Re-Seasoning my humidor

[CaptainSaint]

Hello all,

I know this is probably a typical noob question however here goes. For health reasons (not puffing related) I was out of the game for well over a year and a half now however I'm back on track to get my humidor back up and running. I have an Amalfi 75 count desktop humidor as well as a little 25 counter. The bad news is that I lost about 75 gars due to drying and what not however I really just care about getting the humidor back up and running.

I would like to get it back up to snuff quicker than the 1-2 week distilled water process. Does anyone have any experience with the Boveda 84% seasoning packets, if so how effective were they or do you recommend the old fashioned way.

Thanks in advance.

LD

 

[JuzCallMeDee]

i was actually considering this today since im going to start using my desktop again but im way too impatient to wait 14 days for the packs to season my humidor. ill just carefully wipe it down with DW like i did when i first started. wipe it down, add a shot glass or damp rag on a zip lock bag, check to see if its holding after a couple days... add beads, boveda, or kitty litter and be done with it.

 

[luckysaturn13]

If you didn't toss your gars wouldn't they come back after a long hibernation in proper humidity?

 

[CVAC085]

If you didn't toss your gars wouldn't they come back after a long hibernation in proper humidity?

I've had mine come back. Came home from a vacation seeing my humidor door was not closed all the way (by my own fault) and the humidity was down to 20%. I cursed, screamed, kicked you name it lol. So I gave my humidor a hardcore dose of distilled water in all the humidifiers, at least once a day for a few days. Things are good now, smokes are saved (I think), and I'm making sure it's always closed now and has proper humidity.

 

[luckysaturn13]

how long did it take em to come back to normal

 

[CVAC085]

how long did it take em to come back to normal

Roughly a week give or take. I have I think a 200 count humidor so it took me a little longer. Every other day I put more distilled water until it climbed back up between 65%-70%RH. My cigars were thirsty. LOL.

 

[luckysaturn13]

how long did u wait for the sticks. mine got down to 20 for about a month and a half. I reseasoned humidor for about a week. then threw my sticks in there. Its been at 50 for about 3 weeks now. Guess they were really dry

 

[sofc]

If it's still at 50, it's not the cigars being dry, it's your lack of humidity.

 

[luckysaturn13]

That's what I thought but if I was to take em out it for an extended period it would jump back up. I figured it was the cigars taking time to come back

 

[CaptainSaint]

I've had mine come back. Came home from a vacation seeing my humidor door was not closed all the way (by my own fault) and the humidity was down to 20%. I cursed, screamed, kicked you name it lol. So I gave my humidor a hardcore dose of distilled water in all the humidifiers, at least once a day for a few days. Things are good now, smokes are saved (I think), and I'm making sure it's always closed now and has proper humidity.

If you didn't toss your gars wouldn't they come back after a long hibernation in proper humidity?

No the majority had unraveled or severely flaked...luckily i had smoked most of my CC prior to this event. On another note has noone tried the Boveda Seasoning packs

 

[luckysaturn13]

o sorry to highjack... I always used a couple shot glasses w dw never tried the b seasoning

 

[sofc]

I have used humidors/wineadors/coolidors etc and only thing I've ever done is wipe down
with distilled water. I have no problems with any of my humis.

 

[CVAC085]

No the majority had unraveled or severely flaked...luckily i had smoked most of my CC prior to this event. On another note has noone tried the Boveda Seasoning packs

Many if not everyone here on the forum use the Boveda packs. My B&M recommends them also and carries a various selection of the rH of the packs. Plus plenty of the regulars swear by them when they're bringing a few sticks to travel somewhere or even to store in their own humidors. I personally, haven't used them yet. But I do plan on getting some real soon.

 

[CaptainSaint]

Many if not everyone here on the forum use the Boveda packs. My B&M recommends them also and carries a various selection of the rH of the packs. Plus plenty of the regulars swear by them when they're bringing a few sticks to travel somewhere or even to store in their own humidors. I personally, haven't used them yet. But I do plan on getting some real soon.

Thanks for the response! Do you know of anyone who has used the actual seasoning packs though which I believe are 84%. I know the RH packs for once your humidor is set up seem to work fairly well, just wanna see if anyone has used the ones specifically for seasoning their humidor.

 

[Nevermore]

Many if not everyone here on the forum use the Boveda packs. My B&M recommends them also and carries a various selection of the rH of the packs. Plus plenty of the regulars swear by them when they're bringing a few sticks to travel somewhere or even to store in their own humidors. I personally, haven't used them yet. But I do plan on getting some real soon.

+1
Boveda is the only way to go. I use to screw around with humi gel beads and stuff but it would always initially go to high and then too low.

 

[Nevermore]

Thanks for the response! Do you know of anyone who has used the actual seasoning packs though which I believe are 84%. I know the RH packs for once your humidor is set up seem to work fairly well, just wanna see if anyone has used the ones specifically for seasoning their humidor.

I haven't used them but have been curious about them. I usually use distilled water and wipe down for a couple days and wait for the humidity to fall to around 70% then add boveda packs and your good to go. I guess it really depends on how dry the wood is. Since it has been sitting for a long time with no humidity, it might take a bit longer. If you are in a pinch you could grab some tupperware and throw boveda packs in there with your cigars while its seasoning.

 

[sofc]

He's not talking about the regular bovedas which are used as humidification. He is speaking of the ones that are meant to season the humidor.

 

[Tennessee Dave]

I used the Boveda 84% seasoning packs to season a humidor that had been out of commission for almost 2 years. Worked like a charm. Just follow directions. After the two week seasoning period I loaded it with cigars and added 4 packs of 69% and it has been perfect ever since. Did this January of this year.

 

[CaptainSaint]

I used the Boveda 84% seasoning packs to season a humidor that had been out of commission for almost 2 years. Worked like a charm. Just follow directions. After the two week seasoning period I loaded it with cigars and added 4 packs of 69% and it has been perfect ever since. Did this January of this year.

Awesom, just what I needed to hear Tennessee Dave!

 

[danmdevries]

Do not recommend applying water directly to the wood, especially in cheap chinese humidors - the veneer is about the thickness of paper (which is the reason this method seems to work without ill effect) and behind it is pressboard (which absorbs moisture readily, but will quickly deform-faster than solid wood). This construction is why they are even able to dry out. A solid constructed box will not dry out if left closed.

Another reason not to use these cheap Chinese humidors.

But back to your question. One: do not apply water directly to the wood. There are no shortcuts especially with this type of construction. If you want a shortcut, buy Bovedas and put them and your cigars in a tupperware container and be done. If you want some cedar in there, buy yourself some Spanish Cedar trimmings off ebay and toss em in.

I give away those Chinese humidors to friends/family that are interested in cigars. BUT.... before I do, I tear them apart, put a sheet of lexan in the floor (factory is 1/8" pressboard over felt, extremely porous), line the sides with 1/4" Spanish cedar, and replace the "seal" with an actual fitted set of sealing slats made from 1/4" Spanish cedar.

I know of one that I rebuilt that was neglected for a year, with a single Boveda, and was still sitting at 60% (with a crunchy Boveda) at a year and a month when I asked about it.

As an experiment, I threw a 65 Boveda in a factory stock cheapo humidor to see how long before it dried up. Just a little over two months and it was crispy.

Buy tupperware and Bovedas and stop worrying about maintaining your humidors. Or, spend the cash (or time) to buy (or build) a quality wooden humidor.