NIP THE TIP
Cutting your cigars is a time-honored ritual And the better the cigars you smoke, the more attention you'll want to pay to the cut, as a poorly cut cigar can ruin the whole experience. The object is simple: create an opening for smoking without affecting the rest of the cigar's structure. Therefore, this means cutting away part of the cap that covers the head of the cigar, while leaving some of it glued around the end to keep the filler leaves together. On most, make the cut about one-sixteenth of an inch from the end. A rule of thumb is to cut at the "shoulder" - where the curved head begins to straighten.
The old "caveman-style" method - in which you use your teeth to chomp off the end - will always work in a pinch! But the other four most popular methods are Guillotines, Scissors, Punch cutters and V-cutters.
Guillotines, including both double and single-bladed versions, as well as scissors are designed to make a cut across the end of the cigar. These are generally the best options. Of the guillotines, the double-blade is the better choice if you want a cleaner cut. The advantage of double-bladed cutters is that the cutting proceeds from both sides simultaneously. There is less chance that the cigar wrapper will be torn as it's pushed against the dull inside of the blade chamber. The best technique is to rest the cigar against a blade before clicking the cutter shut.
Cigar scissors are different, of course, from regular household scissors. Cigars scissors are specifically manufactured for the purpose of snipping cigars. Usually made from surgical-quality stainless steel, some models, such as the Wenger Swiss Army cigar cutter, is the optimum choice for a cigar cutter. A high-quality cigar scissor will guarantee you swift, precision cuts. However, be careful, because dull, lower-quality scissors will cause more harm than good, potentially smushing the ends and damaging the cigar's construction.
A punch cutter is simply a circular, razor sharp blade that you push gently into the head of a cigar, which cores out an opening. This is an excellent choice if you smoke mixed filler cigars, as it minimizes the chance of bits of tobacco ending up in your mouth. However, punch cutters are usually not a good choice for torpedos, or small ring gauge cigars.
Finally, the V-cutter. A V-cut makes a notched hole in the end of the cigar. The advantage is that it can offer you more surface area without exposing your tongue to loose tobacco, and it allows you to draw more air through the cigar. This is a good choice for small ring gauge cigars. However, do not penetrate the V-cutter too deeply into the cigar, as often the draw can be too good, and the cigar will smoke too hot.
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