The Case of the Expanding Ring Gauge

[mithrilG60]

Originally Posted by icehog3

When we have had some of the more reknowned rollers roll cigars for group buys (La China, Hamlet, Taboada), I was told that they said the thinner RG took more skill. That's all second hand though, I have never met any of them.

I've met Hamlet several times and he's told us that as a roller you start off rolling coronas and similar, then move up to larger sizes as you learn to control the blend, then move up to long skinny vitola's like lanceros, and finally if you're stupid you learn to roll shaped cigars. The later are the most difficult but also tend to pidegon hole you into shapes for the rest of your career which limits your earning potential as most factories roll different cigars throughout out the year and someone specialized on shaped cigars will either be without work or on low production for stretches whereas the rollers that do your standard corona-robusto-churchill lines have steady employment. Cuban rollers are also paid on a quote system, you receive a daily wage for x units produced. If you exceed production you get a daily bonus, the more difficult a cigar type is to roll the less likely you are to exceed quote and get your bonus.