CC23 - Cigar Punch and Drill in Silver 100mm

• Length: 120mm
• Drill Length: 100mm

CC23 Cigar Punch & Draw Correction Drill – 100mm

A cigar can look absolutely magnificent and still have the draw of a blocked drain. Beautiful wrapper, expertly applied band, a cap finished with considerable care, and somewhere inside, a little knot of tobacco has decided to spoil the proceedings.

It's a frustrating business, particularly when you've been looking forward to the cigar.

The CC23 Cigar Punch & Draw Correction Drill is a rather ingenious little accessory designed to deal with two separate jobs: preparing the cap before smoking and helping to clear a plugged cigar when the airflow is restricted.

The distinction is important. The punch is your everyday cutter; the drill is your emergency repair kit.

At 100mm long when closed, the CC23 is a compact cylindrical instrument finished in an attractive satin silver. Its smooth metal body is interrupted by a ridged adjustment section and a narrow red accent ring, giving it a slightly more technical appearance than the traditional cigar punches that have occupied tobacconists' counters for generations.

The first function is the circular cigar punch, used to remove a small disc from the cap. It's a tidy method of opening a cigar, particularly for smokers who prefer to leave most of the cap intact rather than taking a straight cut across the head.

The second function is where things become interesting.

A plugged cigar is one in which the tobacco has been packed so tightly that air struggles to pass through. It can happen when the filler is unevenly distributed or a section of leaf becomes compressed during rolling. Even an otherwise well-made handmade cigar can occasionally suffer from the problem.

The CC23's long draw correction drill is designed to help open a passage through that obstruction. Inserted carefully through the head of the cigar, the slender metal probe can be worked into the tightly packed filler to improve airflow.

The important word there is carefully.

You're trying to relieve a blockage, not bore a tunnel through the tobacco. Too much pressure or unnecessary twisting can damage the internal construction, so it's best to work gradually, checking the draw as you go.

The CC23's design is particularly interesting when dismantled. The supplied photographs show the long metal draw correction probe, the pointed prongs and the separate hollow cylindrical housing. Threaded connections allow the components to be assembled into a single compact accessory, keeping the working parts enclosed when not in use.

The ridged central section provides a useful grip for handling and adjustment, while the red accent ring adds a little colour to the otherwise silver finish.

Compared with the smaller CC22, this 100mm model offers a longer body and a different arrangement of components. Its slim, pen-like shape makes it convenient to keep alongside a cigar cutter, lighter or travel humidor.

I've encountered plenty of cigars over the years that were rather reluctant to cooperate. Some improve after a little gentle attention, while others remain stubbornly obstructed. A draw correction tool cannot rescue every example, but when it works, it's considerably more satisfying than abandoning an otherwise promising cigar.

And there is something rather pleasing about a small piece of engineering that solves a very specific problem. The cigar trade has produced some wonderfully elaborate accessories over the centuries, but occasionally the most useful invention is simply a slender piece of metal in the right place.

The CC23 Cigar Punch & Draw Correction Drill brings together two useful functions in one smart silver instrument: a punch for preparing the cigar cap and a specialist probe for improving the draw of plugged cigars.

It's the sort of accessory you hope you'll rarely need for repairs, but you'll be glad to have when a troublesome cigar turns up.

A little like keeping a spare umbrella in Scarborough. You know perfectly well it's going to earn its keep eventually.