therrm
  • therrm
  • Aficionado Topic Starter
12 years ago
Tonight after work I opened up my humidor and dug down a bit and was disappointed to see my LP Undercrowns split. At first I thought it was just one but after checking them all out I found I had 15 with splits in them. About 11 of them are unsmokeable, I might be able to save a few if I smoke them soon. My hygrometer is reading 67% and I didn't see any splits on any of my other cigars.

Is there anything that could have caused this? Bad batch maybe? I just think its weird that they are split so bad and none of my others are harmed.

I like undercrowns very much and it hurt me when I had to throw these out.
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ZRX1200
12 years ago
DE QC ain't what it used to be.
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Bur
  • Bur
  • Herf-A-Holic
12 years ago
Could you re-wrap them in the craptastic wrappers sold at convenience stores (cause that's what those are for, right?)

Or maybe make Undercrown pipe baccy?

Oh great FOGS, please tell me those aren't completely gone. TRAVESTY!
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clickbangdead
12 years ago
Get some pectin, use the wrapper off of one or two that cracked and patch them up. Had to do that with some Viajes once before.
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TheSmokensip
12 years ago
That sucks.
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triodes
12 years ago

About 11 of them are unsmokeable, I might be able to save a few..

therrm wrote:

I would try salvaging as suggested. Might look like snot and be a hassle, but smoke pretty well.
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dstieger
12 years ago

Is there anything that could have caused this? Bad batch maybe? I just think its weird that they are split so bad and none of my others are harmed.

therrm wrote:



Bad batch? Possible, but unlikely. DE is pretty much top of the QC game at the moment.

Question or two.....
-Digital hygro or analog?
-When was it calibrated?
-How was it calibrated?
-What sort of humidification?
-Where'd you get the cigars? Improper handling is far more likely the cause than factory QC
-How long were they in the humi before you noticed the splits?


-And lastly....were these internet cigars or B&M? [sarcasm]

If you can fairly confidently rule out source, storage, handling, etc., I suggest you contact JD (any any of a number of other very consumer-oriented folks from DE) and let him know. Do it privately and with an intent on notifying them of potential factory problems. They'll look into it.
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therrm
  • therrm
  • Aficionado Topic Starter
12 years ago

Bad batch? Possible, but unlikely. DE is pretty much top of the QC game at the moment.

Question or two.....
-Digital hygro or analog? Digital
-When was it calibrated? Checked calibration 1 to 2 months ago
-How was it calibrated? Left it for a week in my friend's Aristocrat humi that uses the electric humidifier that came with it.
-What sort of humidification? Xikar crystal humidifier jars
-Where'd you get the cigars? Improper handling is far more likely the cause than factory QC CI
-How long were they in the humi before you noticed the splits? 4 months but I haven't smoked one in a month or two and the last one I had seemed fine.


-And lastly....were these internet cigars or B&M? [sarcasm]

If you can fairly confidently rule out source, storage, handling, etc., I suggest you contact JD (any any of a number of other very consumer-oriented folks from DE) and let him know. Do it privately and with an intent on notifying them of potential factory problems. They'll look into it.

dstieger wrote:

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triodes
12 years ago

Calibration by leaving in a friends unit

therrm wrote:



may not have been as good as one might hope.

Salt test properly done or

Boveda pack - with hygrometer in a sealed container

for 36 hours are the only two reliable methods I am aware of.

There are two many variables possible with placement, air flow - humidity level variations within any unit for that to be considered reliable, at least to my way of thinking.
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therrm
  • therrm
  • Aficionado Topic Starter
12 years ago
I'll re calibrate with a salt test to make sure. If my hygrometer was that off though wouldn't I notice some issues with other sticks as well?
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KingoftheCove
12 years ago
that blows......
almost impossible to determine a cause.....
dissecting two or three for big wrapper patches to fix all you can is a great idea....moisten up the wrappers on the ones your going to sacrifice before you start.....might actually be a fun project

I have noticed, on some batches of Undercrowns, the wrappers being really thin/fragile.
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KingoftheCove
12 years ago

I'll re calibrate with a salt test to make sure. If my hygrometer was that off though wouldn't I notice some issues with other sticks as well?

therrm wrote:


Not if they have stout/leathery wrappers.
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triodes
12 years ago
If you haven't changed the battery, do that also when you calibrate.

Being somewhat obsessive compulsive 🤦 , when working with humidity levels in the wineador, I will put in three hygrometers (calibrated) at different tray levels. Not unusual to find temp variations and r/H variations of 2% from top to bottom.

So, if your placement to calibrate in the other fellows humidor was off by 2% and placement in your own is off by 2% and adding to error instead of offsetting and you were 4% off in indicators - doesn't take much more variation in your adding water/temp variation/what have you to cause a problem.

I doubt that even 4% would cause problems. However, change quickly, normal fluctuations, some with delicate wrappers - might not take too much.

Also, contacting manufacturer is not a bad idea. Some really good people will take care of you even if you were contributing. So much of the cost is marketing and distribution chain that doesn't even cost them that much.
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