You can cut a cigar in more than one way. However, an uneven or jagged cut can leave you with ruined smoke; that’s where a cigar punch cutter comes in handy.
But what is a punch or bullet cutter?
A punch cutter is a cylindrical blade used to cut the cigar cap from the center.
The cut leaves a small opening that allows the person to smoke.
Many people carry a cigar punch easily in their pocket due to its small size. Or attach it to their keychain if it features a ring or loop.
This is a pretty damn convenient way to carry your essential cigar-smoking accessory everywhere you go!
How to Cut with a Cigar Punch in 5 Steps
Everyone has their own preferences and how they prefer smoking their cigars.
Especially if you are a beginner just starting, we recommend following these steps to perfectly do the punch cut technique.
- Open the cap of the cutter and expose the blade.
- Place the blade in the middle of your cigar cap. Make sure that the blade is extended and firm. You want to avoid pressing and damaging the whole cap.
- Now, gently press the blade into the cigar’s cap and twist it. Try not to force the blade too much into the cap. Too much pressure can crack the cigar’s wrapper leaf. So, apply a bit of force and twist to make the incision.
- Gently pull back the cigar punch and remove the leaf from the blade. It will leave you with a clean, round hole.
- Clean the cutter of any leftover wrapper, and light up the cigar.
The Benefits of Using a Cigar Punch to Cut a Cigar
A cigar punch cutter is ideal for cigar aficionados that want accuracy, simplicity, control, and no unraveling.
It gives you control over the depth of the cut to perfect the draw and flavor. And it works for almost any size and shape of a cigar.
Another benefit of a punch cutter is that when you use it to cut a cigar, it will only cut out the center of the cigar, leaving the rest of the cap unharmed.
The small hole gives the smoker a more intensified puff.
A punch cutter also prevents the tobacco from falling off, leaving less mess in your mouth when you put a cigar in.
In comparison, a V-cutter can cause the cigar to unravel because not every cigar has a deep cap.
It also leaves your mouth exposed to tobacco, which can cause irritation while smoking.
Many argue about the draw it provides. But that all comes down to your personal preference. We’ll talk about that in just a minute.
Also, a punch cutter is a perfect choice when you smoke a cigar with a standard Parjeo shape. However, you can’t use it for Figurados due to their tapered shape.
Punch Cut Draw Compared to Other Methods
A punch cut’s draw is often perceived to be more concentrated than those of other cutting techniques.
Read More: Cigar Punch vs. Straight Cut vs. V-Cut
Such as a straight or guillotine cut.
This tighter draw can intensify the cigar’s taste and offer a more profound smoking experience.
A too-tight draw, on the other hand, might make it challenging to savor the cigar smoothly.
Adjusting the depth of the punch cut may strike the appropriate balance between a tight and perfect draw.
Of course, you can always make more holes on the surface of the cap. Some prefer up to four punch cuts on larger cigars.
Different Punch Cutter Sizes and Forms
Punch cutters come in different sizes. However, each punch cutter serves the same purpose.
The type of cigar cutter you choose depends on your personal choice.
Some have a blade with a larger border, and these make a large opening on the cap allowing the person to draw easy puffs.
Such punch is ideal for bigger cigars. Some cutters have foldable blades, and some come with a cap that covers the blade.
Companies like Xikar, Colibri, Davidoff, and Visol create cigar lighters with built-in punch cutters.
