Rolling Habanos

[ArizonaDave]

I also like to wet and stick it to the marble then gently stretch it out as far as possible then cut the wrapper shape (filet) and leave it stuck for a few minutes to let the wrinkles relax. Take a paper towel and blot away the moisture from the leaf and it's ready to go. So it's not sopping wet when it's rolled just damp and stretchy. Comes out much flatter and smoother. Drys out over night. If it's too wet it seems to be more delicate and wants to tear more easily.

Interesting. I'm not usually a dumpster diver, but was about 3 years ago when they were building this neighborhood. I asked permission from the builder, and the house next door had a marble slab about 5 ft by 3 ft, so I dove in. It only had a chip in the corner, and they discarded the whole piece. It'll fit right over the desk I'm using now. It's sitting in the garage waiting for me to transfer it into my rolling room.

Here in Arizona, the humidity is so low, if I fully wet the wrapper, in an hour, all the moisture has evaporated off the top of the leaf, but still pliable. I'm thinking it's time to clean up the slab and bring it in for good use. My wife wouldn't want me cutting on the kitchen counter, so this is a good Idea. Thanks Gdaddy! And Ben!

 

[Bruck]

I also like to wet and stick it to the marble then gently stretch it out as far as possible then cut the wrapper shape (filet) and leave it stuck for a few minutes to let the wrinkles relax. Take a paper towel and blot away the moisture from the leaf and it's ready to go. So it's not sopping wet when it's rolled just damp and stretchy. Comes out much flatter and smoother. Drys out over night. If it's too wet it seems to be more delicate and wants to tear more easily.

I do a similar thing, but with a stainless steel tray. One technique I've stumbled upon is to lift the cigar slightly while holding the wrapper taut and rolling (does that make sense?), for better smoothness.

 

[ArizonaDave]

I do a similar thing, but with a stainless steel tray. One technique I've stumbled upon is to lift the cigar slightly while holding the wrapper taut and rolling (does that make sense?), for better smoothness.

That's a little closer to what I do, minus the SS tray, But am thinking of moving that marble slab indoors to work on though. I lift the cigar slightly on the Entubados, but not so much on the small Cigars I've been making out of scraps.

 

[Bruck]

That's a little closer to what I do, minus the SS tray, But am thinking of moving that marble slab indoors to work on though. I lift the cigar slightly on the Entubados, but not so much on the small Cigars I've been making out of scraps.

Another thing I picked up while watching a vid on the Cuban tobacco industry is that they use the outer part of the wrapper leaf for their export cigars & the inner part (closer to the main vein, where the subveins are thicker) for domestic sale.

 

[ArizonaDave]

Another thing I picked up while watching a vid on the Cuban tobacco industry is that they use the outer part of the wrapper leaf for their export cigars & the inner part (closer to the main vein, where the subveins are thicker) for domestic sale.

That's an interesting observation! I've noticed that even the binder was steam pressed somehow, I started using oak boards clamped together, works fine for me. If I'm not handing them out, I don't bother with the boards.

 

[deluxestogie]

In one of the gazillion cigar factory videos that I've seen, one in particular showed a worker seated at what appeared to be the sort of double-ironing board steam press used in many commercial laundries. One leaf at a time, the worker pressed them flat for about 1 second, then placed the perfectly flat leaf onto a stack.

My interpretations is that a totally unskilled worker can use the steam pressing board to reduce the rolling time required by the more skilled (higher paid) torcedors.

Just allowing a binder or wrapper to fully come into case eliminates the need to flatten the leaves by other means.

Bob

 

[ArizonaDave]

Just allowing a binder or wrapper to fully come into case eliminates the need to flatten the leaves by other means.

Bob

Once again Bob, you're a wealth of information! What does "Fully come into case" mean?
Haven't been needing the boards since I bought wrapper. I should have specified that it was used for seco.

 

[deluxestogie]

Once again Bob, you're a wealth of information! What does "Fully come into case" mean?
Haven't been needing the boards since I bought wrapper. I should have specified that it was used for seco.

Once again...

• high case = floppy, stretch and damp
• medium case = flexible with a slight stretch, not damp
• low case = just flexible enough to not crumble

filler in low case
binder in medium case
wrapper in high case

Bob

 

[ArizonaDave]

Once again...

• high case = floppy, stretch and damp
• medium case = flexible with a slight stretch, not damp
• low case = just flexible enough to not crumble

filler in low case
binder in medium case
wrapper in high case

Bob

I can see clearly now.......the brain fog has left the building!

 

[quo155]

I can see clearly now.......the brain fog has left the building!

...I can see all tobaccos getting rolled away...



(we'll see if anyone "hears" that!)

 

[moscca]

In this movie you can see how they get the leaves through a machine apparently to make them flat :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeLhVdSVGlA



Jan.

 

[deluxestogie]

That is an excellent video of the Camacho factory. It contains some interesting philosophical commentary on cigar blending and presentation. The device into which the leaf is being fed, one at a time, is a stemming machine.

Bob

 

[moscca]

That is an excellent video of the Camacho factory. It contains some interesting philosophical commentary on cigar blending and presentation. The device into which the leaf is being fed, one at a time, is a stemming machine.

Bob

Thanks Bob, so this machine only removes the stem and is not for flatting the leave ?



Jan.

 

[deluxestogie]

...so this machine only removes the stem and is not for flatting the leave ?

The machine contains two tilted cutting wheels inside, near the centerline. The operator simply aligns the stem, makes sure the lamina are not crossing the center, and inserts the leaf. Zip! No stem.

Bob

 

[quo155]

I take it that these leaves would have been properly dried in that the stem is not "wiggly"? I'm not seeing how a machine can follow a stem that zig zags back and forth like many of my wrapper leaves seem to do. Maybe I'm missing something...

 

[deluxestogie]

...follow a stem that zig zags back and forth like many of my wrapper leaves seem to do.

The leaves have apparently been brought into high case slowly enough for the stem to fully hydrate-->no zig zags.

Bob

 

[quo155]

The leaves have apparently been brought into high case slowly enough for the stem to fully hydrate-->no zig zags.

Bob

Bob, ok...that makes more sense.

I was just curious but my curiosity had confused me!

Thank you for helping my pea brain this morning!

 

[rainmax]

Recently I have watched great documentary movie written and directed by James Orr hosted by James Suckling. The heart and soul of Cuba. In this movie you can find lots of details and answered question.
I watch it few times and I like it so much that I wrote email to James Suckling and ask him if I can upload original movie on our forum but I get negative answer (Thank you for the kind message. Unfortunately we can’t allow you to use the movie since it’s under copyright. However, premium members of JamesSuckling.comcan watch the video here:http://www.jamessuckling.com/cigars-heart-and-soul-of-cuba.html).

Yesterday I found it on Youtube and there are Italian subtitles, sorry, so here it is if you understand Spanish or PM:

 

[rainmax]

I found great movie with one probably the best Cuban cigar roller. I think you know of whoom I'm talking about. Here is 4 minutes and 18 seconds with this pearson in privacy.

 

[Smokin Harley]

Recently I visited Cuba. I didn't have time for touristic trips but I made interesting video how to roll cigars on Cuban way. I believe it is not so difficult once you're skilled. You will find most important things in one place. We have very good whole leaf tobacco and I have some good results with it. In this video you can see how to prepare and mix tobacco for filler and how to roll it in the binder. Taste and aroma, strength and combustion, and the look. The lady on the video is using tobacco mold and everything looks so easy. It was very important for me how they finish cigar and I have never find good movie which shows the detail. Making cap with flag in the end was question for me for a long time. I think I make great video enough to show you the way. If you find it helpful for you than roll the cigar.