How much of the torpedo end do you typically clip off before smoking? I try to clip off as much as my cutter will handle without losing the whole shape. Any thoughts?

There is no cap so you can cut them as you like. This is my favorite shape cause it fits the best.
Cut it till it feels good I say.

I usually cut about 1/4 off, just enough to get a good draw..

They are my favorites as well. I feel guilty knowing only the master rollers get to work the shapes (they are a little more difficult to roll) and here we go snipping them off.

I'm with you. Go until it feels good.

it doesn't seem to bother rabbi's.

One thing to keep in mind when cutting a topredo (Belicoso) ...

The larger the cut, the cooler the smoke will be. The same can be said of a guillotine vs. punch cut. The smaller the hole the smoke has to travel through, the more concentrated it is going to be ...

I usually follow the same rule when I cut a torpedo as I do any other cigar ... and make the cut just above the shoulder.

Slim...where do you put the roachclip when you clip a torpedo at the shoulder? You might lose 1/2 to 3/4 inch of good smoke from an agressively tapered torpedo..LOL

... too funny.

The smaller the hole, the better!!! Whoops!
Charlie

... make that E-Charlie.

Slim, I think that's charlEE. LoL
Barry

I clip as little of the torp as I can and still open them up well ... in terms of ring-gauge, I would estimate that I'm creating about a 24+ opening ... never cut more than about 32 ring at the most extreme ...

Experiment ... try cutting them larger, smaller, whatever and decide how YOU like it best ... then do it that way, no matter what any of the rest of us do

My general rule is 3/4 of the diameter, works for me anyway...

Torpedos and Belicosos are my favorites and I clip as little as possible, using a X-kar that is very little! This enhances the cigar and makes it last longer (I think)!!! Help me Slim!

Charlie

Sounds like everyone does it different. I have never tried those cuts smaller than 1/2in. Also most people can't accuratlly judge 1/2in. Not you guys just a general observation.

Wow Charlie, not even a slap on the wrist! Slim's slipping...

I also cut just above the shoulder...If I cut higher, then I don't get enuff smoke-..If I cut too low (below the shoulder) then like all cigars, the wrapper can unravel

I only use a "V" cut on a torpedo.

I never tried the V-cut or punch fads. Dont think i'd like em for a torpedo.

V-cuts and Punch cuts are not 'fads' ... they've been around for a long time ...

The 'punch' cutter is ideal in several respects. It gives you a wide enough
hole to get a good clean draw and leaves the round outer rim of the cap intact.
The key here is to buy a good quality punch that has a very sharp blade
(some manufacturers sell replacement blades). It's also one of the simplest
cutters to use. Just place it against the head of the cigar and twist gently.
As you twist the cutter out, you should get a nice clean recessed hole about 1/4"
in diameter. These are great for wide-body cigars like, Toros, Churchills and Robustos.
The only drawbacks to using this cutter is that if the cigar is dry, the pressure of
twisting the cutter, even gentle twisting, can crack the head of the cigar. They don't
do well on slim cigars like Panatelas or small cigars due to the narrow ring sizes
and you can't use a punch at all on a Pyramid because of the pointed head. Suffice it to say,
Punch cutters are great 'starting pitchers', but you should also have a straight cutter
standing by in the bull pen.

The 'V' cutter is a very cool tool both in concept and practicality. When used properly, like a
punch cutter it will also give you a nice clean cut while preserving the round edge of the wrapper cap.
The 'V' cut forms a straight, 1/8" wide, wedge-shaped slice that goes into the body of the cigar at a
depth of about a 1/4 inch. This deeper cut opens more surface area of the filler creating a bigger and
more 'luxurious' draw. What's nice about this type of cutter is there's no guesswork involved. You just
place the cigar against the indentation on the cutter and press the lever. Voila! If you use a 'V' cutter
on a narrow ring cigar it will slice across the entire cap from edge to edge. On a large ring cigar, it will
cut a nice neat slice in the middle of the head preserving the round outer rim of the cap. If the blade is
really sharp, the cap should stay intact regardless of ring gauge. The 'V' cut is especially good to use
on figurados like Pyramids and Torpedos because it slits open the head without chopping off too much
of the point. The main thing with the 'V' cutter is, you have be sure to buy one that's really sharp, not
only to get the cleanest cut possible, but because of it's design, you can't sharpen or usually replace
a 'V' cutter blade.