How to cut a cigar

To cut a cigar with a double-guillotine cutter, start by locating the head of the cigar, which is the end that goes into your mouth and has a round cap on it. Then, identify the shoulder, which is where the curved end starts to straighten out. As the cap end of the cigar will go in your mouth, it must be cut open before you can smoke it. The goal in making this cut is to create a smooth opening without compromising the integrity of the cigar.

You want to cut enough off for a smooth draw, but not so much that you cut into the main wrapper and risk it unraveling. When you look closely, you’ll see there are seams at the head of your cigar. This cap is made up of the wrapper leaf, and the aim is to remove it and leave a strip of the flag leaf used to wrap it. Hold the cigar close to the head.

Place the guillotine or scissors over the cutting area. Gordon Mott and David Savona demonstrate how to cut a cigar to achieve a perfect draw.

This keeps the cigar properly positioned and prevents motion, which might lead to tearing or to the cut happening in the wrong place. Once the cigar is in position, cut it boldly using swift, even pressure. An easy way to identify on a parejo shaped cigar is to cut where the cap starts turning down into the body of the cigar sometimes called the “shoulder”.

Three of the most common ways to cut a cigar. L-R: v-cutter, punch and a double-blade guillotine. The double-blade guillotine is the most common method of cutting a cigar. You can buy them cheaply, but as with anything, you get what you pay for.

Rotate your cigar by degrees so the cut you just made is parallel to the blade. Push the bottom of the blade carefully through the cap until you don’t feel resistance. Pull the blade across the cap to make your cut. You can light and smoke your cigar after making the second cut if you want.

Find your mark and clip it quickly. Using a good quality cutter and cutting quickly will give you the best advantage. Also ensure the blades are sharp so that there is no tearing involved.

First find the cap and estimate a distance of 3-4mm from the tip, which will be the mark for the cut. Remember that the cap holds the cigar wrap, so it is sufficient to cut just enough to expose the filler.

Use any reliable cutter and cut the cigar in one strong and quick movement. For figurado cigars, cut so you can just see the filler. Select the correct end of the cigar to cut. This is the end of the cigar that goes in your mouth and is called the head of a cigar.

The opposite end of the cigar is known as the foot. At its most basic, the guillotine cutter is a thin, rectangular piece of plastic housing a blade, with a hole in it. The blade is manually opened and closed to cut off the cap of the cigar. The single blade variety, however, can have a tendency to tear rather than cut cigars over time, a problem solved by adding an additional opposing blade.

When preparing to cut your cigar, closely examine the "head" - this is the closed end of the cigar that you will clip. How to Cut a Cigar. Most cigars have what is called a "cap" - a bit of tobacco leaf used to close of the end.

Cutting your cigar correctly means you will have a better tasting smoke. To get the perfect straight cut, always use a guillotine cutter. Your torpedo cigar is cut very similarly to a normal cigar and if you can, use a double blade cutter. This is very important so that you don’t accidentally cut too far down the cigar.

The best way to cut a cigar without a cutter is with your thumbnail. It’s also the most readily available and efficient method. Simply use your thumbnail to loosen a section of the cap, and continue around its circumference.

The cap of your cigar is part of the wrapper leaf and it’s typically very thin and easy to remove. Make sure you don’t make the cut at the curve or too far past the cap. After you have lined it up properly and are happy, slowly bring the blades down then apply enough force to cut the cap in one fluid motion. Begin by holding a cigar firmly and placing the cutter over this paradoxical twist.

Move the cutter back and forth gently and apply a light pressure. Once the cap has been broken and you can press an additional time until the punch is a few millimeters deep.

Next, remove the cap and blow in the hole in order to remove any tobacco dust.