Guillotine, V-cut, or punch?
- Thread starter jerseyjetset
- Start date
I have several of each style mentioned but my go to is a montecristo signature samurai that was a freebie from smoke inn. I have used the v a few times with no complaints and I use a punch on any larger gauge cigar or something I've smoked before with a loose draw, feel like it helps to control the looseness a bit.
I was wondering this too Clint...I have the xikar and it's a "shallower" cut. I think it's the colibri that cuts super deep, from some pics I've seen on IG, which seems beneficial. Side note...for guys using a V cut, if you make the cut off center do you find that the draw/burn line gets weird because the airflow is partial to one side of the cigar? I had this issue for the first time last night and it got me thinking...
Ducttapegonewild
Actual Size
Gook questions, I have used a straight cut primarily, but I have been curious about V-cuts, as a generality. Also, I usually nub the smokes I really really enjoy, and sometimes the ones I don't enjoy, but don't want the smoking experience to end. How does a V-cut affect the nubbing?
As far as nubbing goes I never have an issue with a V cut, seems to work just as well. What I found with my off center cut...I tried to cut dead middle of the head but I got off center, went to cut a + and got off center again. Lol too many beers before hand? So it looked more like an L and where the closed part of the head was, the burn was way behind. I realized my error after a couple burn corrections and opened it up, voila, evened right up.
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- Dec 22, 2010
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95% of my smokes in the last 3 months have been V-cut with the Colibri. That's typically 1-2 per day plus 4 on golf days (about once per week). I nub nearly every one of them and don't have any issues.
Depends on what vitola I'm smoking. Torp and 52 and larger get the v cut. Small rg, lance, pc I use a punch, and a dble guillotine on rest. Do change it up from time to time
I'm new to cigars and I'm wondering what would be the best cutter for me to get as a newbie. My one of my smoking buddies uses a guillotine and another uses kinda the classic look cutter. I don't know what its called but it seems like an upgraded version of the typical common cutter. All I have is a cheapo $3 common POS.
For a beginner I'd say get a perfect cut from cuban crafters. They're essentially a guillotine, but they keep you from cutting too much off. You can probably find a cheaper off brand or similar n but i believe they're only 20-25 bucks
I keep my Xikar Xi2 in my toiletry bag when I travel and don't have issues. Haven't ever had an issue to be honest even if it was in my laptop bag.
Ive also pre cut sticks before (early days, before I had the Xikar) though I know that may not be an option for some smokers. Its not for me anymore.
Ive used all three (straight, V and punch) and I always came back to the straight cut.
I felt the punch concentrated too much build up around the hole and it would change the flavor of the cigar.
The V cut was interesting but I think I gave up on it after a couple sticks because it seemed to do more damage than good (I was using the shop V cutter).
I finally got to the point where I use all three.
I prefer the guillotine over the other two but I find a v-cut on lanceros makes for a better draw (YMMV) and I use a punch on chisels (a trick I learned from the owner of the Cigar Lounge in Schaumburg).
I agree with Spanky about the Cuban Crafters but I also want to add this: If you're truly getting into the enjoyment of smoking cigars, don't resist the temptation to buy a quality cutter. For quite a while I was using one of those cheap plastic guillotines and didn't realize the negative impact it had on my enjoyment. Dropping $10 on a cigar just to have it unwrap during smoking because my $2 cutter hacked up the end instead of having a nice clean cut was really frustrating.
So, if your budget allows, I would even suggest dropping the coin now on a Xikar or Paleo cutter. They're expensive (around $40 depending on the model) but you really will notice an immediate change/improvement in your cigar experience. A good cutter really does make a difference. If you enjoy cigars and want to get into them more, you're going to end up with one or the other anyway, so why not go there immediately? And the lifetime warranty provided by both companies is a nice bonus. But, if your budget says 'no', definitely go with the Cuban Crafters.
But don't forget to watch the bid sites as they often have deals on the cutters. I got my first Xikar cutter for about $15 off of Cbid.
I prefer the guillotine over the other two but I find a v-cut on lanceros makes for a better draw (YMMV) and I use a punch on chisels (a trick I learned from the owner of the Cigar Lounge in Schaumburg).
I agree with Spanky about the Cuban Crafters but I also want to add this: If you're truly getting into the enjoyment of smoking cigars, don't resist the temptation to buy a quality cutter. For quite a while I was using one of those cheap plastic guillotines and didn't realize the negative impact it had on my enjoyment. Dropping $10 on a cigar just to have it unwrap during smoking because my $2 cutter hacked up the end instead of having a nice clean cut was really frustrating.
So, if your budget allows, I would even suggest dropping the coin now on a Xikar or Paleo cutter. They're expensive (around $40 depending on the model) but you really will notice an immediate change/improvement in your cigar experience. A good cutter really does make a difference. If you enjoy cigars and want to get into them more, you're going to end up with one or the other anyway, so why not go there immediately? And the lifetime warranty provided by both companies is a nice bonus. But, if your budget says 'no', definitely go with the Cuban Crafters.
But don't forget to watch the bid sites as they often have deals on the cutters. I got my first Xikar cutter for about $15 off of Cbid.
Palio. Quality double blade guillotine. Last you forever.