OMG brother, your cutter is likely fine...!! Hit Walgreens or the local pharmacy, get some alcohol wipes, and scrub that sucker good. You'll be amazed. The great quality blades in your Xikar are way, way harder than the tobacco you're cutting....should honestly last a lifetime.

....yeah, of course I got the Cigarloong off Amazon. Wow I'm soft....

....first step off the cliff, as they say.... 🤣 You're in good hands, Stephen.....:cool:

....hear, hear. Funny thing, I had the Xikar and hadn't been using it much. Craig's posts got me to reconsider, so I gave the blades a good alcohol wipe and started using it more. Son of a gun, I really like it. My cutter selection is old school Xikar, old school Palio, Colibri V-cutter, Xikar...

Happy Birthday, Paul...!!

The good news is it's usually always a good surprise, so I can live with that.....:D

I've tried notepads, notebooks, spreadsheets....and finally gave up. Like MaytagMan, I've got lots coming and going. Also, now that I'm retired I usually smoke 3 a day, so I'd be doing more data entry than smoking. I do write the 'humi date' (the date they went in my cabinet) and the source on...

I've got a nice sharp Xiker punch. It does what it's supposed to, but lately the Xikar V-Cutter gets all the mileage..... :cool:

Short answer....no. I've got a Colibri, and it's a fine, well made v-cutter.....but it takes a hell of a bite out of the cigar. Cool for Toros, etc, but the Xikar is my clear fave these days. Except for torpedos pretty much everything, big to small, falls into the Xikar. My friend, after all...

Happy Birthday, Ben..!!

Congratulations...!!!

...as if there was any question...IN..!!... :cool:

I've bought these 'samplers' before and this time it was killer. Took a chance and bought a couple of these....very pleased: https://www.cigarking.com/tatuaje-cigars-secret-motherload-flight-assorted-sizes-quantity-undisclosed/

Got one of these coming....very interested.

Hot rumor is Tool may do a residency at the Vegas Sphere, sometime in '27 to coincide with the release of their next album. If they do, I'm going, no kidding. Poor AmEx card.....🤣

REO "Roll With The Changes" is an all time fave......

....country metal..?? Really..?? Well, I really dig this one. Video is a little 'strange' but the music is solid as hell. She's worth keeping an eye on, IMHO... Six Feet Deep by Royale Lynn:

No pics, but todays trifecta was just great. So spoiled, now that I'm retired I'm usually a three stick a day guy when my dear wife doesn't have 'tasks'. ...yeah, I know...🤣 AM smoke with coffee was an HVC 'Hot Cake' half corona. They almost go too fast, really solid broadleaf flavors. Not as...

Yeah, let's not get the 'today's smoke' thread too far off topic, but a light char, followed by keeping that torch an inch or two away from the foot, while drawing until you get the secondary flame up is the ticket. I look at the foot, gentle blow to see how the flame font is going, touch up as...

Brother, you're not a dumbass and we're all learning every day. The 'trick' with any cigar is to get a good, even burn, across the face of the cigar, without getting it too hot. Yes, you can scorch the tobacco and in my experience you're in for a harsh stick. Hey, maybe Johnny-O can help here...