Preferred Method

Smokin' Jim

Hey guys, Just out of curiosity, what is ya'lls preferred method of cutting the holes in your cigars. I have a double blade cheapo due to the fact I am a newbe, but, I am in the market. I found a pack with about three Cohiba cigars and a Xikar cutter for $60. Is this a good deal or would I be better off with a xikar punch? I usually gravitate to a Churchill or Robusto if that makes a difference. Also, I need a bigger humidor. I have a really nice black leather with white stitching zippered travel case (20 cigars, I think). Should I keep it and buy a humidor or should I try to trade it for a 50-75 cigar humidor? Thanks for all of you opinions.

j0z3r

I like a double guillotine myself, I prefer the wider opening it makes. A punch is a good option too though, I'd recommend looking into one that creates a large gauge hole as opposed to the standard. I think the hardest part a lot of people have with a double blade cutter is cutting off too much of the cap and causing the cigar to unravel, and it does take a bit of practice to get it down. I always like to take a bit of care with my cut, I'll place the cutter over the cigar and carefully position it so that the cut I make will be even, not crooked, and the amount I cut off is roughly the thickness of a dime, those two practices keep 95% of my cigars intact with no unraveling issues, sometimes a cap is just not applied very well and no matter what you do it is bound to have problems, I've even had it happen with a punch where a crack forms in the cap and the whole thing comes apart....like anything hand-made, there is likely to be a margin for error/malfunction. With whatever you choose, buying a reputable brand will give you good results.

Smokin' Jim

I read an article today that said to set the cutter flat on the table and rest the cigar through the hole and touching the table, then cut fast. I tried it and it worked perfectly. It took off more of the head than I usually do, but it allowed for a really smooth draw. I don't know, it might be worth a try if you guys see fit.

bbc020

j0z3r:

....like anything hand-made, there is likely to be a margin for error/malfunction. With whatever you choose, buying a reputable brand will give you good results.

I own a Xikar Xi3 and both the Xikar 007 and 008 punches. Most of the time I use the Xi3, but I've found that I like to punch some cigars. (especially padrons)

bbc020

Smokin' Jim:

I read an article today that said to set the cutter flat on the table and rest the cigar through the hole and touching the table, then cut fast. I tried it and it worked perfectly. It took off more of the head than I usually do, but it allowed for a really smooth draw. I don't know, it might be worth a try if you guys see fit.

I've done this myself on occasion with success

j0z3r

I've used that method as well, it is useful. Once you get the hang of the cutter, however, you don't need to rely on a table to give you a steady cut, it comes more or less naturally. Except with Padrons, like Brandon mentioned, they can have some questionable caps sometimes, though I've had more good cuts than unraveled wrappers...like I said, margin of error/malfunction.

Smokin' Jim

so if the Xikar is a good cutter, is the Cohiba a cigar good enough to buy in this bundle?

bbc020

I've come to appreciate the Cohiba cigars I've smoked. I think I like the XV the most. If I'm not mistaken (which the way things are going tonight is highly likely) theres an XV in that bundle, along with a Red Dot and a Black.

j0z3r

Smokin' Jim:

is the Cohiba a cigar good enough to buy in this bundle?

It depends. For me, I would say no, but that is simply because they don't really appeal to my tastes, you may think differently of them. On a different line of thought, a Xikar cutter is going to cost you at least half the cost of that bundle, possibly more depending on the cutter model, so you'd essentially be getting both at a discounted price over retail of the components, in that case it might be worth it to give it a shot and possibly find a new cigar to add to your humidor.

Smokin' Jim

Thanks guys. I really appreciate and value your opinions & insight. Have a great night.

rwheelwright

It depends on what I am smoking. I usually try a punch but sometimes a punch is still too tight. So, then I'll move to either a V cut or a dual blade. If the cigar is really small sometimes I just use the dual blade because the punch might be too big for the cigar. Also, punches have more of a tendency to give you tar buildup.

nightmaremike31

I tried using a punch, but I'm a bit of a clutz and screw it up every time. Not saying it's bad, just not good for me. I use a fully stainless steel double bladed guillotine, I don't know the brand, but it's been great for almost 2 years now. I also collect antique cutters from many moons ago.

ryanbish

I have a Tiger torch lighter that has two different gauge punches on the bottom which pop out and come in handy. This way I don't have to worry about losing a keychain punch (which recently happened to me), or carrying around a separate cutting tool. Occasionally I do run into some unraveling as the cap cracks a little, but 90% of the time it's a pretty reliable tool.

Renaissance_Man

I know its weird, but try licking or moistening or whatever the cap before you punch (or cut for that matter) - I have found it to be a better practice if you want to keep cracks away and/or have good cuts. Reasoning behind it - the elasticity of the cap is improved by the moisture (think dry leave versus not as dry leave) and the cap is more pliable.... Anyway... I used to like punch, but after I got the Xi2 - cutting is all I have been doing... It gives me a better opening and better draw most times.

Krieg

you can get a nice Xikar cutter on Amazon about $20 cheaper than most online cigar stores. Xikar is probably the only cutter I would even bother getting.