Cigar Cutting, A Discussion.

[jaytex1969]

Guillotines, punches and V-cutters.

What do you use and why?

Do some tools pair better with certain types or sizes of cigar?

Any other devices or techniques not listed?

I usually use the cheapest single blade $3 cutter out of habit. If the stick is fatter than the ghetto cutter, I get out the double blade cutter. Still getting used to that one.

One lighter I have has a punch in the base, which I used for the second time just now.

I've already once had to do the field expedient pocket knife cut, also. It went OK.

How about you?

 

[redone]

Early on, I used a punch most of the time. Found it to be inconsistent, but could have just been user error. Just use the standard guillotine now. Rarely have user error.

 

[crawdad]

I have both a V and a Guillotine cutter. I tend to use the two blade guillotine almost all the time now.

 

[shanez]

I prefer scissors but it's hard to beat the ease of a good v cutter.

 

[username]

I like punches. No real reason other then I got one for free from montecristo so that’s what I use.

 

[gamzultovah]

Punch. Don’t like tobacco particles in my mouth.

 

[warren]

Depends on what is at hand. I've been known to use my teeth when out in the field. Usually a cutter.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Cut only. I'd bite the cap off before using a punch or v cutter. Don't want to concentrate all the nasty stuff in a small area.

 

[saltedplug]

Maybe invest in a quality guillotine? It will pay for itself with the first wrapper tear at the head from the odd forces associated with a duller blade.

This is what I usually use, but at times the punch by some silent intuitive choice.

 

[theloniousmonkfish]

I just use a knife

 

[musicman]

Either a xikar double bladed cutter or a punch cutter, for no reason than it's attached to the lighter so it's convenient. I'll often punch a cigar twice though, to keep the nasty tobacco juice that sometimes concentrates around a narrow opening away. If you punch it twice, you basically end up with about the same amount of opening as with a v-cutter. Any cigar I punch cut that has a restricted draw gets cut with the xikar.

 

[danimalia]

I am probably 80% double-blade guillotine, and 20% Colibiri V-Cutter. I tend to use guillotines for all cigars with a 50 ring gauge or less, and the V Cut for thicker cigars and box pressed cigars. The V Cut helps those cigars from having an airy draw and seems to concentrate the flavors a bit, which is less of an issue on medium and thin cigars.

Cutters are the one accessory where I find a minor step up in quality really helps as compared to the cheap shop cutters you can get for a couple bucks. I have also always believed that a buck spent on accessories is a buck less spent on cigars, so I have a couple of reliable cheapies. The Firebird Nighthawk is a decent cutter that I buy with my Cigar Auctioneer orders from time to time. It's $5. I also get my Xikar X8s from Cigar Auctioneer. They go for $15. The only V-Cutter I have liked is the Colibiri model which gives a very deep V-Cut. They tend to run a bit more, but I have also gotten them from Auctioneer for I think like $20 or $25.

 

[cshubhra]

I use a guillotine cutter (Xicar xi2 teardrop) most of the time. Sometimes for small ring gauge cigars, I would use the punch that is attached to my cigar lighter. Both the lighter and the tear drop type guillotine is pictured below.

In general I prefer small cuts - and while the teardrop is very convenient, the punch can really do small cuts.

 

[danimalia]

One lighter I have has a punch in the base, which I used for the second time just now

I haven't used one in several years, but I started with punches and they work pretty well as an alternative to the V-Cut on those thicker cigars that have airy draws. There are some cool punches available that have variable diameter punch options which you can use depending on the thickness of the cigar.

The point Hoosier and Music bring up is legit. I generally don't mind, because I like the concentration of flavor, but I have sometimes noted that juices and tars can collect, so having a guillotine on hand to open the cut up can help with that. This is also true of many figurados such as torpedos, belicosos, piramides, etc. Just cutting a few MM up the head of the cigar to widen the opening usually helps, as does purging the cigar.

 

[shanez]

I use a guillotine cutter (Xicar xi2 teardrop) most of the time. Sometimes for small ring gauge cigars, I would use the punch that is attached to my cigar lighter. Both the lighter and the tear drop type guillotine is pictured below.

In general I prefer small cuts - and while the teardrop is very convenient, the punch can really do small cuts.
View attachment 68151

I have a couple of those cutters and they're fantastic. With the curved blades they're essentially handleless scissors. Best of both scissor/guillotine worlds.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Guillotine cutter, full chop, cap and all, no exceptions.

 

[shanez]

Xicar makes one of the better scissors on the market:

Plus you can open beer bottles with them too!

 

[jttnk]

Oh great, now I have to up my cigar cutter game. Pipes and lighters aren’t enough! I do see the logic in using a good cutter rather than ruining a good cigar.

I read possibly here or some cigar forum the Alaska cutter was a decent inexpensive (under $10) cutter. after a month or so, I’m not that impressed. I do believe another ten or twenty bucks could yield a more precise cutting instrument.

 

[spicy_boiii]

Regular cut only. Hate punches. V cut annoys me. 50% because of the reasons listed above, 50% because I have an illogical inability to smoke a cigar any other way. Call it a comfort/tradition thing.

 

[shanez]

I will add that even though I get a nice easy draw with a v cutter, and I don't experience any concentration/build-up issues, I do find myself "spinning" my cigar everytime I pick it up or the like in order to line up the cut with my mouth.