Re: Beginner Questions (Ask Them Here!)
 

The Buy/Sell Forums become visible after a small amount of time and participation.

The Retailer Forums should be visible to you immediately, you can buy from any of them.

Re: Beginner Questions (Ask Them Here!)
 

an AK-47, and a big suitcase to put all the cigars in. :r

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I've seen pics of cigar asylum poker chips and stickers, is there a website I can buy some from?

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Unfortunately, no.

Mike (Remo) did both runs of the chips. Shoot him a PM to see if he has more.

I will look into getting some more stickers made.

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ok Thanks

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So, I've decided I wanted to try cigar smoking as a hobby. My question is : Can I get a good, relatively inexpensive (~$10) cigar at any given tobacco shack, or should I buy from online stores? I don't exactly trust buying anything online, but if it is a must, and can be done safely without having to worry about someone getting my credit card information, than I'll make an exception. Somebody help.

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Welcome to the Asylum! Local taxes can really affect the prices of cigars, but you should be able to accomplish this. Go to a tobacconist who specializes in premium cigars and they can show you an assortment of affordable cigars, I am sure. There was a thread started recently regarding the same question with many good suggestions already. Just read some of the more recent threads in the All Cigar Discussion forum.

Also, there are several reputable online retailers where you can safely order cigars. Many, many members order online regularly and have very few issues. Happy smoking!

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Thanks!

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Start off at the local tobacco shop and there's plenty of great cigars under $10. Try the big names first and keep the size similar if you want to compare brands.

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In my experience online is cheaper. Try some samplers from places like cigarsinternational.com or famous-smoke.com If you have any problems with your shipment their customer service is usually pretty good.

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You are right -- online is usually cheaper. However, if you have a local B&M, I would recommend supporting them -- not necessarily spending all your money there, but at least some of it.

For me it's always better to go to a local shop where I can talk to people (socialize), look at the cigars, etc. Basically, help them stay in business.

I know, often the people working at these stores know very little about cigars, but once in awhile you find someone who does know what they are talking about. The latter can make the experience that much better and worth your time.

If there is a local shop and you do not patronize them, then that one time when you really need a local shop (last minute cigar gift, etc.) then they might not be there for you...

Just my :2

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:tpd: I agree Michael. It is good to go to a B&M some times and I do on occasion when they are having events or if I know they have something that I want to try. B&Ms are great but financially I can't make many visits to B&Ms knowing I can stretch my dollar a lot more online. My wife has given me a cigar budget and it's not much. B&Ms are great if you can afford them. In a perfect world I would be a regular at a B&M and make all my purchases there. :2

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I've been doing some research on tupperdors. Everything I see is saying to line it with old cigar boxes, or ceder. Is this really necessary? And what is the best method to control the humidity?

Last question. It says to calibrate some hygrometer. How do you do this? I haven't yet purchased anything to build one yet but I am wanting to here soon.

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Cedar is not necessary.
You can control your humidity with beads or Boveda packs.
Calibration? Right here in a sticky thread.
http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showth...ight=Calibrate

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Perfect! Thanks you sir!

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I just purchased a 9 bottle wineador. I usually use Drymistat tubes for my humidor. how many tubes do you think i will need to keep my wineador at 65-70% RH? I will also try to keep the temps around 65-66*F. I will probably only have roughly 25-50 sticks in there at a time.
It's roughly 6 cubic feet. Thanks

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Drymistat tubes are not be the best thing for a wineador. They simply release moisture until they dry out and do not absorb excess moisture (humidity). They can be effective in wooden humidors because they tend not to seal as well and the wood also absorbs moisture. However, even in a wooden humidor the Drymistat tubes tend to over-humidify.

Wineadors tend to seal very well, so you need a humidification device that will both absorb and release moisture as needed.

The other thing is that wineador cooling units come in two models: compressor or thermoelectric. The compressor models can cause spikes in RH when they cycle on. This is not a bad thing, but it is something to be aware of.

In any case, I would recommend something better than a Drymistat tube for humidification. I obviously have a bias, but beads would be a much better choice; either Heartfelt Beads (www.heartfeltindustries.com/) or HCM Beads (www.cigarbeads.com/). Just my :2

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Thanks CigarNut, I actually looked into Heartfelt beads last after night after searching more on the forum, but they are out of stock on the bigger bead bundles. :sh So I'll have to wait on that. My wineador is a thermoelectric, so spiking shouldn't be an issue. My wineador is about 2,800 cubic inches so I'll need a few beads. thanks for the info. Cheers

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I would, personally, go with the Shilala's beads that CigarNut has linked on his reply :2

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Not a beginner, but I forgot what they are and I want to explain them to someone, can somebody tell me the "Rules Of 3" again please?

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"Three strikes, you're out."

"Three times a Lady" :sh

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In any extreme situation you cannot survive for more than:

3 minutes without air - 3 hours without shelter (extreme heat or cold)

3 days without water - 3 weeks without food.

:dance:

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The Rule of Three is a reference to an opinion that there is a specific and inviolable rule as to the aging of cigars. It is mentioned on CA as a very sarcastic reference to the person who "made this rule". There is no rule of three and to try to articulate it would be tantamount to encouraging a very naive approach to cigars that no one here should fall prey to.

In short - it's a joke and do not give it any credence whatsoever.

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Do we have any place we chat at in more of a live manner? Such as google hangouts or some chat room esq thing.

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I think there are a couple of Facebook groups or something like that. I'm not on the book of faces so I really couldn't tell you for sure.

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A couple of years ago there was something, but I have long since forgotten where/what it was. Might have even been long before CA, back before puff came around...

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Yes im new to this site ,got a couple questions if ok? I been smokin for.quite a few yrs though has become very addictive as of this yr...I smoke alot of natural line by De..and like em alot...the acid line is too much like incense to me...questions...I like sweet caps such as baccarat,and Nicaraguan sweets I would like to know some other non infused sticks w sweet cap?I am also curious az to candela wrapped sticks....what would b some good choices there? Thanks in advance for any help

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Where did the cc reviews go. I like to read them. Thanks.

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Hi Guys,

A newbie's quick question, could you please identify whether this is a mold or a bloom?

Thanks in advance

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Mold. Sorry.

Not serious, damaging or dangerous though. Brush it off and lower your storage humidity, you might need to leave the box open for a bit and you'll be fine.

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Correct and if you are using water as opposed to beads for humidity make sure you are using distilled water as tap water will promote mold growth.

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this may be the noobiest question, but what makes the cuban cigar in general, the premier and iconic smoke?

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Generally speaking, most people will argue soil, growing conditions, region of the world, quality control, etc. However, some people are simply hung up on the fact that they are illegal to buy in the US, therefore they MUST be better (a Cuban Cigar Placebo Effect if you want to think of it that way). But honestly, CCs are not always "better" (which is a highly subjective term and depends what you mean by better).

In my opinion, many NCs (non-cubans) can stand toe to toe with CCs. That's not to say however, that I don't think CCs have their strong points. CCs have a unique flavor I've found, that many NCs cannot imitate...some of the best cigars I've ever had have been CC. If you happen to like this flavor, then great, you'll love CCs. If you do not, then you will think CCs are overrated.

You'll find many people who have differing opinions: some who are CC fanatics, and some who are NC fanatics. However, most, if not all, newer smokers who haven't tried a wide variety of cigars won't even be able to distinguish the nuances that seperate CCs and NCs.

Tobacco hailing from Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras, Brazil, Connecticut, Dom.Rep., etc all have their own unique "flavors" and characteristics. To say they are all the same would be like saying every wine or every beer tastes the same just because they are made from the same general ingredients. Hope this helps!

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There's a good analogy between cigars and fine wine. In both cases, there was an area with excellent growing conditions and the know-how to make a fine product (France for wine and Cuba for cigars). Later, new areas started making competitive products.

I remember when people looked down on wine from California or cigars from Central America. Today, they make products that are very excellent. But, they aren't exactly the same! So, you can decide what you prefer. That's the fun of it.

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All very good points, honestly i havent enjoyed enough cigars to really get a feel of what i prefer yet, but so far i like villiger elite toros. i WANT to get pre embargos down the line, moneys pretty tight at the moment though.

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I just started using this forum and also I am a beginner to the cigar world. I purchased a humidor and also a electric humidifier. My question is can I cut a slot in the shelving to make room for the electric humidifier? :

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You certainly can cut a slot. However, before you do so, you might want to check to see if you really need an electric humidifier for your humidor. There are other alternatives that may be more effective depending upon the size of your humidor.

If you do decide to cut a slot -- be careful. Sometimes the wood is a composite and you never know what the core is made of. It might be a variety of particle board which could get too moist and moldy.

What size humidor do you have? (e.g., dimensions or number of cigars -- although you will come to fine out that the latter measure is not very accurate).

Also, you might want to drop by here (http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=7) and introduce yourself.

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How big is the humidor? Please post pictures for best advice. Shouldn't need a n electric humidifier if only a desktop humidor.

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It us 15x12x8 and holds 150 cigars. I purchased an oasis electric humidifier cause I didn't want to fuss with the other humidifiers. wanted to look in my humidore and see what the RH is.

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It may be too late to return it, but for that size humidor you can easily get a bag of beads, and have to do almost nothing to them except recharge them with water every 6ish months.

And then a $12 digital RH monitor so you can peak in and see what's going on.

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for something that size, you can just buy an 8oz of HCM beads and not have to deal with the oasis.

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OK got it. Thanks for the input.

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Is there a minimum temp that most would keep their cigars at? I know the max of being 70F.

Been keeping my cigars in the basement in a closet recently for the last couple weeks. In the cool winter months in Canada, my basement room can drop down to the low 60's. Typically sitting around 64 but this morning was at 61F. Keeps the beetles at bay - but will this have any negative effects on taste, aging etc?

I have read information on humidity effects w/ lower temperature. Should I in turn be changing what RH I am after? Currently keeping it around 67%

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I keep mine in a wineador mainly to keep them cooler during the summer. Once winter rolls around I unplug it. So the temperature gets down to about 63 at night sometimes. I use beads and they keep the RH pretty rock steady even with the temperature changes. I notice no difference in how my cigars taste at the lower temperature versus the summertime when they're at 68 then taken outside into 90-degree weather to be smoked.
Cigars are pretty resilient.

Short answer: if they taste good to you, I wouldn't be concerned.

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Thank you kindly James!

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hmmmm I need to know if it would be bad for my cigs at 63 degrees? my rh is about 72-73% range but when I go to cut the ends it just crumples and falls apart like it is to dry. Any help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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No, 63 degrees is not going to hurt your cigars as long as the RH is in the proper range. So:
How long have the cigars been at that RH?
When was the last time your hygrometer was calibrated?
Are the blades on your cutter sharp?

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James may be on to something, sounds like your hygrometer may be off. Is it digital or analog?

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I have an electric humidifier that I put in a month ago. so my cigs have been in there for about a month. the cutter insn't that old so I do not think that is the problem.

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Do you have a separate hygrometer in your humidor along with the humidifier? If so, is it analog or digital?

If you do not have a hygrometer and relying solely on the settings for the electric humidifier I would strongly recommend that you get a digital hygrometer as the electric humidifiers are not very accurate.

In any case, your cigars should be good for a while -- they are very resilient -- while you solve your problems.