SPLIT CIGAR WRAPPERS REPAIRED LIKE A SURGEON
By David Garofalo
It happens, especially here in New England, with all the climate changes during the year. An old saying around here says “if you don’t like the weather here in New England, don’t worry… it’ll change soon.” Weather change can and does play havoc on your cigars, some worse than others.
Have you ever been smoking a cigar and all of a sudden…POP, the cigar wrapper just splits?
Cigar wrapper splitting can be caused by a few things but there is a common misconception which is the cigar is dry. Under humidifying a cigar would actually cause the opposite effect… pruning. This can make the wrapper wavy and prune-like in appearance and it is doubtful it will burst open. Lack of humidity will cause a cigar to contract not expand which is what causes the cigar to split.
Over humidifying a cigar, usually over 72% humidity will cause this to happen, depending on the thickness and elasticity of the wrapper but when you pick up a perfect cigar with no visible splits in the wrapper this can still happen. Once you’ve changed the humidity and temperature level of the tobacco inside the wrapper, the cigar is going to expand.
POP… it happens. Does it mean the construction of the cigar is bad? Probably not in most cases. The change in temperature with the relative humidity inside the cigar changes and it expands and if the wrapper is thin and tight…POP.
If you just keep on smoking that cigar as you usually do, as the heat burns up the cigar, the split usually just keeps getting longer, just like a crack in a window unless you act like a surgeon… a cigar surgeon.
Cauterization is a medical procedure used to seal off a wound or incision by burning it to close off a part of it, which destroys some tissue in an attempt to mitigate bleeding and damage. For a cigar smoker with a wounded or split cigar it’s much the same problem and solution.
You may or may not know that a premium cigar in held together by just a small amount of pectin which acts as a tasteless glue. When applied to the cap, or head of the cigar at one end and a small amount at the other end or foot of the cigar holds it together. Actually, beside the band, it’s the only thing that keeps the cigar from unraveling altogether. Understanding that, why doesn’t the cigar unravel while you’re smoking it? Once you’ve burned past the small amount of pectin holding the foot together it should unravel but it doesn’t. It’s simply because it has cauterized itself as you smoke it down.
When the split happens it’s not cauterized in the split. It is not burning where it is split and it will simply keep splitting and just ruin your whole experience with that cigar… but it doesn’t have to be that way. You need to act like a cigar surgeon and cauterize the wound.
To do this properly, a single jet flame lighter works best for its pin point accuracy, but a duel flame, soft flame or even a match can do in a pinch. Anything is better than doing nothing but watching the cigar fall apart in front of your eyes.
At the bottom on the split, begin to touch the flame ever so slightly to the split and work your way up very quickly. Be sure to get both sides of the split. Now wipe the remaining ash you just created away from the wrapper gently. The split has been cauterized and you should expect the cigar to burn without causing the split to grow. When the burn reaches the end of the split your problem is gone. It will burn past it and burn correctly through the remaining part of the cigar.
This cool little trick should improve your smoking know-how when these little bumps in the road mess with you cigar smoking experience. Play cigar surgeon and amaze you friends without medical school.
