Punch or Cut?

[gorob23]

Originally Posted by zemekone

back when i use to smoke the bigger RGs i use to punch, but now im strictly a cut guy...

How about you?

oh my gosh I was worried!!! I thought those were my only two choices of how you were going to take me out tonight Don't forget I have seen you arm wrestle. First the taunting then you drop the hammer

Rob

[eber]

I used to use a punch and a V cut when I first started mainly because I was afraid of cutting too much of the cap off when using a straight cut, now I am more used to it and really prefer the straight cut to the punch or the V

I cut with a Xicar and V cut with a BostonCutter.

[theonlybear4CORT]

cut

[Ratters]

Cranial Screw Top, of course.

I developed it after watching with horror what some people did to the caps of their cigars, lopping off 1/8" or more. I frequently see people cutting off almost the entire cap to the cigar. I've found that cutting a cigar this way leaves a nice intact cap and reduces the amount of unraveling problems I had before using this method.

Step one:
Find a cigar that has a nice rounded cap for best results. Will not work on torpedo or belicoso cigars, though I confess I have never tried.



Step two:
Place cutter gently and barely into the sides of the top of cap. While holding the cutter there, rotate the cigar.



Step three:
Peel off the cap. The cap should just pop off with the cutter, I left a tad bit uncut to show that the cap is coming off but there was no filler cut at all.



Final result:
Should be a very clean cut of just the cap without destroying any filler and leaving the remainder of the cap intact to avoid unraveling of the wrapper.



And you get bonus satisfaction points for knowing where the name comes from. :groucho:

[groogs]

Originally Posted by Ratters

Cranial Screw Top, of course.

I developed it after watching with horror what some people did to the caps of their cigars, lopping off 1/8" or more. I frequently see people cutting off almost the entire cap to the cigar. I've found that cutting a cigar this way leaves a nice intact cap and reduces the amount of unraveling problems I had before using this method.

Step one:
Find a cigar that has a nice rounded cap for best results. Will not work on torpedo or belicoso cigars, though I confess I have never tried.



Step two:
Place cutter gently and barely into the sides of the top of cap. While holding the cutter there, rotate the cigar.



Step three:
Peel off the cap. The cap should just pop off with the cutter, I left a tad bit uncut to show that the cap is coming off but there was no filler cut at all.



Final result:
Should be a very clean cut of just the cap without destroying any filler and leaving the remainder of the cap intact to avoid unraveling of the wrapper.



And you get bonus satisfaction points for knowing where the name comes from. :groucho:

I have been using Ratter's method for quite some time without fail. If you have not tried it, I suggest you get on board, it delivers one of the best cuts possible IMO.

Punch. Unless it is a very small ring gauge then I v-cut.

I was mostly cutting before, but now I find myself punching first if possible, mostly because I prefer my draw a bit on the tighter side. I figure if it's too tight I can lop off more with the cutter afterwards, but if I open it up too much first there's no going back. Also, I find punching better on those cigars with the really squared-off caps.

[gettysburgfreak]

use and love my palio

[ActionAndy]

I acquired a very cool Zino cutter so I've been using that, but I do still like the look and feel of a punched stogie. Just has to be a big enough ring gauge to justify it.

Originally Posted by ActionAndy

I acquired a very cool Zino cutter so I've been using that, but I do still like the look and feel of a punched stogie. Just has to be a big enough ring gauge to justify it.

I agree totally so I just punch it multiple times, basically to the same area as I'd do with cutting, just with a punch for the neater edges.
This is it with only the one punch in it

And this is it punched a few more times. I just start from the middle and work outwards nibbling away with the cutting edge of the punch from the centre outwards.


Having the shoulders still on makes it feel a load nicer when it's on my lips taking a draw.

[BP22]

I go through phases...lately I am punching.

[ActionAndy]

I'll give that a shot Dent, thanks.

[CigaSkills9]

Depends on the RG, larger ones I like to punch, but most of the time I cut

[Fumador]

I have been cutting cc's and punching nc's because the nc's have a looser draw. Some times I punch a cc with a larger rg also.

I punch larger ring gauges (usually 54+) and cut anything less then that.

[Jimbo14]

I have been punching latley. But Sometimes I really like my cigars to breath so I cut. I currently use a Magnum 44 bullet that has been turned into a punch. Its pretty cool, but I want to buy the xikar wolf because it has two punch sizes...

[Homebrewer]

For years I was always a cutter. Last year I tried a punch for the first time and it's good. Much less tobacco particles in the teeth and no annoying caps unwrapping.

I'm about 50/50. I usually punch on-the-go.