How to Clean a Cigar Cutter

As you continue to clip your cigars with the same cigar cutter, after a while you may notice one or all of the following:

If you think that tossing it in the trash can is the solution, whoa, not so fast! All your cutter may need a good cleaning. Even if you use a cheapo, freebie cigar cutter, a decent cleaning will help improve its performance. It’s easy to do, works on every type of cutter, including scissors, and takes about five minutes. All you need are cotton swabs, rubbing alcohol, and some graphite lubricant.

For cigar smokers who use Xikar “X-type” cutters: Because the blades are so sharp on these cutters it takes a long time for them to dull, so cleaning is usually the most you have to do. With the bottom of the cutter (the narrow end) facing up, apply a very small amount of graphite oil where the blades are held together by the hex screw. You can also apply a little bit of lube under the open/close button. You’ll notice that the cutter now opens much more quickly. This method can also be used for similarly designed cigar cutters.

Finally, in case you were a little sloppy, make sure you have completely removed all traces of lubricant on any of the exposed areas of the cutter. That’s pretty much it. You may have just saved yourself from having to purchase a new cutter. Instead, use that money to pick up a few good cigars.