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Gum Tragacanth and Cigar Repair

K

Karlos Marxos

Banned
Joined
Dec 25, 2008
Messages
34
Hello, I'm new around here, just opened an account the other day, and just today this bottle of liquid gum tragacanth that I ordered for the purpose of repairing some minor foot-cracks in some cigar wrappers I have arrived today. It's made specifically for the purpose of edging and polishing leather, and when I placed the order, I thought it was the normal powdered form, but found out when it came that this is not the case. Now that I know this, I'm not sure if it's a good idea to use it on my cigars. It says that it is entirely "water based... is environmentally friendly, 100% biodegradable with no harmful emissions." But a warning states, "Do Not Ingest." To make the long and the short of it, I'm not sure if the only ingredients are water and gum tragacanth, in which case I know it would not only be safe, but ideal; it is not only the preferred gum for wrapping and finishing cigars, but it is already properly mixed and ready to be applied. But it does not have an ingredients list, and since "water based" and gum tragacanth are the only things mentioned, that leads me to believe that those are the only two ingredients. But this is not a food product, and thus does not have to follow FDA protocol and list the ingredients in it. I'm tempted to test it out on a cigar, smoke it and see, as it says that it's "environmentally friendly, 100% biodegradable with no harmful emissions," which gives me the impression that it's totally safe, but the warning of "Do Not Ingest" is troubling. Any thoughts, comments or ideas?
 
IMO, warnings are put in place for a reason. After a quick bit of research to get myself up to speed, tragancanth is a demulcent. Neat stuff! Anyway, I recommend following the warning label.

Use some fruit pectin instead. Thread HERE.

Best of luck and welcome to CP! Fill out that profile when ya get a chance!

Edit: Some other interesting info here.
 
Thanks for replying. Yeah, I know that it's best to follow the label, but I've already done a great deal of research in the subject and learned that gum tragacanth is the gum that torcedores use for rolling cigars, so I thought that I'd get that, as I would have the best results. I know that if what I've got is just water and gum tragacanth that I'm safe, but I just don't know. My only qualm with pectin is I've heard that it will alter the flavor. I've also heard that this is only if you smoke it right after it's been applied, and given a few days time it leaves the cigar. Anyhow, I'm willing to go out of my way to get the real deal, you know what I mean? Thanks again.

Sinceramente,
El Profesor Karlos Marxos PhD
 
Karlos Marxos said:
I'm tempted to test it out on a cigar, smoke it and see, as it says that it's "environmentally friendly, 100% biodegradable with no harmful emissions," which gives me the impression that it's totally safe, but the warning of "Do Not Ingest" is troubling. Any thoughts, comments or ideas?
Click to expand...

This has nothing to do with cigars but as a mechanic I know they switched to R-134a as a refrigerant in AC systems because it is more "environmentally friendly" but when put to a flame produces phosgene gas just the same as R-12 does.

I guess what I'm saying is I'd be careful with what your burning and inhaling...
 
KusoJijii said:
Karlos Marxos said:
I'm tempted to test it out on a cigar, smoke it and see, as it says that it's "environmentally friendly, 100% biodegradable with no harmful emissions," which gives me the impression that it's totally safe, but the warning of "Do Not Ingest" is troubling. Any thoughts, comments or ideas?
Click to expand...

This has nothing to do with cigars but as a mechanic I know they switched to R-134a as a refrigerant in AC systems because it is more "environmentally friendly" but when put to a flame produces phosgene gas just the same as R-12 does.

I guess what I'm saying is I'd be careful with what your burning and inhaling...
Click to expand...

That is a good point that I was considering, and with that in mind, I've just messaged the company to ask them exactly what's in it. If it's just gum tragacanth and water, I'm solid.
 
The only other material that I know is put into gum trag solution is boric acid, and only by cigar rolling facilities as something to prevent mold or other microbial infestation. If you are buying tiny bottles for personal use, there is probably not any of this in there as you are not continually dipping your finger into it in a humid subtropical environment.

Wilkey
 
Ginseng said:
The only other material that I know is put into gum trag solution is boric acid, and only by cigar rolling facilities as something to prevent mold or other microbial infestation. If you are buying tiny bottles for personal use, there is probably not any of this in there as you are not continually dipping your finger into it in a humid subtropical environment.

Wilkey
Click to expand...

So.. are you saying that I might be endangering my cigars to contamination? or that since I am not a torcedor in a factory rolling dozens of cigars with a gum that does not have boric acid in it to prevent contamination that in spite of this, it should work out fine? Thanks again for all the humble advice, everyone.
 
I would stick with fruit pectin. Items that say, "Do not ingest", typically say that for a pretty damn good reason. On the flip side, if you decide to try your product, let us know how it turned out
 
BMW said:
I would stick with fruit pectin. Items that say, "Do not ingest", typically say that for a pretty damn good reason. On the flip side, if you decide to try your product, let us know how it turned out
Click to expand...

Yeah, I would have to concur with you. There wouldn't be a point in putting it on a product which was only gum tragacanth and water, unless, of course, there's a tertiary ingredient which is indeed harmful to ingest. I'm still considering it, but if I decide to give it a shot, I will of course letcha know.
 
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