Small keychain cigar punches - three inexpensive ones
Recently I decided to put a punch on my keychain so I'd never be in a situation where I didn't have a way to prep a cigar for smoking (torpedoes be damned). I didn't want something that was too bulky, since I already have a zillion keys on my keyring and it looks like I'm carrying a hamster in my pocket.
I purchased three inexpensive ones, one from eBay for about $4.50 shipped (the blue one), and two chrome Magic-brand ones from FieldSupply.com for a total of about $10.50 shipped. The Magic punches are also available on eBay, though they're about double the price I paid at Field Supply ($10+ each).
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First up is the eBay punch:
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Notes:
It's extremely light. Dimensions are 42mm long (not inc. ring) x 14mm diameter at its widest point. It removes a 7mm plug from the cigar's cap.
The cutter itself is thick metal, meaning the cutting edge is sturdy but comparatively dull. This sometimes causes splitting of the cap and wrapper, especially on dry cigars.
While it does have a pusher to get the plug out, you can see that it's tapered, as is the channel in which it rests. This means the plug can't be pushed out from the back but must be pushed through the entire punch. Since the hole gets smaller and smaller, sometimes the plug is impossible to push through, and I've had to take a piece of wire and push from the back out the front.
The good thing about this punch is that it's cheap, lightweight, and the cutter itself detaches from the keychain. If you're giving it to a friend to punch his cigar, you don't have to give him the entire keychain. However, this also means the cutter itself can be more easily lost.
The cutter fits onto the pusher with a press fit only. While the fit is tight and it hasn't come off, I can see it getting looser and looser with extended use.
Next up is the Magic single punch:
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Notes:
This is smaller than the first punch but quite a bit heavier since it's all metal. Dimensions are 33mm x 14mm diameter. It removes a 7mm plug from the cap.
A cute design, you unscrew and remove the cap to reveal the cutter. Then you unscrew the body of the punch and the cutter moves out away from the pusher. It doesn't come off, however. When you're done, you screw the cutter back down and the pusher comes up through and pushes the plug out. The pusher actually protrudes slightly past the cutter, ensuring that the plug comes out.
The negative about this punch is that it's quite heavy for its small size. Also, the nice chrome finish is bound to get beaten up rather quickly by the keys. The cutter doesn't come off the keyring. The cutter itself is very thin, sharp metal. Easily bent but less likely to crack the cap.
Since the pusher screws down past the cutter, this protects the blade should the end cap come off. In fact, the end cap is not strictly necessary and, should it be lost, the punch will work just as well. The pusher protruding slightly past the cutter ensures that you won't cut yourself, even with the end cap off.
Finally is the Magic Stackable Punch:
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http://i810.photobucket.com/albums/z...psd66swwau.jpg
Notes:
Fairly large and quite heavy, though not all that much heavier than the other Magic punch. Dimensions are 47mm x 14mm diameter. It has three different cutters (technically four, details below) which remove 6mm, 7.75mm and 9.5mm plugs from the cap.
This is a very interesting and somewhat strange punch. The end cap is removed like on the previous Magic punch. Under that is a large cutter. This unscrews and comes off to reveal a medium cutter. This unscrews and comes off to reveal a small cutter. Like the previous punch, the very back of the item unscrews (but doesn't come off) to allow the pusher to retract (that is, it allows the cutters to move forward past the pusher). However, this punch uses a spring mechanism to do so.
Strangest of all, the pusher itself has a hollow, sharpened tip that could serve as a tiny 3.5mm cutter. It is long enough to clear plugs from all three main cutters when screwed down.
The downsides to this punch are its weight and size, plus the fact that the cutters themselves are rather difficult to unscrew since they're fairly small parts and are smooth chrome. I've already cut myself trying to get the big cutter to unscrew from the medium cutter.
Like the other Magic punch, the cutter blades are quite thin and sharp. The large and medium cutters come off the punch entirely. The smallest (plus the pusher) stay with the keyring.
Unfortunately, there is no "mixing and matching" of cutters on the punch. For example, you can't remove the medium cutter and screw the big cutter directly onto the main body of the punch. If one part gets lost, the entire thing becomes rather worthless.
Conclusion:
All three punches have their place. Personally, I have the third punch on my keychain right now. If it gets lost, I'll put the second one on, and if it gets lost the plastic one is the final backup. Due to its light weight, the plastic punch would be great except for the fact that its thick cutting blade tends to (disturbingly often) split caps. If you only ever need a 7mm punch, I'd go with the second one due to its quality and simplicity.
