I was enjoying a Punch Rothchild Oscuro I've had in the humi a year. About a third of the way down I used my torch lighter to even out the burn and the ash rolled up into little balls, like burning plastic would. What the hell is going on!!! This happened to me about 5 mo ago and unfortunatly I inhaled a bit of the smoke, which sent me to the ER. Some of you might remember this. We came to the conclusion that there might have been an elastic band rolled up in the smoke. Unfortunatly the autopsy turned up zero.

My lungs have been spared this time, however I'm pissed. For this to happen to me twice in one year, has to be more than a coincident. I don't think my lungs have completley recovered from the last time. Now I've got to wounder if I'm smoking plastic every time I light up. What the Hell? I only smoke 1-2 times per week. Someone tell me what the hell is going on.

Some people tried replicating the melting tobaco last time this happened. Maybe everybody can try again by taking their torch to their smoke before they put it down for good. I've got to know if maybe something else is the cause. Craaap!!!!

Also, should I send this smoke to the manufacturer?

limoric,
Was this the same smoke/brand/size as the last time? If so, I wouldn't hesitate to contact the manufacturer/distributor or at least the place you bought them.
Being handmade products, there's always the chance of something slipping past quality control. I've found little pieces of burlap in cigars before but nothing like you've mentioned.
Let us know how it turns out.

Barry

Different smoke and make

limoric! I remember that. Man, talk about your wild coincidences... Good luck, I hope you're doing well.

Dude, what are you doing wrong? That crap never happens to me. = )

Sorry, buddy. That sucks. I have yet to run into that, but I've only been smokin' consistently for 3 or 4 years so I may be due. Maybe someone on here has some insight.

Do you still have the evidence, or did it go up in smoke?

limoric --- you had better be glad the "autopsy turned up zero" ...

An autopsy is a medical examination of a corpse ... LOL!

I don't recall your last incident, but you say a couple of hits of plastic or elastic band sent you to the emergency room?

Yikes !!!

That must have been some potent plastic!

Personally, I have never had that type of experience, thank goodness ... and I have had to relight my cigars many times over the years.

The last smoke definately had some sort of plastic or ruber inside. I have not performed surgery on this smoke yet, but the symptoms were the same only less. I'm trying to rule out any other causes. If I'm left with a foreign object as the cause, I will be sending the corpse back to the responsible party. Only I don't know whether that would be C-bid or the manufacturer.

Ok, I held the torch lighter to the smoke for 5 seconds. Could that cause the rolling ball effect? Could it be oils in the tobaco crisping up or the Colibri butane? The Butane is suposed to burn clean. Could it be tar build up and then the torch caused a concentration to roll into little balls. I've only been using the torch lighter for 6 mo. Before I always used wooden matches. Maybe the extreme heat from the lighter is the cause. AAAAAARGH!!!!!!

You guys all have to try. Torch the end before your ready to put the smoke to rest. Torch it for 5 to 10 seconds.

I'm switching to matches!

Who has access to your sticks, and how do they feel about you smoking? You might have someone worried about your health, or, someone being a peckerwood messing with them.

I seriously doubt that the butane had anything to do with it ...

Someone is trying to kill you....JK. I think it is an amazing coincidence. X

Someone call Oliver Stone quick... I think we have a conspiracy on our hands... LOL!

John

Hey [email protected] --- where I come from, a 'peckerwood' is what the blacks call us white folk ... LOL!

OK, anybody tried it? Oh, and I asked my wife if she was tring to kill me. She said, "of course not dear", just as she was sharpening the meat cleaver. Boy she sure likes to sharpen that meat cleaver.

I tried it ...

... and all I got was get a whiter ash ...

I used to put cigarette loads in my dad's Kools as a kid, just a thought.

Slim,

I've smoked about 50 cigars with no problem since the last incedent. Thanks for the first test.

So first guy: Negative

mrtelcom,

What are cigarette loads? took me a second to figure out what Kools were. They smoke Players in my neck of the woods.

Hey Lim,

Help me understand something. Are you talking about the wrapper itself curling into itself making it look like little bubbles in the wrapper right before the ash? If so, happens to me all the time. I think it is a mixture of the heat and the oils. I think it might be a coincidence beween this and the last time too. I seriously doubt you could have plastic or rubber in two different cigars. Unless they were rolled in the same factory, even if diferent makes. Even then, seems unlikely. More likley is it no big deal and since you are okay, don't worry about it. Also, you inhale your smokes? Wow, braver soul than me I tell you!! MK

MK,

The first had a rubber band or something plastic for sure. It smelled like burning rubber. My mouth, throat and ears were irritated for 2 weeks and I didn't smoke for 1 mo. The balls came from the filler. I didn't put that smoke out til it got bad, it took me for surprize. I don't inhale, but will take some smoke in occationally.

The second smoke did the same thing as the first, only much less. my mouth isn't irritated and there really wasn't a bad smell, but the melting balls were exact, only less. also I did not continue to smoke it, so it could have gotten worse.

A few people on the board shared similar experiences the first time.

There has to be something in this smoke, I just want to here back from some other people before I cut it up.

Just cut the thing up ... it's the only way you will know for sure.

Hold on, Slim. Then he may not be able to prove it to the manufacturer.

BTW, I always torch the livin' bejeezus out of mine so I don't have to draw in at all until I've first purged. I've had no problems at all. In fact, one method I've used is to get the outer foot nice and toasty, then purge and draw until it burns inward.