The Filler is Piloto Cubano Dom Rep
Binder is Corojo 99
Wrapper is Connecticut Shade
Pics of your Sticks!! 2023-2024
- Thread starter Biglizard1
- Start date
Binder is Corojo 99
Wrapper is Connecticut Shade
Pumped out 5 more sticks today. 10/40+ done! This blend of “The Wannabe” is the following leaf:
Wrapper: CTBL
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler:
-1/2 leaf Nicaraguan Estelí Ligero
-1/2 leaf Nicaraguan Ometepe Ligero
-1x leaf Nicaraguan Condega Viso
-1x leaf Nicaraguan Jalapa Viso
-1x leaf Nicaraguan Ometepe Seco
Various lengths from 4 3/4”ish to 6”ish. Ring gauge is 50.
Wrapper: CTBL
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler:
-1/2 leaf Nicaraguan Estelí Ligero
-1/2 leaf Nicaraguan Ometepe Ligero
-1x leaf Nicaraguan Condega Viso
-1x leaf Nicaraguan Jalapa Viso
-1x leaf Nicaraguan Ometepe Seco
Various lengths from 4 3/4”ish to 6”ish. Ring gauge is 50.
You're working magic now!
Bob
Bob
Plinsc
Well-Known Member
There are some great looking cigars on this thread!
Wrapped up the remaining 4 sticks I had bound up for the last blend. PA wrappers. Nicaraguan binder. Various Nicaraguan fillers. Stick on the left is a hand rolled with just a paper strip to mold it.
Let’s see some more pics of sticks out there!
Let’s see some more pics of sticks out there!
Hey @mgirotra , you most definitely can. What I end up doing is whether they are from using paper strips to mold or an actual mold (sometimes the filler in the head of some sticks just end up being loose from time to time), is trim the head of the cigar in a rounded form. I use a cigar cutter in kind of a scissor form (pic below) to trim the head of the cigar body that is already bound. I’m sure you can use any other variation of scissor type of “tool” to help cut and form a rounded head.
While in my shed today, I noticed two stray leaves that I had apparently placed on a stack of junk at some unspecified time in the past. Both were clearly well color-cured: one somewhat lighter in color, and a smaller one a deep maduro. I carried them into the house, misted them, and put them into a bag to hydrate. On coming out, the lighter, larger leaf smelled like Corojo 99 (maybe), and the darker, smaller leaf like typical dark cigar leaf—perhaps Piloto Cubano or Olor. I detected a vague, mild rawness to the aroma.
I rolled both into a small cigar, with the probable Corojo 99 as the wrapper (no binder) and cap, and allowed it to dry down in the low humidity.
This stogie lit and burned okay, though not great. The taste seemed like a Corojo 99 wrapper. Nicotine strength was medium. Surprisingly, I found it enjoyable. My verdict is that the probable Corojo 99 leaf was likely from my 2022 crop, with a year in the shed, and that the darker leaf of whatever it is was from my 2021 crop.
Bob
Attempt 1
Attachments
That looks really good for a first attempt! Way better than my first shot at it.
Thanks buddy.. do you have a pic of how the bunch/doll looks after you trim the head and before wrapping ?
I don’t currently, but after dinner here, I’ll grab a couple sticks that I have bound up in paper strips and snap a few pics on the process that I do. I have a couple 1 gallon zip lock bags full of “scrap sticks” that I’ll take pics of the process here within the next hour or two. Hang tight brother!
@mgirotra Here are some pics. I’ll try to explain how I do it. If you want any additional pics or have questions, please ask! More than willing to help you or anyone for that matter.
I took 1 stick that is bound up and helped to form with paper strips. Ideally 1 inch to 2 inch width strips work best. I typically aim for 1- 1 1/2 inch width. I typically use newspaper or ads that are mailed that I no longer need.
These are “scrap sticks”. Filler is left over scrap filler from previous blends. Binder is extra binder or wrapper leaf that I had extra prepped up from previous blends. Most “scrap” binder or wrappers are in another bag that I use as “long filler”. “Scrap filler” I usually label as “short fill”, since the left over leaf is typically not as long as extra binder or wrapper leaf. Nice thing about paper strips is that you can write on the ends as to what consists in that stick.
Unraveled stick:
I cut off the ends at the head and foot. Roughly where the head & foot are even or have solid filler located. Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. In this case with “scrap filler” it’s a mixture of random bits of leaf. Main thing to consider is airflow and not binding it up too tight. I unravel the parts cut off from the head and foot and add them to the “scrap filler” bag as long as there is about and inch or so of leaf on the trimmed portions. Sometimes I just throw away the cut off sections if they are too small of sections.
I started with a 1 Gallon Zip Lock bag to put scrap filler in. Over a couple years, I upgraded to a 2 gallon Zip Lock bag. Which also doubles nicely when trying to “case up” leaf in regular blends.
Here is a picture of my “scrap filler” bag:
From here. I trim the head of the body of the cigar IN the direction of how the binder is set. If the binder leaf in the head goes towards the left, I trim to the left, if the direction is towards the right, I cut to the right. There really isn’t a perfect way to do it. In my opinion it depends on the binder and how well it sticks to the filler. Sometimes you can trim the head in the opposite direction. You just have to be aware of that when you apply the wrapper, so it doesn’t become more difficult or the binder unravel when you apply the wrapper.
Trimmed and rounded head of the body:
From here, the stick/body on the left is ready for a wrapper. I always try to match up the correct side wrapper leaf in orientation of the binder leaf on each stick/ body. I do reverse it from time to time, depending on what side of a wrapper leaf is available. It all really depends on what I have on hand. Sometimes reversing the wrapper leaf based on the binder orientation makes it a little more difficult. You just want to make sure the binder leaf doesn’t start unraveling based upon the direction you are trying to go.
I took 1 stick that is bound up and helped to form with paper strips. Ideally 1 inch to 2 inch width strips work best. I typically aim for 1- 1 1/2 inch width. I typically use newspaper or ads that are mailed that I no longer need.
These are “scrap sticks”. Filler is left over scrap filler from previous blends. Binder is extra binder or wrapper leaf that I had extra prepped up from previous blends. Most “scrap” binder or wrappers are in another bag that I use as “long filler”. “Scrap filler” I usually label as “short fill”, since the left over leaf is typically not as long as extra binder or wrapper leaf. Nice thing about paper strips is that you can write on the ends as to what consists in that stick.
Unraveled stick:
I cut off the ends at the head and foot. Roughly where the head & foot are even or have solid filler located. Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. In this case with “scrap filler” it’s a mixture of random bits of leaf. Main thing to consider is airflow and not binding it up too tight. I unravel the parts cut off from the head and foot and add them to the “scrap filler” bag as long as there is about and inch or so of leaf on the trimmed portions. Sometimes I just throw away the cut off sections if they are too small of sections.
I started with a 1 Gallon Zip Lock bag to put scrap filler in. Over a couple years, I upgraded to a 2 gallon Zip Lock bag. Which also doubles nicely when trying to “case up” leaf in regular blends.
Here is a picture of my “scrap filler” bag:
From here. I trim the head of the body of the cigar IN the direction of how the binder is set. If the binder leaf in the head goes towards the left, I trim to the left, if the direction is towards the right, I cut to the right. There really isn’t a perfect way to do it. In my opinion it depends on the binder and how well it sticks to the filler. Sometimes you can trim the head in the opposite direction. You just have to be aware of that when you apply the wrapper, so it doesn’t become more difficult or the binder unravel when you apply the wrapper.
Trimmed and rounded head of the body:
From here, the stick/body on the left is ready for a wrapper. I always try to match up the correct side wrapper leaf in orientation of the binder leaf on each stick/ body. I do reverse it from time to time, depending on what side of a wrapper leaf is available. It all really depends on what I have on hand. Sometimes reversing the wrapper leaf based on the binder orientation makes it a little more difficult. You just want to make sure the binder leaf doesn’t start unraveling based upon the direction you are trying to go.
You are amazing bro.. Thanks for taking out time to help a startling
Happy to help! I’ve learned from many folks here and am still learning myself. Just practice little amounts to a couple hour sessions a day. Practice, practice, practice is all I can say. I try to do something tobacco related every day when I’m not traveling for work. Wether it be prepping leaf, sorting leaf, binding, wrapping, and now started growing tobacco. Last year was my first year. What I’ve realized is that if you don’t make mistakes from time to time, you’re not learning!You are amazing bro.. Thanks for taking out time to help a startling
Always ask questions, be it big or small. The group here is very welcoming and I’m sure between everyone’s knowledge or even prior forum posts, most if not all answers are here. Keep it up brother! Also, post pics! I’ve found that helps with feedback.
