For "GERMANUS Cosarara Alternative" the following results were found: 849 products, 16 FAQs
GERMANUS Tobacco Pouch CosaRara - Black "Tendril" - Made in EU
Ready for dispatch in: 1-3 working days
GERMANUS Cigar Humidor '48, The Quality Classic Set with Premium Digital Hygrometer
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GERMANUS Humidor Humidifier Pads German Acrylic Polymer Fleece Crystals
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GERMANUS "Desk" Pink Cigar Humidor with Digital Hygrometer for ca 50 cigars
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GERMANUS Humidor Cigar Humidifier Premium with Crystals - with Magnet C
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GERMANUS Cigar Humidor Set in Brown with Cutter and Ashtray for ca 75 cigars
Ready for dispatch in: 1-3 working days
FAQ
GERMANUS Leather Products: Maintaining
Please don’t use leather care products with our pouches. If you need to remove something from one of our leather products, please use a mild special leather treatment product for the purpose.
We received a question of a customer, who treated one of our products with a saddle soap and he wondered, why the colour changed.
Of course the colour changed. This product was an alkaline soap that can be used, exactly as he mentioned, for saddles and similar leather items that have a totally different treatment (very hard leather quality for heavy use). This soap makes the colour disappear that is the reason that had that affect even to the zipper. These kinds of products are not allowed to be used on our pouches and our leather products in general.
Generally saying, leather items like our pouches cannot be cleaned just maintained.
Imagine a leather bag or expensive leather shoes, how can you clean them? Once they got a spot, the spot cannot be removed from the leather. The only thing you can do, is from time to time to pass a cream over them in order to look brighter or to make disappear a superficial scratch. Dirt is also very difficult to remove.
If you actually need to remove something from our leather products, please use a special treatment product. We recommend this:
Important: Some of the used leathers in our products will provide their final look during usage. Like you may know from wild leather, the surface will change in an organic way like only leather does. This is no problem, but the proof of real authentic leather that was used to manufacture the product. It's a very desired effect, in order to deliver the individual look after several months. The leather is an animal skin that grows in one direction just like human skin and hairs do. You can remove those signs to a high degree by simply kneading the leather in the growth direction.
What happens to a product that I send back to GERMANUS because of a warranty damage?
All returns are examined personally by us. I take the example of a wooden humidor cabinet. Of course, this cabinet would not be disposed of by us, but refurbished. However, this takes so much time that, based on the customer, only an exchange in the sense of the guarantee would make sense. After a while the product would be declared accordingly and then resold at a discounted price.
As a brand and company, we draw part of our positive reputation from the sustainable use of our products. Our cigarette cases, for example, can be used for many years thanks to spare parts. A worn closure or rubber strap does not mean the end of the product. We give away more badly damaged things that are no longer suitable for sale according to our quality standards.
With this, we managed to get by practically without disposal from the start. The amount of waste produced has remained astonishingly low to this day. In addition to ethical considerations, this was primarily due to economic considerations. Processes that produce a lot of waste are more complex to handle. It was therefore practical for us to keep the amount of waste as low as possible.
We are currently looking for a compact solution for the storage of analog films. Do you have products on offer that can adjust both temperature and humidity? We are roughly 13-20 ° and below 60 ° humidity.
Thanks for your question.
It gets difficult at the temperature. (I strongly advise against using converted Vienna air-conditioning cabinets. In principle, these are refrigerators with a humidifier. I would advise against them with cigars, even more so with films because of the possible evaporation. See the FAQ)
Our beads are actually ideal for this. These are also used in archiving, for example.
https://www.german.us/en/68-germanus-beads
An alternative would be Boveda:
https://www.german.us/en/76-boveda
You could combine this with a refrigerator.
I would be cautious in general. 13-20°C is also relatively good all year round in a basement and in a food-safe food storage container (Lock & Lock).
All the best,
Philipp Pietsch
Owner GERMANUS / Owner & Operator GERMANUS
How good are those low price cigar climate cabinet humidors from wine climate cabinets?
I'm looking for a humidor with automatic humidification and
temperature hold function so I do not have to think about what's going
on with my cigars. How can I store my cigars fully automatically?There
are not really fully automatic humidors on the market. Even if they are
advertised as automatic, they still require a minimum of care. Most
cigar smokers are looking for an automatic cigar humidor and are
actually looking for an electronic humidifier that automatically
regulates moisture content. You can use any (GERMANUS) humidor and add a
humidor humidifier. The recommended humidifier depends on the humidor
model.Our alternative to electronic Humidor Humidifiers: The
GERMANUS Bead System. This is a regulator that is easily added to a
humidor. Simply place the regulator in the humidor. The number of
necessary regulator units of course depends on the humidor.For
all humidors across the market: Moisture must be added. The tank must be
refilled. Just as a car needs new gas from time to time, a humidor
needs a stop at the "gas station" to top up with water in the humidifier
tank.Question: I have seen a cheap climate cabinet. Would you recommend something like that?Answer:
The question is very general. Therefore, I would like to give a general
guideline. There are wine cabinets from Asia that are equipped with
some wood and maybe a humidifier. This is electronics, which was usually
never intended to store food in it without wrapping. Wine bottles are
sufficiently dense. But some sommelier are worried about negative side
effects of such cabinets. The temeprature control if ofter very limited
and the noise from those machines is not acceptable to every wine lover.
These cabinets are then simply equipped with a simple humidifier to
call them a "humidor".The question is what can be expected for
the sometimes surprisingly low prices? In the abstract, this is nothing
but a fridge designed for wine storage, which was built for 30-60 € and
includes some wood and a humidifier. With an automatic cigar storage as
the impression is awoken, this has nothing to do.We have already
been told by customers and competitors of fumes and extremely inaccurate
temperature at high noise levels (buzzing). Cigars need reasonably
stable but not cold temperatures. These even have a negative effect on
the maturation and aging process. Temperature control is a nice feature,
but not necessary or central. This feature is bought with unchecked
plastics and completely unclear effects of these exhalations on the
stored cigars. The permanent noise volume is not quiet in some reported
cases.Important: Automatically working is very little in those fridges. (Those
fridges usually miss electronic humidifiers. But if they have, please
keep a critical eye on them no matter who is the manufacturer.)I
would not recommend that either, but if you buy a low price German
fridge and some wood for the interior, you have more storage volume at a
better price. Again, this is not recommended. But if you really wanted to put cigars in a fridge, I would choose a tested European product. A lighting is also automatically integrated there. :)Buying
a Cigar Humidor is a matter of trust just like any purchase. Those
products are simply very basic wine fridges or coolers where cigars and a
normal humidifier are placed. The risk here are fumes and in most
offers the absence of a European supplier who would be available in the
event of a defect or problem. A guarantee is usually missing completely
or is rejected in the real case of defect.Each individual case
must be considered individually. But these are general considerations
based on logic thoughts and feedback of customers and competitors. The quality of these fridges is appropriate for the price. :) Electronics in the humidor is always a risk, as it brings the risk of malfunction in the topic of cigar storage.If
I am now asked for my own personal opinion, I personally would not dare
the experiment, because the possible success in relation to the
possible or expected disadvantages and problems would be much too small.If
you buy such a gastro cabinet, then please with guaranteed safety of
the components, a reasonable shielding and reasonable humidification.
Such cabinets are usually available from at least 1000 €, more from 2000
€ available.
My humidifier box won't work. What's wrong with it?
I recognized a rating for a product of a competitor lately. It was about a humidor humidifier. The user complained about a not working product. Well, there are differences in quality. Every humidifier can be soaked with distilled water. If this doesn’t work as expected, there’s no malfunction, but an operator error.
If your humidor doesn’t reach the expected values, the following explanatory approach can be also helpful and applicable:
Our GERMANUS humidifier can be soaked easily. Please place it for a couple of minutes in distilled water. 15 Minutes should be enough to do the job. Alternatively, you can insert water at the grille with the help of an injection. Syringes with oder without needle can be bought at a pharmacy or printer shop. By osmotic powers it’s possible that water wouldn’t drain inside due to a inner vacuum, otherwise. The same of course applies to the known humidor liquids.
You will have to deal with the same physical issue that makes a diving bell working. The vacuum cannot escape because of the counter-pressure. How frequently this phenomenon appears with humidifiers also depends on the fluid’s density that you’re using.
Soaked once, the whole issue will be solved.
Please see the following videos, which show the process.
Refill of a Humidifer Box with a Squeeze Bottle (Minute: 1:15)
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Humidifier submerged in water
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Lighter Repair
All our GERMANUS lighters are looked after extremely courteously. If you ever have a problem with one of our lighters, contact us. We are happy to help and as a rule the service is free of charge for you.
Almost all problems can be solved. Most defects can be repaired of our service ladies. If the lighter cannot be fixed or replaced, because the product is no longer produced: For tougher cases, we have an "enthusiast" at hand, who enjoys miniature mechanics.
The service is free of charge for you (as a rule). Of course, any service is free of charge for you within the warranty anyway.
For third-party products or if you have a lighter that you particularly like to hang on we recommend the following alternative:
https://www.pl-center.de
It is a lighter enthusiast. The services of the PL Center are external. The costs are there, however, according to information that customers gave back to us in an affordable price range. So far, we only received satisfied feedback from customers
Why does the stem cross the bottom of tobacco chamber on some Corncob pipes?
This is a feature of the Missouri meerschaum Co. products. A corncob pipe without wood on the bottom would break very soon. A cob of corn has no solid shape in cross section. There sits only corn starch. This would become damp by condensate or burn through quickly. Depending on the corncob model, a wooden plug is therefore installed on our corncobs. Alternatively or additionally (depending on the shape), the stem is pulled into the chamber. Another advantage: The opening of the stem is fairly vertical and at the lowest point of the chamber. A very positive feature that many Cob smokers appreciate is the positive result and side effect: The draft enters the chamber at the lowest point of the tobacco load. The stem in the chamber is intentionally built in and an important feature that distuingishes these pipes from other brands. Please note: These pipes have been made since the 1860s many hundred millions of times. Corncobs are iconic US products and iconic pipes with a rustic appearance and outstanding smoke properties. Please trust in this, if a corncobs for you at first may also appear unfamiliar and as a new kind of smoke pipe.
Which water should I use to moisten my cigars?
Distilled water from the local drugstore is not identical with water that is offered in pharmacies. Distilled water that is sold at drugstores is usually only decalcified, not sterilized. Pharmacy water is also sterilized. If you have no opportunity to buy sterilized water, decalcified water is better than just water from the main. Like many cigar smokers we simply use the cheap decalcified water with some of my personal humidors and never had any problems with mould. Depending on the worth and quality of your cigars, nevertheless, I recommend to use sterilized water. A good cigar needs something nice to drink while aging. J If you have a distiller for decoration purposes, you could also take it and make some sterilized water yourself.
Please remember, that the kind of water you fill in your Humidifier just sanitized your Humidifier. The cigars rolled by a normal human person, touched by a lot of hands, packed in a wooden box, opened and loaded in your humidor with your hands already contain germs and bacilli. (Cigars from the shop sometimes are already infected with mould, which you cannot see, because it just grows inside the cigar. Placing such a cigar in your humidor can infect your other cigars.) The same applies to the food we eat. Everything we see and touch is contaminated with germs.
However, the whole issue is not a main problem as which it appears on some sites on the internet: In order to prevent germs from mass spawn, which means mould, check your humidor regularly. The humidity should always be at a level of ca. 60-70% and the temperature should not be higher than 20°C. If you, additionally, clean your hands before touching your cigars, you will probably have no problems at anytime.
If you would like to buy anything to reduce the risk of mould, I recommend an exact Digital Hygrometer: The humidity is not always identical at any place and in each corner of your humidor.
Alternatively, you can simply boil water and let it drain off. Please never use water from the tumble dryer, because of possible.
If you use liquids, please make sure that the humidifers don't become to dry, because some fluids could drain off accidentally, when the H2O contained is gone and only the thicker parts of the liquid remain.
We recommend using distilled water as not all customers have clean water from the tap as is available in the UK and Germany. It is important to use water that is as germ-free as possible. For example, you can simply boil water yourself if you are unsure. A low lime content is important to avoid blockages.
Distilled water from the pharmacy is the safest recommendation worldwide.
Wood for the use of shelves, humidor drawers and body of a humidor
A frequently discussed topic in newsgroups and forums is the wood used for trays and drawers of humidors. In the following, we would like to introduce some possible forms of processing and in particular to clear up prejudices.
Wood in pure form
Again and again, especially on the Internet, the processing of wood panels is considered as ideal or expected value in Humidorbau. Often, such discussions arise when it turns out that some high-end products still have fiber plates in their price. It should be said that a humidor made of simple wood panels will not last long. Even if the wood is completely dried out, it will at least be slightly forgiven over time. A humidor should be wetter inside than outside. As a result, wood inevitably warps. A composite construction (sandwich construction) is therefore obligatory. It's not about the cost of a wood panel. It would be nonsensical to build a humidor body out of it.
MPX, multiplex
These are especially stable hard-glued wooden boards. When wet, they are stable. Anyone who has ever seen driftwood on the beach knows about the function. MPX works well as a core of a carcass. Depending on the construction method, further layers or veneers are applied.
MDF
Completely misused and negative feedback is the use of MDF. MDF is known as pressed cardboard. Valuable humidors would never include such. It is correct that MDF is also disrespectfully called pressed cardboard. However, MDF is currently used by very high quality humidor manufacturers. This may surprise some. The claim can be traced in any well-stocked specialist retailer. The background for use is simply that MDF is very flexible. It does not easily swell under moisture. Therefore, such humidors are quite durable. As everywhere in the humidor no smelling adhesives should be used. MDF as a material is not a problem. The advantage of moisture resistance comes just in the body of the humidor wear. There are different types of construction. A body made of MDF adapts well to changes due to moisture. It is not for nothing that famous cigar importers rely on MDF for the body of their humidors. It depends on how well the humidor has been processed with the material. You will find on the market quite high-priced and very popular models that rely on MDF.
Among the famous users of a MDF made product is Boveda. Boveda builds its wooden holders with a corpus of MDF and uses the advantages of the material for its product:
Solid Wood
A good alternative to MDF are solid wood shelves and drawers with solid wood floors. Solid wood refers to thinly glued thin layers of wood, which are therefore very stable and resistant to moisture. Solid wood is quite expensive in the production. For many of our humidors, we already rely on solid wood processing and thus create added value compared to MDF production.
Solid wood cedar
Very nice but also very expensive is the use of cedar (Cedro) for the production of trays floors or drawers. The valuable processing has a very important disadvantage: Cedar bends through damp very quickly. Especially if the floors are provided with large holes or the wood in the drawer of the humidor has no room for expansion, long-term or even medium-term damage to the humidor can occur.
Alternative materials
There is still a narrowing on wood plus cedar. For a long time, various successful trends have been heading the other way. Sapeli (also mahogany) has similar characteristics as cedar, but smells more neutral. Some smokers do not like cedar wood or are afraid of resinification. Therefore he prefers Sapeli. Other manufacturers coat their humidors inside with plastic. Such products are also available in the high-priced segment. The company CigarSpa offers about such cabinets. The ulterior motive: What does not suck is not a factor. A humidor without absorbent surfaces is easier to moisten. Everything depends of course on the humidifier.
I hope to have given a little insight into different materials in Humidorbau. In particular, I wanted to be able to offer anyone interested a point of view from a long experience, which once classifies the belief in good wood and cedar finish. Humidor construction, like many other topics, has different views and currents and several correct answers. Some are just myths. :)
This is how to season a cigar humidor. The basic steps are simple.
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More information is given in the GERMANUS Humidor Brevier, which is included with GERMANUS humidors, but can also be purchased separately.
Cigar Bloom and the Fear of Mould in a Cigar Humidor
Mould in a Cigar Humidor is a popular topic on internet forums and facebook groups about cigars. I already explained how the illogical search for the “ideal” 70% can be a delusional idea. The topic cigar mould is connected to that obvious fear.
We receive questions on a regular basis asking for a diagnosis. In almost each case cigar bloom or non-toxic food mould fungi is the diagnosis. This text is meant to give a basic overview. As Owner and Operator of GERMANUS we’re asked for diagnosis.
In most cases the found condition is cigar bloom. Cigar bloom is a good sign of aging and also an absolutely normal sign.
To give a rough guideline: Doesn’t a cigar smell unpleasantly, can you smoke it (because it isn’t too wet), does she taste at least acceptably, and you most likely won’t have a mouldy cigar at issue. A mouldy cigar smells rotten. Nobody would eat rotten meat, because it smells so badly. In the same way you won’t accidentally smoke a rotten cigar. The standard bodily functions should prevent accidental consumption. Just like the alarmism in connection with best before dates, mould and cigars are a topic of alarmism.
The cigar Journal published some very useful articles about the topic.
Cigar Bloom
Important: There are most astounding stories that smokers tell. I can tell stories about smokers, who fill their humidor up with water like an aquarium and give their cigars a nice swim in the pool. There are smokers, who soak their humidifiers before they go on vacation. They add an additional humidifier to make sure there’s enough moisture during absence. And they place the humidor with windows in the bright sunlight. Then they go away and leave their greenhouse alone.
But these are exceptional incidents. The usual cigar smoker pays at least some attention to his cigars and thinks his actions through. He sees a little white fluff on his cigars, which he soon recognises. Please keep calm in such moments. That’s a viable situation.
If there’s an actual case of mould, the experienced smoker doesn’t put to much attention to the issue. Cigars are a natural product, which are usually hand rolled and have seen many hands before finally be packed into boxes and later be smoked. The box will get through changing climate. Germs and Spores are included in either case. Affected cigars can be isolated. If the humidor shows fluff e.g. at the humidifier’s grille, you can wipe it off and have an eye on the area during the next time.
There are two reasons that should reassure you.
Cigar Bloom
It’s usually the cigar bloom, which is wrongly taken for mould. The pictures showcase Ramon Allones Specially Selected directly from the German importer 5th Avenue. I personally smoked the cigars with greatest pleasure. The taste was just great. The aroma inside the box is among the most pleasent smells that I ever got the luck to smell. If you get a box of these, be happy about your luck. Cigar Bloom mostly appears on cigars during summer. (It got to do with the surrounding temperatures around.) Many Cigar Smokers are surprised to see cigar bloom on their cigars, when summertime begins. But cigar bloom is just a proof of a well aged cigar.
Good and Bad Mould
There are different kinds of mould. I repeatedly discussed the topic with Marc Andre, who writes articles about cigar storage for the European Cigar Journal. In consultation with the 5th Avenue (Importer of Habanos in Germany), they gave the following statement, which I quote in original German language and an English translation:
In praxis cigar bloom is often mixed up with food mould fungus. From the view of the smoker, it’s almost identical and there’s no real difference: Both are signs of aging and are not affecting cigars.
„This white fungusis no toxical food mould fungus and shouldn’t be mistaken with such fungus. Food mould fungus is an organic product and toxical. The fluff on the cigars is odourless.
The white fluff is Eurotium – a not toxical fungus. Most cigar boxes automatically contain this fungus. In contrast to classic food mould fungus, which demands for a high humidity level to be able to grow, Eurotium sperms can grow at rather low humidity levels of ca. >60%. Eurotium inhabitates almost every cigar. You just can’t see it, because i’s invisible. Only when the cigar evaporates water and transports the salts (Minerals of the tobacco) to the wrapper, it makes a visible impression. That salt is a perfect fertile soil for the spores.
The fluff doesn’t look nice, but it absolutely doesn’t affect your cigars. Just wipe it off and wait. After some time, when the cigar will have evaporated its minerals, it won’t appear any more.” Marc Andre
„Allerdings ist dieser weiße Flaum nicht mit dem nach Schimmel riechenden Lebensmittelschimmel zu verwechseln. Lebensmittelschimmel ist ein Zersetzungsprodukt organischer Substanz und ist giftig. Das ist bei dem weißen Belag auf dem Schwamm nicht der Fall. Der Flaum ist praktisch geruchlos.
Dabei handelt es sich um so genannten Eurotium – ein nicht toxinbildender und geruchloser Pilz. Diesen haben Sie in praktisch jeder Zigarrenkiste automatisch drin. Im Gegensatz zu klassischem Lebensmittelschimmel der eine hohe Luftfeuchte zum wachsen benötigt, können Eurotium-Sporen schon bei einer relativen Luftfeuchte von 60% entstehen. In jedem passiven Befeuchtungssystem haben Sie diese Sporen drin – Sie sehen sie nur nicht. Und Eurotium ist auf jeder Zigarre . Sie sehen ihn nur nicht. Es sei denn, die Zigarre verdunstet Wasser und transportiert das im Tabak enthaltene Salz (Mineralien des Tabks) auf das Deckblatt. Ein perfekter Nährboden für diese Sporen.
Der Flaum sieht unschön aus, ist aber vollkommen unschädlich für die Zigarre. Wegputzen und warten. Nach einiger Zeit (wenn der Tabak seine Mineralität ausgedunstet hat) wird das nicht mehr auftreten.“ Marc Andre
Temperature
The perfect temperature for growing mould is ca. 5-15°C. A simple experiment to prove the assumption can be performed with a piece of cheese. If the temperatures are higher, the cheese won’t soon grow mould. If a white fluff appears, it’s most likely Eurotium, which is also known as a benign food mould fungus.
Once again an excerpt of Marc Andre:
“If mold does grow on the cigar, this is almost always Eurotium.spp, a fungus that does not form toxins and that grows in every mattress and in every environment with a relative humidity above 60%. This fungus only grows on the surface of the cigar, on the wrapper, is entirely harmless and is easily confused with cigar bloom. If this fungus structure appears on the cigar, you simply wipe it off. If cigars are stored cool at a storage temperature of 16°C and 65 to 70% relative air humidity, you will notice that the cigars feel relatively dry. This is due to the fact that as the temperature falls below 18°C, the relative air humidity must be increased in order to ensure the 13% by weight of water in the cigar. Hence the air humidity is increased to figures between 75 and 80%. And that is where the attentive reader will see the problem: the low-temperature and ongoing high air humidity increases the risk of mould. As long as it is only Eurotium, it is harmless, but if in fact Apsergillus flavus is growing on the cigars, it becomes a problem. And this risk occurs where storage is at a low temperature and high relative air humidity.”
"Sofern tatsächlich Schimmel auf der Zigarre wächst, handelt es sich fast immer um den Erotium.spp, einen nicht Toxin bildenden Pilz, der in jeder Bettmatratze und in jeder Umgebung mit einer relativen Feuchte von mehr als 60 Prozent wächst. Auf der Zigarre wächst dieser Pilz nur oberflächlich auf dem Deckblatt, ist vollkommen harmlos und kann leicht mit der Zigarrenblüte verwechselt werden. Tritt dieses Pilzgeflecht auf der Zigarre auf, so wischt man es einfach ab. Wenn nun Zigarren gekühlt gelagert werden, so wird man bei 16 °C Lagerungstemperatur und 65 bis 70 Prozent relativer Luftfeuchte feststellen, dass sich die Zigarren verhältnismäßig trocken anfühlen. Das liegt daran, dass ab Temperaturen von weniger als 18 °C die relative Luftfeuchte sukzessive erhöht werden muss, um die 13 Gewichtsprozent an Wasser in der Zigarre zu gewährleisten. Also wird man die Luftfeuchte erhöhen auf Werte zwischen 75 und 80 Prozent. Und da bemerkt der aufmerksame Leser das Problem: Geringe Temperatur und andauernd hohe Luftfeuchte erhöhen die Schimmelgefahr. So lange es sich nur um den Eurotium handelt, ist das harmlos, wenn aber tatsächlich ein Aspergillusflavus auf den Zigarren wächst, dann wird es brenzlig. Und diese Gefahr besteht bei Lagerungsbedingungen."
Video of the most popular German Pipe Youtuber: Ralligruftie
Ralligruftie and me came across the topic of mouldy tobacco in connection with natural pipe tobaccos. Ralf’s interest into the topic grew and therefore I put forward the idea of making a video about the mould topic. Ralf made this video about tobacco and how tobacco can change under circumstances. I presented some of the materials to him, upon which the video is based. He’s a pipe smoker. He therefore puts more emphasis on pipe tobacco.
Thanks to him for also mentioning cigars and cigar storage in his video. I asked him to do so and of course are very happy that he made some comments. He made once again a great video. I like the way how he discusses the topic and also the calm way in which he classifies mould as one peculiarity among others inherent with tobacco.
How can I tell if a product is a 2nd Chocie Quality or a return? How do you handle and manges customer returns?
All products that are not pure new are clearly marked as such and can only be found in corresponding subcategories. So you can always be sure that we handle returns carefully. A well-stocked B-grade category is a good indication for a customer that the manufacturer or dealer is working properly.
A personal comment on this as the owner of GERMANUS Today, a core problem in online trading is that revocations may be considered as new goods at the will of the legislature. No customer wants to receive used goods. I myself am a cyclist. Absolute care should be taken when purchasing material online, as e.g. saddles are often driven for a 200km test and then returned. For safety-critical parts, you have to choose the dealer well to be sure. A good criterion in this selection is "2nd choice categories”. Is there a stock of 2nd choice grade quality products you know that there is usually well sorted.
From the point of view, we separate all such products into 2nd choice B-grade subcategories per product group. Who accepts small signs of use, gets there a bargain price. Conversely, anyone else can be sure that we are scrupulously checking.
Acrylglas vs. Echtglas
We are asked regularly, which kind of glass was used in humidor xy. The used glass is different depending on the manufacturer and product. For our GERMANUS humidors I follow this view: My opinion is rather tolerant of both kinds of glass, acrylic glass and genuine glass.
Genuine glass makes a nice impression.
Acrylic Glass got some advantages on its side, however. These are in my view:
Better Light protection
Resitant against Scratches
Less risk of breaking/damage
Affordable, but can be hardly distinguished optically from genuine glass, if of good quality
In general most humidors of the lower or middle price glass are made with windows of acrylic glass.
My pipe is burnt out. What could be the cause of this?
Our pipes are made of solid briar wood. Scorching of the surface can impair taste. Provided the pipe is properly used, burnouts are physically impossible.
Assessment
Fundamentals of significant burn damage (burnouts) to pipes:
In this case, the damage results from overheating, i.e. temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius during smoking. In many instances, honeycomb-like charring (which only forms at around this temperature) is observed at the burnt spot. The normal smouldering temperature for a pipe is between 650 and 800 degrees Celsius. There are several possible reasons for excessive heat while tobacco is smouldering.
A constant draught can cause such abnormal temperatures to arise.
It is also possible that the pipe is held in the mouth at too steep an angle, with the user pulling on the pipe too strongly and too frequently, exacerbated by insufficient temperature control by hand.
Defects in the wood (pockets, soft spots) can be generally ruled out. Where a defect is present, burn damage will ensue at a much lower temperature and will be minor and more specific.
Finally I would note that excessively damp tobacco can exacerbate the situations outlined above.
We GERMANUS are here for you even in case of an accident of your pipe. More deatils in our GERMANUS Pipe FAQThis is what other manufacturers say: Burners of Rattrays Tobacco Pipes
This is what the manufactruer Rattrays says about burners and warrenty claims. Briar is a very heat resistant material, nevertheless it is still just wood, which can be damaged by heat. Your pipe works in a similar way as a fireplace. If you open the air valve the wood burns much faster and more furious. If you draw with too much force at your pipe, the ember will get to a small fire and probably will damage the inside of your pipe. If the pipe gets too hot, immediately put it aside and let it cool down.
Burners taste and smell unpleasant and beyond that are visible. If you recognize fire damage inside the bowl, under no circumstances continue to smoke the pipe. You will provoke a total loss, which in most cases will not be replaced by the manufacturer. Bring the pipe to your pipe shop, and your dealer will send the pipe to a repair shop. In the first states of a burner the pipe can be saved with a protective coating without any difficulties.
Customer complaints of Rattray Pipes
Most burners will not be replaced by the pipe manufacturers for the above reasons. There are some exceptions however. If the pipe does not show a large burned area, but a small pointed funnel shaped hole, it suggests that this was a faulty spot – a small stone inside the wood or a cavern. Also, if the smoke channel was drilled too close to the outside and the pipe is very thin walled, an eligible reason for reclamation can occur.
If the pipe has a large burned area with fissures, in most cases the pipe was smoked too hot. Most burners are situated around the blowhole, there the generated heat is very strong if the suction is too high.
The bottom of a lot of complained pipes is very thin, but pipe manufacturers would never ship out such thin walled pipes. Even if every series pipe is slightly different, the wall strenght is the same in every single piece.
If the pipe is still warm and moist, the wood is especially prone to damage from scratching out the bowl, so please let the pipe cool down before cleaning. Also the attempt to smoke the last crumb ob tobacco often ends with a burner, because the lighter flame gets too close to the wood.
Fire damage in the upper part of the bowl are usually caused during the lighting process. You should always move the flame in a circular and even way. If you hold the flame to the same spot too long, the wood can burn very fast. You can easily identify left-handed pipe smokers with a burner on the right side of the bowl and vice versa.
In the end we have to mention one more thing: If you want to smoke on the bike, in the car with open windows, or on a boat – you should use a pipe with a lid. The lid will protect the pipe from generating too much heat caused by the increased wind.
My Humidifer Box is empty, there are only few granules of crystals. Is this OK?
That's a true classic question. Our GERMANUS absorb multiple hundred (!) times their initial size of liquid. Accordingly, the included quantitiy is calculated. That quantity may be lower than some users might think at first glance: More crystals would lift the lid or press themselves through the grille. The limited quantity is important and an actual quality factor of our product.
Please also see our video Setup of a Humidor Humidifier Box with GERMANUS Crystals
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Humidifier: Sponges vs. Crystals - What is the difference between sponges and crystals in humidor humidifiers?
The mostly green sponge is a simple sponge as it has been known for decades in humidors of cigar humidors. Advantage: A sponge easily absorbs various liquids, regardless of the type of liquid. Disadvantage: A sponge does not regulate during release. So a sponge is a good and still up to date humidifier as well as the basis for regulating fluids.
Crystals give moisture quite regulated. Crystals also absorb most liquids. However, some caution is needed if the water (H2O) has evaporated and only thicker liquids remain, which have been added to the water for the liquid. These viscous residues can then run off unintentionally.
Today's standard in cigar humidors is likely to be humidifier crystals. Our GERMANUS humidifier crystals are a German product made in Germany that is personally packed by us. More details about GERMANUS Humidor crystals can be found here.