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Cigars/Antique Cigar Humidor Use

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Expert: - 8/22/2007


Question
I recently was given an antique Oak cigar humidor that is lined with what appears to be sheet zinc. (silvery metal with white powder oxide on it) It has a pad of somesort (chamois?) fastened with a clip in the lid that is in a perforated zinc envelope.  Is this still usable to store cigars?  Would I season it with distilled water like the FAQs suggest?  There is no cedar wood present, however I could line it with some.

Answer
John,

That is an old timer for sure. If it seals well it'll still work, but I'd put a modern humidification system in it. I really like the Madelaine Crystal systems. If you don't mind altering the antique, a Spanish cedar liner might be a good idea. The thought of storing cigars on metal, especially oxidized metal, doesn't sound very appealing although that is the way it use to be done. Good luck.

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Bill Finck Jr.

Expertise

I'm a fourth generation cigar maker and have spent 25+ years operating our factory as well as a mail order cigar company. I belong to cigar manufacturers associations as well as retail cigar associations so I'm usually up to date with current events relating to cigars. I've smoked the majority of brands on the market and would be happy to share my opinions of them with you. Since I live in the U.S. I have very little experience with Cuban cigars, but other than that I know a least a little bit about almost every brand of cigars on the market.

Experience

In addition to growing up in and now managing our cigar factory for 25+ years, I've spent time in many factories in Honduras, Nicaragua, The Dominican Republic and Mexico. BR>
Organizations
Cigar Association of America, Retail Tobacco Dealers Association

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BS Texas A&M University

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