If you’re a cigar smoker or it is one of your hobbies, you’ll eventually need a cigar cutter. A cigar cutter is defined as equipment that cuts the tip of your cigar for a better smoking experience. It provides enough space for the smoke without damaging the cigar. It is essential for every cigar smoker to have a cigar cutter.
Why is Your Cigar Cutter So Important?
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A cigar cutter is important because most cigars have a cap at the top and this cap needs to be cut off in order to create an opening so that you can smoke. If the cigars are not cut properly, they get ruined or damaged. A cigar cutter cuts the tip of the cigar or sometimes both the ends of the cigar such that the cigar’s structure is not affected. So it’s important to have a cigar cutter that can cut your cigar with utmost precision to enhance your smoking experience.
How To Choose The Right Cigar Cutter?
If you’re looking for a cigar cutter but are confused as to how to choose the right one, we’ve got you covered.
The cigar needs to be cut properly, and for that the blades need to be sharp and precise. There are various cigar cutters available in the market such as Guillotine cutter, Double Blade cutter, Bullet Punch cutter, Cigar Scissors, V shape cutters. All these cutters work differently and vary from each other.
The Guillotine cutter is a single blade cutter that is cheaply available and cuts the cap of cigar in one go.
Double blade cutter is exactly what its name suggests, it has two blades that provide more accuracy in cutting the cigar. These blades can cut any type of cigar and the results are precise and clean.
In both these cigar cutters, you need to apply force to cut the cap.
Next is a bullet punch cutter, these cutters are a better option than previous ones as you don’t need to put in any effort to cut the cigars. These cut a small hole at the top of the cigar and also don’t create a mess. You don’t need to be skilled in cutting cigars to use these cutters.
The cigar scissors are double blades and cut the cigar cleanly. These cutters are small in size and quite easy to carry around.
Last type is a V shape cutter. This cutter is used to cut a V shaped hole on the head of a cigar. These are slightly better than the bullet punch cutters as they provide more space.
All these cutters are quite good and are available at affordable rates too. It depends on your preferences which cutter will suit you best. So, choose accordingly.
What Part Of A Cigar Should You Cut Off?
A cigar is made with tobacco leaves at the bottom and has a cap on its top to prevent the contents from spilling. The cap attached at the head of the cigar and tobacco leaves remain at bottom to provide rich taste while smoking. You usually need to cut at the tip of the cigar, on the cap to create space for smoke.
If you have a rounded cigar, cut just the tip of the cigar cleanly so the cigar is not ruined. Whereas if you’re using a tapered cigar, you can cut it slightly slant or straight to somewhat more depth, accordingly.
Cut The Cap Before You Torch the Foot of a Cigar
It’s advised to cut the cap of the cigar before lighting it. This can be done using any cutter; cigar scissors, bullet punch cutter, double blade cutter etc. Different smokers have different choices on how to smoke cigars; that includes their favorite way of smoking, preferred cutter and smoking style.
Many people even use their teeth or a small knife to cut the cap of the cigar and it works for them. But for accurate and precise cutting you will need a cigar cutter. Cutting the cap with your teeth can ruin your cigar and worsen the smoking experience.
How To Remove A Cigar’s Bitter Aftertaste—Recut, Then Relight
Cigars tend to have a bitter aftertaste and that is not liked by most people. To remove the bitterness, you need to follow these steps:
- Recut the head of the cigar with the help of a cigar cutter.
- Now, keep the cigar aside for about 10 minutes.
- Now you can light up the cigar again from its bottom and blow the flame on the end such that there is no gas build-up.
Do You Have To Pay A Lot To Get A Quality Cigar Cutter?
The simple answer to this question is a No. You don’t need to pay a lot in order to get a quality cigar cutter. This is a good thing about cigar cutters that they are affordable and do not cost a fortune. You can get a cigar cutter at cheap rates from the market or online.
There are plenty of cigar cutters that function differently but are used for the same purpose. The best and the cheapest cutter is a single-blade cutter, it cuts the tip of your cigar in one go. You just need to put in a little force and cut your cigar cleanly.
You can get this cigar cutter for as low as $4. A quality cigar cutter will cost you about $5 to $ 15. If you’re a smoker, this is most recommended for you.
How To Spot A Quality Cigar Cutter?
These are a few features that will surely help you spot a quality cigar cutter:
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Quality blade
The first thing that ensures the quality of a cigar cutter is its blade. The cigar cutters can have one or two blades. A double-blade cigar cutter is definitely a better option than a single-blade. The blade needs to be sharp and of good quality such that it cuts the tip of the cigar precisely at one time. It works just like a knife, the cut depends on the type of blade.
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Quality housing and cutting mechanism
The cigar cutters vary from each other. One such cutter is a spring-loaded cigar cutter, it doesn’t require any of your effort to cut the cigar with this. These cutters are designed for cutting cigars and their mechanism facilitates exactly that.
These types of cutters are modern and effortless. These are great to cut your cigars. The cutters are of good quality and also durable, and can be purchased from e-shopping sites.
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Manufacturer’s warranty
A manufacturer’s warranty is a good thing to have when buying a cigar cutter. It acts like insurance and you can easily replace or get your cigar cutter in case of any issue or damage. A manufacturer’s warranty also ensures the quality of the cigar cutter.
It can be a lifetime or a limited warranty, either way, both are good as not many manufacturers provide a warranty on a cigar cutter. With a warranty, you can get the blades sharpened on getting dull or when the cigar cutter has some defects, you can easily get it repaired.
Even if the issue is not covered by a warranty, the manufacturer will still solve it at a reasonable fee. So, overall warranty is a good choice. You must always look for a warranty whenever looking for a cigar cutter. Cigar cutters need to be maintained occasionally and a manufacturer’s warranty provides exactly that.
Common Mistakes That Everyone Do While Cutting Cigar
You must not make mistakes while cutting a cigar otherwise it can get ruined or damaged.
Here are some mistakes that people do while cutting a cigar, mostly beginners:
- Most people cut past the cap of the cigar. This causes the wrapper to unravel and the cigar gets ruined. Keep in mind to always cut on the tip of the cigar and not below the cap. You can use a cigar cutter for this purpose.
- When people cut the cigar too high, it causes a wide opening and because of this, the cigar burns faster. That affects your smoking experience in a bad way.
- If you crack or tear the cap and wrapper of the cigar. To prevent this, use a sharp-bladed cigar cutter. The cracking is often caused due to the dull blade or the dryness of the cigar. It can also happen when the wrapper is too thin or fragile, in that case, it can easily be torn or cracked. So, do make sure you use a good quality cigar cutter with sharpened blades.
Conclusion
A cigar cutter is an excellent choice for regular smokers. It not only cuts their cigars perfectly, but also enhances their smoking experience. Cutting a cigar with a knife or teeth can get messy and ruin your cigars. Cutting cigars with a cigar cutter is a less messy and more clean way to enjoy your cigars.
There are various types of cigar cutters available in the market, they are all designed based on the tastes and preferences of a variety of consumers. These cigar cutters are not expensive, convenient, and small enough to fit in your pocket. A cigar cutter keeps your cigars from getting ruined and makes your smoking enjoyable.