Thread: Would a humidor work in reverse?

When I bought a larger humidor some time back I out the table top box away. I was thinking since it will hold damp in, if I used a desiccant something like this,
Drierite Desiccants
do you think it would keep the damp out?

Just wondering,
Ken.

to a certain degree. if you get it too dry in there, the cedar may seperate at the joints. remember it's designed to be kept at 70% (or so) relative humidity, the wood was cut when at that level to make sure it seals when the wood swells.

I use this as a desiccant.

Humidors are designed to create an artificial environment inside of their walls. So yes in theory, they will act to keep some damp out. As a tobacconist, I am going to have to disagree with my boy jockeys though. most humidors dont become moisturized until they are sold to the customer. until then, they don't have any extra moisture added into them, so a good humidor shouldn't be effected by being left at ambient humidity for a while. however, he is right to imply that less expensive ones will become warped if used to store cigars then left to dry out. once they warp, they are not going to be able to keep much of anything in or out. also remember that no humidor is designed to create a perfect seal, i.e. to be completely airtight, because at 70% humidity, stale air will lead to mold.

if you don't want to use the humidor, you can get a tupperware, which is designed to create an airtight seal, and then go to your local tobacco shop and ask for some cedar strips. They should have some laying around, because almost all cigar boxes come shipped with removable/decorative pieces of spanish cedar. Spanish cedar is a very "thirsty" wood, so if you put your razors and a few pieces of cedar in the tupperware, the cedar should absorb any moisture from the airtight atmosphere in the tupperware, keeping it dry inside.

Hope that helped a little.

Originally Posted by theworldover

Humidors are designed to create an artificial environment inside of their walls. So yes in theory, they will act to keep some damp out. As a tobacconist, I am going to have to disagree with my boy jockeys though. most humidors dont become moisturized until they are sold to the customer. until then, they don't have any extra moisture added into them, so a good humidor shouldn't be effected by being left at ambient humidity for a while. however, he is right to imply that less expensive ones will become warped if used to store cigars then left to dry out. once they warp, they are not going to be able to keep much of anything in or out.
Hope that helped a little.

it may also depend on where you get it. I recently picked up a very nice savoy 200-stick job and the shop i bought it from keeps their humidors for sale in their enormous walk-in humidor so that they are pre-conditioned. the seller warned me that letting it dry out exessively (<25% rel. humidity) might damage it.

Originally Posted by jockeys

it may also depend on where you get it. I recently picked up a very nice savoy 200-stick job and the shop i bought it from keeps their humidors for sale in their enormous walk-in humidor so that they are pre-conditioned. the seller warned me that letting it dry out exessively (<25% rel. humidity) might damage it.

+1 on that. you're both right. If the humidor has been conditioned with moisture previously at any point, letting it dry out excessively will lead to warping. So if you've used it to store cigars, or if it is stored in a huge walk-in humidor, it should definately not be left to dry to room humidity.