Those sticky cigar bands

[Montaigut]

Okay, this is a small point but for me it is still part of the overall cigar experience so here goes:

Second to a plug there is nothing that rains on my smoking parade more than having a band glued to the wrapper of my cigar. So leave the band on you will say... Well we all have our little idiosyncracies, be it wetting the cigar or not, chewing the end or not, cutting vs punching... mine is taking the band off before lighting up. Sliding that band off a silky and shiny wrapper is almost sensuous.

So when I run across the work of a bandarollas (for lack of a better name for those who put the bands on cigars) with a heavy glue finger I am not happy. Most times the end result is a damaged wrapper. Either because the band will not peel off (there is too much glue where the band overlaps) and trying to insert something between the band and the wrapper is akin to micro surgery. And even when the band can be cut safely, it will come off with a piece of wrapper glued to it anyways.

I notice on the deck reviews that Ken removes the bands and keeps them on the end of his fingers. Ken, I don't know if you have a secret for removing those sticky bands but if you do... or anybody else for that matter.

Finally to conclude this rant I have had a bad run of those sticky bands with the Partagas marcas, especially in the smaller gauge ring sizes. The Shorts have been really bad lately and it happens to be one of my favourite minutos.

Am I the only one who would like to see a little more care taken by HSA during this step of the process???

[Colt45]

My thought would be to heat the glued area - using a lighter, hair dryer, stove cook top, etc. There is of course the risk of

burning / damaging the wrapper, but "unsticking" the glue before trying to remove a stuck band is the only way I can think

of to keep from tearing the wrapper.

I've not tried this myself (but perhaps will) because I usually leave bands on (especially a stuck band) until I smoke down to them.

[madandana]

I like to leave the band on until my ash gets to it and then slide it off and save it.Don't know why...call it a souvenir.I also get a little perturbed when it's stuck to the stick.

[Rushman]

I used to have a habit of cutting, lighting up, getting through a few mm's of the opening and then popping the band off at the seam (I never ever try to slide it off). If the seam won't pop easily then I rip (carefully) the band off.

For whatever reason, the last few months I've unconsciously kept the band on until I have to remove it.

I don't see too many overly sticky bands by the way.

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[BatFastard]

I usually leave the band on until the ash gets fairly close to it. At this point the heat from the cigars tends to soften the glue, thus making it easier to remove.

[spirit]

If the band won't easily slide off, I keep it in place and let the heat from the stick being smoked slowly loosen up the glue and slide it off when it's ready. Anytime I've tried to force it usually ends with a rip in the wrapper...

[danistalking]

I like to leave the band on until my ash gets to it and then slide it off and save it.Don't know why...call it a souvenir.I also get a little perturbed when it's stuck to the stick.

Ditto. I've kept pretty much 95% of the bands of all the cigars I've smoked...ever.

[LLC]

The Cohiba bands are consistently the hardest ones to get off without tearing them but I think that may be intentional.

[Squarehead]

I watched Maverickdrinker at a herf removing the band with a soft flame lighter.That way the wrapper didn't get toasted and the band came of very easy.

[ramon_cojones]

I just tear them off where they join once I smoke it down near there and if that doesn't work I tear off, don't care about saving a thousand cigar bands.

[JoshMP]

I've found gently rolling your cigar between thumb and forefinger will often loosen the band.Essentially pinch the band so it is lifting slightly then gently rotate.

[Ginseng]

When I remove prior to smoking, I tear right across the band, but not at the overlap. I've learned that peeling a Habanos band is generally an exercise in frustration. If I go to remove it while smoking, I will wait until the burn front gets near the band and then see if it becomes loose enough to slip off. If not, again, tear.

Wilkey

[BehikeLover2]

If the band sticks i roll the cigar between my fingers in the band area.

So a) I can see where the band is glues to the wrapper and I can push the band off the wrapper.

I hope you get what I mean, works in 80%. If there is no chance of getting it off I smoke down to heat the glue up, usually gets off easily.