Loose cigar bands?

[Old Smokey]

I began smoking cigars a year ago and have noticed nearly all of the bands on the cigars I bought early on have very loose bands that just slide off. Is this due to becoming well acclimated to my storage Rh and the cigars have shrunk? I used to notice this occasionally, but lately nearly ever cigar I smoke has a loose band. I keep my cigars at 68f and 65 rh. I take it a loose band is a good thing? Cigars are smoking great.

 

[indyrob]

Lower RH will do that. If you want them snug again raise it. But yeah, there is a little shrinkage over time. I have 20+ y/o cigars that won't hold the band anymore.

 

[Bill]

Ive noticed this too, especially in the winter when its much dryer here. The band often stays behind in the cello.

 

[Splatt]

My local shop has super high RH so almost everything I have bought there that has been in my humi for over a month has the same thing happen to it. I kind of use it as my indicator that the smoke has rested long enough

 

[Craig Mac]

As indyrob said, there is shrinkage over time. Being a natural product there will be decomposition of the filler leaf.

As gimmicky as it seems, the Macanudo Vintage line with the big stainless steel bands are designed for the consumer to tell if the product is properly humidified due to the fact that if it is under humidified the ring will easily slide off and over humidified it will be difficult to take off. If you feel your cigars are smoking well it is not much of a concern, but over time you have to understand that the cigars will begin to loose the essential oils along with flavor.

If I saw this situation play out in my humidor, I would probably attempt to slowly raise the humidity in the humidor to the point where the bands were staying in place without much movement.

 

[javajunkie]

As indyrob said, there is shrinkage over time...

that's what i keep telling the wife... o(

 

[fourkicksfan]

As indyrob said, there is shrinkage over time...

that's what i keep telling the wife... o(

Bwahhhhhh!