How to Make Cigars

[blisscigarco]

This could be a contentious topic because everyone knows how to make cigars for themselves, in a fashion that pleases them most to do. Some of us, e.g. me, try to replicate professional cigars and deconstruct them minutely with the intent of making pro-quality cigars; others don't give a shit about the looks or the structure other than "does it smoke good."

Anyway, anything I post in this thread is just based on my way of doing it, which is attempting to understand pro cigars and replicating their structure and look with most attention to draw, burn, feel, and appearance. I want the thing to feel sexy in the hand and dazzle the eyes even before the smoke dazzles the palate and the brain. Here's my first contribution, "How to Cut Your Wrapper":

 

[Gdaddy]

I always felt that the 3/8" from the base of the cap to the top of the head was too small. Over the years I've had many caps pop completely off when cutting the end for smoking and it really ruins the experience as the cigar tries to unravel. I'm very happy to extend mine to 1/2" or more and none have come loose. My personal preference but I like having too much than not enough holding the important end closed.

 

[webmost]

You're throwing away the best part of that wrapper.

 

[blisscigarco]

You're throwing away the best part of that wrapper.

This dude, a Cuban roller with 45 years' experience, shows it a lot better than my infographic, no doubt. I'm also sure the cuts aren't being thrown away. In my case I'm sending them all to Webmost to bind his Appomattox perfectos....
(Yeah, I know it ain't Appomattox; couldn't remember the actual word.)

 

[webmost]

This dude, a Cuban roller with 45 years' experience, shows it a lot better than my infographic, no doubt. I'm also sure the cuts aren't being thrown away. In my case I'm sending them all to Webmost to bind his Appomattox perfectos....
(Yeah, I know it ain't Appomattox; couldn't remember the actual word.)

 

[webmost]

Uppowoc... a Virginia Algonquian word for tobacco. I coulda stolen kinikinik, or simi, nini, ottamook, etcetera etceteree. Cohoba's been done to death. I'm part Blackfoot, and Blackfoot say pistakan. I just like the word uppowoc. When you say it, it feels like you took a puff and blew a smoke ring.

I'm experimenting with a new shape for the Uppowoc Perfecto, like so:

I like that shape. Dunno why the wrapper looks two toned in this pic. Prolly dry out one color. I make the shape by over-packing my robusto mold, taking the blank out after just an hour or two, then letting the over-packed part swell back out before wrapping. Makes a nice plump semifecto. Gives me a cap I hope I can glue my stamped UP logo on.

OTOH, I'll be getting a robusto mold here any day, so I'll prolly get sidetracked from this new UP shape. I figured the busto will enable me to better follow what the rest of you are doing. An Uppowoc Parejo, don'tcha know.

On Wisconsin.

 

[Mikenice81]

Uppowoc... a Virginia Algonquian word for tobacco. I coulda stolen kinikinik, or simi, nini, ottamook, etcetera etceteree. Cohoba's been done to death. I'm part Blackfoot, and Blackfoot say pistakan. I just like the word uppowoc. When you say it, it feels like you took a puff and blew a smoke ring.

I'm experimenting with a new shape for the Uppowoc Perfecto, like so:

I like that shape. Dunno why the wrapper looks two toned in this pic. Prolly dry out one color. I make the shape by over-packing my robusto mold, taking the blank out after just an hour or two, then letting the over-packed part swell back out before wrapping. Makes a nice plump semifecto. Gives me a cap I hope I can glue my stamped UP logo on.

OTOH, I'll be getting a robusto mold here any day, so I'll prolly get sidetracked from this new UP shape. I figured the busto will enable me to better follow what the rest of you are doing. An Uppowoc Parejo, don'tcha know.

On Wisconsin.

I like that shape. If I saw that in the shop I would definitely give it a second thought. Great job on the roll. How does it smoke?

 

[webmost]

Haven't smoked one yet. Let 'em set a couple more weeks. I did fire up a test fecto of his stuff a week old... started out good, but then his ligero kicked my azz. Definitely needs more time. I have a motorcycle wrenching weekend boozefest in upper New York I'm going to around Mayday. I'll tote some up there for a consensus.

One each of Jorge's seco, viso, and ligero; bound in the outer crescent of what was supposed to be Jorge's habano wrapper (even that outer crescent, I have to flatten the veins with a rolling pin... yes, even to make a binder out of it), and finally wrapped with some of FX Smith's Sons American CT seed shade, which is the finest textured wrapper I have seen. Three leaves filler is too much for my fecto mold. I usually throw in three half leaves; but that's with WLT filler, which is thicker and crinklier. I tried making some Jorge fectos from 3 x 3/4 leaves. Even that's tight. But if I bind them with Jorge's wrapper crescent, force them in the mold, then let them swell, that works. I think the three Jorge leaves will work out just right for a 50rg robusto. Mold shipped today.

Now if I can just find some time....

 

[Marc L]

It kinda looks like one of those Jose Blanco seminar sticks.

 

[blisscigarco]

The caps on these guys are really high. They basically start at the base of the dome rather than 1/8 inch below the base.

 

[Hopduro]

The caps on these guys are really high. They basically start at the base of the dome rather than 1/8 inch below the base.

Ridiculous, i could never imagine making caps like that!

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

 

[Gdaddy]

Small caps are a sore spot with me. I can't count how many times those little caps have fallen off or end up hanging off the end of the cigar or hanging off my lip.

I'm a firm believer that form follows function. It's the function of the cap to hold the cigar together and keep from unraveling so why would you make such an important part of the cigar so minimal? Why not make it more substantial? I don't even think small caps help the appearance of the cigar. I could easily make small caps but choose to make a larger cap and never had one cigar even come close to coming off. Not one. A larger cap makes a rock solid, better constructed cigar imho.

I'd go so far as to say small caps would be a reason not to buy the cigar because it detracts so much from the enjoyment. Even when cutting the cap I'd be worried the cap will get knocked off even prior to lighting and there is a certain percentage that will come off.

(rant off)

 

[webmost]

Small caps are a sore spot with me. I can't count how many times those little caps have fallen off or end up hanging off the end of the cigar or hanging off my lip.

I'm a firm believer that form follows function. It's the function of the cap to hold the cigar together and keep from unraveling so why would you make such an important part of the cigar so minimal? Why not make it more substantial? I don't even think small caps help the appearance of the cigar. I could easily make small caps but choose to make a larger cap and never had one cigar even come close to coming off. Not one. A larger cap makes a rock solid, better constructed cigar imho.

I'd go so far as to say small caps would be a reason not to buy the cigar because it detracts so much from the enjoyment. Even when cutting the cap I'd be worried the cap will get knocked off even prior to lighting and there is a certain percentage that will come off.

(rant off)

Well, here's another way of looking at it: A proper flag does the job of holding the end together. The job of the cap is just to tidy up where the flag comes together and makes a belly button looking thiong, there in the center of the head. Doesn't take much cap to do that. Rather have a flag and no cap than a cap and no flag. Ideal trick is to master the art of cutting a wrapper ending in a flag which ends in a cap. One move. Cigar rolling machines have a die that does that. I haven't mastered it.

 

[TheFlask]

After rolling how long do they need to sit in the humi before smoking?

 

[BrewinHooligan]

After rolling how long do they need to sit in the humi before smoking?

That depends on a few different things. If the humidity of your leaf is high it will need to sit longer and dry out before smoking. It also depends on the age of your leaf. My mentor who has been rolling cigars for 55 years says that a stick should only need 3 days of rest after rolling if you're rolling at the proper case and your leaf has aged long enough. Most of the leaf we can buy as home rollers hasn't aged as long as the pros leaf so most of my sticks are best if I let them rest 1-2 months.

 

[webmost]

After rolling how long do they need to sit in the humi before smoking?

After rolling, don't put them in the humi, is the answer. Let them set out a few days. You'll see the wrapper dry to a more uniform color, and shrink tighter. You'll be able to feel the stick is lighter & drier. Here in wet-ass Dull-Aware, I leave 'em out a couple days, then I put them in my dry box for a week, then they go in the humidor. Here's the drybox:

It's true, you can fire one up immediately. You won't get the best true taste; but it will fire. Apt to get a soggy burn and apt to plug up. Least, for us beginners, who can't seem to get the exact right dampage. You have to extrapolate from that wet burn how it will taste when seasoned. You can fire one up after it has dried a few days. That works way better, but will taste more harsh than if you give it a few months.

But months are only for when you already know what you want to stash away for months. When testing a blend to come up with something worth stashing, it's a totally different story. Nobody wants to wait months for that. I give it three days out on the desk, then I spark up and try to imagine what it might be when aged. Here's a couple such:

The one on left was rolled last night. Prolly fire it later in the week. Never will see a humidor. The one on right was rolled a week ago. Ready to fire now. I fired its twin brother couple days ago. These types of test stick, appearance doesn't matter. The one on left, for instance, was rolled freehand, though the fatter one on right was molded. Just a sticky note with the blend on it makes a band.




How you like those Sheik cigars bands, by the way? Found a gal on etsy.com selling small gauge surplussed bands from a closed factory for ten bucks a thousand.

 

[TheFlask]

How you like those Sheik cigars bands, by the way? Found a gal on etsy.com selling small gauge surplussed bands from a closed factory for ten bucks a thousand.

Wow, I don't think I would have passed on that either. Was looking at bands last week and I didn't even see blanks close to that price

 

[webmost]

Wow, I don't think I would have passed on that either. Was looking at bands last week and I didn't even see blanks close to that price

She's got -plenty. See https://www.etsy.com/listing/188344829/vintage-cigar-band-labels-1000-labels-in?ref=shop_home_active_6

Tell Vanessa I sent you'


P.S. -- THESE ARE FOR 46 OR 48 RG CIGARS

D

 

[blisscigarco]

Triple caps are like snowflakes.

Some (many?) people don't like making them or care about them at all, but they're my favorite part of cigar making because there's an endless variety of ways to make and apply them. You can tinker with your method and outcome on every single stick you roll; whereas much of the rest of the process of making a cigar stays pretty much the same stick-to-stick, batch-to-batch. If I weren't fascinated by the challenge of putting a dome of leaf onto a cylider of leaf then I'd find the whole affair a lot less interesting and more like just doing work in a factory. The general way I make caps now is completely different, from beginning to end, to how it was even a few months ago.

 

[TheFlask]

May sound stupid but can you use both sides of the wrapper leaf? If so do the veins just stick out? Newbie here. Thanks for your patience