Plugged

Koop · 05/28/2018 05:00 PM

Today I lit up a Flor De Oliva 6x50 Maduro. It felt hard pre-light and I wondered about the draw. Cold draw was tight. I rolled it between my fingers carefully to loosen it up, taking care not to crack the wrapper. It didn't work, once lit I could barely draw any smoke through it. After trying to loosen it up a couple of more times, I gave up and clipped the foot off. I stashed it in a ziplock bag - not in my humidor - and selected another stick that was fine. This is an inexpensive cigar but I'm wondering if it's savable or should I throw it out?

ninfiction · 05/28/2018 05:12 PM

There is a tool specifically made to help with plugged cigars, several guys here have one. Perfect Draw or something like that.

I just use a regular meat skewer, give a couple jabs to open it up and usually that does the trick.

DonM · 05/28/2018 05:14 PM

pitch it and move on. Most draw issues are related to high humidity, or just a bad cigar. Flor De Oliva is a budget cigar so plan on having a bad one ever once in awhile

I typically let any new cigar rest in the humi a couple of weeks or more before I smoke it. Most shops run higher RH (up to 70%, which is too moist for my taste) That includes internet purchases.

That is one reason why alot of BOTL have larger humidors, to let the cigars rest and age at a good RH before smoking

Koop · 05/28/2018 07:44 PM

Thanks. I believe this is the issue. My humidor is at 70% RH and it was very humid out. I'll pitch it and move on. I'll also attempt to regulate my humidor to a lower RH.

headfirst · 05/28/2018 09:39 PM

For what it's worth, there hasn't been a tight draw I haven't been able to solve with the perfectdraw tool, love that thing. Most of the time the problem is within the first inch of the cap.

StogieDad · 05/29/2018 06:00 AM

My little Xikar cigar scissors have a poker, or as stated a wood skewer does the trick. Usually will fix the issue.

gitfiddl · 05/29/2018 06:31 AM

I've used straightened paper clips, the poker in a pipe tool. Basically anything stiff enough and long enough to poke the problem.

Cfickter · 05/29/2018 10:43 AM

Quotegitfiddl - 5/29/2018 7:31 AM I've used straightened paper clips, the poker in a pipe tool. Basically anything stiff enough and long enough to poke the problem.

I use this method also, I do have a smaller habano saver but wont reach toro sizes.

DonM · 05/29/2018 05:15 PM

I do use the Havana saver as well, nice little tool. If that don't fix it, the cigar is gone and off to the next one. Life is too short to be f**king around with a bad cigar, just saying

Koop · 05/29/2018 08:20 PM

QuoteDonM - 5/29/2018 6:15 PM

I do use the Havana saver as well, nice little tool. If that don't fix it, the cigar is gone and off to the next one. Life is too short to be f**king around with a bad cigar, just saying

I tried a bamboo skewer to open it up. Hopeless, I trashed it. Thanks for all of the responses.

Silverstix · 05/29/2018 08:34 PM

I used the Perfectdraw tool tonight for the first time and it worked pretty well. Definitely seemed like it was removing tobacco from the plug rather than just pushing it in which is what happens when I use a toothpick or a paper clip. But those are free options and if they work then go for it. For me, $25 for the tool was worthwhile if it saves 3 or 4 cigars it pays itself off.

wescat · 05/30/2018 06:42 AM

I use a cordless drill. I chuck up a clean 3/16" bit and gently fed it about 2" into the head. Then I hold the cigar head down and flick it with my finger to get the tobacco bits out of the draw channel. It always works great, goes from plugged to an easy draw.

c9belayer · 05/30/2018 02:50 PM

LOL! Oh man, wescat, I tried the power drill thing and it "grabbed" the tobacco and twisted it around the bit, instantly deconstructing the cigar from the filler outwards! It was one of my many ohsh*it moments.

I use a PerfecDraw and if that doesn't work, I toss the cigar. It still p*sses me off, but like DonM says, pitch it and move one. You gotta accept that occasionally you'll get a bad cigar. In my case (when I measured these things) I found by keeping my humidors around 65% humidity, my pitch rate was only ~3%.

headfirst · 05/30/2018 03:48 PM

Quotewescat - 5/30/2018 7:42 AM

I use a cordless drill. I chuck up a clean 3/16" bit in my cordless drill, and gently fed it about 2" into the head. Then I hold the cigar head down and flick it with my finger to get the tobacco bits out of the draw channel. It always works great, goes from plugged to an easy draw.

Sounds like a Tim the tool man Taylor tip!

wescat · 05/30/2018 06:48 PM

Quotec9belayer - 5/30/2018 5:50 PM

LOL! Oh man, wescat, I tried the power drill thing and it "grabbed" the tobacco and twisted it around the bit, instantly deconstructing the cigar from the filler outwards! It was one of my many ohsh*it moments.

I use a PerfecDraw and if that doesn't work, I toss the cigar. It still p*sses me off, but like DonM says, pitch it and move one. You gotta accept that occasionally you'll get a bad cigar. In my case (when I measured these things) I found by keeping my humidors around 65% humidity, my pitch rate was only ~3%.

IMO, you have to remove tobacco to restore a correct draw on a plugged cigar, not just push it around.

Use a 3/16" bit, feed it in slowly to ~ 2" depth, it'll act like an end mill, eroding the tobacco in its path. Check the draw, if it is still tight, go deeper till the draw is corrected.

Be careful not to run the bit into flesh. Works superior to everything else I've tried.

nirab · 05/30/2018 06:51 PM

I'll use a Habana Saver to try and open it up...but, if it's still tough to draw, I'll grab another. I want to enjoy the cigar, not fight it.