How to Cut Cuban Cigars

There are a few different ways to cut Cuban cigars, and each uses a different tool.

The most common way to cut Cuban cigars is with a guillotine cutter. This produces a straight across cut which provides a clean, open drawing area and disperses the smoke to avoid "bite". Guillotine cutters come with a single or double blades. I prefer the double bladed varieties as they tend to give a better cut. Most guillotine cutters will have stainless steel or titanium blades and come with a lifetime guarantee. Make sure you buy a cutter that will accommodate the size of cigar you like to smoke!
Using a guillotine cutter:
Hold the cutter in one hand and your Cuban cigar in the other. Insert the cigar into the cutter so that you can snip the tip without cutting the body, as this would cause the body to unravel. If new to this, try placing the cutter on a table top and inserting the Cuban cigar to snip. This should produce the correct depth.

My favorite cutting tool is a V cutter or wedge. This is similar to a guillotine cutter, but the shape of the blades removes a "V" shaped wedge from the cigar tip, providing ample area for proper air circulation, while keeping the bitter tars at the deep end of the "V" and away from your tongue.
Using a V cutter is the same as using a guillotine cutter.

Another cutting tool is cigar scissors. They produce a cut like a guillotine cutter but look like a set of scissors. Some people think they look sophisticated, or find them easier to use. I personally think guillotine cutters look better and are easier to use. Try them yourself and see if they work for you.

Another way to remove the cap from your Cuban cigar is with a cigar punch. Punching is the process of removing a round hole in the cap of a cigar. In theory, this little hole directs the flavor of the Cuban cigar to the appropriate area of your palate. This is my least favorite method of cap removal, as I find that the intense jet of smoke produces a rather sharp "bite" as it hits the tip of the tongue. Cigar punches can be good to use on under-filled Cuban cigars, reducing the amount of smoke that will be drawn.
Using a cigar punch:
Extend the blade of your punch by pushing the plunger or twisting the body of the punch. Carefully push the punch into the cigar cap while gently rotating the Cuban cigar. If you apply to much pressure to the punch or hold the Cuban cigar too firmly, you can cause the Cuban cigar to unravel. You only need to remove about 1/16" of the cigar cap. Remember to remove the cap from the cigar punch after use. Most cigar punches have a cap removal. Usually it is an ejecting button that retracts the blade, or twisting the body to retract the blade. This will cause the cap to pop out.