... another exciting product from XA-Electronics !
( http://stores.ebay.com/xaelectronics/ )
I like that.
"Honey, let's see whyich of these fits your finger. No, I won't tell you what you're getting for Christmas."
What's Your Challenge?
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( http://stores.ebay.com/xaelectronics/ )
I like that.
"Honey, let's see whyich of these fits your finger. No, I won't tell you what you're getting for Christmas."
Dominican56
CRA #99997657
Great thread.
My goal is to make a consistent bunch I can put in a mold. I've given up on molds because my stick is either a little too loose or a little too tight for the mold.
I believe the differences are due to different leaf size. I wanna roll em, age em, smoke em. Not so concerned if they look a bit rustic.
I probably won't ever take the time to sort my leaf by size. Actually, I don't mind the rustic look of my free-hand rolled cigars. If I take a little time they can look pretty dang good.
My goal is to make a consistent bunch I can put in a mold. I've given up on molds because my stick is either a little too loose or a little too tight for the mold.
I believe the differences are due to different leaf size. I wanna roll em, age em, smoke em. Not so concerned if they look a bit rustic.
I probably won't ever take the time to sort my leaf by size. Actually, I don't mind the rustic look of my free-hand rolled cigars. If I take a little time they can look pretty dang good.
When you say big does that mean you want to wholesale, or set up a web-base retail operation? Think a call to BATFE, would get the the scoop on how you need procedure, and what license & permit you need to keep the Feds off you backside.
Basically want to launch my brand. Or at least have one of the big guys rolling one or more of my blends for me. We will see where this year takes me. A few irons in the fire at the moment.
Honestly I would suspect the Cigar industry is not for the little guy, the big guys don't want the competition. The way the little guy could break the glass ceiling is going the boutique route.
Gentleman I know is a Cigar right of America representative, he is not welcome at most Cigar shops when they do events. Reason is the owner don't want customers spend $35.00 with him, because they view him as taking sales away from their store.
Most shop owner don't even support CRA, and CRA is fighting & lobbying D.C. In D.C. For their ability to sell Cigars.
Exactly!! Good for you.
I don't think I'll ever go back to using molds again. Hand rolled cigars all turn out a little different but they all draw perfectly and the appearance is just as good as using a mold with some skill. To me it's a far better cigar. In order to get a truly hand rolled cigar you have to go back to the mid- 1800's (unless you make it yourself). Too much emphasis is put on appearance. A beautiful appearance isn't what makes a great cigar. Commercial cigars ALL make the effort to produce perfect size and shape and there is nothing unique about them.
'Hand made' is the true art form and requires a little more skill. For example...Store bought cookies are all perfect round size to fit in the box. I much prefer irregular shaped hand made cookies.
An observation of human nature...when I show people how to make a pizza dough the first thing most people try to do is make it perfectly round. They somehow feel that it's too non-conforming and it's a mistake if they don't make it in a perfect circle, you know, like all the other frozen pizzas!! They try so hard to make it look 'factory made'. The irregular shaped crust is the one you can't buy in the store and displays itself as being unquestionably 'hand made'.
The masses seek conformity. Using a mold produces a cigar that is unique... just like everyone else's.
Not necessarily easier but I do think it takes cigar making back to the day when it took some skill to roll a proper cigar. Your hands control the entire process. When you place the cigar in a mold you relinquish that control and hope it fits in the mold properly but inevitably some will be too loose and some too tight. The mold makes the process faster NOT better.
Back, before 1866, cigar rollers needed a minimum of three years experience before they were even considered a position. The invention of the cigar mold allowed unskilled labor to produce good looking cigars. They eventually had to change the term "hand rolled" to the term "hand made" because it was disingenuous to make the public think they were getting the same product.
The Liberman machine was another step that would 'dumb down' the process of cigar rolling. Stuff in some leaf, push the handle, and out pops a good looking cigar and if it looks good... it must be good.
I need to update. My biggest challenges at this exact moment are finding time to roll and not running out of leaf. Had to turn away an event because they only gave a week advance notice. Sorry, need more time than that to order leaf and roll bunches...
Yeah, I mean its easier without a mold in equal construction. when they both burn and draw right. Does that make sense. if it looks good... it looks good.
Sometimes hard to tell whether a guy is bragging or complaining.
.. or can't ask for a remedy?
Genuine complaints, I'm not good at bragging. Still amazed I'm in the position I am.
Well, saving money to order larger quantities of leaf would be step one. Having a ready supply of naked bunches would be step two. My bills and day job are really getting in my way...
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Both those things are what we call out here "some fucked up shit."
That sounds solid. Do you inspire to bunch also?
Not for events. That takes too much time when the clients usually want a larger quantity of sticks. That, and pre-rolled bunches usually smoke better.
But its so nice to see.
Agreed, but they would have to book me for a 6-8 hour session and I don't think many would bite on that.
I think my challenge at this point, being a complete noob, is to focus on good casing technique. It seems like everything I do rolling depends on that. Oh, and capping technique.....and everything else too. I think time is my biggest enemy right now