cigar cutting

Wafflebob

So what are everybody's preferences? What are good and bad about the different types? Guillotine, scissors, punches, v-cut, etc. I've tried a punch and a guillotine cutter, so far I prefer the punch but you can't use them on all ring guages. What do you like and why?

Krieg

I prefer the Guillotine cut. I like to just snip off the cap, it keeps it rounded and has a comfortable feel in my mouth. Only draw back with Guillotine is u can't use it on larger ring gauges, which is fine with me, i don't smoke huge ring sizes.

kuzi16

i use a punch. I have a larger ring gauge punch so anything from about 40 on down i go back to the double guillotine. torps and the like all get the double guillotine as well. I punch whenever i can.

gmill880

guillotine for torps/just got a v-cut like it pretty good so far

phobicsquirrel

kuzi16:

i use a punch. I have a larger ring gauge punch so anything from about 40 on down i go back to the double guillotine. torps and the like all get the double guillotine as well. I punch whenever i can.

I agree my friend, I love my punch..

rwheelwright

I use a punch for almost everything. Obviously I don't use one for Torpedos. I bought myself a V cut but haven't used it yet.

Garen B

Single and double bladed guillotine for me, my single blade is just barely big enough to cut a Nub, but I'm fine with that.

urbino

I use a guillotine. I've gotten rather good at juuuuuust shaving the cap nearly every time.

Joey Petersen

guillotine for me always and forever.

Stryker808

I always used a guillotine, but switched to the V-cut in the last few months.  the flavors for my favorite cigars are still there, and the wrapper holds up nicely.  The one i got handles all sizes of cigars without a problem......torpedos, it don't work so well for, but I don't smoke so many of those.

phobicsquirrel

Anyone know how to sharpen a Punch? My Xiar seems to be a little dull...

madurofan

phobicsquirrel:

Anyone know how to sharpen a Punch? My Xiar seems to be a little dull...

Being that its a Xikar, I'd say the easist way to sharpen would be to send it back to Xikar

I posted my preference and why in the General section where someone was asking about cutters but I almost exclusively use a double guillotine. I LOVE the cut of a v-cutter I used to cut an x in the cap but found that I damaged more cigars than it was worth with the v-cutter. I just haven't used a punch much and have never had the pleasure of a large ring gauge punch.

jsmith8008

Heh... I usually just end up biting the tip off because I almost always forget my cutter. But when I do cut, its a small guillotine cut for me. I like the small cut rather than the punch because it seems to work better for me. I like sizes around 32 or so.

matth

So how and where do you cut a torp?

madurofan

With a guillotine. Just look at the torpedo tip and try to cut above the seam of the cap. Remember you can always cut more off and with torpedos I almost always end up doing just that.

Dude Love

I use a guillotine and my buddy swears by his punch. I've been looking for a cutter that goes past 54 for the big guns but I haven't had much luck.

urbino

Hm. I don't know what it's officially rated at, but I haven't had a cigar yet that was so fat I couldn't cut with my Xikar Xi-3 guillotine. Of course, I haven't yet tried to smoke one of those Oliva V super-toros that doogie sent me. But I have smoked (i.e., clipped) some big ol' Gurkhas.

madurofan

The more I smoke the more I find that there may be reason that high end cutters don't go much bigger than 54 gauge.

I haven't smoked a cigar with a bigger ring than that, that was worth cutting.

kuzi16

madurofan:

The more I smoke the more I find that there may be reason that high end cutters don't go much bigger than 54 gauge.

I haven't smoked a cigar with a bigger ring than that, that was worth cutting.

interesting.


what about the RP 1990 60?

personally i like the 5 vegas Atomic (58 ring on that)

Gurkha Beast, Titan?

Camacho triple maduro?

I could make an argument that those cigars are worth cutting


I do see what you are saying. the wrapper to filler ratio is not anywhere near as good on a 60 ring as on say a 45. I too have been going back to the smaller ring gauges. when i first started out i would not smoke things above a 48. then i was gifted a few that really liked and moved to larger ring gauges. Im rediscovering the corona, the lancero, the panatella.

so though there are cigars that are worth smoking that are that big, they are few and far between.

madurofan

kuzi16:

madurofan:

The more I smoke the more I find that there may be reason that high end cutters don't go much bigger than 54 gauge.

I haven't smoked a cigar with a bigger ring than that, that was worth cutting.

interesting.


what about the RP 1990 60?

personally i like the 5 vegas Atomic (58 ring on that)

Gurkha Beast, Titan?

Camacho triple maduro?

I could make an argument that those cigars are worth cutting


I do see what you are saying. the wrapper to filler ratio is not anywhere near as good on a 60 ring as on say a 45. I too have been going back to the smaller ring gauges. when i first started out i would not smoke things above a 48. then i was gifted a few that really liked and moved to larger ring gauges. Im rediscovering the corona, the lancero, the panatella.

so though there are cigars that are worth smoking that are that big, they are few and far between.

The RP 60's are some of the most bland cigars I've ever had. I've had a few from the 60 collection.
I still haven't smoked a beast(that I recall). The Titan was ok but not very flavorful in my opinion.
Haven't had a 5 Vegas Atomic
The Triple maduro's I've had were Robusto, so they were in the 50 -54 range, but I didn't really care for them anyways.

I can't recall any off the top of my head but I'm sure there are some good cigars that are larger than 54 ring but I'm starting to believe they suffer when they get much bigger than that.
The obvious advantage to larger ring cigars is the smoke so cool which IMO is why they make great beginners cigars and are so popular with noobs. Hell I didn't want anything with less than a 50 ring gauge the first few years I smoked. Now I'm really finding that I'm drawn to smaller ring cigars. The lancero is quickly replacing the robusto as my second favorite vitola. Behind of course the perfecto which will always hold a special place in my heart.

j0z3r

madurofan:

I can't recall any off the top of my head but I'm sure there are some good cigars that are larger than 54 ring but I'm starting to believe they suffer when they get much bigger than that.

There is one cigar maker in particular that I like at rings above 52-54, and that would be Perdomo. I feel very fat cigars tend to taste washed out and bland, Perdomo has been the exception in my experience.

madurofan

j0z3r:

madurofan:

I can't recall any off the top of my head but I'm sure there are some good cigars that are larger than 54 ring but I'm starting to believe they suffer when they get much bigger than that.

There is one cigar maker in particular that I like at rings above 52-54, and that would be Perdomo. I feel very fat cigars tend to taste washed out and bland, Perdomo has been the exception in my experience.

Heh, I'll keep that in mind.

dutyje

Nub

madurofan

dutyje:

Nub

Nubs shouldn't count, the whole concept is completely different. But nonetheless a valid argument.

laker1963

After splitting a couple wrappers on some larger gauge sticks, I decided to shake things up a bit.
Now when I am cutting a large gauge cigar I use my punch, but I make several "cuts" with the punch to open the end of the cigar as much as I can.
I have found that this way I don't get a cracked wrapper and I can open the end up enough to get a good draw, and because of the larger hole I have not encountered a plug or tar build-up yet.
Anyone else use their punch more then once on a cigar?

madurofan

Hmm. Never tried that, sounds like a good idea tho.

urbino

I just ordered some 5 Vegas Classic Fifty-Fives. Hope they'll be worth smoking.

kaspera79

urbino:

I just ordered some 5 Vegas Classic Fifty-Fives. Hope they'll be worth smoking.

Hey urbi, congrats on the big 3K, I did notice your cigar inventory was a little low from your recently posted photos, ( LOL) They should be a welcome addition to your collection.

urbino

Thanks, kas. I hope they are. I've never had that size, but every Classic I have had has been great. I figger I can't go far wrong, right?

j0z3r

urbino:

Thanks, kas. I hope they are. I've never had that size, but every Classic I have had has been great. I figger I can't go far wrong, right?

I think the fifty-five is pretty good, it's a stout and chunky box pressed beauty that smokes well and, in my opinion, has an added dimension when compared to some of the other sizes due to its larger ring. You'll enjoy it.

urbino

That's what I like to hear. Of the sizes I've had thus far, I think the torpedo is my favorite.