Before you start smoking a cigar, you need to cut off its tip. Usually, it is sealed. Once upon a time such tips were bitten off with teeth or cut off with a knife, sometimes they were pierced with an awl or other sharp objects. Of course, such methods of cutting a cigar may ruin it: in such a way, you will achieve nothing but uneven burning, poor traction and the pieces of tobacco may remain on your lips. Also, the cigar’s covering layer may unwrap. To remove the cap without harm to the cigar, you need a special tool called a cigar cutter.
Why do you need cutting a cigar?
No matter how the cigar is sealed (with a separate piece of tobacco sheet forming a cap, or the end of the cover sheet forming a layer, or twisted into a pigtail), your goal is to cut the cigar so that it exposes the filling, but not allow turn around the cover sheet. Along with this, you must follow another rule: the cigar should be cut so that the cover sheet remains on it.
If the cutting a cigar is done in a wrong way, the cover sheet may unwrap and then the cigar is practically ruined; in the best case, the winding of the cover sheet will simply weaken, but then the cigar will not burn evenly (the filling is faster than the cover sheet), and this is a spoiled pleasure. In addition, an erroneous sawn-off of tobacco rags may adhere to your teeth and lips.
There are many types of cutters, but the guillotine type is the most popular one. Such cutters can be with either one or two blades. Of course, if the blade is double, then it is much better. Another famous type of cutter is special cigar scissors. With these tools, you can, having previously retreated about three millimeters from the end, cut the cigar so that only a thin ring is left from the cap. Only then the cover sheet will remain in place, this cap does not allow it to turn around.
Two other types of cutters also help smokers. The so-called punch can cut a hole of a couple of millimeters deep in the item’s tip. But such a tool can only be used for straight cigars. In the case of the sharp tip resembling a pyramid or rocket, it is absolutely useless. Another cutter in the shape of the letter V makes a recess in the shape of this letter V at the tip of the cigar.
Let’s take a closer look at cutting a cigar with different cutters.
Cutting a cigar with a guillotine cutter
Most often, people use a guillotine for trimming cigars, which can be small pocket and large-sized instruments located on a table. It is a device with 1 or 2 blades.
The step-by-step guide on how to cut a cigar with a guillotine cutter:
- After examining the piece, you need to find the place where the cap ends, it is there that you need to make a sawn-off punch with a cutting tool;
- It is important to make sure that the blade is sharp if it is dull, then cutting a cigar won’t work and you’ll just ruin it.
- Insert the tobacco product into the pre-washed tool;
- Press the blade sharply and cut off the cap
How to cut a cigar with a punch?
The simplest tool for cutting is a cigar punch. Such tools don’t even cut cigars, but simply make a hole in the sealed end. The designs of the punches may differ, their diameter may be different, but there is one principle – with the sharp end of the piercer we make a hole in the cigar cap.
Many smokers ignore this tool, considering it unworthy of their attention. The punch can’t be called a universal instrument since the hole made with its help does not always open sufficient traction. However, no one says that only one hole needs to be made to cut off the tip properly.
Cigars are produced in different sizes and some of them are quite big in diameter. Not every guillotine, cutter or even scissors can cope with such a cigar. In this case, you can use the punch by making several holes in the cap. Some cutters even make five holes in the cigar with a certain image (take for instance, the latte art) – to decorate the sealed tip with such holes. However, when it comes to Torpedo cigars, most punches are powerless.
How to cut a cigar with a punch? No rush is good advice. The process is quite simple: open the punch’s blade, put it on the cigar’s cap and make a cut-out, immersing the punch in it. Do not apply excessive force, as the covering sheet may burst.
How to use cigar scissors?
Cigar scissors are perhaps the most classic instrument for smokers. Yes, the very movement of the fingers is most familiar, especially for people who have been smoking cigars for 20 years and longer.
There are also many models of such scissors. Some models resemble a Swiss folding knife, they fold and contain a punch, a guillotine, and a ton of other, very necessary things. Or you can buy classic cigar scissors. It is recommended to use them at home where no one can criticize your style.
The sequence of actions when cutting a cigar with scissors is the same as with any other cutting tool. Take a cigar in one hand, scissors in the other one. Move them towards each other, reduce the blades to touch a piece, carefully drawing the cut line, and clearly, without any fuss, cut off the cap. Do not crush it, but cut it off.
How to cut a cigar without a cutter?
But not all people are heavy smokers, and if you bought a cigar for the first time, then you are unlikely to find a special tool for cutting at your home. Below you can find a few methods to cut a cigar at home by means of improvised tools. Most often, thin-blade knives can be applied with such a purpose. First of all, it is worth checking if your knife is sharp. After that, you must perform the following steps:
- Place a cigar on the cork mat;
- Attach a knife to the cap;
- With a sharp movement, cut off the unwanted part;
Do not cut a cigar or perform slow movements, in such a way you may ruin the product. And if you plan to smoke often, then you should purchase special tools to crop the cap in a matter of seconds.
Final thoughts
No matter which cutter you prefer, you should definitely pay attention to its blade. The blade of any cutter should be sharp, and as long as possible it should remain so. It should be very sharp and, if possible, remain as long as possible. If the blade becomes dull, it will not cut off the tip but will tear it off, thus violating the structure of the covering sheet.