Still new to this game. Just got a humi. and the direction sheet from the supplier says to wipe interior with wet rag to season the cedar. The manufacturer's info sheet says NOT to wipe the interior. I need help!??

This might help...

http://www.cigarbid.com/auction/forum/forum.cfm?action=list&forumID=1&messageDisplay=0000000011281 

RasDas

Good thing Slim is retired. ;>)

Mag

Personally I own 4 humidors plus a tupperdor, and I have wiped the inside of all of them (except the tupperdor) and it had absolutely no effect on the wood. I did not stain nor did it raise the grain of the wood as all the nay-sayers claimed it would. Plus it cut down the break in time substantially. Obviously you simply want to use a damp rag, DO NOT saturate the wood! Just my opinion.......

Call the police....Oh sorry, thought someone was stealing cigars.

John

I'm with kcody, I'm a wiper... Never had issues. And you'll get a light orange dust off of the cedar.

Buy me another drink and I'll let you wipe my humi, baby.

Just be sure to use a very SLIGHTLY damp cloth. The moisture should be so low, you have to re-dampen several times.

Keep smokin' (]]]]]]]]]]]]~~~

Fine wood and water don't mix ... water can and will raise the grain ... why take a chance with what will, in the long run, be a meaningless shortcut ?? ... put a container of water (any water will do, but use distilled if it makes you feel good) into the humidor and close the lid ... leave it undisturbed for a week or maybe two ... put your calibrated hygrometer in and check it out ... when it's stable at 70, take the water out, put your cigars in and you'll have years of happy motoring ahead ...

Of course, no one can say you WILL raise the grain and ruin the wood by wiping with water (and if you do choose this course, DO use distilled water) ... it's just that no one can say you WON'T raise the grain either ... hell, you COULD get away with pouring a cup of water in, closing the lid and shaking the unit well, then dumping out the excess water ... I know guys who've done that too ... but it's more than a little risky ...

It's YOUR humidor .. do what you think best ... but, having worked for a number of years in the wood furniture business at one time in my life, I know what I'd do if it were mine ...

Ditto on most of the above.
I also have worked with wood for over 30 years and have intensionally used techniques to raise wood grain for effect. As all cedars have a very fine grain, most likely you will not readily notice a raised grain if you wipe it down. The staining would be from: using too moist of a applicator and allowing water droplets to stay on the wood surface or because some of the surface is more porous and drinks the water faster thus darkening it in areas. If you feel you must wipe try a damp sponge and dab the moisture onto the surface and immediately "mop up" any droplets with a dry cloth.
I personally do not feel a need to rush the procedure by wiping and employ only the natural (slower)technique.
IMHO - BUD

"hell, you COULD get away with pouring a cup of water in, closing the lid and shaking the unit well, then dumping out the excess water ... I know guys who've done that too."

Steve, please tell me you are joking. I may be a little rough around the edges, but even I am not THAT much of a Neanderthal.

Maybe you could have a priest bless your humi with (distilled) holy water. Then your wife can make comments about your "blessed" cigars. LOL

Keep smokin' (]]]]]]]]]]]]~~~

This is not being a smart a$$, could someone illiterate as to what is wrong with "raising the grain?" does this ruin the humidor? I'm not familiar with this condition. Thanks.

Hello Robby,
Absolutely not going to affect the humidor performance or integrity in any way. Niether if fact will staining. That's the ironic thing about these posts on wiping. Who the heck is going to be looking at the sides and bottom of a humidor. I mean there should be cigars there man!
Exception would be, making it so wet that the wood warps. This would however take an idiot mentality to go that far and that person should not be allowed to play with matches or lighters either - BUD