How do you smoke?...

dan8052

Band On? or Band Off? Just curious.

sightunseen

Usually with the band off, unless I need to impress the well-endowed redhead sitting across from me, then I'm smoking three Opus X's at the same time with the bands on while conspicuously checking the time on my Rolex.

In the end, it boils down to personal preference.

kaspera79

I always take the band off. no real reason, just part of the ritual.

NYHCx516x

Band on. no reason.

zeebra

I leave it on until some of the heat gets towards the band and its easier for the ban to come off, or it might tear the wrapper...

Garen B

Band off, I just use my pocket knife to get under the pectin and keep the band intact.

sol1821

I smoke with the band on until my ash line gets close to it...... when I first started I had some awful sticks that would unravel, so I used to keep the bands on to give them a bit of strength. So I suppose now I do the same just out of force of habit

ejenne87

zeebra:

I leave it on until some of the heat gets towards the band and its easier for the ban to come off, or it might tear the wrapper...

exactly this

undulac

I leave it on.

james40

ejenne87:

zeebra:

I leave it on until some of the heat gets towards the band and its easier for the ban to come off, or it might tear the wrapper...

exactly this

same

t_evan50

On. Once finished I save em for some future wall art.

ejenne87

t_evan50:

On. Once finished I save em for some future wall art.

I save every one of my labels as well. No real plan for now, but something will work perfectly in the future.

kuzi16

band off.
why?
in some circles it is considered poor taste to leave the band on because when you leave the band on you are saying to everyone else that your cigar and brand are superior to their cigar and brand.
its seen as showing off what you are smoking

though i dont personally believe that kind of thinking i feel that there may be that element may be out there. i never get offended if someone in the room is smoking a better cigar than i am. in fact, i usually am very happy for the person in that situation. good for them.

the other point of view is that you want to leave the band on as a conversation starter. however, in my mind, if you want to know what someone is smoking, ask them. it doesnt hurt to have the band off so i take it off before lighting the cigar.

but much like many things in the cigar world its up to personal taste.

Bobbo2009

Band on. I'm still new to all of this and when I first started getting into cigars this summer I just kept them on and didn't take them off until the ash got close to it.

Duder2

james40:

ejenne87:

zeebra:

I leave it on until some of the heat gets towards the band and its easier for the ban to come off, or it might tear the wrapper...

exactly this

same

Ditto.

cabinetmaker

If the band is loose, off, tight then on. Too many times I've removed a band at the start and had a spot of glue rip off a chunk of wrapper, which causes some swelling, then a crack, then it's just a fight to keep it burning ahead of the inevitable end... Once I hit theband, though, I remove it if it's still on.

As to whether it's good/bad taste to leave it on; I payed for the cigar, I'm the one smoking it; it's nobody else's fuking business as to whether or not I'm bragging on the cigar I payed for and I"M smoking...

Luko

james40:

ejenne87:

zeebra:

I leave it on until some of the heat gets towards the band and its easier for the ban to come off, or it might tear the wrapper...

exactly this

same

yep

docbp87

Band on. It gives me something to hold.

ellinas

band on....it's where i stick my hand, i'll take it off when it gets closer to it....i also like it when poeple have their band on me so i can see if they are cigar enthusiasts like me...

JCizzle

So far band on until the ash gets close, then I take it off and keep it for posterity and for my dossier.

bandyt09

Depends on what day it is, sometimes on, sometimes off. That only applies to when I am smoking by myself. If I am smoking in public I always take off the band; the reason is that I like what I like and I really don't want anyone's unwarrented (usually uneducated) opinion on it.

ShotgunJohn

I always take it off first thing and put it into my dossier. That way as I am tasting and writing notes I don't have to worry about it getting damaged. Very rarely does my wrapper get ruined.

Stryker808

band off if its mine, band on if its a gift and the guy is sitting there. Reason - Just something I was told years ago that just kinda stuck.

cooch36

band off working on a little collection. I think I'll add one right now!

rwheelwright

Mostly band on but sometimes if the band comes off with ease I will just take it off.

MBISON

cabinetmaker:

If the band is loose, off, tight then on. Too many times I've removed a band at the start and had a spot of glue rip off a chunk of wrapper, which causes some swelling, then a crack, then it's just a fight to keep it burning ahead of the inevitable end... Once I hit theband, though, I remove it if it's still on.

As to whether it's good/bad taste to leave it on; I payed for the cigar, I'm the one smoking it; it's nobody else's fuking business as to whether or not I'm bragging on the cigar I payed for and I"M smoking...

+1 Totally agree.

RaschNuts

kuzi16:

band off.
why?
in some circles it is considered poor taste to leave the band on because when you leave the band on you are saying to everyone else that your cigar and brand are superior to their cigar and brand.
its seen as showing off what you are smoking

though i dont personally believe that kind of thinking i feel that there may be that element may be out there. i never get offended if someone in the room is smoking a better cigar than i am. in fact, i usually am very happy for the person in that situation. good for them.

the other point of view is that you want to leave the band on as a conversation starter. however, in my mind, if you want to know what someone is smoking, ask them. it doesnt hurt to have the band off so i take it off before lighting the cigar.

but much like many things in the cigar world its up to personal taste.

Im usually smoking alone so just leave it on till the heat gets there. the few times i have smoked with other guys at the B&M ill pluck it off or its an event and we all smoking the same so dont matter.

LeftFive

I leave it on until I have to remove it, only because I've torn a few wrappers with overly glued bands. We've all heard the heat loosens the glue, but I know for a fact that if I tear the wrapper with only an inch to go, it's much better than if I tear it before I even get to light my cigar.

If someone feels like I'm bragging about what I'm smoking, that's their own shortcoming and they should have to deal with it, not me.

BenMoody

I read in some good termpapers that cigars are smoked with inhaling but it's not right. I don't inhale smoke

Redtailhawkoz

ejenne87:

zeebra:

I leave it on until some of the heat gets towards the band and its easier for the ban to come off, or it might tear the wrapper...

exactly this

Ditto !

xmacro

kuzi16:

band off.
why?
in some circles it is considered poor taste to leave the band on because when you leave the band on you are saying to everyone else that your cigar and brand are superior to their cigar and brand.
its seen as showing off what you are smoking

though i dont personally believe that kind of thinking i feel that there may be that element may be out there. i never get offended if someone in the room is smoking a better cigar than i am. in fact, i usually am very happy for the person in that situation. good for them.

the other point of view is that you want to leave the band on as a conversation starter. however, in my mind, if you want to know what someone is smoking, ask them. it doesnt hurt to have the band off so i take it off before lighting the cigar.

but much like many things in the cigar world its up to personal taste.

From what I understand, taking the band off so as to not offend anyone smoking a cheaper cigar, is a european custom, done out of a sense of political correctness so as not to create any "class tensions" (at least that's what I've read when I googled the subject)

As for me, I take the band off - if the cigar is any good, I'm going to nub it, so I might as well get the band off sooner, rather than interrupt my smoking trying to fiddle with it later. The only time I leave it on is if I'm working or doing something that'll dirty my hands, then I leave the band on so I can grip the cigar without getting dirt on it.