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What is the best way to season a humidor?

I need it kind of badly as I got some cigars recently i have them in zip lock bags with a cap of salt and water while I am wiping down the inside with distilled water and have put distilled water in my humidifiers to help it. It is a 75 large count humidor.

Should I continue with this method or use Boveda packs? (I am already ordering 6 large 69% Boveda packs as I type this.)

Comments

  • peter4jcpeter4jc Posts: 15,315 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yes, exactly. Proceed as described.

    "I could've had a Mi Querida!"   Nick Bardis
  • deadmandeadman Posts: 8,804 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Why the salt in with the cigars?
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,004 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2020

    Welcome to the forum. First thing I would say is, relax. Cigars are supposed to be relaxing. Unfortunately the first thing guys learn is that wooden humidors can be frustrating to season and regulate. Get your cigars situated and safe in an alternative, semi-permanent storage arrangement in order to give yourself time to deal with the troubles that can occur as you season your wooden humidor. First thing is to get rid of the cap of soggy salt. That's an accident waiting to happen. You don't need to risk having salty cigars. LOL The cigars should be OK for weeks in a ziplock with an airtight seal and no humidification at all. (Remove as much excess air as possible from the bag, zip it shut and store them out of the away from light and airflow,... in a drawer)

    You need a life-raft if you are going to sea in a boat. (Your wooden humidor is the boat and your cigars are your passengers.) For now keep your cigars in the ziplock until you get a "tupperdor" set up for you to use as your life-raft, (because you might have to abandon ship if your wooden humidor doesn't perform as needed after you put your cigars inside.) Use a new or very clean plastic container with a airtight seal. If it's new and happens to have a strong plastic smell, wash it out with dish washing soap to get rid of any strong plastic odor. If strong odor remains, fill with crumpled up newspaper to absorb odors. If strong odor remains, try a different plastic container. Use bovedas to keep humidity regulated inside the container.

    Next turn your attention back to your wooden humidor. I know I haven't given you any real advice on seasoning your wooden humidor, but I thought it was best for you to get your cigars safely situated so you don't have to worry about any setbacks you might have with the wood humidor. The hard truth is that there are better ways to season your humidor than to wipe down the inside. And there are easier ways to store your cigars than a wooden humidor. Lots of guys on this forum only use insulated drink coolers. (coolidor is the name for them.) Coleman, rubbermaid, etc. But rest easy, your cigars are not going to suffer now unless you add them into the wooden humidor before it is ready. Google everything you can about seasoning, and avoid the ones that use the wipe down methods. What you have done so far probably won't harm anything unless you got it too soggy. Take your time. Google everything you are concerned about. I think the Boveda seasoning kit is the way to go. And you might get a good digital hygrometer. (The household use hygrometers from walmart for about ten bucks work well for me.) The Hygrometers that come with the humidors are not that good. Good luck.


    P.S. I'm no expert, except that you are a novice, so relatively speaking, I know everything there is to know about this stuff. Ask me any more questions you may have. Makes me feel smart. I appreciate that too because I've been really stupid for a while now and this helps me. Hope it helps you too.

    Post edited by Bob_Luken on
  • VegasFrankVegasFrank Posts: 16,586 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If you put the salt in with the water, theory goes that it will keep a 75% humidity like a salt test. bad part is that 75% humidity is too much for cigars. But it won't destroy them. Better to keep them a little humid than let them dry out and crack while the humidor is seasoning I suppose.

    I didn't read Bob's long reply, but I would probably go with whatever he said, which is probably get a piece of plastic.

    Don't look ↑
  • deadmandeadman Posts: 8,804 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ^ I am aware of the salt slurry/75% humidity thing but that is for testing/calibrating a hydrometer not storing cigars.

    OP - listen to Bob and check the search feature on here. A lot of past discussions on this.
  • VegasFrankVegasFrank Posts: 16,586 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yeah I didn't say I agreed with it, I just guessed at what it was about...

    Don't look ↑
  • VegasFrankVegasFrank Posts: 16,586 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I still have that humidor and it still stores cigars, so there!

    Don't look ↑
  • VegasFrankVegasFrank Posts: 16,586 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That belongs in the thread with the guy looking for the classy wind resistant lighter
    Don't look ↑
  • BKDogBKDog Posts: 1,229 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It turns out that urine is not sterile, so don't use that.

    https://www.popsci.com/urine-sterile-drinking-pee/

    "Love is a dung heap, Betty and I am but a c.o.c.k. that climbs upon it to crow."
  • 2088643220886432 Posts: 6
    edited March 2020

    nt

  • 2088643220886432 Posts: 6

    Thank you guys for bringing this to my attention. I know they were stupid questions but I haven't been maintaining a humidor for a long time like I said.

  • ShawnOLShawnOL Posts: 8,284 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Since you're starting out with a smallish sized humidor, when you find yourself out of room because cigars accumulate faster than you can smoke em, it would be better to go plastic than a larger sized wooden one. Large enough wooden humidors can get pricey.

    Trapped in the People's Communits Republic of Massachusetts.

  • 2088643220886432 Posts: 6

    They sadly don't accumulate faster than I smoke them (at least in the past they haven't) And my Humidor is a large 7y5 count humidor, i dont remember what the term is for it but I think it's grande? But regardless it is \75 large cigars in capacity (however I only have 25 cigars so keeping the humidity correct is going to be difficult.)

  • ShawnOLShawnOL Posts: 8,284 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Those bovedas you bought will do the trick.

    Trapped in the People's Communits Republic of Massachusetts.

  • BKDogBKDog Posts: 1,229 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Please don't take offense, that's just the way we are around here sometimes. It's a small way some of us have a little fun since many questions are repeats, not to say yours isn't important. As I see it, you are bound to get some good answers amidst the humor somewhere. If you stick around long enough, you should see what I'm trying to say here. Best of luck to you, and always trust Boveda and plastic!

    "Love is a dung heap, Betty and I am but a c.o.c.k. that climbs upon it to crow."
  • Far_North_64Far_North_64 Posts: 925 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Except for Frank. He smokes Victor Sinclairs so never listen to him.
    Now this is not the end of the cigar. It is not even the beginning of the end of the cigar. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning of the cigar.

  • IndustMechIndustMech Posts: 4,659 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @NoahfromCE said:
    I see this thread is full of experts I recently wrote this: https://caseelegance.com/blogs/gifts/how-do-i-know-when-my-humidor-is-seasoned would love to know your feedback!

    Will you be offering Cigar.com space on your web site to advertise their products?

    I know, You're a big dog and I'm on the list.
    Let's eat, GrandMa.  /  Let's eat GrandMa.  --  Punctuation saves lives

    It'll be fine once the swelling goes down.

  • Amos_UmwhatAmos_Umwhat Posts: 8,405 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @IndustMech said:

    @NoahfromCE said:
    I see this thread is full of experts I recently wrote this: https://caseelegance.com/blogs/gifts/how-do-i-know-when-my-humidor-is-seasoned would love to know your feedback!

    Will you be offering Cigar.com FREE space on your web site to advertise their products?

    FIFY

    WARNING:  The above post may contain thoughts or ideas known to the State of Caliphornia to cause seething rage, confusion, distemper, nausea, perspiration, sphincter release, or cranial implosion to persons who implicitly trust only one news source, or find themselves at either the left or right political extreme.  Proceed at your own risk.  

    "If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed.  If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." --  Mark Twain
  • YaksterYakster Posts: 25,527 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2020

    Practice forum magic, five flags for Spam and we make their message disappear.

    Done! Good job, team.

    I'll gladly bomb you Tuesday for an Opus today. 

                  Join us on the New Zoom vHerf (Meeting # 2619860114 Password vHerf2020 )
  • VisionVision Posts: 7,764 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Take your time and add your cigars a few at a time. Patience is key..... and Boveda.... definitely Boveda.

  • ShawnOLShawnOL Posts: 8,284 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nothing good happens fast in a humidor.

    Trapped in the People's Communits Republic of Massachusetts.

  • silvermousesilvermouse Posts: 19,044 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Send it to Wylaff and he'll smoke it for you. Seals the wood and prevents mold from growing.

  • rsherman24rsherman24 Posts: 6,735 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Get rid of the troll, and everything is good

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