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Had a strange (for me) thing happen while smoking last night....??

HaysHays Posts: 2,337 ✭✭✭
in Cigar 101
So, I'm pretty new to cigars - have tried maybe 10 or so to date - and last night I had an issue I hadn't encountered before. After smoking a while, I cleared the ash from my cigar to find that I had a significant protruding cone of ember. (I'm trying to explain this as clearly as possible). Basically, while I was smoking the outer edges of my cigar burned evenly, but the inside was not. The result was like a half inch or more cone of ember tobacco on the end of my cigar. What was I doing wrong? Smoking too fast? Too slow?
¨The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea¨ - Isak Dinesen

¨Only two people walk around in this world beardless - boys and women - and I am neither one.¨

Comments

  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Generally that is a sign of smoking too fast. The tobacco on the inside naturally burns slower due to the fact that it is not exposed as much to the air, but also some of the tobaccos used in the filler don't have the best burn characteristics, ligero would be a good example of a slow burning tobacco. The best approach would be to just slow down your pace, shoot for about a puff every 45-60 seconds, right around there ought to do you fine.
  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    I usually just knock the coned end off with my arm, I just take the cigar and SLLLLiiiiiiiiide it across my forearm thusly brushing off the slow burning embers....

    God, I'm a man
  • MAJORdorMoMAJORdorMo Posts: 356 ✭
    When I see a cone in the ash, I always take it that the ash came off at JUST the right time.
  • HaysHays Posts: 2,337 ✭✭✭
    I appreciate the input... I've heard that info about smoking pace (in terms of 1/min or so) and the thing is, I wAs pretty much smoking it at that point. That's why I was little confounded, but I didn't have that problem with my smoke today so maybe I'm just getting a better hang of it. Thanks guys!
    ¨The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea¨ - Isak Dinesen

    ¨Only two people walk around in this world beardless - boys and women - and I am neither one.¨
  • vankleekkwvankleekkw Posts: 404 ✭
    If you weren't smoking fast or slow, then it is most likely your humidity. My guess is that you got it straight from the shop and left if out for a day or so. i.e. the wrapper and binder were dryer than the filler. You need to make sure that the cigar is the same humidity throughout.
  • HaysHays Posts: 2,337 ✭✭✭
    vankleekkw:
    If you weren't smoking fast or slow, then it is most likely your humidity. My guess is that you got it straight from the shop and left if out for a day or so. i.e. the wrapper and binder were dryer than the filler. You need to make sure that the cigar is the same humidity throughout.
    I'm thinking you called it perfect.. I had in my fridge for about a week, though I'm not sure I did that quite right. I pulled it from there planning on smoking it within about 30 min, but ended up putting it aside for almost three hours and it was basically just sitting out, though still in its cellophane. From here I'm just planning on not buying cigars I'm not smoking right away till my humidor arrives..
    ¨The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea¨ - Isak Dinesen

    ¨Only two people walk around in this world beardless - boys and women - and I am neither one.¨
  • JKTexJKTex Posts: 92
    If you had it in the refrigerator, then I'd definitely go with it being a moisture issue.

    In the meantime, I'd try to use tupperware with humi-packs or beads rather than chilling them to death.  Have you ever checked the humidity in a refrigerator?
  • Archangel32GArchangel32G Posts: 41
    Lasabar:
    I usually just knock the coned end off with my arm, I just take the cigar and SLLLLiiiiiiiiide it across my forearm thusly brushing off the slow burning embers....

    God, I'm a man
    Lol Lasabar, im going to have to see some proff of that badassery for sure.
  • jlmartajlmarta Posts: 7,881 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Lasabar:
    I usually just knock the coned end off with my arm, I just take the cigar and SLLLLiiiiiiiiide it across my forearm thusly brushing off the slow burning embers....

    God, I'm a man


    And if we believe all that S--T you'll tell us more, right?

    Marty

  • HaysHays Posts: 2,337 ✭✭✭
    LOL that's some major "badassery" haha... No, I haven't checked the humidity of a fridge actually. Was just one of the storage ideas that I had read about - as I said, I'm very new to cigars. I have a humidor coming that should be arriving on Thursday, so for the time being I'll just buy and light.
    ¨The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea¨ - Isak Dinesen

    ¨Only two people walk around in this world beardless - boys and women - and I am neither one.¨
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Guys, Lassy just is that bad ass...deal with it and get on with your day.
  • jlmartajlmarta Posts: 7,881 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Damn!! Don't get your knickers in a twist, guys - I was just joshin'. A sense of humor isn't allowed on this forum??

    Marty

  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Who's getting their knickers in a twist? And for that matter....who wears knickers? :)

    I suppose you don't share my sense of humor, otherwise you would have seen the joke that was my post.
  • Matt MarvelMatt Marvel Posts: 930 ✭
    I have issues with my ash doing that as well from time to time. My problem is humidity as I still don't have a proper way of storing my cigars. I'd like to add that storing them in the fridge is really not a good idea. If you don't have a humidor yet, you can store them in a zip-loc bag with a water pillow. That's what I do, and it works pretty well. Still, nowhere near as good as a humidor.
  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    I also sometimes feel like my ash is sticking out too much...
    I really don't care about my ash, I don't care if other people see my ash, and if they don't like my ash, well they can go fork themselves...

    The bad part is my Girlfriend is very self-conscious about her ash, "Is it too big, is it too little? Does this outfit clash with my ash??? I'm NOT GOING OUT!"

    I just wind up smacking her ash to make her shut up...
  • HaysHays Posts: 2,337 ✭✭✭
    Lasabar:
    I also sometimes feel like my ash is sticking out too much...
    I really don't care about my ash, I don't care if other people see my ash, and if they don't like my ash, well they can go fork themselves...

    The bad part is my Girlfriend is very self-conscious about her ash, "Is it too big, is it too little? Does this outfit clash with my ash??? I'm NOT GOING OUT!"

    I just wind up smacking her ash to make her shut up...
    Funny stuff... and I JUST noticed your avatar - that's totally your girlfriend right? ;-)
    ¨The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea¨ - Isak Dinesen

    ¨Only two people walk around in this world beardless - boys and women - and I am neither one.¨
  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    Hays:
    Lasabar:
    I also sometimes feel like my ash is sticking out too much...
    I really don't care about my ash, I don't care if other people see my ash, and if they don't like my ash, well they can go fork themselves...

    The bad part is my Girlfriend is very self-conscious about her ash, "Is it too big, is it too little? Does this outfit clash with my ash??? I'm NOT GOING OUT!"

    I just wind up smacking her ash to make her shut up...
    Funny stuff... and I JUST noticed your avatar - that's totally your girlfriend right? ;-)
    Shhhhhhhhh.... it's ONE of my girlfiends... (and yes, I spelled it right!)
  • jihiggsjihiggs Posts: 469 ✭✭
    storing your cigars in the fridge is a BIG no no. if you dont have a humidor, a plastic zip lock will do for a couple days. a tupper ware container will work for a couple weeks, if you have several cigars in it. after that you will need to add moisture somehow.
  • ejenne87ejenne87 Posts: 1,925 ✭✭
    I have read on a few forums, as well in some books, that a cone on the ash end of your cigar is a good sign. It means that you are going at just about the right pace, ashing when you should ash, and keeping the stick at a good temp while enjoying it. Plus, I think it looks kinda bada$$ with a firey spike at the end of my cigar, just something I get a little kick out of I guess.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    ejenne87:
    I have read on a few forums, as well in some books, that a cone on the ash end of your cigar is a good sign. It means that you are going at just about the right pace, ashing when you should ash, and keeping the stick at a good temp while enjoying it.
    i always looked at it as smoking a tad too fast. if its flat or ever so slightly domed then you are good. if it cones then its too fast. if it goes out or burns in ward, then too slow.


    that is how i look at it.

    i always get the best flavor that way.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • HaysHays Posts: 2,337 ✭✭✭
    kuzi16:
    ejenne87:
    I have read on a few forums, as well in some books, that a cone on the ash end of your cigar is a good sign. It means that you are going at just about the right pace, ashing when you should ash, and keeping the stick at a good temp while enjoying it.
    i always looked at it as smoking a tad too fast. if its flat or ever so slightly domed then you are good. if it cones then its too fast. if it goes out or burns in ward, then too slow.


    that is how i look at it.

    i always get the best flavor that way.
    That's been the general rule of my smoking too - I think I was just having humidity issues with that stick.
    ¨The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea¨ - Isak Dinesen

    ¨Only two people walk around in this world beardless - boys and women - and I am neither one.¨
  • These Filthy HandsThese Filthy Hands Posts: 455
    Just remember when you first get your humi to set it up properly. I didn't and I had moisture issues for the longest time. It would go from to dry to way to moist almost overnight.
  • HaysHays Posts: 2,337 ✭✭✭
    These Filthy Hands:
    Just remember when you first get your humi to set it up properly. I didn't and I had moisture issues for the longest time. It would go from to dry to way to moist almost overnight.
    Yeah...I've spent the last week making sure it was well seasoned. Got a digi hygro from Walmart and it's working great (did the salt test), and I have some heartfelt beads en route. Right now my humi is holding at 67%, but I'm having a hard time keeping the temp down. It's really hot around here, and even though I have it sitting in a dark closet in the coolest room in the house, it's still around 75 degrees... any thoughts?
    ¨The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea¨ - Isak Dinesen

    ¨Only two people walk around in this world beardless - boys and women - and I am neither one.¨
  • FourtotheflushFourtotheflush Posts: 2,555 ✭
    Hays:
    LOL that's some major "badassery" haha... No, I haven't checked the humidity of a fridge actually. Was just one of the storage ideas that I had read about - as I said, I'm very new to cigars. I have a humidor coming that should be arriving on Thursday, so for the time being I'll just buy and light.
    Look up Tupperdore
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