Cigar (making) Molds

[Stewmuse]

How do cigar rollers get their cigars to be so perfectly straight and round? They use wooden, or now becoming commonplace, plastic molds. A rolled bunch of leaves is placed into a corresponding mold channel. When that row of cigars is full, a top is placed onto the mold. The cigars and molds are then tightly pressed, putting a straight, smooth, and consistent size to each cigar. You do not HAVE to use a mold to roll a cigar, but they will greatly increase your ability to roll attractive, consistent sized cigars.

[star644]

deleted

[Stewmuse]

When you put your rolled cigar bunches into a mold and press the two halves together, your leaves will be further compressed. This often results in a narrow crease along each side of the cigar where the mold halves meet. Rollers will, after a period of time in the mold, rotate each cigar 90degrees and then re-press the cigars, thus eliminating the crease. In the photo below, you can see this crease on the cigars on the left, which have already been rotated.

[Stewmuse]

Happy little soldiers waiting to be cut, wrapped, and capped. All Nicaraguan fillers, Ecuadoran binder and wrapper.

[IWinchester]

Very cool! Can't wait to taste your new blends

[Stewmuse]

Thanks, Ian, but i think you've had these already, the Nicaraguan labeled ones?

[IWinchester]

Nope, I had c-c-d (11-13), mild bunch (2-14), and fire cured (9-13). They didn't say nicaragua on them as far as I can see…

[Stewmuse]

Well, we should rectify that soon. I can add some to the trade you offered for the Fire Cured sticks...

[Stewmuse]

The finished cigars from above. Ten 5 x 50s and eight 6.5 x 48. Labels soon...

[Stewmuse]

If you are looking for plastic molds, WholeLeafTobacco.com has a few ("slightly used" they say) available on their website at a very good price:

http://www.wholeleaftobacco.com/Profess ... edmlds.htm

They also carry wooden ones, tho their prices are not very good.