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Question about splitting cigars

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So my wineador is showing 64% on two different hygro. I have 1.5 lbs of 65% heartfelt beads in my 28 ct wineador almost filled to the brim. I had a cigar split while smoking the other day and another split tonight. It's as if its swelling but can't expand (if that makes sense) so the wrapper is splitting. What could be causing this? Do I need more beads? It 66* 64%
 

ChefBoyRG54

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So my wineador is showing 64% on two different hygro. I have 1.5 lbs of 65% heartfelt beads in my 28 ct wineador almost filled to the brim. I had a cigar split while smoking the other day and another split tonight. It's as if its swelling but can't expand (if that makes sense) so the wrapper is splitting. What could be causing this?
Cold outside?
 
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If your hygros are calibrated correctly then I wouldn't think user error. Have you calibrated them? I know taking a cold cigar and lighting it up has a likelihood of splitting due to the temp change.
 
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Could be the temp difference, but could be humidity too. Do you circulate the air in the wineador? With a big unit there could be wide humidity differences between the bottom and the top. To see if it is a humidity problem, you could take a couple of sticks out and put them in an airtight tupperware with a small boveda packet. Let them sit a week or so. Then smoke em and see if they crack. If they smoke fine your sticks arent being humidified properly in your wineador.

Its really all about isolating variables. If you know everything else is perfect, ie humidity, enough rest time etc. then the temperature change is the last variable and if they continue to crack when all other parameters are perfect then thats your answer.

It takes some experimentation and tinkering but sooner or later you can isolate exactly whats wrong.
 
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Different each time!
Out of curiosity... what were the sticks? I had a Herrera Esteli and a Cohiba Silo IV split on me. Both had very thin wrappers. Both came out of very well maintained humidors in two different shops. Both in warm weather. I chalked it up to the thin wrappers. I mean really thin.
The Cohiba actually popped when it split, the HE just started cracking.
 
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Do you double-puff? Many times, a friend and I will have the same stick at the same time. His will explode, whereas mine would always be fine. He was double-puffing and smoking the stick too fast. Needless to say...it doesn't happen anymore.
 

Cigarth Vader

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If your hygros are calibrated correctly then I wouldn't think user error. Have you calibrated them? I know taking a cold cigar and lighting it up has a likelihood of splitting due to the temp change.
I would try dry boxing stuff for a couple hours if possible and see if that helps. If you do have a major difference between temps, this could solve the issue.
 
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Out of curiosity... what were the sticks? I had a Herrera Esteli and a Cohiba Silo IV split on me. Both had very thin wrappers. Both came out of very well maintained humidors in two different shops. Both in warm weather. I chalked it up to the thin wrappers. I mean really thin.
The Cohiba actually popped when it split, the HE just started cracking.
One was an estelli and the other was a monte#4.
I do double puff because I smoke slow to get the cigar burning again
 
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I would put my money on the temperature difference. I've had it happen a couple times when smoking in the real cold. I think it has to do with a combination of the drier, colder air and me smoking faster because it's freaking freezing.
 
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I don't think it is user error with the beads... those are pretty fool proof (tho it *is* possible to screw up)...

I see you are in TN, where it can get cold. How long was it out in the cold before you smoked it? Even being in a cold car during the ride can have a big effect on your sticks. Cold temps suck the humidity right out of them. this is similar to why skin gets dry more frequently in the winter than in the summer.

I use a travel humi (small 5 ct) even for those short trips to the local smoke spot.
 
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