One end of a cigar is sealed with a cap to prevent it from getting dried up. This means you need to cut off the cap before smoking it. For this purpose, specially designed cutters known as cigar cutters are used. It may happen that you are traveling and forgot to pack your cigar cutter, or you are on a camping trip but forgot to bring your cigar cutter with no hope of getting one. In such cases, your inevitable conclusion is that you cannot smoke your favorite cigars. This is not the case, as you can cut your cigar even without a cutter.
Consider these methods if you are wondering about how to cut cigar without cutter.
Thumbnail
This method can be used if you have a decent length of the thumbnail. You can also seek help from a lady companion if your thumbnails are very short.Use a corner of your thumbnail to cut an incision or a groove around the cap. Do not go below the cap line; avoid digging too deep inside the cigar. Loosen it enough for peeling away gently. The cap is attached to the wrapper leaf, so do not tear the cap forcefully.
Pocket knife
A pocket knife comes in handy on camping and other trips, and many people like to carry one. Even if you do not carry a pocket knife, you can always borrow one to cut your cigar. Place the blade of the knife above and parallel to the cap line. The cap line is the junction between the cap and the body of the cigar. Do not place the blade below the cap line to avoid damaging the cigar. Gently push the blade against the cigar to the extent that it makes a shallow cut on the surface. Now start rotating the cigar against the blade to cut around the circumference of the cap. Apply just enough pressure on the knife to keep it steady during the rotation of the cigar.Rotating the cigar 2-3 times is sufficient except if the blade is blunt. Blunt blade necessitates more rotations to cut off the cap. The cigar can also be placed on a solid surface and rotated provided the blade is very sharp. Finally, peel the cap in the upward direction by grasping its cut end. Gently remove the cap to expose the tobacco.
Another method is to cut the letter X on the cap. Gently place the blade on the cap and make a horizontal slice followed by a vertical slice, which crosses the horizontal slice. The X-shaped slice allows enough air for you to draw on the cigar.
Hole
A hole can be poked on the cigar cap using a pointed object such as a screwdriver, golf tee, pen, toothpick, paperclip, etc. First, you should place the cigar’s cap end in your mouth and lick the cap as you rotate the cigar. This will moisten the cap and help in poking a hole. Now insert the pointed end of whichever tool you are using into the center of the cap. Take a draw on the cigar. If you can inhale without many efforts, then it is fine. Otherwise, you would need to poke 1-2 extra holes to improve airflow.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to cut cigar without cutter, you can easily smoke one whenever and wherever you want. But it is important to ensure that you do not make a wrong cut, or else the wrapper leaf will peel off.