When Cutting Means Everything

Almost every cigar smoker knows that one should never bite off the rounded end of a cigar. Sure, this was usual in earlier times when there were no special tools for cutting, but these days there is a wide spectrum of various cutters available so that almost everyone should find something to their likings. Four different styles of cigar cutters are mainly popular nowadays. These are the guillotine cigar cutter, the scissor cigar cutter, the cigar punch and the "V" cigar cutter.

Human teeth and later the knife served as a prototype for the cutter, and those who invented the cigar punch, must have used usual nails to find the necessary inspiration. So the technical evolution is quite simple in this industry.

The most important thing during the process is to avoid cutting off the cigar cap as this can make the cigar unwrap, which you definitely don't want. The way you cut the cigar not only influences the outlook of the tobacco product, but it also affects its smoking and flavor features. If you cut off too much, you'll get significantly more smoke than needed so the cigar will burn faster and hotter - its taste and flavor will change to the worse. In the other hand, if you cut off less than needed, the cigar will be difficult to smoke and will go out frequently.

Cutters are usually available in various sizes and appearances. The quality and, respectively, the price also fluctuate from very low to extremely high. There are cheap cutters (usually made of plastic with the steel blade) that one can purchase almost in every tobacco shop, and exclusive, very expensive ones (usually manufactured as limited editions by such companies as Dupont, Davidoff and Dunhill). Expensive cutters are very often made of high-quality steel, silver, gold and platinum.

However, the most important characteristic of any cutter is the ability to cut, but not the design. Any cutter should have a sharp blade. The sharper - the better. No matter how sophisticated a cutter is, no matter how expensive it is and what metal it is made off - if its blade is blunt, there is no use of such cutting tool. If the blade is not sharp, it won't cut off the rounded end, it will just rip it off, crushing the wrapper. After such an execution, your cigar will both look and smoke wrong.

It depends on each and every person so there is no general advice considering good and bad cutters. Well, we still have some information to help you. First of all, think about the size of the cigars you are going to treat with this cutter. If you prefer slim cigars with the ring gauge less than 40, try choosing a “V” cigar cutter. A cigar punch will do you good if varieties like robusto or double corona are what you like. It would be also wise to think of the place where you plan to use your cutter. In the restaurant it will be splendid to use a beautiful scissor cigar cutter, and in your office you will definitely make everyone admire your elegant cigar cutter guillotine.