Smoking a cigar is like a ritual. It’s all about the process, and that procedure begins with knowing the right way to cut a cigar. Additionally, the more enhanced cigar you smoke, the more care and attention you will want to give by making sure you are giving it a good cut. A well-cut cigar equates to a better cigar smoking experience.
Mistakes are an on and off button in life and can be done by anyone, including the experts. However, there is nothing more maddening than cutting a cigar inappropriately and see it untangle right in front of one’s eyes. Such an incident can happen to anyone due to accidentally cutting your cigar too high. Another wrecking experience is cutting the cigars in a way that makes it draw way too quickly. When one reads and understands various ways to cut a cigar, they find a technique that best suits one’s needs.
Lets us first understand a little more about cigar cutters because when an individual knows about a tool, he will only know how to use it, and the same applies to cigar cutters.
Cigar Cutters
Below is the list of the types of cigar cutters available in the market:
- The Guillotine: A Guillotine is by far the most familiar sort of cigar cutter with dual blades. Guillotines are appropriate for most cigars and gauges. However, some large cigars may not fit in the cutter. Always invest in good quality cutters; if you invest in a cheap guillotine, the blades can’t be removed as with premium ones. Inferior quality means that the edges cannot be taken out to sharpen and become blunt over time.
- The Punch: A punch cutter looks like a bullet; as the name suggests, it punches a hole at the bottom of the cigar rather than just trimming some off. Most punch enthusiasts claim it to be less destructive and perhaps make the cigar more full-bodied. This variety of cutter is not very common but is extremely handy because of its compact size and can be easily hung on a keychain.
- The V-Cutter: The wedge cut, English cut, cat’s eye, notch cut, etc., the V-cutter has many alternative terms. The primary function is that it cuts a wedge off the cap. V-cut is best suitable for ling and thin cigars. It can be used on large cigars resulting in a star-shaped cut, ensuring an exact amount without damaging the cap. The negative aspect is that the blades are not detachable and thus a bit complicated to sharpen.
- The Cigar Scissors: The cigar scissor is a trendy looking cutter that can be easily hung with a bunch of your keys on your keychain. The cigar scissors typically have a straight cut and are easy to maintain and clean. While most cutters have extra accessories to clean and refill your lighter, but these scissor cutters are very handy.
- Knife/Mouth: In times of dire situations, it’s pretty easy to invest your cutting a cigar. If you happen to have a pocket knife, use it to make a rough and ready but effective cut. Some experienced specialists even suggest making an even cruder cut by biting off just the end. It will be a rough opening, so don’t mind smoking the stogie backward, that is, from the other end that was not cut off.
The Right Way to Cut a Cigar
Following is a simple step breakdown on how to cut a cigar:
- Cut the cigar head: Pick the accurate end of the cigar to cut. The cigar from where you smoke is called the head, and the opposite end is called the foot. The head is effortlessly distinguishable because it is the end next to the logo sticker.
- Identify the shoulder: The smoker needs to know where the shoulder of the cigar ends. The shoulder is the curved end of the cigar, where it begins to unbend. Above the shoulder is where the curve is still in one piece and is where you will want to cut.
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The placement of the cigar and the cutter:
- Place the cigar cutter between your thumb and forefinger by using the dominant hand.
- Place the cigar in the cutter and ensure whether it’s placed in one straight line (you could use the one eye closed method).
- Line the cigar to be certain about cutting right above the shoulder of the cigar.
- It is also necessary to note that it is always better to cut too little than too much.
- The cut: This is the crucial step, cut the cigar quickly in one smooth movement with full force. Maintain a fixed grip on the cigar with the other hand and try and not move until it’s cut all the way through.
- Smoke and enjoy!
