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Ok, so how much am I sinning/erring here?

jarublajarubla Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Cigar 101
I have a confession to make. 

I feel that a good draw is a good draw. I don't cut or punch my caps. I use a toothpick and carefully poke 3-5 holes in the cap and am satisfied with it as the draw is just fine. 

Am I sinning against the cigar gods?

Does anyone else also do it my way?

-Jay
“There’ll be two dates on your tombstone and all your friends will read ’em but all that’s gonna matter is that little dash between ’em.” -Kevin Welch

Comments

  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,833 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My God! You are awful! 

    Man, what is wrong with you!!?? 



  • jarublajarubla Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mama dropped me on my head when I was a wee lad!!!

    -Jay
    “There’ll be two dates on your tombstone and all your friends will read ’em but all that’s gonna matter is that little dash between ’em.” -Kevin Welch
  • jarublajarubla Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭✭✭
    mea culpa, mea culpa
    mea maxima culpa
    “There’ll be two dates on your tombstone and all your friends will read ’em but all that’s gonna matter is that little dash between ’em.” -Kevin Welch
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,833 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Pay no attention to that other Bob. He's rude. 

    Why do you do it that way? 
    Simplicity? 

    Have you ever had a cigar with a draw so tight that you lost count of how many toothpick holes you made in your efforts to smoke it?
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,833 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have been out in my old truck and I didn't have my cutter, so I ended up biting the cap off before I realized/remembered I had a built-in punch on my lighter and my back-up cutter in the console. 

    Teeth did OK. 
  • jarublajarubla Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2015
    Bob, necessity was the mother of invention. I didn't have any gar specific cutting tools, so the toothpick seemed the most logical. 

    I do have several folding carbon blade knives, so those will work just fine as opposed to a guillotine.

    I suppose Kuzi's etiquette pin got me to thinking. 

    I admit, I also do the nub toothpick also when the stick is good :smile: 

    As to tight draw, the toothpick doubles as a reaming tool. I just requires a judicious hand to not puncture the wrapper. 

    -Jay
    “There’ll be two dates on your tombstone and all your friends will read ’em but all that’s gonna matter is that little dash between ’em.” -Kevin Welch
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,833 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well, etiquette schmetiquette, sometimes a cigar is so good it needs to be nubbed.

  • Amos_UmwhatAmos_Umwhat Posts: 8,899 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I would worry about tar build up at the little holes, but hey, whatever works!
    WARNING:  The above post may contain thoughts or ideas known to the State of Caliphornia to cause seething rage, confusion, distemper, nausea, perspiration, sphincter release, or cranial implosion to persons who implicitly trust only one news source, or find themselves at either the left or right political extreme.  Proceed at your own risk.  

    "If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed.  If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." --  Mark Twain
  • CharlieHeisCharlieHeis Posts: 8,601 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Amos_Umwhat said:
    I would worry about tar build up at the little holes, but hey, whatever works!
    Would be a concern of mine also. But if it works for you, go with it.
  • variant2variant2 Posts: 882 ✭✭✭✭
    Most decent cigars have a triple cap and if I don't have my punch, I just peel off the end cap. Works like a charm.




    Cнeerѕ! Moтнerғυcĸer
  • jarublajarubla Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hey Amos and Charlie,

    With the regards to the tar buildup, it hasn't been an issue to the point where the stick isn't smoke able. I am gonna show my FNG-ness here, but I assumed that all sticks had some tar buildup by the final 3rd/nub. Does that not happen with a cut/vcut/punch stick?

    -Jay
    “There’ll be two dates on your tombstone and all your friends will read ’em but all that’s gonna matter is that little dash between ’em.” -Kevin Welch
  • CharlieHeisCharlieHeis Posts: 8,601 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I am no expert on the subject but there may be some build up in many cases, but not enough to affect the flavor. Somebody mentioned an aversion to using a punch in an old thread because of tar buildup. Seemed to think the smoke being funneled through a smaller hole would cause this, but I haven't had a problem. I use the biggest punch the cigar can handle though. I use a cutter on occasion as well.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,049 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Never tried the toothpick trick but I use my knife a lot to make a Vcut. 
  • The3StogiesThe3Stogies Posts: 2,652 ✭✭✭✭
    Only if it's a spanish cedar toothpick will the cigar gods be appeased, lol.  That's brilliant, have to try that, thanks.
  • jsnblnchrdjsnblnchrd Posts: 33 ✭
    Since none of us are here to judge, you should feel comfortable doing whatever.  Now, if you're asking our opinion on the matter, that's different.  There ARE real devices that do just this, but a toothpick works too.  Sometimes I'll be in the middle of a smoke and the draw tightens up.  I usually just snip the head and all is well.
  • armyvetarmyvet Posts: 37 ✭
     I used a tee during our last golf outing to punch a hole. Those tees had my best drives for the day. I may make it a ritual.
  • Dark_RoastDark_Roast Posts: 1,070 ✭✭✭
    Bob_Luken said:
    I have been out in my old truck and I didn't have my cutter, so I ended up biting the cap off before I realized/remembered I had a built-in punch on my lighter and my back-up cutter in the console. 

    Teeth did OK. 
    +1 Teeth do just fne. And you always have them unless they are false.
  • jlmartajlmarta Posts: 7,881 ✭✭✭✭✭
    jarubla said:
    Mama dropped me on my head when I was a wee lad!!!

    -Jay
    And you landed head-first in an empty ice cream cone??  Is that what you're saying??   LOL
  • jarublajarubla Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2015
    So, update. I've graduated to a punch and keeping toothpicks handy for reaming tool duty and roach duty (I know, I know, per the etiquette guidelines stickied, @kuzi16 has felt some disturbance in the force every time a roach is used...).
      

    @jlmarta  only if the ice cream is gelato!

    -Jay
    “There’ll be two dates on your tombstone and all your friends will read ’em but all that’s gonna matter is that little dash between ’em.” -Kevin Welch
  • kemper74kemper74 Posts: 161 ✭✭✭
    If you get a bitter taste using the toothpick, just blow through the cigar.  That should reduce the bitter for ya.  I make it a ritual when in the 2/3 of every cigar that I smoke and BOOM.....the taste is clearer.  But, I can be a little "odd", so I might just be loosing my mind a little.  I carry one of those $7 cigar knifes on me all the time to be used in a pinch.  If you buy one, take some time and put a very sharp edge on it.  It works great and looks pretty awesome with a shined up edge.
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