What's more important?
 

When seasoning a humidor is it more important that your bowl of distiller water sits for 14 days or that your newly calibrated hygrometer says 65-75 for a day or two?

Re: What's more important?
 

The reason you are seasoning your humidor is to saturate the wood -- this causes the wood to swell a bit and tightens up all the joints. It well-seasoned humidor will keep your cigars better and longer.

At the end of the seasoning process your empty humidor should sustain a steady RH for at least 24 hours; preferably 48 hours. So after you remove the moisture source (water bowl in your case). Check the RH and then check it again in 24 hours and then check it again in 48 hours. If it stays steady then you are done.

If the RH drops then you either need to season longer, or you have a leak (lid, glass-to-wood, or around any embedded hygrometer).

BTW, a damp sponge works much better than a bowl of water -- much more surface area on the sponge.

Good luck!

Re: What's more important?
 

So I replaced the bowl with a sponge on a plate. I soaked the sponge in the bowl then squeezed out most of the water so it was just damp to the touch. Is that enough water to work?
I'm sorry I am still very new to this and while I have a small humidor that now works fine I blew it bad last time when I seasoned and then took it to the cigar shop by my house where they wiped it down and told me to boil water and place a cup in the humidor which then later shocked my cigars and caused many to crack do not want that to happen again!

Re: What's more important?
 

Boiling water is good for tea and having babies, you only want to use Distilled Water, not boiled or purified or from the Red Sea.

Also, and peoples opinions seem to vary on this, some very wise people told me you shouldn't wipe down the interior because it can cause the wood to warp, sponge with distilled water on a plate of some kind and check the sponge after 24 hours to see if you need to dampen it again.

Really though, hit up the store and get a gallon of distilled water and keep it on the side somewhere for use with your humidors.

Best of luck :tu

Re: What's more important?
 

Would agree with this. Seasoning a humidor just takes a little time and should not be rushed. They also work a lot better when full of cigars.

Re: What's more important?
 

There is a sticky here on seasoning your humidor. Find it. Read it. Repeat as necessary.

Re: What's more important?
 

Yeah what I am using now is distiller water, since changing to the damp sponge the humidity has risen from 68 to 73 and has sat there a few hours. So now the waiting begins!
The wipe down is what the store did for my older one and then told me to use a cup of boiled water (so the steam gets into the wood) but it ruined my cigar collection.
I have been seasoning for 2 days and I didn't think the reading would be so high so fast.

Re: What's more important?
 

It is time to take the advice you have been given in multiple threads and put some of it to use. After a week or two, report back and let us know how things are progressing. More information and advice at this juncture would only muddy the waters and introduce too many new variables.

:2

Re: What's more important?
 

Stop screwing around the humidor and just use it as its intended. Fill your hydrometer with distilled water and put your cigars in... It'll all equal out in short time.

Forcing the wood to become humid is not what you want to do.

Re: What's more important?
 

That goes against all the advice I have gotten here. It's also what I did with my 1st humidor and that went terribly wrong. The reason I can check the hygrometer is because it's a glass display humidor so it's not like I am opening it every few hours to check.

Re: What's more important?
 

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=620

Also note that once you put your cigars in to the humidor they will start to take on humidity. If you can, wait for a week or so after the humidor is seasoned and the cigars are in to help ensure that they have less of a "dry" side and "wet" side. This results in an uneven burn. Some periodically turn the cigars to help with the burn issue and some do not; purely a matter of preference.

And the best advice is this: leave it closed. Constantly checking the inside is self-defeating. You have to have some discipline no matter how good it all smells.

Re: What's more important?
 

yup :tu

Re: What's more important?
 

Yeah that's the main reason I went with a glass humidor! Despite the issues with glass I have had luck with caulk and sealing them so once I know it's all tight I don't have to open it unless I want a smoke!

Re: What's more important?
 

Mine now says 78 after only 3 days do I still let the humidor season?

😁

Re: What's more important?
 

Re: What's more important?
 

:tu MagicDrop: Follow Adam's Advice, Please!:)

Re: What's more important?
 

Well I still haven't opened the humidor so I guess we are doing ok

Re: What's more important?
 

There is a lot of conflicting info. Some say when it reached between 65-75 one guy said throw in beads and cigars. Others say no less then 14 days

Re: What's more important?
 

Oh well, you are just going to have to make up your mind and go for it. Poor you.

Honestly, I don't think that you are going to get much in the way of more replies as the opinions have been laid out (there are more than one, imagine that!) and pointers to additional information provided. At this point, trying to jump in with new arguments, unfortunately, is a lot like trying to teach a pig to sing.

Re: What's more important?
 

I would say, depending on the pig, that might be easier.

https://youtu.be/obrZpPfODTA

Re: What's more important?
 

Bump

Re: What's more important?
 

But isn't there just one correct answer, markem? And assuming there is, what is it?

Re: What's more important?
 

Buy my video for just $49.99 and I'll throw in a free set of steak knives. Shipping and handling charges apply.

Re: What's more important?
 

Awesome job being dicks to a new guy! Glad I came to this board for as much info as possible! Because more info is always a bad thing!

Re: What's more important?
 

It's also amazing how you all read 1/2 of what's posted and then give a half assed answer

Re: What's more important?
 

;s you feel that way. From where I sit, the membership has been extremely patient with your repetitive questions and ignoring advice. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what you expect. Up until a short time ago, everyone has politely answered your questions.

Re: What's more important?
 

I, Sir, read all of what was posted, and gave a full assed answer.

I feel badly that you feel mistreated. I'd say if you are going to ask numerous people a question (like on a forum), you will likely get multiple answers.

Several of the answers mentioned being patient while seasoning. Checking the humidity and asking about it twice a day hardly seems patient, but we all have different definitions.

I'd also say if you are going to question the answers, pushing for a single "correct" one despite being told that there are multiple opinions, you better have a little thicker skin. It's more of old time members yucking it up with each other than it is being a "dick" to you.

I guess it's up to you to decide if this is a community for you....although if you go further with your personal insults, the community could always decide for you.

Re: What's more important?
 

I certainly understand this perspective. And, in a sense, some, including me, are being dicks to you.

However, you started it by being dicks to us.

If you go back and read this thread from the start (this time for content - oops, being a dick again), then you will see that people were doing their best to give you reliable information based on the information in your original post. That the question that you asked could be answered in more than one way is in no way the fault of those trying to answer your post. Several people pointed this out and instead of trying to understand and come up with your own plan, you expressed confusion over the fact that the world worked the way that people told you and then asked people to change the world.

You asked for the One Right Way (TM) and were surprised to find out that there is no such creature. Many went on to explain what they use as Their Own Right Way - For Now (TM) and that others will have different approaches. Some even had views diametrically opposed to someone who came before them in the thread! This happens and instead of telling us how wrong we are, perhaps you could engage more constructively.

Here is a simple analogy, but one that I've seen play out in real life:

Suppose that a young child is told, "2 + 2 = 4". At some level of abstraction, that is a correct statement. However, some children erroneously interpret this as "2 + 2 = 4 and no other numbers may total 4"[*]. As a result of this error, when they are asked, "what is 1 + 3?", they are puzzled and confused, not knowing that this other "formula" gives the same result.

Math and humidor seasoning have more in common than it may appear.

* We won't get in to the various voodoo mathematics such as "2+ 2 = 4" being different from "4 = 2 + 2".

Re: What's more important?
 

Can't 2+2=5 for very large values of 2? ;)

Re: What's more important?
 

Please show me where I said there was one right way! I was getting more information! Not that really matters! I can see where your confusion comes in again. 1/2 reading posts! I was talking about what a store told me and how I got burned doing that! Then noticed someone said 65-75 and mine went past that. Many people said wait 2 weeks never explained if it should be rising that quickly! But your all on your high horses and that's fine this is just a message board!
Don't worry about deciding for me. I won't be returning to talk with any of you in the future!

Re: What's more important?
 

Buh- bye.

Good luck finding a group of people more patient.

Re: What's more important?
 

You wouldn't last anyway, you have to be able to give and take, I herf with guys all the time and it's like a big frat giving each other ****, that's how it is, it's good times and good friends. I was told after my second time meeting up with a group that you know they like you when they are giving you ****, if they ignore you you're on your own.

Words to remember, now I look forward to catching hell and being 'picked on' with my friends, even though I met them through this site... I consider each and every one of them a friend.

Best of luck dude!

Re: What's more important?
 

It's just wooden f-ing box to put cigars in; not rocket science.

Re: What's more important?
 

What is best in life?

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

Re: What's more important?
 

I wanted a sweater for my birthday but I got a lamentator.

Re: What's more important?
 

I am lamenting that gift.

Re: What's more important?
 

Should have gotten him a copy of "How to Avoid Big Ships". :D

Re: What's more important?
 

I'll trade you a label maker for it.

Re: What's more important?
 

Is she a good cook?

Re: What's more important?
 

Dunno, I wasn't deemed, "sponge-worthy."