There's also cigar scissors, which I've seen used rather effectively by the proprietor of my local B&M. He just sets the cigar, still in the cellophane, down on the counter on it's foot and uses the scissors to get a practically perfectly even cut every time. So if you either keep your cigars in the cello or have a clean surface you'd trust setting the foot of the cigar down on, using them that way seems like it would allow for a very easy and even cut. They also seem easier to use to "adjust" the cut if you make a boo-boo.

That said, never actually used a pair myself, so I can't say with certainty.

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In this kind of town, say you kick someone in the head. They'll just, well, they'll likely sue you... but mad? No, they don't get mad.

~ Gogol Bordello "Punk Rock Parranda"

many use a double guillotine with the cello still on

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

I finally bought a Xikar double blade cutter. Love it! Quick snip and blow to get rid of the loose tobacco and I am ready to smoke. I used to have a Colibri cutter with a punch and a v-cut on it, but V used to shred some of the cigars a little bet, and I never really got used to the punch cut on it.

I've noticed I have a tendency to make the first post of a new page in a thread... almost every other one of my last few posts did this.

Also, my main point mentioning the scissors was the way you grip them vs. a guillotine. It seems more natural to me, personally, and thus like it'd be easier to achieve a more precise cut.

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In this kind of town, say you kick someone in the head. They'll just, well, they'll likely sue you... but mad? No, they don't get mad.

~ Gogol Bordello "Punk Rock Parranda"

I think that's a good point, gdf. Most people are used to handling scissors. A guillotine, not so much. Scissors also use the bigger muscles in the hand, and bigger muscles tend to be steadier. I'm going to try a pair, one of these days.

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Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

From everything I have heard and read, it seems like scissors require a bit of skill to get a good scissor cut. Having never used a pair, I can't vouch for that though.

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"Beliefs are neat. Cherish them, but don't share them like they're the truth" Bill Hicks

I've got a couple of punches, a Xikar, and a Palio. I rarely ever punch, IMHO, to much build up of tar and nicotine in/near the opening. Between the Xikar and Palio, the Palio consistantly gives me a much better cut. As far as the "V" cut, I'd give it a try and the scissors would probably be cool once you got the "procedure" down.

ashmaster:

I rarely ever punch, IMHO, to much build up of tar and nicotine in/near the opening.

i punch almost every thing. I even smoke 60 ring gauge full bodied cigars with the punch. I dont get that build up. I do, however, smoke very dry.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

Help me out with "smoke very dry," kuzi. Are you talking about the RH you keep your humidor at, or something else?

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urbino:

Help me out with "smoke very dry," kuzi. Are you talking about the RH you keep your humidor at, or something else?

well, as many of you may know i keep my rh at 65% but "smoke dry"... hmmm how should i say this. no slober. i keep the end VERY dry. i found that this helps. Smoking slow also keeps the tar and drip down.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

Ah. Now I get it. Thanks. I guess I'm just the opposite. Smoking causes me to salivate pretty heavily. Not quite foaming at the mouth, though. It's a problem when I'm smoking a pipe, but I can't say I've ever noticed it causing one with a cigar. No tar, no drip, no errors. (Shout out to Johnny Bench.)

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Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

kuzi...I'm like you, when I'm done smoking, the foot is as dry as it was when it came out of the humi. Maybe I should give the punch more consideration.

urbino:

(Shout out to Johnny Bench.)

Cincinnati is my home town.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

j0z3r:

From everything I have heard and read, it seems like scissors require a bit of skill to get a good scissor cut. Having never used a pair, I can't vouch for that though.

Scissors are a precision tool and probably my next purchase will be a nice set of scissors. The trick is to use your thumb and ring finger in the holes. Place your middle finger just above the opening your ring finger is in this for steadying the scissors left to right. Now place your pointer finger on the top of the scissors at the pivot point of the two blades, use this finger for balancing the scissors up and down. Your hand should look like you are about to throw a forkball.