I have never had any interest in a shuriken. I just don't get it. However, I've seen just about everything used as cutters. First time I met Don Pepin, it was in his shpo in Little Havana. He cut me a petit corona with his thumbnail. Anyone else, that might have bothered me, but he knows what he's doing, and it was like watching well-done surgery performed with a butter knife. I've also seen some old timers use small pocket knives. I already managed to slice of a fingertip with a new mandolin and some potatoes, and that was back when both eyes worked, so that won't fly for me.
For me, it really depends on the cigar. Standard issue, I have to say the old guillotine cutter is still my go-to. I understand why folks like Palios. Nice and sharp, precision cut. However, even a cheap guillotine can do nicely, but it has to have 2 blades. One just doesn't...well, cut it. The tear-drop style cutters and similar designs also work quite nicely. For me, however, a guillotine with a solid backing is great, or just a regular 2 blade, resting the head of the cigar while standing the smoke vertically on a table or something flat and solid to get that slim, even cut. Figurados have to be cut a bit differently, of course, but there I tend to start small, test draw, then cut more if I need to.
That being said, not every cigar is rolled the same way. I love a v-cut with a cigar that tends to come apart at the head. That leaves more of the cap intact, and makes the smoke less likely to fall apart in my mouth. As long as the draw is not too tight, and I can get some decent light to see what the heck I am doing, a v cut is often very good, and you don't have to be super-precise. Just reasonably close to center and level.
I will use a punch for cigars that tend to have a looser roll (aka airy draw). That includes just about any Graycliff smoke, for example. and if I'm not sure, a punch that produces too little draw can always be improved with a v cutter or guillotine. You can remove material, but it's tougher to fix a cigar you've over-circumcised. For that matter, a v cut that doesn't produce enough draw can some times be fixed with a guillotine as well, if you're careful (but that can also go badly and leave you spitting out pieces of leaf for an hour). Has to be a real, actual purpose-built punch, BTW. I've tried punches that flip down from lighters. That's my last resort at best. Most usually put the cigar too close to the lighter and end up damaging the cigar (in my hands, anyway).
As for draw poker, I never could get one of those damned things to work right for me. Tried different brands. I've tried the cordless drill with a small, long bore bit, and work it from both ends, but I haven't tried that since losing sight in one eye, and that'd probably stop me from trying today. I'd rather toss out a smoke than pay the ER co-pay. However, I did find one secret that I will share, but I want to stress that these things are VERY sharp and VERY dangerous...upholstery needles. No kidding. Big, long needle, just thick enough to make a decent-sized hole, and long enough to cover any reasonable vitola. However, I cannot stress enough that you need to be very careful with these things if you try it. They are sharp and can go all the way through just about any body part in the way if you are not careful. Available at a jungle near you. In anticipation of a lawsuit, I will add: Do NOT try this at home. Nor anywhere else.
Of course for the old double-tapered figurado, you have to punch it in the middle and light both ends. Mo betta.
http://www.cigarbid.com/...39571/TG-smokes-a-Gurkha