| Cigarette smokers usually puff away during | | | | much more diverse in recent times, the |
| breaks at work, drives to the grocery store, | | | | essence of cigar smoking has remained |
| or yard work at home. Whereas cigarette | | | | unchanged. Cigars are often linked to |
| smoking is typically a pastime, cigar smoking | | | | celebrations of good luck and little |
| is a culture. People usually smoke cigars | | | | triumphs. While they have historically been |
| during special occasions, whether it is to | | | | considered as a rich person's pastime, cigars |
| celebrate a first child, seal a business | | | | have increasingly become more common in |
| deal, or enjoy a night of poker with one's | | | | modern culture. Also, you have probably heard |
| buddies. Further proof of how firmly | | | | of the phrase, "close, but no cigar." Do you |
| entrenched cigar smoking is in the American | | | | know where this expression comes from? The |
| culture is the fact that Red Auerbach lighted | | | | origin of the saying is the practice of |
| a ceremonial cigar after his Boston Celtics | | | | saving a cigar as a good luck charm, in hopes |
| won yet another basketball championship. | | | | of winning a bet made. Cigar Characters Other |
| Then, there's the wide circulation of cigar | | | | cigar legends involve people rather than |
| magazines like "Cigar Aficionado" in | | | | activities. For example, English King Edward |
| newsstands. These periodicals include | | | | VII loved smoking cigars despite opposition |
| features such as cigar ratings, international | | | | from his mother. One story reveals that after |
| tobacconists, and cigar-friendly restaurants. | | | | his mother passed away, King Edward regally |
| Considering how popular cigar smoking is, it | | | | announced to his male guests, "Gentleman, you |
| is, thus, only fitting to pay homage to cigar | | | | may smoke." It should be noted that they |
| cutters in much the same way tobacco | | | | probably used knives rather than cigar |
| aficionados pay their respects to the | | | | cutters. In King Edward's honor, an American |
| almighty Cuban. After all, cigar smoking | | | | brand of cigars was named after him. Another |
| begins with a cigar cutter's snip of the | | | | cigar legend is shown in the American sitcom |
| tobacco product. Cigar Hall of Fame One | | | | show "Seinfeld." A character, Kramer, is |
| reason cigar smoking has become more popular | | | | frequently shown smoking a cigar. In the 1992 |
| than ever could be the possibility that | | | | movie "Scent of a Woman," Lieutenant Colonel |
| compared to cigarette smoking, cigar smoking | | | | Frank Slade orders his assistant to purchase |
| is less dangerous to one's health. The reason | | | | a particular brand of cigars, which he knows |
| is that when one smokes cigar, one does not | | | | will be hard as nails to find. Making the Cut |
| inhale its smoke. Perhaps this explains how | | | | The variety of cigar cutters available |
| comedian George Burns, a lifetime cigar | | | | creates a legend of its own. Cigar cutters |
| smoker, reached the ripe old age of 100 | | | | vary in size and color, ranging from portable |
| years! Other famous personalities who have | | | | to desktop, and from red to blue. Other |
| become icons due in part to their cigar | | | | cutters have multiple functions, and are |
| smoking include: * Larger-than-life British | | | | paired with other tools such as key rings, |
| leader Winston Churchill, after whom a cigar | | | | portable knife sets, or money clips. When |
| size was named. * Austrian Psychiatrist | | | | choosing cigar cutters, it is wise to first |
| Sigmund Freud, who often smoked during | | | | consider your needs. In many respects, cigars |
| sessions with his patients. * American author | | | | have become as common in modern culture as |
| Mark Twain, who claimed that he smoked | | | | the Internet and reality TV. Choosing the |
| whenever he was awake. * Comedy actor Groucho | | | | right cigar cutters further adds to the style |
| Marx, who often smoked a short, thick cigar. | | | | and experience of cigar smoking. |
| Cigars Have a Past (And a Future) Comedian | | | | |
| George Burns, who used cigars to time his | | | | Get your own cigar cutter today! Visit our |
| routine, served as the unofficial face of | | | | site and choose from a wide range of humidors |
| cigar smokers. While that face has become | | | | and cigarette cases. |