Even cut / center punch

Rasputin:

How do you get an even cut? I have a guillotine cutter and I always wind up with an angled cut. And when I punch a cigar, I often don't get the punch in the center. Any hints on this?

Make sure your eyes aren't crossed when you cut it. LOL but seriously... before I cut a cigar, I close the guillotine so the blades are resting on the sides of the cap and check both sides and eye-ball the angle of the cutter against the side of the cigar, then i snap it. With a punch, I just eye-ball it.

I like the draw of a full cut. I bring the blades of the guillotine to the cap, eye it to make sure its somewhat even and clip it. I used a punch about 8 years ago for a while but never really got into the punch thing. The clean cut is my perferred method. There isn't really a science to make sure it even and balanced. At least none that I know of. A cut is just a cut. Its the performance of the stick that bring me back for seconds.

Once in a while I get a straight cut, but don't know why. As long as the cap is not damaged I'm happy. I think I read somewhere that an angle on the cut can give a better draw sometimes. There was also someone who used to cut a notch, like a V, for a different draw.

Xikar or Wolf V-cutters are my favorite for a notch or V-cut.

The trick to a straight cut is that you aren't going to get one every time, unless you use one with a backplate, and practice makes better (there being no such thing as perfect).

As for the punch, I just eyeballed it back in the day when I used one. After a while a lot of people switch to the straight cutter or v-cutter because of the limited amount of smoke you get through the punch. That being said, I will still use a punch or a side punch on occasions, with cigars that make me nervous or ones that I know start out a little harsher than I prefer to cut down on the bitterness and/or harshness.

wwhwang:

Try putting the cutter on a flat surface. Works like a charm if you don't trust your ability to just eyeball it.

As for punches? Well, I usually don't do that. I prefer the looser draw and increased smoke output that you get from guilloutine cuts.

+1 on this. I do it with my Xikar and the cut is just the right depth and even, if you keep the cigar straight up.

DSWarmack:

Xikar or Wolf V-cutters are my favorite for a notch or V-cut.

The trick to a straight cut is that you aren't going to get one every time, unless you use one with a backplate, and practice makes better (there being no such thing as perfect).

As for the punch, I just eyeballed it back in the day when I used one. After a while a lot of people switch to the straight cutter or v-cutter because of the limited amount of smoke you get through the punch. That being said, I will still use a punch or a side punch on occasions, with cigars that make me nervous or ones that I know start out a little harsher than I prefer to cut down on the bitterness and/or harshness.

I will second DSWarmack's comment on the V-cutters. They wont work on a torpedo or perfecto sort of beveled end, but for anything else its pretty much a guaranteed perfect cut, every time.