There's not just one way enjoy your cigar, but sometimes you want to enjoy it the way it was intended to be smoked
Table of Contents
How to Cut a Cigar with a Traditional Cap
How to Cut a Cigar with a Tapered Cap
How to Cut a Cigar with a Pigtail Cap
How to Cut a Cigar with a Fantail Cap
How to Cut a Cigar with a Chisel Tip
How to Cut a Cigar with a Flat Cap
The Tools of the Trade
Fortunately for us, there is no shortage of fine cutlery when it comes to cutting cigars. Here are some of the most common tools:
- Guillotine Cutter (aka Straight Cutter)
- V Cutter
- Punch Cutter
- Cigar Scissors
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These cigar cutters represent the broad spectrum of official tools but this isn't an exhaustive list. Throughout history, cigar smokers have used everything from their teeth to virtually any sharp object to remove the cap and enjoy their cigar.
Cigars have two sides, a foot and a head. The foot is the side that you will light and the head is side that you will need to cut. The head is also the side that you will place in your smoke when smoking a cigar.
Continue reading below for an explanation on how to cut every cigar in any situation.
How to Cut a Traditional Cigar:
Preferred Methods: Straight Cutter, V-cutter, Punch Cutter
Alternative Methods: Teeth, Fingernails, Sharp Objects
Realistically, this type of cigar will probably be what you’re cutting the majority of the time. Parejo (as pictured above) cigars are most often tripled-capped but can be single or even double-capped. Most rolling methods apply the cap over the wrapper leaf, but some methods do tuck the cap into the wrapper. For our purposes today, the only thing that matters is whether your cigar has one or more caps.
If your cigar has only one cap like our friends at Padron are found of, a punch cut is often discouraged. This is because a single cap is less sturdy than when two or more are applied, and a punch will often result in more surface area being affected than you bargained for.
But if your cigar has two or more caps, feel free to utilize any device to remove enough of the cap to enjoy your cigar. This includes, but is not limited to, your favorite cigar cutter, fingernails, teeth, and virtually anything sharp. If you’ve never had to become creative when cutting a cigar, the usual rule of thumb is that less is more: you don’t need to remove the entire surface area, just enough that you are satisfied with the draw.
And, if you’re using a straight cutter, the same rule applies. The goal is to remove the smallest amount of the cap possible to enjoy your cigar. If you cut below the cap, the wrapper can unravel and ruin your experience. A good thing to remember is that if your cigar has a flat head after you’ve cut the cap, you’ve cut too far (unless your cigar choice was the RoMa Craft Neanderthal which features a flat head.)
How to Cut Tapered Cigars:
Preferred Method: Straight Cutter, Deep V-Cutter
Alternate Method: Angled Cut
For our purposes today, tapered cigars include figurados such as Torpedos, Pyramids, Belicosos, Shark, Special T, and 109 caps. The purpose of these shapes is to taper the head in a way that changes a cigar’s airflow and alters the flavor profile.
Tapered cigars allow you to adjust your cut for airflow, but it’s recommended to not get carried away. The number one mistake that new cigar smokers make when cutting a Pyramid or Torpedo is to transform the head into a parejo shape by cutting too deep. This will unravel the wrapper and effectively rain on your parade.
Many fans of tapered cigars enjoy using a deep V-cutter. An alternate method for Pyramids and Torpedos is to use a straight cutter to cut at an angle, noticeably changing the airflow. You can then rotate the angled cut up or down to your preference.
How to Cut Pigtail Cigars:
Preferred Method: Twist ‘n’ Pull
Alternate Method: Cut to your preference
The pigtail cap, sometimes called a curly head, is where function and fashion pair up for a home run. Not only is it pleasing to the eye, but it’s also a lifesaver when you leave home without your cigar cutter.
This cap can be applied in different ways visually, but they all can be twisted, pulled, or pried off to produce a small hole in the wrapper.
How to Cut Fantail Cigars:
Preferred Method: Pull
Alternate Method: Cut to your preference
A fantail cap, also known as a flag-style cap, is made so that you can simply pull it from your cigar and get right down to business. It even comes with a handle!
Just grasp the fan (or flag) between two fingers and pull upwards to enjoy your cigar.
How to Cut Chisel Cigars:
Preferred Method: Pinch, Punch
Alternate Method: Cut to your preference
One of the cigar worlds more recent innovations, Litto Gomez introduced the Chisel Tip in 2003. Technically this is a figurado shape, but it’s so different than the others that we decided to cover it separately. LFD’s trademark describes the chisel as, “a flattened figurado with a head that looks like a hand tool or the mouthpiece of a woodwind instrument.”
Litto’s favorite way to cut this cigar is to pinch it from the sides until the wrapper splits and creates an airway. As an alternative, he also recommends using a punch on the top, bottom, or both of the flat sides to create unique experiences. And, of course, you can always cut it like normal if it doesn’t work out.
How to Cut Flat Cigars:
Preferred Method: Razor Blade
Alternate Method: Cut to your preference
Made famous in the U.S. by CAO’s Flathead and RoMa Craft’s Neanderthal, the flat cap has thrown many enthusiasts for a loop in recent years. In fact, RoMa Craft included a razor blade in each box of Neanderthals to assist with the cutting process.
The flat cap can also be cut with a shallow v-cutter, punch cutter, or straight cutter – but the level of difficulty increases from left to right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you cut both ends of a cigar?
No. Some cigars will feature a closed or covered foot, giving the appearance that both ends should be cut. Only one end of the cigar should actually be cut, and that's the end that you will be smoking your cigar from. Usually a band will be placed on the side that you cut. The infographic below details where to cut the cigar and where to light it.
How to cut a cigar without a cutter?
As mentioned in cutting a traditional cigar, you don't have to use official cigar accessories to cut a cigar. While best practice is to use tools specifically designed to cut a cigar, everyone has ran into a situation where they have a cigar without a cutter.
The easiest way to cut a cigar without a cutter is to use your teeth. Instead of pulling or ripping the cigar, however, use your incisor teeth to create a shallow V shape cut in the cigar. Focus on scraping away the wrapper tobacco, being careful not to bite too hard and crack the cap.
If you have access to a sharp fingernail or loose nail, these could also be used to scrape away enough tobacco to smoke your cigar. Nails offer more control and flexibility to teeth at minimize your chances of ruining the cigar.
Which end of a cigar do you smoke?
You smoke the end of the cigar that you cut. If you have a precut cigar, usually the side that you smoke will be identified with a band.
Can you use scissors to cut a cigar?
Yes you can! Preferrably cigar scissors, as they're sharper and created specifically for this purpose. Normal scissors are duller, thicker, and must be used in a non-traditional way to cut a cigar. If you attempt to cut a cigar with scissors the way that you would cut paper, it will split the head and possibly ruin your cigar.
If you must use scissors, use it like you would your fingernail to scrape away enough of the cap to be able to smoke your cigar.
Do you have to cut a cigar to smoke it?
Yes. In most instances, premium cigars will feature a cap that you will need to cut before you are able to smoke it. There are some instances of cigars being pre-cut, however, in which case you won't need to perform any additional cuts.
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