How to Make Cigars

[blisscigarco]

I think the hanging helps distribute the water from the stem down through the leaf. That slow movement of the water probably helps relax the fibers; meanwhile the leaf is getting a gentle length-wise yoga stretch in lieu of the more forced Dominican Tora scroll method. Flat works fine too; but I noticed hanging wrapper in photos and videos of Cuban cigar tours, and read in articles and books that Cubans hang their wrapper for 24-48 hours. Seems to work better than flat.

 

[Marc L]

What are some wrapper casing essentials.

 

[webmost]

This 'wet stick method' yields far better results than trying to press out the wrinkles with a rolling pin. Not even close.

Far as I knew, the rolling pin is for flattening veins, not for pressing out wrinkles.

 

[Gdaddy]

Far as I knew, the rolling pin is for flattening veins, not for pressing out wrinkles.

I've heard mention and seen videos to get your leaf as flat as possible (including the veins) to 'press' it out using a rolling pin. It does little to nothing and isn't worth the effort IMO. The method posted will make the leaf flat as possible with little effort and all your "crunkles" will be gone.

As a side note: A better way to make the veins less visible is to put the finished rolled cigar back in the mold and leave it pressed over night. Comes out flat the next day. The veins will be pressed to the inside of the leaf. I only do this with excessively veiny wrapper.

 

[luckyace12]

I'm having a seriously hard time with thick veins. Has anyone found a tried and true method for flattening them out?

 

[blisscigarco]

I'm having a seriously hard time with thick veins. Has anyone found a tried and true method for flattening them out?

Early on, years ago, I tried often to "fix" thick-veined leaf through the various espoused means, and no joy ever ensued. All the methods I tried just screwed up the integrity of the leaf. So now I rate big-veined wrapper leaf as unacceptable: I get a refund, give it away, or throw it away. When I come upon a big-veined leaf mid-roll, then I pluck the leaf as I roll, as I demo in this video (I also pluck near the head on pretty much every stick):

 

[luckyace12]

Early on, years ago, I tried often to "fix" thick-veined leaf through the various espoused means, and no joy ever ensued. All the methods I tried just screwed up the integrity of the leaf. So now I rate big-veined wrapper leaf as unacceptable: I get a refund, give it away, or throw it away. When I come upon a big-veined leaf mid-roll, then I pluck the leaf as I roll, as I demo in this video (I also pluck near the head on pretty much every stick):

Thank you sir!

 

[Hopduro]

Early on, years ago, I tried often to "fix" thick-veined leaf through the various espoused means, and no joy ever ensued. All the methods I tried just screwed up the integrity of the leaf. So now I rate big-veined wrapper leaf as unacceptable: I get a refund, give it away, or throw it away. When I come upon a big-veined leaf mid-roll, then I pluck the leaf as I roll, as I demo in this video (I also pluck near the head on pretty much every stick):

Blake demands the best I'm guessing you don't roll with any of the maduro wrappers or CBL?

Sent from the past on VeLoRoK's flip phone

 

[blisscigarco]

Blake demands the best I'm guessing you don't roll with any of the maduro wrappers or CBL?

Sent from the past on VeLoRoK's flip phone

I have rolled with certain maduro and certain CBL that met my needs. I'd say a bigger problem with most of the maduros is taste/burn.

 

[Jim D]

I'm having a seriously hard time with thick veins. Has anyone found a tried and true method for flattening them out?

Assuming you're talking about the wrapper leaf veins, I've found it helps to wrap in newspaper after putting the wrapper leaf on. I wrap a paper strip on just like a wrapper leaf to make it tight and compressive. Leave it like that overnight and the veins are greatly reduced/gone the next day.
If you're talking about the binder leaf, leaving the bunch in the mold/newspaper overnight helps greatly too.

 

[luckyace12]

Assuming you're talking about the wrapper leaf veins, I've found it helps to wrap in newspaper after putting the wrapper leaf on. I wrap a paper strip on just like a wrapper leaf to make it tight and compressive. Leave it like that overnight and the veins are greatly reduced/gone the next day.
If you're talking about the binder leaf, leaving the bunch in the mold/newspaper overnight helps greatly too.

Yeah my Fire cured has hulk like veins that make wrapping a beotch

 

[Hopduro]

I have rolled with certain maduro and certain CBL that met my needs. I'd say a bigger problem with most of the maduros is taste/burn.

What do you typically roll with? Jorgè's wrapper?

Sent from the past on VeLoRoK's flip phone

 

[blisscigarco]

What do you typically roll with? Jorgè's wrapper?

Sent from the past on VeLoRoK's flip phone

Hey. Well, nothing now typically. I can tell you what my general progression was: tried all the leaf from both the retailers. I never loved much of what happened. Most didn't burn well, tasted bad, or was ugly as sin; but I had some interesting semi-luck with LO SA and WLT Ec CT Shade. But there was a weird inconstancy even to those. I then tried J's Habano (basically terribly strong requiring one year age minimum) and his Ec. CT shade and USA CT shade. Both of those were very pretty. The Ec version was better. Neither was good as the WLT Ec. CT when that was good, which was hit or miss bag by bag (I went through 4 lbs). Then I tried all the wrappers I could get from Larry the Butcher. Most of those I liked because they were good quality, looks-wise, even if not terribly long-fermented. But they didn't taste like, um, fucking crap, like a lot of what I got from some other places. So I rate Larry highly.

Next thing was, for timing reasons I had never tried WLT Criollo wrapper. MarcL sent me a sample batch which was mis-delivered. It showed up at my door 3 weeks after it was marked delivered. I glanced at it in the big Zip-loc, and it looked like pretty leaf. And we all know how gorgeous MarcL's rolls are. But then I lost that Zip-Loc. I think it went out by accident in a stack of newspapers. MarcL has said he'll send me more sometime. So I'm looking forward to that, and I always wonder who else has tried it. I have never heard of anyone else trying it, which is surprising.

Recently Web was kind enough to send me a few pounds of various leaf. The wrapper, the H2K, isn't something I can use at this time; BUT I did have a bag of reject scrap CT out in the VW camper, and I'm going to stick that on some of the filler leaf he sent me hopefully tomorrow. If any of those sticks don't suck after 2 weeks drying and 2 months aging, I'll send them out to y'all.

Answer then is nothing. The future possibly holds some of that WLT Criollo, and then possibly some individuals out there who have some things going on. Plus maybe some Larry action. I'd be interested to know what's going on with the WLT Ec. CT shade currently in stock, but no way I'm rolling the dice on a full lb of that right now, as it's too hit-or-miss.