Place the blade down on the cigar. To cut the cigar, you’ll have to cut into the cap, which is placed on the head of the cigar to keep it from drying out. Ideally, you’ll be using a guillotine (a single-blade cutter), but you can also use a really sharp knife or blade. Don’t use dull scissors, your teeth, or a butter knife unless you want to tear the cigar. Just tap the head (or the cap) of the cigar with the blade to put it in position. Don’t cut into it yet. Aim the blade to the place where the cigar meets the wrapper, which would keep the cap from falling off.
Cut the cigar with one “chop”. The goal in cutting it is to let yourself smoke the cigar without ruining its original shape. Hold the cigar with one hand and the guillotine with the other. Place the head of the cigar into the guillotine and cut into its cap, about 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch (.15to .3 cm) down. Slice off the the cap (or head) in one quick chop. If you do it more slowly or tentatively, you’ll be more likely to tear the wrapper.