The cut of a cigar should be made just above the line where the lid meets the wrapper – the cover tobacco sheet (for figural cigars about 3 mm below the top). The goal is clear – to make a hole wide enough to ensure flawless suction, and at the same time not to cut too much, because the cigar will begin to unwrap.

There are several tools that can be used to cut a cigar. The most popular is the "guillotine" type cutter - with a single or double blade. The alternative is a scissor cigar cutter. Another option is a "punch" - a cutter with a rounded blade that removes part of the cap that protects the shape of the "head".

V-shaped cutters are suitable for figural cigars. The lid should not be pierced with a matchstick or cocktail stick. This would cause the composite tobacco leaves to compact and generally would prevent the suction.