigar in my mouth, it gets all goobed up and is no good.
  • havefun79havefun79 Posts: 18
    Yeah changing it up. I bought a couple of sample packs with several different cigars. Almost all of them have gone out at least halfway through.
  • havefun79havefun79 Posts: 18
    No Dont leave it in my mouth, but almost all of the cigars make me salivate a lot and i end up having to spit. not sure if this could be part of the problem.
  • GoldyGoldy Posts: 1,638 ✭✭
    I often have the same problem but I think it is from puffing too slowly. Its freaking anoying.
  • bbc020bbc020 Posts: 1,422 ✭
    havefun79:
    No Dont leave it in my mouth, but almost all of the cigars make me salivate a lot and i end up having to spit. not sure if this could be part of the problem.
    as long as you're not spitting on the end of the cigar!

    Overall this sounds like it could be a humidity issue if not a slow smoking issue.
  • shamrockedshamrocked Posts: 285 ✭
    this happens to me when i get closer to the nub - i don't want to take as many puffs sometimes because of the heat and thus i lose my light - so depending on the quality of the cigar you're smoking and however many puffs you take would be my guess to the reason this is happening
  • Garen BGaren B Posts: 977
    Do you ash the cigar frequently fun? I have noticed that most cigars burn better with about a half inch of ash on it. The ash helps keep the heat in and especially if you live in a fairly humid area, then your cherry will have a tendency to go out.
  • GoldyGoldy Posts: 1,638 ✭✭
    Garen B:
    Do you ash the cigar frequently fun? I have noticed that most cigars burn better with about a half inch of ash on it. The ash helps keep the heat in and especially if you live in a fairly humid area, then your cherry will have a tendency to go out.

    Thats an interesting idea.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    bbc020:
    Overall this sounds like it could be a humidity issue if not a slow smoking issue.
    That's what I was thinking, based on personal experience it makes the most sense.
  • T. GervaisT. Gervais Posts: 239
    That happens to me sometimes because I live in a humid climate. I think it's because I leave the ash a little long and neglect to puff enough to keep it going. I would say just knock the ash off after about 1/2 to 1 inch and make sure your puffing often enough to keep it lit.
  • HugemooseHugemoose Posts: 458 ✭
    That is a good point. I find that right after I ash I must be a little more attentive to keep the burn how I like it. I always figured the exposed cherry cools down more quickly so I always give it a good puff or two to keep things going.
  • FourtotheflushFourtotheflush Posts: 2,555 ✭
    It could be the heat, get your humi in a cooler area.
  • GrahamcrackerGrahamcracker Posts: 13
    I agree that having about a half inch of ash on the cigar helps to keep it burning well. Aside from that, spend more time with the initial light of the cigar. I would prime it before you puff it just give it a good light before you ever put your lips on it, let it smolder for a moment then light it regularly.  It works for me at least.
  • havefun79havefun79 Posts: 18
    Thanks for all the input. I usually try to let the ash get long so I will try tapping it more often. I also will try to prime it better. I usually try to take my time lighting it, but never totally let it smolder before puffing. Its not very humid here more of a desert climate, so it seems weird that I would have problems keeping it lit.
  • Andrew_DzikoskiAndrew_Dzikoski Posts: 381 ✭✭✭
    It could be a few different things. If you are also experiencing a tuff draw it could be the cigar is just slightly over humidified. The best way I have found to keep my timing in check is to keep an eye on the cherry. If you are burning with a very conic cherry that protrudes substantially you are smoking to fast, if the ash falls flush with the foot or is even inverted you are going a bit too slow. You want to have just a slight mound for your cherry as the thicker priming’s are rolled in the center of the cigar and do take a little more heat to burn. When you are burning through your stick to fast the oils don’t have a chance to burn properly and will just vaporize from the heat and you can lose out on some flavor, also your palette can pick up more flavor from cooler smoke. So if your cherry is looking it should have more of an appearance of ). Hope this helps.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    havefun79:
    Its not very humid here more of a desert climate, so it seems weird that I would have problems keeping it lit.
    If your humidor is too humid, that's all it takes. I live in a hot and dry area as well, but if I keep my humidor at 70%, I can almost guarantee that most of my cigars won't burn properly.
  • 4bob44bob4 Posts: 212
    I was thinking the same thing. I like keeping my smokes under 70% rh
  • FractalFractal Posts: 11
    j0z3r:
    havefun79:
    Its not very humid here more of a desert climate, so it seems weird that I would have problems keeping it lit.
    If your humidor is too humid, that's all it takes. I live in a hot and dry area as well, but if I keep my humidor at 70%, I can almost guarantee that most of my cigars won't burn properly.


    How do you -not- keep your humidor at 70%?  All I have is a humidification puck filled with propylene glycol & a digital hygrometer all in a 50 count Spanish cedar lined humidor.  It seems like it naturally stays at 70%.
  • 4bob44bob4 Posts: 212
    Fractal:
    j0z3r:
    havefun79:
    Its not very humid here more of a desert climate, so it seems weird that I would have problems keeping it lit.
    If your humidor is too humid, that's all it takes. I live in a hot and dry area as well, but if I keep my humidor at 70%, I can almost guarantee that most of my cigars won't burn properly.


    How do you -not- keep your humidor at 70%?  All I have is a humidification puck filled with propylene glycol & a digital hygrometer all in a 50 count Spanish cedar lined humidor.  It seems like it naturally stays at 70%.

    I have the 65% beads. They seem to keep a little higher than that (maybe because I'm in ga)
  • havefun79havefun79 Posts: 18
    So does living a hot dry climate mean that I should keep my humidor a little dryer also. I have a little bit of a hard time keeping them at 70% anyway so keeping them between 60-65% should not be too hard. What humidity should I keep them at?
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    i keep mine at 65% all year round.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    I'm with the Kuz-man here. Mine stays around 65%, perhaps as low as 62% and all of my cigars smoke great. Don't believe the hype that you have to store your cigars at 70%, it won't hurt the cigars to be lower, and you'll enjoy smoking them more.
  • leonardleonard Posts: 359
    I keep my humidity between 64% and 66% in my humi's and will still dry box a cigar for a day if I plan ahead. Maduros especially. Very seldom have burn issues.
  • vankleekkwvankleekkw Posts: 404 ✭
    I concur with what most have said here. 1st try to get some 65% beads, but if you don't want to spend the coin, plan ahead and dry box (store in a separate box with no humidity) for a day before smoking.
  • havefun79havefun79 Posts: 18
    Never heard of dry boxing before will try that next time I light up. Thanks for the info. Also I kind of think that A bigger humi would help as the small one is pretty full. I think that this makes it to humid with not enought circulation, your thoughts?
  • kent1146kent1146 Posts: 86
    Hugemoose:
    That is a good point. I find that right after I ash I must be a little more attentive to keep the burn how I like it. I always figured the exposed cherry cools down more quickly so I always give it a good puff or two to keep things going.


    A long time ago, one of my friends taught me his pattern of puffing and ashing.  It's stuck with me, and has become habit.

    When you smoke:  put the cigar to your mouth, and first exhale a bit through the cigar.  This will help clear any stale smoke stuck in the middle of the cigar.  Then take a nice, slow, even draw into your mouth.

    When you ash:  Try to keep as long of an ash as you can before you tap it off.  With experience, you'll know how long of an ash you can keep.  When you do tap off the ash, tap it BEFORE you take a draw.  The draw will help create a new layer of ash at the end, and help the cherry keep its temperature.
  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    I stay lit by pouring my beer into a glass and that way I can chug faster!
  • MarkHMarkH Posts: 120 ✭✭
    "When you smoke: put the cigar to your mouth, and first exhale a bit through the cigar" I don't think blowing through the cigar will help it stay lit. I do an initial pull and release and then a fuller pull & hold. It seems to 1) clear the staler smoke and 2) give fresh oxygen to the cherry so I can put it down and not worry about it for a minute or so.
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