Blunt (cigar)

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A blunt

A blunt is a cigar which is usually machine-rolled. Blunt specifically refers to a particular size of cigar, produced by many different companies. These cigars typically consist of two main parts; the inner leaf is similar to a cigarette rolling paper, except it is made of tobacco, and the thicker outer leaf which is rolled around the inner leaf in a spiral.

Blunt Cigars get their name from their 'broad or rounded end' (Blunt Shaped end) and were named as such back in 1867 when most cigars had a pointy tip due to rolling techniques at the time. Later as rolling techniques improved, most cigars began having a blunt-shaped end. However, the name stuck and to this day cigars that have a rounded (not flat or pointy) tip are known as Blunt Cigars. Typically these are Corona or double-Corona sized cigars with a rounded end.

In North America, the term blunt sometimes refers to a cigar that has been taken apart and re-rolled with cannabis or other smoking herbs. For those marijuana or herbal blunt smokers, the nicotine buzz from the tobacco leaf in addition to the euphoria from Damiana, Cannabis Sativa or other herbs, is thought to intensify the experience.

Blunts are generally larger, longer and slower burning than joints. This makes them particularly appealing for large groups of smokers or individuals who want to get more high. Blunts are also more common in heavily populated areas, as it's easy to obtain a single cigar almost anywhere, and there is nothing leftover once it has been smoked. Some marijuana smokers rarely use blunts because they claim it is too harsh, tastes bad, or they simply do not like the idea of mixing their marijuana with tobacco. They may also have access to bongs or pipes and prefer them, as these apparatus are seen as less wasteful than the constantly burning blunts.

1 Rolling a blunt
2 Blunt producing countries

[edit] Rolling a blunt

Blunt rolled with a Garcia y Vega

There are three popular methods for rolling a blunt, depending on personal preference, experience, and type of cigar being used.

[edit] Leafing

PEACH OPTIMO!leaf of the cigar is moistened and removed whole to for the next step. The inner paper is then unrolled and emptied of tobacco, filled with marijuana, rolled up again and re-wrapped in the outer leaf, which must remain moist. Leafing creates a tightly-rolled and durable blunt, providing an even burn and a fine, burly smoke.

[edit] Cracking

"Cracking" a cigar is performed by making one small rip at the open end of the cigar and continuing this "crack" all the way down the cigar, while controlling it carefully with your thumbs so it is not irreversibly damaged. The "butt" or blunt end of the cigar is ripped off whole. All of the tobacco can then be easily dumped out all at once or "gutted." Once gutted, it's not uncommon for the outer leaf to come apart from the inner paper. This is easily remedied using saliva so it can be re-stuck; most smokers are used to this practice and is not a topic of discussion unless the amount of saliva used is excessive. The marijuana is then placed in the cigar paper and it is rolled up. This process can be considerably faster than the "leafing" method and is possible with extremely dry or stale cigars, although difficult. Phillies brand cigars are almost always cracked, not leafed. Sometimes this process is referred to as "Splitting".

[edit] Packing

This technique describes a method of removing the tobacco without breaking the skin of the cigar. The blunt is then filled back up with smoking material, most commonly marijuana. This method is also known as champing and Gottiing. Gottiing is a reference to John Gotti. Hence, a packed blunt is often referred to as a godfather.

[edit] Differences between leafing and cracking

There is a noticeable difference in taste between a cracked and leafed blunt since the leafed blunt's outer leaf is only on the outside, and the cracked blunt has the outer leaf rolled up throughout the inside as well. The leafed blunt makes it easier to distinguish the individual flavor of the smokable substance and flavored cigars (if used) add a subtle sweet taste. Cracked blunts are known for their harsher, more tobacco-like taste, and this is sometimes desired.

[edit] Using an Asher

When smoking blunts, some find it is easiest to use an asher. Some people ash thier blunts out the window, but you can loose some of the marijaina when the blunt is exposed to fast winds. By tapping your blunt on over a hollowed surface, you will conserve more of the weed inside the blunt and it also makes it easy to get the ash off. Some find using something like a nalgene bottle works good to ash, then dispose of your roach (finished blunt) into the bottle. After this you can cap it up and be done with your blunt. And hopefully you will be very high.

[edit] Spliffing

In "Spliffing," the cigar is split lengthwise with a razor or a fingernail. The tobacco is then removed ("spilling the guts" or "gutting" as it is sometimes called), replaced with tobacco, marijuana or herbs, and resealed (some prefer only removing a certain amount of the tobacco, mixing the marijuana with the tobacco and resealing. This technique is commonly used in an effort to use less marijuana or to get a tobacco buzz).

[edit] Cancer paper

The "Cancer Paper" is a name given to parts of the blunt with extra paper and/or glue that make blunts harsher and burn uneven. It is named the "Cancer Paper" because it is believed that one is smoking extraneous material and sometimes glue used to hold blunts together. The first is found on the inside of the outer leaf at the mouth of the cigar. The paper is approx. 1 inch and is to reinforce the cigar. In a properly rolled blunt this paper should be removed, because it is unneeded and adds harshness. Removal of this paper can prove daunting for novice blunt rollers so you may want to have some spares on hand.

If you are leafing a blunt, after removing the outer leaf, find a small line where the inner leaf is glued together. Split the inner leaf along this small seal in the blunt. After this, dump the guts. If you hold up the now cracked inner leaf of the blunt to a light, you will see a strip darker then the rest of the leaf. Peel this off carefully. When leafing a blunt you are able to get rid of both pieces of cancer paper, while cracking it makes it more difficult to remove.

[edit] Blunt wraps

Another way to roll a blunt involves using blunt wraps. These are essentially pre-made rolling papers from processed, usually flavored, tobacco. All that is needed is to spread tobacco or marijuana evenly throughout the blunt paper, roll it up and seal it. Most are sealed individually to keep them fresh, moist and flexible, as dry cigar leaves are prone to cracking and breaking. Some brands also include a plastic straw, around which the blunt paper is rolled during manufacturing, and a transparent, plastic sheet wrapped around the blunt paper to give an extra layer of protection. This tube can be used to pack the tobacco down in the burning end once it has been rolled up. Also available are all natural tobacco leaves cut size and put in to a resealable package. They are a little easier to roll but burn quicker than other types of blunts. The newest blunt wrappers come in a resealable plastic tube. This allows the smoker to place the rolled blunt back into the tube and close/seal it for later use.

[edit] Using blunt cones

Another technique is to purchase a "blunt cone". These are cone shaped empty cigarette shells made from tobacco. The smoker then simply stuff the cone full of tobacco/herbs and smokes it. As opposed to the above blunt wrappers, a blunt cone is pre-rolled and simply needs to be stuffed.

[edit] Bluntjointas

Also known as a Bloint. Often out of desperation a blunt can be rolled with cigarette rolling papers. A technique utilizing several papers stuck together at the edges ultimately yields a blunt sized joint. The "bluntjointa" is often scrutinized due to not actually using a tobacco leaf.

[edit] "Crutch"

Often, when rolling a cigarette or a blunt a "tip" or "crutch" will be added to keep the herbs inside the blunt, and provide a more solid mouthpiece. Most often, crutches are made from a small, torn piece of cardboard, which is rolled into a tight spiral and inserted in the smoking end of the blunt. Using a crutch can prevent herbs from being wasted, as it allows the blunt to burn to the end without becoming too hot to hold. In Europe and sometimes in the United States, people tend to break off a piece of cigarette (known as a "Chip" in the UK, "filter" in Canada and the U.S) and place this in the smoking end, thus allowing all the substance in the blunt to be smoked. The remains of a smoked blunt are sometimes called a "roach" or a "butt", and smokers often save the brown butts left in them after smoking.

[edit] Blunt producing countries

There are three main countries of blunt cigar / wrapper production;

Brazil : Brazillian blunt wrap called aLeda are used throughout the US to roll blunts. These are clear rolling paper's made from cellulose.
Dominican Republic: Dominican cigars are known to have an extra sweetness to them and are superiorly mild. The top rated brands (top 10) by Cigar Aficionado are all from the Dominican Republic. In Blunts; Phillies, Blunt Wrap, Juicy, Kingpin, Swisher and Dutch Master all come from the Dominican Republic.
Honduras: Honduran Cigars lack the sweetness of Dominican cigars. The dryer climate and less fertile soil lead to a smaller less rich leaf. Da Bomb & Zen wraps are made in Honduras.
Mexico: Mexican Cigars are known to be extremely strong tasting. There has never been a Mexican cigar in the top 10 or even 50 rated cigars at Cigar Aficionado. The dryer, harsher climate of Mexico leads to a much dryer, harsher tasting leaf. Mexican labor is less expensive then the Dominican Republic or Honduras, plus shipping to the USA is shorter & less expensive, so Mexican blunts are much less expensive to produce & usually sell for less. Mexican brands include Royal & True Blunts.

Cannabis resources (edit)