Cigar Cutter Knowledge

By: Jafree Gurner Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Cigar aficionados know that a great smoke starts with a clean cut. And with a handful of different cutters to choose from which ones work the best? Maybe you like a straight cut. Maybe your preference is a puncture cut. Or maybe you have no idea what I'm talking about! Whatever your reason, the following paragraphs describe the different cutters and their pros and cons.

The guillotine cutter is the most popular cut. It has a sharp blade enclosed in a flat case. The case has a round hole big enough to fit almost every cigar gauge. Stick the cigar in the hole and guillotine chop the end. This type of cut transforms the cigar-tip from roundness to flatness. It also allows the most air flow of all the different cuts. Guillotine cutters can be bought as a single blade or a double blade. In my opinion the single blade guillotine feels cheap and lacks the sturdiness of the double blade. No matter which guillotine cutter you use be sure to not cut more than necessary off the cigar.

The 'V' cut is another popular cut among cigar smokers. If you haven't tried a v-cut I strongly recommend it. The blade of this cutter as a 'V' shaped groove that runs down the middle of it. Like the guillotine cutter, the v-cutter also has a hole to line-up the cigar before you cut. The v-cutter cuts a wedge down the middle of the cigar. The wedge is deep enough to give the cigar a nice draw and leaves the cigar round instead of flat.

The pinhole cut is a less popular cut. using the word 'cut' is misleading because this device actually punctures the cigar rather than cutting it. It places a pinhole-sized puncture through the cigar about a half-an-inch deep. I have tried this twice and both times could not get a good draw ending in me re-cutting with a guillotine. If this cuts interests you then give it a try, but start with a less expensive cigar.

One of my favorite cuts, especially for thicker cigars, is the punch cut. The blade is a sharp blade that's been rolled into a cylinder. the cylinder is attached to a handle. By placing the cylindrical blade against the cigar and twisting, a small hole is left once the blade is removed. Tap the blade to remove the piece of the cigar that was removed. This is a great cut because it keeps the roundness of the cigar, unlike the straight cut from the guillotine, and the hole is small but large enough to allow a good draw. Be careful if your cigar is on the dry side -- the twisting of the blade may cause it to unravel.

Finally, there is the scissor cut. Picture a pair of scissors but the end of each blade is shaped like a half-moon. The scissor cut is a favorite among tobacco shop attendants around the world. The great thing about the previous cutters I listed, is that the cheap versions work almost as well as the expensive ones. Unfortunately that rule does not apply with the scissor cutter. If you are going to use this cutter then you must pay for a good one. This cut gives a straight cut like the guillotine cutter and can cut most cigar sizes.

I recommend the guillotine and scissor cutters if you like a straight cut. If I had to choose between the two I would choose guillotine because of the price. The v-cutter gives a deep wedge cut that keeps the roundness of the cigar and allows a good draw. The pinhole cut and punch cut both produce puncture the cigar. If you want to try a puncture cut then go with the punch cut -- it provides an excellent draw.

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About The Author: Jaff Gurner loves Zippo lighter memorabilia, and is a self proclaimed cigar aficionado. If you're looking for a place to order zippo lighter products after reading this article, feel free to visit www.tobacco-barn.com/s-85-zippo-lighter.aspx