Beginners often worry about how to cut a cigar. Part of the anxiety comes from the plethora of conflicting information available. Do you cut, punch, bite, or tear? How much do you cut off? What happens if you cut out too little or too much from the cigar? What’s the best tool to use? What if you don’t have that tool? Everyone wants the right answer; they want to get the best experience from smoking their cigar.
We’ll help you do just that; we’ll cut through most of the clutter and focus on the key concepts. You can then build on these basics and form a cigar-cutting process that suits you.
Why Cut a Cigar?
Newbies may not be aware, but when you buy a cigar, they come with one end wrapped and sealed with a tobacco leaf. A few types come with both ends sealed. Smoking involves drawing air through one end of the cigar to drive the smoke out through the other end. If one end is sealed, the air can’t get through, and you won’t be able to smoke the cigar. That is why you need to make the cut. It’s all physics.
Cigar Anatomy: Where to Make the Cut
Now that you know why you need to cut a cigar, the next question is where to make the cut. But first, take a step back and consider what it takes to be a surgeon. They must master the human anatomy to know where to make the cut. If you want to enjoy your cigar experience, you must also master cigar anatomy to cut at the right place. The good news is that a cigar’s body is a whole lot easier to learn than the human body.
There are three main parts to a cigar:
- The foot is the end that you light up.
- The other end, the one that goes into your mouth, is the head of the cigar.
- The body is what connects the head to the foot.
And that’s all there is to it. Much of the anatomy that you need to focus on is in the head because that’s where you need to make the cut. A small piece of tobacco leaf, called a cap, covers the head. Just beneath the cap is a sloped area called the shoulder. Some cigars may have a second or even a third shoulder.
That tiny part between the tip of the cap and the first shoulder is the part where you need to cut. You don’t want to cut below the shoulder because doing so could unravel the cigar. When this happens, you’ll end up with a mouthful of dry tobacco leaves, and that can ruin the experience.
The right place to make the cut, it turns out, is where it won’t ruin the cigar’s structure. Keep in mind that if you’re going to make a mistake, it’s best to err on the short side. You can always increase the cut, but you can’t uncut.
Cutting the Cigar
Now that you know why and where you need to cut the cigar let’s look at the how. Once again, you would think that all you need to do is cut a hole, right? But there’s more to this than meets the eye. Although the best way to cut a cigar is with a cigar cutter, not everyone has access to one, especially when they are new to cigar smoking. So, let’s first go through the ways you can cut a cigar without a cutter.
How to Cut a Cigar Without a Cutter
If you don’t have a cutter, it is still possible to enjoy a good smoke. After all, when people started to smoke cigars, they didn’t have the tools available to us now. You can use your hands, your teeth, or any sharp cutting tool.
Use Your Thumbnail
You can use your thumbnail to scratch a cut in the target section (below the cap and above the shoulder). Then continue using your nail to cut around the circumference of the head. When you have enough of the section cut, you can peel it off. The cap is usually quite thin and easy to remove this way, and the process is quite efficient.
Bite off the Cap
You can also bite off the cap. Don’t chomp on it, though. The process requires the same care and dexterity as using your thumbnail. Carefully bite down on the cap to pry it out. You can then peel it away with your fingers.
If neither of these options appeals to you, you can poke holes into the head. Use a toothpick, a sharpened matchstick, a paperclip or anything sharp. But be careful that you don’t crack the wrapper and cause the cigar to unravel. Apply light but constant pressure. You can also use any sharp-bladed tool, like a swiss army knife or a razor blade. Carefully cut along the edge like you would using your thumbnail, then peel off the cap.
How to Cut a Cigar Using a Cigar Cutter
To ensure a perfect cut each time, arm yourself with a good cigar cutter. There are three common varieties, each with a slight variation in procedure.
A commonly used cutter is the straight cutter or double-blade guillotine. As its name describes, it works like a guillotine, but with double the action.
- Place the cigar through the guide hole.
- Position it so that the blades align with the target area, then snip. This gives you a nice, even straight cut across the head of the cigar.
It’s good practice to brush off any loose pieces of tobacco using your finger. Or you could tap the cut end of the cigar against the edge of an ashtray.
Another option is a v-cut cutter.
- Insert the cigar into the cradle.
- A built-in back-stop will allow you to position it so that the blade cuts through the correct area. Then snip, and you will get a V-shaped cut from the head to around a quarter inches into the cigar.
The V-cut is quite easy and straightforward using a good v-cutter. It leaves more of the end of your cigar intact compared to the other methods. And you end up with less unraveling and fewer chances of getting tobacco in your mouth.
A punch cutter pierces a hole into the head end of your cigar. It’s an easy and clean method. Even beginners should have no problem using this tool and still can get a good cut every time.
- Line up the punch with the head of the cigar.
- Then twist the punch into the cigar until you can penetrate through the wrapper.
- Then pull the plug out, and you will find a smooth rounded hole at the end of your cigar.
If you want a bigger opening, or if you will be smoking a wider-girthed cigar, you can expand the hole. Punch along its sides to make it larger. The downside to using punch cutters is that they do take more time than the other cutters.
Which Cutter for What Cigar?
There are many different shapes of cigars in the market. Let’s review which type of cutter works best for each.
Figurados
Figurados include pyramids, torpedoes, and perfectos. These are tapered at one end or both ends. They are more tolerant than other shapes in that they allow you more room to adjust your cut. You can get the right-sized opening suitable for your experience. Just don’t overdo it and cut off too much so that it unravels your cigar. Straight cutters are best suited for these cigars. V-cutters could work, as well; however, you may find punch cutters challenging to use with them because of the tapered ends.
Boxpress Cigars
Boxpress cigars are square-shaped. Using the straight cutters sometimes causes cracks in the wrapper and may lead to unraveling. For these, the v-cutters work better. Punch cutters will also work nicely if you have the time and patience. V-cuts are great for cigars with larger girths as well.
Regular-Shaped Cigars
Regular-shaped cigars are the most cosmopolitan in terms of cutters; you can use any of them and usually get good results. These include coronas, parejos, and robustas.
The Final Word
Keep in mind that it’s not just a bad cut that can spoil a good cigar. A bad cutter can also ruin your cigar experience. No matter what type of cutter you use, make sure that you get high-quality products with sharp blades. Dull blades will tear into the cigar rather than slice through it. This could cause it to unravel, fill up your mouth with tobacco when you draw in, and ruin the experience for you.
There are as many ways to cut a cigar as there are opinions about the best way to do it. Some enthusiasts and connoisseurs even claim that the type of cut has a distinct effect on the quality of the flavor. But in the end, the joy of cigar smoking is a personal journey. The methods described here are basic and will give you some understanding of what you need to do and why. You are ultimately the one who will define what works and what doesn’t for you.
For more information on cigars and cigar news, please visit cigar.club.
