Do you Punch, Cut or VCut ? Does it make a difference:

[El Presidente]

I use to be guillotine cut zealot until Don Alejandro made me promise not to do it again and to use a Punch. I used a Punch until I was told by a respected Habanos rep that only nancy boys used tools...use your nails for the "Cuban Cut".

Now I am tres cool but everytime I try it on a torpedo or belicoso the end result looks like a botched circumcision and I am spitting out longfiller when no one is looking :cool:

What man are you?

[habanablue]

Pres, definitely like a cut however occasionally use a punch when smoking with a mate of mine who uses a nice siglo puncher. I feel that a punch often feels alot nicer as well.....have never tried the cuban way as you have stated but must admit that when beginning on this journey as a cigar virgin with no cutter in sight I did once or twice use my teeth....resulted in chewing tobacco and smoking at the same time!:-D

[culebra]

I am a V cutter man. Picked one up in London and have continued to use it as no one else I know does.

What is a Cuban Cut?

[AG]

I use a very nice Xikar guillotine cutter. It has self sharpening blades so you don't have a problem with it cutting through your cigar.

[dragon]

Real men use a double blade guillotine cut, punchs and v-cuts are for girly men........case closed.

PS: I wonder what Laura uses?? :-)

[El Presidente]

Take your cigar and use the nails of your thumb and pointer on the left hand to serratea circle on the inside flate side of the cap. Just keep going little by little until a hole just pops out. Done properly... it looks clean and you look like you know what you are doing. That is the Cuban Cut.

Dragon...Laura (aka Lisa) doesn't use anything...she is so mean she just stares at the cigar and the cut appears.

[dragon]

<<< Dragon...Laura (aka Lisa) doesn't use anything...she is so mean she just stares at the cigar and the cut appears. >>>

Ha! I can believe that alright!!

[ALB]

Funny,

I asked the lovely guide at the Partagas factory what the best way was & she told me as long as you cut above the crown tobacco of the cigar, its all good. Her comment was she didn't know many cubans who used a punch, but not to say if its better or worse. I'm a fan of the cut, as had a few tought draws with punches, whereas with a bit of practice the cut can open the draw up nicely. Maybe I is doing it wrong, will just have to practice more.

[Ben]

I use a nice double bladed cutter.

I've used a punch in the past but I found that it compressed the filler and had unwanted side effects. I've also used my fingers on a few occasions when I've forgotten my cutter but really it's not worth a buggered Cohiba is it.

[SMOKOZUNA]

I'm a double blade guillotine cutter, Palio to be specific. I have used the "Cuban Cut" on one or two occassions.

[1f1fan]

» I'm a double blade guillotine cutter, Palio to be specific.

Palio does the job for me too.

[lfg2nrg]

I use a single blade guilitine. I find I can shave a very small amount of the cap off.

[SMOKOZUNA]

I tried a punch yesterday on a Siglo4. After around 5 tokes, I cut it with a double blade. Bad Idea, the cap cracked and the wrapper started to unroll!!! I guess I'm just not used to the draw from a punch cut.

[Mel]

Xikar scissor only. I had to give up the double blade guillotine because 60+ ring gauges would not cut well.

Maybe some Cubans don't have nice tools? I might try ripping ,chewing or gouging the ends off my sticks if they grew on trees.

[Jim]

I hate V cutters!!!!!

[The Prince]

» I hate V cutters!!!!!

I use my Xikar to clean cut it. A cigar was not made to be punched or v-cut.

[Guest Sailor]

» » I guess I've tried them all but with the exception of a Belicoso or a Julieta, I use my teeth. The tripple cap provides perfect guide lines for the nibble, and I do mean a nibble. The trick is to just remove the last portion of the cap. This will reveal the end grain of the long leaf which has been cut before the cap has been put in place.

It is sort of a ritual for me, it lets me taste the wrapper before I light it up and it works well on everything from a Partagas Short to a Hoyo DC. A punch on a large ring cigar tends to decrease the draw and cause a build up of tars at the head. Good double bladed cutters do a great job up to about 54 ring which is pretty rare in the Cuban line.

I have a tough time figuring out how much to cut off a Monty #2 but about 3/8 of an inch gives me a good draw and does not destroy the taper.

[El Presidente]

Good point Sailor.

One of the joys of lighting a cigar is "tastin"the wrapper just after making the cut. Amazing how different the wrappers can taste.

[Colt45]

I tried the Cuban Cut today, and it worked nicely - kind of a large punch cut. Using my fingers also allowed me to pinch out a tiny plug of tobacco, which gave me a great draw, and great smoke volume.

I normally use a Xikar, sometimes SAK scissors, and sometimes a punch. I've also used my teeth in the past.

I'll try the Cuban Cut again, and see if I can be consistent with it.

[Dave Kuck]

I simply snap my fingers---my wife immediately responds and cuts my cigar.

If you believe that-I have some land....you know the saying. :-P

[smk819]

I have a Xikar and a punch made from a .357 casing. The Xikar is used 99+% of the time.

[habanablue]

Rob, Have also become a fan of the 'Cuban' cut as I have tried it once or twice...now to stop biting my fingernails!!:-) It is one of the nicest ways to enjoy a well made cigar just as long as the cap is well constructed.

[El Presidente]

habanablue

Yes...my wife is always hellishly impressed

[Well Armed]

I have begun to cut all non figurados with a sharp knife. I juice up the end and just cut around the top cap with the sharp blade and POP, it comes right off nice and clean. If anyone gives me **** while I am cutting my cigar, they're next. So far so good.

[ronin]

SAK. So it is a cut. I prefer a cut to anything else.