when one stores boxes of cigars in the cabinet style humidors, should the boxes be closed completely or left open a tad? i've never had this type of humidor in the past so it is new to me.

... crack (or prop) them open if you can. It's the only way they will get properly humidified ...

Not a stupid question. I don't believe the humidity in the humidor "cares" whether or not the box is open, the wrappers are off or in what location the cigars are resting in the humidor. The humidity is going to get to your cigars regardless. IMHO of course.

I take the cello off and crack the lids

Wrapped boxes of cigars sit in distributors humidors, just waiting to be shipped ... sitting wrapped and boxed in your humidor is simply a continuation of that process ...

Consider, though, that the wrapping and the box are barriers that serve to preserve the moisture that is in the cigar at the time it is wrapped/boxed ... conversely, they can also PREVENT that moisture from being replenished ...

In short, keeping them in the box/wrappers in your humidor will keep them from getting "worse", but will allow them to get "better" at a slower rate than if they were unboxed/unwrapped

even though you will most likely get a different answer from every one you ask, the most logical explanation to me seems to be what SteveS is saying.

... in other words, propped open with the cello off.

;-)

I tend to agree with Steve to an extent, but also, isn't humidity an atmospheric condition. It will seek it's level and affect anything it comes in contact with the exception of an absolute air-tight container or items in that container. A cigar box, cello, or the like is not airtight. So as to how much time it will take humidity to reach or affect a closed lid or celloed cigars, IMHO, is just that.

at the risk of raising the seemingly never-ending question of "cello on or off?" ...

yes

Personally, I have my cigars both ways and they get bloom/plume (whatever) after a period of time whether the lids are closed/off or cello off/on. I'm too lazy to take the cello off or to pay attention as to whether or not my boxes or open or shut...

jd1

you are right ... the cello/boxes are not airtight ... they do no more than retard the transfer of humitity ... but it pays to remember, they do so in both directions ...

Allowing for the variation in ambient humidity, your box of cigars will "re-humidify" at about the same rate they will dry out if left out of the humidor ...

and just as leaving them out of their wrappers and boxes, sitting on your kitchen table, will dry them quickly, putting them unboxed and unwrapped in the humidor will facilitate their being "re-humidified"

If we had time I could go into a legthy discussion on the facts/myths of diffusion. But I'm busy an no one cares. Cello on/off box open/closed doesn't matter as long as they are not air tight. The air will still diffuse between the two, giving a homogenious air mixture.

Don't believe the hype...

lengthy

cw,

c'mon dude, you've piqued my curiosity. explain, explain... };{>

Leg-thigh discussions belong in the misc forum. Try a search using KFC or E-Chick.

as long as the cigars are not completely dry, dead, spewing ammonia or in a sealed system, the air will be homogeneous in your humidor.

Remember, it’s not like a cigar ages in one day, it’s a slow process and the diffusion of air is quite quick since the system is not sealed, even your humidor is not perfectly sealed, if it was you’d never have to add H2O!!

llt - too funny!!!

Did someone say KFC?

In my coolerdor (I'd be so lucky to own a cabinet humidor..WHen we buy our house, I'm getting one), I open the boxes of cigars, push the clasp inward so the boxes are opened about 1/2 an inch...If the cigars have cello, I leave them on...No big difference to me...I recently saw a Davidoff (ISOM) from 1976 still in the cello with an unbelievable amount of plume on it...so much that I couldn't see the wrapper...It was all covered entirely in crystals...Just beautiful (sniff!) 😉
Keith