There are great warring factions of Cigar Smokers who continue to argue on something that should be relatively easy to conclude (I hope).
In one camp there are those who use this sliding scale when speaking of properly maintaining Cigars - In the other are those who maintain that a constant RH (usually cited as 70%) is the way to go. Here is one of the raging debates where neither side admitted defeat.
In looking at the evidence presented I’ve concluded that the Sliding Scalers are only focusing on the amount of water in the air. They are absolutely correct in their assertion that for a semi-closed system (Humidor) the amount of water in the air will be constant if you use their sliding scale.
The problem is no-one really cares about the water in the air. They are instead interested in the pliability of the tobacco leaves, and therefore the amount of water in/on the cigars. It appears to me that the Constant RHers are ‘more correct’. But I present this debate to the Straight Dopers to see if calmer minds can prevail.
Not sure how great the debate is, as I’m guessing the cigar-smoking community and the SDMB don’t have the largest overlap.
However, I will say that thinking about it this way helps. You want your cigars to contain a certain amount of moisture. When they have this moisture, all is well and good with the smoking. Cigars are going to exchange water with their environment, namely your humidor. Relative humidity is an indicator of how much water your cigars will lose to the air, as well as how much they will gain. We don’t care about the water in the air, we care about the water in the cigar. Relatively dry air, regardless of temperature, will dry out your stogies. Relatively wet air, regardless of temperature, will make your stogies soggy.
I’ve never seen a serious (competent, anyway) defense of the “sliding scale” view, but my limited knowledge of the workings of humidity forces me to say that it is at least plausible (incidentally, your sliding scale link doesn’t work). That said, I’ve never had any trouble at all with smokes that have been sitting in the proper RH, regardless of temperature.
As an aside, what gets me are these dame “70%” nazis. I happen to prefer my humidor (well, tupperdor) at around 65%, but it’s hard to do as most humidification devices are designed to put a humidor at 70% (and a closed tuperdor goes even higher). Somehow, I manage. . .
Sorry, the folks at that website must have changed their viewpoint.
=)
Here’s Dale Scott (a Sliding Scaler) and his rationale for the Sliding Scale.
And on the 70% Nazis: Many folks who smoke Cuban Cigars (and are either U.S. Representatives, not U.S. Citizens, or constrained by living in the United States) feel that 65% is a better RH and leads to better smoke.