Just a quick report on my experience with the Shuriken to date. I decided to try this on three cigars so far.
The first one was a 2000'ish CC and the cap cracked. This doesn't surprise me because most of the CC's I have from around that time either are plugged, get cracked caps/heads, or both.
The second was a 2011 AF 858 SG. It cut just fine. There was quite a bit of tar buildup, but this is not unusual for Fuente's Opus, Anejo, SG's, etc. I get a lot of tar with many Fuente products I smoke regardless of the cut. None of the tar actually got in my mouth, unlike other cuts I've used in the past. The draw was great, but I had to insert the cigar into my mouth further than usual. It was awkward at first, but the awkwardness quickly faded. More on the draw at the end of this post.
The third attempt was on a Padron 1000 series, box pressed, smaller RG (longsdal'ish). Because of the box press I had to insert it into the cutter twice, since only three of the blades cut the first time. This time there a little tar one time. The draw was phenomenal when I puffed on the cigar "sideways." I thought the smaller RG would be less preferable with this cut, but it actually served to be much better.
People were really wondering about the draw, possible damage, and the tar with this cutter. As far as damage goes, I think that if a cigar is going to crack with this cutter that it is highly probable that it would have anyway. The tar on the Padron was minimal, and it was very fresh. The tar was heavy on the 858, but as I mentioned, I usually get tar with those anyway, and they are VERY wet right now.
As for the draw issue... After trying the Shuriken out I don;t think the draw control advertisement is a gimmick at all. If I bit down I got little smoke. If I bit down a lot I got copious amounts of smoke. If I bit down somewhere in between I would get volumes of smoke accordingly. By biting down I actually mean applying pressure. I never bit into my cigar. All in all, the draw is controllable using this cutter IMO, and depending on the cigar, could be loosened up when needed.
I only smoked two cigars with this, so my results are inconclusive. However, what I've seen so far I do like. I suggest that if anyone is curious about the Shuriken that they should snatch on up when they see one on sale. I like mine so far. It may not replace my Xikar or Palio, but it is a welcomed distraction, works as it is intended to, and is kind of fun as a functional novelty if nothing else.
Some final thoughts are these.
I wouldn't use this on a $100 cigar, or anything I know I will be nubbing, because the cuts go up about an inch. This is fine for most cigars that get a little meh at that point anyway, but I would not want to waste an inch of a cigar I normally would smoke down to and past the nub.
IDK how a draw tool would work in conjunction with this cut, but I think it might work okay. I'm sure if a DT can push through a plug then it should make it through the cap just fine.
I don't think this will be the next revolutionary cigar accessory, but if you can find one at a decent price, then why not grab one to pass around your herf crew? I got mine for less than I pay for many singles. Why not have a little bit of fun with the Shuriken? I know the BABOTL will likely get a kick out of this thing when we herf tomorrow. Hell, I may even start a box pass at some point soon and throw it in for the ride.
:-)
I started this post as a response to a question in another thread and it started to turn into a review, so I am making it just that. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will try my best to answer them.
[Reply]
I have since tried three more cigars with the Shuriken cutter. So far I noticed that this citter works extremely well with smaller RG and when not using sticks that are already known to tar up. I have also noticed that I don't have to place the smaller RG sticks as far into my mouth to open the draw up.
I'll be sure to report back more at a later time.
a) Cain Daytona corona. This one smoked VERY well with zero tar buildup and copious amounts of smoke. It worked like a charm.
b) Gran Habano Reserva (double corona?). This one smoked, but was mostly a fail. It took too much work to continuously clean the tar buildup. Other than that it smoked very well. That didn't matter when I had to wipe it every third draw. However, as long as I wiped it I got no tar in my mouth.
c) OR Viaje Exclusivo robusto. This one smoked like a charm the whole way down. I decided to try the cutter here because I thought it would be nice to smoke a cigar without lopping off the purdy pigtail for once. The experiment was a success and my precious little Excl. robo smoked down to a nub, pigtail in tact.
I also smoked a Berger and Argenti torpedo at one point to see how a torp would fare. I don't recall where in the time span it fell. After the first cut I didn't like the draw, so I rotated the head 180 degrees and cut it again. It worked out fine, but was just an unremarkable cigar.
Image
[Reply]
