How To Properly Cut a Cigar

It's not as obvious as it might seem, right? There's no "cut here" dotted line or anything. So how exactly do you properly cut a cigar? Don’t fret, we’re here to answer your burning questions, so you can enjoy your next smoke to the fullest. Let's get started!

How Do I Cut an Appropriate Size Hole?

Well, for starters, you don't want to cut it to look like the foot of the cigar.
 
That is, you don't want to cut off the whole rounded end. You want to leave some of it there.
 
The goal is just to create a big enough hole so you can comfortably draw on the cigar. Too small of a hole, and you won't be able to get enough smoke. Too much, and you'll burn through your cigar too fast, probably get a mouthful of tobacco, and may even cause your cigar to fall apart—and no one wants that!
 
The "cap" can also help you.
 
For premium cigars, the cap is three small leaves of tobacco wrapped around the end of the cigar and glued in place with vegetable paste. You might be able to make out the lines if you look close. Don't cut off the whole cap. Instead, just cut off a little bit, then you should be ready to light up.

What Should I Use to Cut My Cigar?

There are many types of tools and methods that can help you on your smoking journey, such as:

Cutters

Double blade, single blade, guillotine, v-cut… there are a ton of ways to achieve the perfect cut.
 
The most important thing is that you need something sharp. If your cutter gets dull, you'll have a hard time making precise cuts, and may crush your cigar instead of cutting it.

Scissors

You might feel a little strange using these… or, you might feel right at home. Again, you just need something sharp.

Punches

A cigar punch goes around the problem by avoiding a straight-line cut. Instead, you push the punch into the end of the cigar, wiggling it a bit, until you make a cut. Next, you push it a bit further to grab some of the end, and then you retract it. Voila, a cigar perfectly cut, ready for smoking.

Knife

In a pinch, you can use almost any sharp knife to make a cut. Of course, if you've got your bread knife out and you're sawing back and forth, you're probably headed in the wrong direction.
 
No matter the knife you choose, just be careful not to destroy your cigar in the process.
 

Ripping

This is pretty aggressive, but you could rip the tip off if you have nothing else around to cut your cigar.
 
Some cigars are actually made so that the cap can be peeled off, but if that is not the case for your stick, we highly recommend finding a cutting implement so you don’t ruin your precious smoke.

Biting

Hey, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. But if you bite your cigar, you've got a good chance of things going wrong.
 
Some folks with sharp fangs use them like punches and old school smokers definitely have bitten some cigars in their day, but this is probably a dividing line between "classy" smokers and those who are just trying to light up a stogie without too much fuss.
 
Our call? Do what you like. It's your smoke, after all. But don't be surprised if you get some weird looks at the party. If you're out to a nice dinner and you pop a straw into your wine, you'd probably get some sideways glances too.
 
You do you, my friend. Happy smoking!
 
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