Tin tobacco lifespan

maxwell04

How long does tobacco last in the tin once the seal is broke? Should I transfer it to a sealed container?

judandhispipe

There's a lot of discussion about this,but most people agree you should transfer it to a jar within about 2 weeks after opening.

Bphasty

I would think even 2 week is pushing it, the sooner the better

maxwell04

Awesome thanks guys

PappyJoe

Actually, it depends on the tins to a certain extent. I've had round tins stay fresh with little drying for almost a month. The square or rectangle tins don't seal once they are opened and those will start drying immediately in my experience. That being said, most pipe smokers like to dry out their tobacco before smoking anyway.

When I open a new tin, I don't move it to a jar until it gets almost to the dryness point I like. I will jar it sooner if I smoke it for about a week and decide it's not one I won't to smoke often. 

It also depends on how fast you are going through the tobacco. If you are going to smoke an entire tin within two or three weeks, then don't bother putting it in a jar. If you are only going to smoke one or two bowls a week, then jar it sooner. 

Of course, there are exceptions to this. Kohlhasse & Kopp and Ratrray (maybe others) sell tobacco in beautiful decorative tins that don't seal - the tobacco is in cellophane bags. When I buy tobacco like that, it goes into a jar immediately as even unopened, new tins will dry out quickly.

Penzance

I think it depends on moisture content. Some are great (most Dunhills) and I jar them immediately. The Samuel Gawiths are wet so I leave them in the tin for a wile so that they will dry and then jar them. It depends upon your preference how you like to smoke the tobacco. To me, the wetter tobacco smokes hot and tends to bite. It is very hot and steamy and doesn't taste like it should.

Rshey1

I noticed what looks like rust on the inside of one of my tins. It been in the same place as all the others and all are fine. I've only smoked one bowl of it. It seems to be on the rim and the paper down one side . Should I toss the thing?

judandhispipe

Put the baccy in a jar and toss the tin.The paper liners will turn  brown over time in even a properly sealed tin.

Hiker007

What if the tobacco has dried out, how do you bring it back? Or should you just toss it?

Woodsman

There are a number of ways to rehydrate a tobacco. I dampen a piece of clean paper towel with filtered or distilled water and place it on top of tobacco, put a lid on it and check it the next day. If it's still too dry, repeat. There is a discussion about Re Hydrating on the site with all different methods, You should try finding it.

ghostsofpompeii

I've discovered tobacco left in the tin last far longer than I've been led to believe. It may be because I tend to  get moist aromatics that could probably use a little drying out time. But I have yet to buy a tin that dried out on me before I finished the tin.

jfreedy

@Hiker007 -- To rehydrate dried tobaccos I was told (by a tobacco shop) to spread out your tobacco inside a large mixing bowl and spray it with a clean spray bottled filled with distilled water and leave damp paper towel covering the top. After a couple of hours mix up the tobacco, spread it out again & respray. Then, leave damp paper towel covering the top overnight. I've found that this does the trick for me. I'll usually leave a wet humidifier disk in the jar after that to help keep it hydrated.