will a cheap cutter....

[gixxer]

While I'm still a newbie, I have somewhere around 75 - 100 cigars down. I'm wondering if a cheap cutter can cause bad cuts. I always cut below the cap and do it in a sharp firm clip, but still I almost always have some wrapper unraveling. Smoking an Oliva V right now, one of my favorites, and its just annoying getting wrapper in you mouth every so often. Thanks.

 

[Nimrod]

How long do you use a cheap razor blade to your face before you throw it out? 75-100 times?

The blade of the cigar cutter is not invincible, it will go dull. But usually cheap blades are dull to begin with.

 

[gixxer]

Definately read your post wrong. As a poor college student I would probably be close to that mark since razors are too damn expensive for what they are.

I realize that, but have also had the problem with new ones. I've probably been through 4 or 5 of these.

 

[CRQuarto]

Try wiping the blade down with rubbing alcohol to remove built up oils, that may help, it may not. Honestly, I'd just sock away a few bucks a week until I could buy a Palio if I were in your shoes.

 

[MadMonk]

How much have you spent, in what period of time? Would a 35-40 dollar palio cost just as much.
Or a entry level Xikar? Even Xikars Shark isn't too bad, and they are cheap.

In addition, you might also moisten the amount you plan to cut off, first, to soften the wrapper.

Finally, check your humidity, with a calibrated hygrometer. Too dry and you can have cigars unravel on you as the leaf loses

elasticity.

edit to add: The Xikar has a lifetime warranty. I have a palio as well, but off the top of my head, I don't remember their warranty. Both are solid performers.

 

[Nimrod]

I've probably been through 4 or 5 of these.

Yeah, that is the problem with cheap cutters. Palio has a warranty so you never have to keep on buying more. Their latest color scheme is camo. Now they are even easier to lose.

My experience with cheap blade is it does a crappy job on the cut. Tobacco parts end up in your mouth and sometimes the wrapper starts to unravel. Do yourself a favor and get a quality cutter. Palios are not that expensive.
Rod, the owner of this site sells them here. Check out the Buy/Sell/Trade forum and look for his post.

 

[BlindedByScience]

An inexpensive Xikar or Palio will cut clean, forever, and boasts a lifetime warranty. You'll never regret the small investment in a quality tool.

CRQuarto hit the nail on the head; even quality cutters get gummed up over time with the oils from the cigars. An alcohol wipe will restore proper function.

Regards - B.B.S.

 

[Shamrocker]

An inexpensive Xikar or Palio will cut clean, forever, and boasts a lifetime warranty. You'll never regret the small investment in a quality tool.

CRQuarto hit the nail on the head; even quality cutters get gummed up over time with the oils from the cigars. An alcohol wipe will restore proper function.

Regards - B.B.S.

Bingo! I had my Xikar for a while and found it wasn't performing as well as it used to, so I took a q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol and swabbed down the cutting area. You'd be amazed at how brown the swab was after doing that... the blades looked shiny before, but the thin coat of oil residue was there.

 

[SharpNJ]

Even if you use a cheap cutter, use a double blade cutter. I find a single blade squashes the cigar on the opposite side and usually results in a sloppy or uneven cut.

 

[souldog]

CRQuarto hit the nail on the head;

I don't know about that Tom, the boy doesn't need anything else to swell his head too big! :sign: Just kidding Charlie...

Hey Gixxer, I used to do a straight cut on my cigars until Infinity showed me different. Moisten the amount you want to cut off, then if you have a guillotine cutter (or really any other cutter will do), rest the blades just above the end of the triple cap. Apply an equal amount of light pressure to both sides, and while maintaining pressure, spin the cigar and rotate it. When I say "light," I mean light enough that you're not cutting the head off completely or cutting into the binder, but still firm enough to make an incision into the wrapper.

Once spun completely for 360 degrees, a tiny peice of the cap should be able to be taken right off. That way, you don't mutilate your cigars with the violent action of a straight cut, and you save some tobacco. I found a video that illustrates just how much to cut off when doing this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AlOulqQR0M

Check it out, it should help you.

 

[MadMonk]

CRQuarto hit the nail on the head;

I don't know about that Tom, the boy doesn't need anything else to swell his head too big! :sign: Just kidding Charlie...

Hey Gixxer, I used to do a straight cut on my cigars until Infinity showed me different. Moisten the amount you want to cut off, then if you have a guillotine cutter (or really any other cutter will do), rest the blades just above the end of the triple cap. Apply an equal amount of light pressure to both sides, and while maintaining pressure, spin the cigar and rotate it. When I say "light," I mean light enough that you're not cutting the head off completely or cutting into the binder, but still firm enough to make an incision into the wrapper.

Once spun completely for 360 degrees, a tiny peice of the cap should be able to be taken right off. That way, you don't mutilate your cigars with the violent action of a straight cut, and you save some tobacco. I found a video that illustrates just how much to cut off when doing this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AlOulqQR0M

Check it out, it should help you.

This technique also works very well with good cigar scissors.

 

[khari]

Yep. I've got the Credo scissor cutter that I use as a travel cutter. I've had it for two years now. It's cheap and it works great.

Link

 

[Q_The_Cop]

If you're cutting "below" the cap. That could be part of the problem. You need to leave as much cap on as you can comfortably smoke with, as the cap is there to keep the cigar from unraveling. I'd say about a third of the way down the cap.

 

[Macion Grey]

Who cuts the cheese without a knife?

 

[bilder]

I have been using a punch almost exclusively for nearly a year. Only break out the Palio with pointed head cigars anymore.

 

[JHolmes763]

Once spun completely for 360 degrees, a tiny peice of the cap should be able to be taken right off.

Same method I use. Works great when the cutter is cheap/dull or if you just have a knife. Circumcision method... As you're just taking a little off the tip!

John

 

[w00ts!te]

If you aren't having much luck with cutting, you could try the v-cut or a punch for better luck. Try wetting the tip a little first before cutting.

 

[Marcos]

If you're cutting "below" the cap. That could be part of the problem. You need to leave as much cap on as you can comfortably smoke with, as the cap is there to keep the cigar from unraveling. I'd say about a third of the way down the cap.

Bingo. The entire purpose of the cap is to keep the cigar from unraveling. Cut just at or above the "shoulder" and you should be in great shape. A sharp cutter and other tips already mentioned help also.

 

[w00ts!te]

A good tip for guillotine cutters is this:

Place the cutter on a flat surface in the open position. Place the cigar in the hole and compress the blades. Usually the thickness of the cutter is the perfect amount for taking a triple or double cap off a cigar.