Who Needs a Cutter when Ya Have a Toothpick??

[Waynegro1]

I was at my B&M the other day with a close friend of mine. I walked into the humi and picked out a Diamond Crown Maximus (wanted to give it a try and loved it). Anyway, I sit down in the lounge, cut and toast it up took a draw and just sat back and let the smoke escape from my mouth. As the smoke cleared a bit, I see an older gentleman (probably in his 80's) pull out his cigar and what appeared to be a toothpick.

He then just started jabbing/stabbing the hell out of the head of his stogie like it had done him wrong in the worst way. I look at my buddy to see if he noticed what was happening. Our eyes meet and we both turned back to watch the assault. He must have jabbed the cigar for a straight minute. Then he lit it up and took a few draws and leaned back like it was just another day at the B&M. No cutter, no punch (at least not in the modern sense).

I've never seen this in my life and I've been smoking for over 12 years. Has anyone ever seen this done before? :ss

[white_s2k]

Wow... that's, a unique method? :D

[jquirit]

The first time I started smoking cigars (back in '96) we didn't actually cut the cigars, we "punched" them using an icepick. Yeah. Icepick. Not all the way through, mind you, but maybe about a half-an-inch in. It gave the draw we were looking for at the time so that's what we did. Sounds like the guy with the "toothpick" was doing something similar.

What this reminds me of was of the time when smoking one of the Clear Havanas that was pre-punched. It had a small hole that you'd draw through, just like what I use to get with the ice pick.

Full circle, perhaps?

[groogs]

I have never heard or seen anything like that before. I guess it would work, so why not.

[Silound]

See it all the time working at a B&M. Guys bite, poke, stab or otherwise maul a cigar in some strange ways.


Most unusual I've seen is the guy who used the broken antenna on his phone to poke a hole in one...just a little metal stub sticking out.

[Skywalker]

Toothpick, ice pick... whatever works I guess!!!

It is probably better than biting the cap off!!!:hm

Get 'Er Done!!!
http://pjbottoms.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/larrythecableguy.jpg

[taltos]

I have been known to use a Bic pen when I forgot to take a cutter with me. Whatever opens up the cigar and lets it be smoked is fair game. The most extreme thing that I ever used was the RCA mini plug on a set of Walkman headphones.:ss

[MiloFinch]

I've used a pocket knife before. That's about as crazy as I've gotten.

[Starscream]

Never seen it, but if it works...
I'd probably use the toothpick before biting off the cap if I was desperate enough. Most B&Ms that I've been to will clip or punch a cigar for you if you ask though.:hm

[NCRadioMan]

There is actually a piercer made for doing just that. It's about the guage of a toothpick. Looks like a tool a body piercer would use.

[dcamacho]

ive seen 2 guys do this already. i never tried it tho, maybe one day. it seems cool and i think it could work just fine

[Emjaysmash]

Thats the method my Grandpa uses. No cutter, no punch. just a good ol' tooth pick. I look at him like he's crazy sometimes. Then again, Who isn't?!

Crazyiest way to cut a cigar that I used was by box cutter. Nice and sharp. Gets 'er done well.

[BlackDog]

I made holes in the head of a cigar with a finishing nail when I was taking a break from a project last summer. Worked suprisingly well.

[adampc22]

enybody used summat cool like a samurai sword or say a chainsaw now that wud be funny to watch lolololololololololololololololololol i hope nobody says yes lol

[South Shield]

I used a jigsaw at a jobsite

[Don Fernando]

my first real cigars I smoked in Indonesia, we couldn't buy a cigar cutter at the airport (security issues), so we just poked a hole in the cap with a matchstick. This sounds about the same as the old man did.

[MithShrike]

Tim at Habanos Torres does this regularly to test the draw on his cigars.

[tobii3]

So, um, using a 5.56mm as a punch isn't a good idea??

[Da Klugs]

It works great. Unless you slobber on the cigar and then the cap(s) end up in your mouth. (Same as a Punch).

Only downside is keeping your tongue from "exploring" the cap and gettin it all soggy. Maybe it's just me.. but anthing other than a cut causes "curious tongue". :D

[replicant_argent]

So, um, using a 5.56mm as a punch isn't a good idea??

shell casings make great punches. Use the reamer on your Leatherman or Gerber to sharpen the inside and you are golden for a while.
Diff calibers for diff smokes.

loaded ammo.... not so much. Unless you want to punch a bad guys smoke.

[Waynegro1]

Curiosity is killing me, I'm going to give it a shot this weekend. I don't think I'm gonna try it on an Opus though.:r:r
Thanks for all the comments fellas.:tu
For some reason I find this very interesting. The strangest thing I've seen besides the old timer I mentioned is a coping saw. A friend of mine uses one when he's smoking in his garage.
To each his own:ss

[M1903A1]

my first real cigars I smoked in Indonesia, we couldn't buy a cigar cutter at the airport (security issues), so we just poked a hole in the cap with a matchstick. This sounds about the same as the old man did.

Legend has it that that's precisely what Churchill did.

[AriesOpusX]

I've used a wooden match stick a few times when I was in my truck without a cutter/punch. Whatever works, I'm sure back in his day he didn't have a cutter so why bother now?

[BC-Axeman]

A lot of cigars (not torps) I can get a clean opening just picking the cap off with my fingernail. I depends on if it had been cut clean before capping. I have a palio now, but for many years I only cut with my pocket knife, which I keep razor sharp.

[Ace$nyper]

Often I've used a knife as a last resort, but now I have a cheap punch on my key chain so really it's quite rare i've got no way to open a smoke.

[taltos]

So, um, using a 5.56mm as a punch isn't a good idea??
You might get a real loose draw and that unmistakable cordite taste on the cap (beats a sweetened cap).

[Cigary]

It works great. Unless you slobber on the cigar and then the cap(s) end up in your mouth. (Same as a Punch).

Only downside is keeping your tongue from "exploring" the cap and gettin it all soggy. Maybe it's just me.. but anthing other than a cut causes "curious tongue". :D


For sure on this. I have tried other means like a toothpick, nails, small screwdrivers for eyeglasses, and I found myself tearing at the small hole with my tongue and ripping it open by the time I got half way thru the cigar. I cut it with my v cut or xicar now.

[Cigary]

shell casings make great punches. Use the reamer on your Leatherman or Gerber to sharpen the inside and you are golden for a while.
Diff calibers for diff smokes.

loaded ammo.... not so much. Unless you want to punch a bad guys smoke.

whauah?

[replicant_argent]

So, um, using a 5.56mm as a punch isn't a good idea??

whauah?

For reference, if you needed it... :r:rolleyes:

[Tikihut27]

Matches
Toothpicks
Bic pens
Car keys
Coat hangers
Pocketknives
Electrical wire
Nails

The smoke don't care how expensive your punch is, and neither do I.

[Sauer Grapes]

Ask Ragin Cajun about his cigar tool. He's got a cool one.