Cutting a Cigar

Over the years I have seen some pretty ingenious ways people will cut their cigars.  Sometimes I am impressed, and at other times I cringe because they have just completely ruined the smoke-ability of their cigar. Taking into account that some resourcefulness can go a long way, there are only 3 basic suggested ways to cut your cigar.  They are a straight cut, a V-cut, and a punch.

Straight Cut

 A straight cut is when you clip off the whole tip of the top of the cigar (usually referred to as the head).  In essence what you want to do is remove a small portion of the cap without removing too much of it.  

I feel the need to take a moment and clarify how much of the end you are supposed to snip (when using a straight cut).  Most of my cringing ensues when I see a person clip damn near an inch off the top of their cigar!  By cutting this much off you are well beyond the cap, and what usually happens is your cigar will begin to unravel - not fun! I have even seen guys bring these cigars back thinking there is a flaw in construction - never realizing the flaw was of their own doing! 

Proper protocol calls for only taking off 1/8 of an inch.  But if you are anything like me - I have no clue what that is! So here are a few tips to make sure you cut properly.  When looking at the cigar you can clearly see a ring around the head that denotes where the cap is.  What you want to do is cut on that line.  If it is a triple cap, you want to cut near the first or second ring (or cap).  If you are using a non perfect straight cut what you can also do is set the cutter on a hard surface, like a table or counter.  Place the cigar in the ring and then slice while still on the counter.  That way you are only cutting off the perfect amount.  

There are many different varieties of cutters out there that create a straight cut.  There are single guillotine (one blade) or double guillotine (2 blades) cutters.  There are also cutters called perfect cuts, which have a back on it.  Perfect cuts force you to cut the correct amount because you physically cannot push the cigar through through the opening.  

V-Cut

V-Cuts will put a triangular cut in the head of the cigar.  It really looks like half a diamond or part of a triangle.  When you use a V-Cut you are not slicing open the whole cap therefore, you get a more concentrated draw.

Punch
The punch cut will cut a certain diameter ring on the head of the cigar. Punches do come in various sizes for instance, a 7mm, 9mm, or 11mm for larger ring-gage cigars. By punching a cigar you again are not cutting off the entire cap therefore giving you a more concentrated draw.

In my experience no cut is better or worse than the other, what it boils down to is a matter of preference.

Posted by: Michele