Guide to Cutting Your Cigars

Choosing the Right Cigar Cutter
We have all heard the saying, "there is more than one way to skin a cat." That is such a weird and stupid colloquialism. At Cigarplace.biz, we prefer to say "there is more than one way to cut a cigar." Not only does it apply to our business and make us not sound like a psychopath, it is also very true. Whether you are using a guillotine-style cutter or a punch or cigar scissors, there really is no wrong method for cutting your favorite stick. Heck, in a pinch you can even use your fingernail or, if you want to look extra rugged, just bite the end off.
Cigar Cutter
The most recognizable cutter is a guillotine. Not only was this perfect for beheading people in pre-Renaissance France, but it now is a wonderful design for snipping the back end of a cigar. There are many types of guillotines, from cheaper plastic single-bladed ones all the way to the Xikar made Pave X Cigar Cutter which is hand set with Cubic Zirconia stones (real diamonds are also available). Are the more expensive ones any better than the economical ones that your cigar shop will sometimes throw in your bag? The answer to that lies in the blade. The key to any good cutter is the sharpness of the blade and how quickly it can get through the wrapper and binder. Will the cheap ones work? Sure they will. Will the blade last for more than the 5-pack you just bought? The real question should be, do you want to chance tearing the wrapper on an awesome new Tatuaje to find out?
Punch Cutter
Another very popular method for cutting a cigar is a punch. There is a round blade made to make a circular cut in the end. If you were expecting the round blade to make a triangular cut, I would suggest you look up the Wikipedia entry on geometry. These are growing in popularity because the hole which is made really concentrates the smoke into your mouth and onto your palate. The trick to using a punch is not to simply push it into the end. This will cause cracking and splitting. You need to slowly turn the blade while applying a small amount of pressure. This may seem like a chore, but no one said smoking cigars was easy. The result is one of our favorite types of cuts. You can get punches in all different sizes and obviously the larger the ring gauge the larger the punch you may want. Xikar also makes lighters, such as the Element and the Versa, which have a punch built into the design.
V-cut Cigar Cutter
A style of cut that is becoming more and more popular is the V-cut. You can think of this as a genetic mutation crossing a guillotine with a punch. Shaped much like a guillotine, the cut is made with a blade that comes down on the tobacco. Unlike the standard guillotine cutter, this blade is shaped like a "V" and instead of taking the whole head off the stick, it leaves a channel for the smoke to pass through. The thought is that this opens the cigar up more than a punch, but the V-shaped channel really pushes the smoke to where you will taste the flavors most. Whether this is true or not, we really do not know, but the cut left behind sure does look cool. On larger 60-ring-gauge smokes, some even like to make a double V-cut and leave an X on the back of the cigar. Xikar just released a keychain version of their popular VX-V Cutter.
Cigar Scissors

On top of these there are other methods such as Cigar Scissors to cut the head of the cigar you want to enjoy, but they are all just variations of the same theme as the three listed above. These MTX Cigar Scissors are like the Swiss Army Knife of cigar tools. The key is always the sharpness of the blade and watching how far down you cut. One great thing about the more expensive cutters is not only the sharpness of the blades. But also the guarantees offered by the manufacturers, such as the fantastic Lifetime Guarantee on their products offered by both Xikar and Colibri. You want your smoke to be an enjoyment and not a chore, and the proper cut will certainly help propel you to that end result.
Thank you for visiting our online cigar shop!
It is our mission to provide you with the best prices, discounts and deals for cigars, humidifiers, lighters, cutters, gifts and other cigar accessories. Shop and browse one of the largest collections of premium cigar brands and samplers.