How much cigar wrapper?
- Thread starter HKRolling
- Start date
The overlap only needs to be about 3/8 inch (~8mm). I usually use a single wrapper atop a single binder.
Bob
Bob
GrowleyMonster
Creator of the Imperfecto
I bundle with two binders in separate operations. The first, which I like on the thin side and does not have to have a lot of strength or flexibility, I lay my filler pieces across, leaving the tips hanging out past the edge, and then just roll it all up like a cinnamon roll, just tightly enough to hold it together. The classic bundling styles just don't work that well for me unless I am rolling a parejo. Then I cut an S shape out of a stronger binder leaf to roll my usual short fattish perfecto shape, and my objective here is a proper draw and decent sealing. If I can get a great burn out of the stick even without a wrapper, then my binder is satisfactory to me. This binder sets the shape and draw. I do very little trimming, instead allowing the ragged ends of the bundle to coalesce into a nice point under the tension of the binder. The wrapper I cut in a somewhat more exaggerated S shape to accommodate the double taper's pointed head and foot while getting the wrapper applied smoothly with a good seal. Because of the pointed ends, the wrapper roll begins and ends with the cigar traveling in a distinct spiral path. I use a single wrapper unless the wrapper leaves are on the small side. Sometimes I reinforce the head with another piece, like a panuelo, but cut from the scrap from the same wrapper leaf. I don't worry about the foot too much, and in fact I like the foot a little on the loose side for a nice easy light. This also helps to differentiate the head from the foot, when I don't apply a band.
The first binder I usually just select from my filler leaves, so nothing special, doesn't have to be all that big, but small veins is a plus. So it's not really a binder at all except in the function of holding the bundle very loosely and roughly together about the middle. And that means in terms of supply I use one half binder leaf and one half wrapper leaf, usually something with a good amount of stretch and a nice light color. My wrapper preference runs to Connecticut Shade but next year I will be using some Monte Calme Yellow, Golden Burley, and Moldovan 456 from this year's crop, for wrappers. Those breeds put out nice big leaves of fairly good quality with a pleasing color, I also have a small quantity of Connecticut Broadleaf I grew this year that will mostly become wrappers and binders. I think my biggest leaves were from the Monte Calme Yellow plants so if I roll any longer cigars, they will probably be in the Monte Calme, but still only one wrapper.
I think you can have too much wrapper or binder. I would only double up if I was stuck with using smaller leaves or I tore a wrapper while rolling. I can't picture myself adding another binder.
The first binder I usually just select from my filler leaves, so nothing special, doesn't have to be all that big, but small veins is a plus. So it's not really a binder at all except in the function of holding the bundle very loosely and roughly together about the middle. And that means in terms of supply I use one half binder leaf and one half wrapper leaf, usually something with a good amount of stretch and a nice light color. My wrapper preference runs to Connecticut Shade but next year I will be using some Monte Calme Yellow, Golden Burley, and Moldovan 456 from this year's crop, for wrappers. Those breeds put out nice big leaves of fairly good quality with a pleasing color, I also have a small quantity of Connecticut Broadleaf I grew this year that will mostly become wrappers and binders. I think my biggest leaves were from the Monte Calme Yellow plants so if I roll any longer cigars, they will probably be in the Monte Calme, but still only one wrapper.
I think you can have too much wrapper or binder. I would only double up if I was stuck with using smaller leaves or I tore a wrapper while rolling. I can't picture myself adding another binder.
