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Casing and RH

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Fisherman

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Table 1: Feel of Cured Tobacco Flyings in Relation to Relative Humidity[SUP]a[/SUP].
Feel of Cured LeafRelative Humidity (Percent)
High case90 to 100
Medium to high case85 to 90
Medium case80 to 85
Low to medium case75 to 80
Low case70 to 75
Dry to low case65 to 70
Dry60 to 65
Dry to brittle55 to 60
Brittle50 to 55
Fragile0 to 50
[SUP]a[/SUP] From Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 501 "Principles of Burley Tobacco Barn Operation".

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/agr/agr14/agr14.htm

Would be nice for input about best case for storing and shredding leaf for others to use.:)
 

FmGrowit

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This guide is to judge hanging tobacco...not for baled tobacco. Relative humidity would suggest the moisture content in the air...not in the leaf. Leaf with a 15% moisture content would be low case. Leaf with a 30% moisture content would be in high case.
 

deluxestogie

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Despite the origin of that document, there is no firm relationship between the case of the tobacco and the RH. Tobacco that is more hygroscopic (e.g. Maryland) will absorb more moisture than less hygroscopic leaf, when left in the same RH for the same length of time. How strongly the tobacco holds on to water is also an issue. Usually, stems, once hydrated, tend to dry much more slowly than the lamina. Another issue is that RH is temperature dependent, whereas percent-by-weight of water within a leaf is not--though its rate of change is.

If it's all burley, then that may be a reasonable table.

I agree with DonH. Store in low case.

Bob
 

johnlee1933

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Despite the origin of that document, there is no firm relationship between the case of the tobacco and the RH. Tobacco that is more hygroscopic (e.g. Maryland) will absorb more moisture than less hygroscopic leaf, when left in the same RH for the same length of time. How strongly the tobacco holds on to water is also an issue. Usually, stems, once hydrated, tend to dry much more slowly than the lamina. Another issue is that RH is temperature dependent, whereas percent-by-weight of water within a leaf is not--though its rate of change is.I agree with DonH. Store in low case. Bob
AS do I. I now have about 10 pounds stored and it is all low or medium low case. I add water at time of use.

So far little or no loss to mold.

John
 

squeezyjohn

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"Case" is the term used to denote how much moisture is in a tobacco leaf either in storage or during the curing process - and therefore it's texture for handling the leaf.

Low case means low moisture and very dry ... a leaf in low case will shatter when you brush against it - it is very fragile

High case means full of moisture and pliable without any chance of breaking ... leaves in high case are susceptible to moulding though. This is the kind of case you want for shredding or twisting or for rolling a cigar wrapper.

Medium case is somewhere in between - tobacco in low to medium case burns fairly well.
 

DonH

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"Case" is the term used to denote how much moisture is in a tobacco leaf either in storage or during the curing process - and therefore it's texture for handling the leaf.

Low case means low moisture and very dry ... a leaf in low case will shatter when you brush against it - it is very fragile

High case means full of moisture and pliable without any chance of breaking ... leaves in high case are susceptible to moulding though. This is the kind of case you want for shredding or twisting or for rolling a cigar wrapper.

Medium case is somewhere in between - tobacco in low to medium case burns fairly well.
Actually, you want to shred in medium case, because shredders can get gummed up if you put high case tobacco in them. But wrappers should be in high case for rolling cigars.
 

DonH

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Actually, you want to shred in medium case, because shredders can get gummed up if you put high case tobacco in them. But wrappers should be in high case for rolling cigars.
I found this table here http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/agr/agr14/agr14.htm. They are referring I think to ambient humidity, not that of the leaf:

Table 1: Feel of Cured Tobacco Flyings in Relation to Relative Humidity[SUP]a[/SUP].
Feel of Cured LeafRelative Humidity (Percent)
High case90 to 100
Medium to high case85 to 90
Medium case80 to 85
Low to medium case75 to 80
Low case70 to 75
Dry to low case65 to 70
Dry60 to 65
Dry to brittle55 to 60
Brittle50 to 55
Fragile0 to 50
[SUP]a[/SUP] From Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 501 "Principles of Burley Tobacco Barn Operation".
 

DonH

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Now I scroll back to the top and see that Fisherman has already posted the same table! Sorry about that.
 

ne3go

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What is the relation between leaf's moisture and RH?
If i have a very dry leaf (10-15% moisture) and put it in environment with 80% RH, will be in high case sometimes? Or do i have to spray it, or cover it with wet towel?
And if the leaf is in high case and put it in 70%RH, will become medium case after some time?
 

DonH

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What is the relation between leaf's moisture and RH?
If i have a very dry leaf (10-15% moisture) and put it in environment with 80% RH, will be in high case sometimes? Or do i have to spray it, or cover it with wet towel?
And if the leaf is in high case and put it in 70%RH, will become medium case after some time?
I think the answer is yes. You wouldn't have to spray or cover with a wet towel if you just leave it out in high humidity.
 

deluxestogie

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I would clarify that low case does not shatter. "Out of case" will shatter. Low case can be squeezed with minimal cracking, but not crumbling. These terms are pretty arbitrary.

Bob
 

ne3go

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I think it would be useful, if someone could record and post a youtube video, showing an example of how stretchy or crumble a leaf has to be to consider as "high-medium-low-out of" case.
Maybe with an example of filler, binder and wrapper leaf.
 

Rickey60

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I think it would be useful, if someone could record and post a youtube video, showing an example of how stretchy or crumble a leaf has to be to consider as "high-medium-low-out of" case.
Maybe with an example of filler, binder and wrapper leaf.

I think that is a great idea. I would love to see what each case looked like myself.
 
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