Blownout Boveda

[PapaDisco]

Well here's one I didn't see coming . . . a burst Boveda that soaked a box of Partagas P2's (MUR ABR '13 ). It wasn't a failure on the Boveda's part; I had inadvertently left it wedged in the middle of a stack of boxes and cabs. Most of my boxes I also put into zip locks in the the tupperdore, but the ziplock on the P2's had a tear in it. Most likely from the corner of a cab and that might have also punctured the Boveda.

In any event, the ten box of P2's got soaked at the foot, every one. Wonder what Boveda infused tobacco tastes like . . .

[gtejada]

Papadisco, a seasoned professional like your self should be using beads.

[Maplepie]

  On 10/26/2014 at 11:22 PM, PapaDisco said:

In any event, the ten box of P2's got soaked at the foot, every one.

for a second, i thought you said 10 boxes of P2s got soaked at the foot..

Anyway. Is there a way to take pictures? Worst case scenario is you just cutting an inch off the feet and smoking them again.

If I am correct, Bovedas are just little salt packages that have pure water flowing through them. Past a few grains of salt, the cigars would just be soaked with water so you'll just have some slightly water damaged cigars.

Wilkey? Bigman Pigman? Any of you confirm this?

[tjohn7]

Oh man that's killer. I feel for you. I'll smoke an extra P2 in your honor this week.

[fokker4me]

A friend of mine who is the distributor in the states for Boveda said no harm other then a little water damage, and some salt. Worst cast the flavor may change slightly and the cigar will swell a bit, but you can cut the tip if your worried.

[Maplepie]

  On 10/27/2014 at 12:14 AM, fokker4me said:

Worst cast the flavor Amy change and the cigar will swell

mmmmmmm.... wonder what Amy tastes like

[...]

  On 10/27/2014 at 1:04 AM, Maplepie said:

mmmmmmm.... wonder what Amy tastes like

Bitter sweet last time I checked

[Maplepie]

  On 10/27/2014 at 1:19 AM, Jeanff said:

Bitter sweet last time I checked

Happy Hunting, Jean.....

[...]

  On 10/27/2014 at 1:36 AM, Maplepie said:

Happy Hunting, Jean.....

Back empty handed this year, first time in 20 years

[cigarsecret]

bummer

[PapaDisco]

lol, you guys are funny . . . but then I've been drinking . . .

MP, I was thinking about just clipping off the foot. About half of the cigars split from the excess hydration (makes one wonder if the Boveda fluid is more aggressively absorbed by hygroscopics), but if I clip 1-2 inches off the foot of each it would eliminate those parts that were visibly soaked.

The fluid smelled more like antifreeze than it did salt solution, but it definitely did taste salty. Yeah . . . go ahead and laugh y'all, I did sniff and taste a dab just in the vain hope of saving a smoke! Hopefully if it's a salt solution, it's an NaCL salt solution and not something more pernicious . . .

[Maplepie]

  On 10/27/2014 at 4:40 AM, PapaDisco said:

The fluid smelled more like antifreeze than it did salt solution, but it definitely did taste salty. Yeah . . . go ahead and laugh y'all, I did sniff and taste a dab just in the vain hope of saving a smoke! Hopefully if it's a salt solution, it's an NaCL salt solution and not something more pernicious . . .

i've seen the inside of the Bovedas... and without noting the the BovedaSecretIngredient.doc file on my Comadore 64, i would stab a guess that it's definitely a salt.

Economically, it makes sense that they would use common salts because [if I remember correctly] it is the walled membrane that is special about the Bovedas - not the salt inside. Of course the salt inside would need to absorb and release water as well and stiffen up when dried. Won't be pure NaCl or it wouldn't be a hard brick. Thank you, Scheele, for tasting it in the name of science!

I doubt any of it would be harmful - let alone lethal - of course don't eat it. But clipping off half an inch should make it ready for .

Best case scenario, smoke one with a clipped foot and see what it tastes like! Or cue the common response: send one to me.

[Mckucci]

I wouldn't smoke them.... The packs I have in my office say directly on them, do not open, do not consume.... They wouldn't write that if they were not harmful...

[...]

  On 10/27/2014 at 12:00 PM, Mckucci said:

I wouldn't smoke them.... The packs I have in my office say directly on them, do not open, do not consume.... They wouldn't write that if they were not harmful...

They probably contain glycol or any other anti fungal agent, albeit in small quantity, which would explain the smell mentioned by the OP.

[PapaDisco]

Well whadda you know! Clipped 1" off the end of the least affected P2 and it smoked perfectly. No weird flavors or saltiness at all.

The things I do for science!

[Baldy]

  On 10/31/2014 at 8:06 AM, PapaDisco said:

Well whadda you know! Clipped 1" off the end of the least affected P2 and it smoked perfectly. No weird flavors or saltiness at all.

The things I do for science!

You know that a truely scientific experiment needs a consensus by your peer?. So, in order to help you in your scientific endeavours, send me the rest and I will verify or deny your claims. I know I know it's a most dangerous selfless undertaking on my part but hey how much more hair have I got to lose?

[PapaDisco]

  On 10/31/2014 at 8:11 AM, Baldy said:

You know that a truely scientific experiment needs a consensus by your peer?. So, in order to help you in your scientific endeavours, send me the rest and I will verify or deny your claims. I know I know it's a most dangerous selfless undertaking on my part but hey how much more hair have I got to lose?

lol. How about I just send you a leaky Boveda to apply to stogies of your choice?

[PapaDisco]

Well . . . since I've now smoked the entire box I thought I'd look up just what sort of adulterated, polluted compounds I've been smoking. Leap before you look eh?

Turns out, Boveda publishes the contents of their packs. It goes like this: Water (5-64%, the variable is caused by the pack's state of hydration), NaCl (regular salt, 13-33%), Ammonium Chloride (another salt, 13-33%), Glycerin, Xanthan Gum and Citric Acid. The second salt, Ammonium Chloride, is often used intravenously and is a necessary part of proper kidney function. All of these are present in modest amounts in the pack, so no harm can come to you unless you perhaps chow down on a box of Bovedas, in which case you should drink a gallon or two of water!

They do say "do not eat" on the pack, but that's aimed at the odd kid of less than 50lbs body weight who eats a whole Boveda. In which case you should give him a good spanking, make him drink a lot of water, and have a doc look at him. Maybe a shrink too.