Smoking homemade cigars

[deluxestogie]

Do you think the calcium carbonate/iron oxide from the hard water would have the same effect?

I'll start by saying that I don't know. My assumption regarding soil chlorides is that it somehow increases the production of halogenated metabolites within the living leaf. If that's true, then the mineral content in the misting water of cured leaf should have little impact. If. If. If.

My experience with factory cigars is that some remain smoldering for a minute or more without puffing, but these seem to be rare. More commonly, a factory cigar will self-extinguish within 30 to 45 seconds.

Buy a jug of distilled water, and see if it makes any difference.

Bob

 

[johnlee1933]

My experience with factory cigars is that some remain smoldering for a minute or more without puffing, but these seem to be rare. More commonly, a factory cigar will self-extinguish within 30 to 45 seconds.Buy a jug of distilled water, and see if it makes any difference.Bob

Thanks Bob, I really wasn't sure as IMO the major case increase is from evaporation. It's not like I was soaking the leaf. I am reassured. In any case, I have lots of rain water to experiment. If I note any change I'll report it. -- John

 

[BarG]

Mostly my cigars go out as soon as I stop puffing on them. Hard packed or loose, mid case or low it seems to be the same. I use my well water to bring my leaf up to case for rolling. It is hard as the dickens. I have read the comments about chlorides in the leaf make it burn badly.

Question: Do you think the calcium carbonate/iron oxide from the hard water would have the same effect? -- John

I retired my ref. kiln till I add more insulation on the outside for wintertime after the last batch. It works great to bring dry tobacco into case in the meantime. As soon as the water heats up in the crock pot and it fills with steam, just keep an eye for to heavy of a case. For a quick cigar I still haven't found anything better than a tea kettle for wrappers and filler if to dry. The leafs will dry out fast if you don't use right away. A dry wrapper held over the steam and passed back and forth a few times starts stretching and gets all the folds and wrinkles out without being to damp to smoke. I found that the better my wrappers and binders burn the better my cigar stays lit while not smoking, other wise they will burn down to far on the inside and smother themselves out, or become to soggy if filler is to high case.

 

[johnlee1933]

A friend of mine likes Padron 1964 cigars. Anybody have any guess on the type of filler they use? I'd like to try and roll something similar. Thanks -- John

 

[Knucklehead]

nicaraguan i love padrons

 

[johnlee1933]

nicaraguan i love padrons

I have to assume they grow different strains in Nicaragua. Any idea of what it is or what it tastes like? -- J

 

[Knucklehead]

I don't know what strains I would holler at Professor Bob. I don't have the cigar language to describe the taste but I sure would love to be able to duplicate it myself. I'd give up cigarettes if I could afford all Padrons. I was being a smartass about the nicaraguan that's all Padron will say about it. Nicaraguan filler, binder and wrapper. Tells alot doesn't it?

 

[deluxestogie]

Bob doesn't know. Most of the Central American cigars are stated to contain "Cuban seed" tobacco. This could be any one or a mix of many varieties. Most are derived from the "Spanish" tobacco of colonial days, but there are hundreds of variants of so-called "Havana" tobaccos. Any blend requires only a tiny quantity of a sleeper variety, such as Jalapa or one of the many Orinoco variants to significantly alter the flavor.

Add to this the complexity of using identical blends in which the wrapper and binder are swapped, or a wrapper type is included within the filler, and the flavor and aroma are changed. Then we have to take into account all the subtle and not so subtle changes to aroma, flavor and strength that result from the continuum of stalk position and extent of aging. And, of course, minor changes in soil, micro-climate and seasonal weather influence the final product. It makes my brain hurt.

Bob

 

[Ashauler]

A friend of mine likes Padron 1964 cigars. Anybody have any guess on the type of filler they use? I'd like to try and roll something similar. Thanks -- John

The pursuit of this exact cigar is what got me into this.

 

[johnlee1933]

Bob doesn't know. It makes my brain hurt.Bob

Sorry to hear it. Mine too. Guess I'll just have to keep playing. Boo Hoo. __ John

 

[BarG]

I just now chanced on a really smooth cigar. Using a single bezuki wrapper, and kilned florida sumatra 1/2 leaf,1/2 leaf dominican seco, and 1/2 leaf dark air that I got from Don about 2 years ago and finaly kilned [Katsuma 52 or 59 I think].
I will add a ct. broadleaf to the mix next time and see how it tastes.

 

[Knucklehead]

BarG-- What does kilning aged leaf do to it? I thought kilning just speeded up the initial aging. BTW - love that tongue and groove in pic.

 

[BarG]

It mellowed it out quite a bit. I am going to grow some dark air next year. I think its the same variety as Don,s fire cured which is fantastic, you ought to try some if you haven't yet. Thanks on the homegrown lumber, Knucks. All the interior remodel on this house is being done with homegrown.



Heres the second try with the dark air replaced with a 1/2 leaf kilned ct. broadleaf and a strip of kilned marilyn 609. It has an even smoother and better flavor.

 

[Knucklehead]

That's a good looking ash on that cigar. Thanks for the info on the kilning. My whole understanding of kilning must be off some. I love the craftsmanship you're putting into your house. My father and I made fluted moulding for my house out of select grade cypress we went to South Ga. to get. Cost about the same as finger jointed spruce trash you get at the home centers up here. We also made rosettes for all the corners where the molding meets with a bit in the drill press. They cost $2.00 each at Lowe's. Cost me a $30.00 cutter and some 1x4 cypress. We made our own door jams. Daddy has a small moulding machine and we make all the mouldings for the houses we build. Saves money and adds value. You should meet my father, he's 83 and we have to fight him to keep him off ladders and roof tops. That cypress is gorgeous stained. There's not a knot in the whole house. Just used 1x6 cypress for the base moulding, nothing fancy. I'll add a picture, I complimented your cigar so maybe I won't get in trouble for being off topic. LOL

 

[Knucklehead]

The pursuit of this exact cigar is what got me into this.

I haven't tried the 1964 but padron is my favorite. I just can't afford them for a daily smoke. I've got some stashed back that I've had for 8 to 10 years. They keep getting better but they're for those special moments by myself.

 

[johnlee1933]

You should meet my father, he's 83 and we have to fight him to keep him off ladders and roof tops. That cypress is gorgeous stained. ]

The Cyprus is fine looking. Pass my regards to your Dad. He's got a couple of years on me but I'm doing my damnedest to catch up. LOL I still do ladders and roofs but a little more carefully. -- John

 

[Knucklehead]

The Cyprus is fine looking. Pass my regards to your Dad. He's got a couple of years on me but I'm doing my damnedest to catch up. LOL I still do ladders and roofs but a little more carefully. -- John

Thanks johnlee-- Daddy's wide open but his balace isn't what it used to be. He's always sworn to die with a hammer in his hand so I keep hiding his hammers. Maybe he'll live forever.
P.S. I love smoking homemade cigars. ( Still on topic by God.)

 

[Matty]

Sometimes when I have a cigar that won't stay lit or burns poorly it is usually the way I bunched the filler. If there are too many layers of leaf bunched flat together there is no draw through them. So, I make sure my pleats are more narrow and am more careful of the placement of an extra thin leaf. It's like building a camp fire, if it ain't built proper it won't burn proper.

 

[BarG]

When was the last time I hit myself in the head with a hammer, Oh yea 14 years ago.Ha ha, I bled like a stuck pig. A 32 oz framing hammer. I emphasize . I have since learned how to avoid that situation.

 

[Knucklehead]

Gentlemen- I think boboro may have solved the cigar going out problem in his hookah video. Carefully note the propane torch.