What do you use to cut plugs.

[Whisky]

@KWilliams40 picture of his Long Island Pipe club Damascus plug cutter has me thinking about getting something specifically for cutting plugs. I’ve been using my EDC knife, but thought something with a little more finesse might be better. I found this and it looks like it may do the trick. What do y’all think and what do you use?

 

[Kentos]

It depends on how thin you cut your plugs. If you like them chunky any knife will work, but if you want it thin, a thinner knife might be better.

I have a custom built fixed knife/board for mine.

 

[Whisky]

It depends on how thin you cut your plugs. If you like them chunky any knife will work, but if you want it thin, a thinner knife might be better.

I have a custom built fixed knife/board for mine.

Chunky is a good way to describe the issue I’m having. I like the cutter in the video. Is that just a knife that has been drilled and pegged onto a post?

 

[Kentos]

Chunky is a good way to describe the issue I’m having. I like the cutter in the video. Is that just a knife that has been drilled and pegged onto a post?

I commissioned it from a former Member here. IIRC it’s made from a leaf spring with custom mounting hardware. I haven’t seen him around in a while. The closest production thing I saw was a biltong/beef jerky cutter.

 

[Kentos]

 

[Borderdog]

I just use my EDC, a Benchmade Claymore. If I want it cut thinner, I try to remind myself that wanting builds character.

I don't have any issues cube cutting Salty Dogs, but looser plugs like Jackknife give me fits.

@Kentos is giving me cutter envy.

 

[mr_houston]

These are all good solutions. It’s the straight blade edges that makes them logical to me.

I’ve dedicated a Gold Dollar straight razor to the task. I use it with its factory edge. This is Salty Dog sliced with the razor.

 

[Kentos]

I have a buttocks load of plug tobacco, mostly Euro hard pressed. In my old age, when I anticipate smoking it all, the fixed blade cutter should help. Heck I could cut plugs on my tummy in my deathbed if I had too.

 

[Kilroy6644]

I don't normally smoke plugs because I find cutting them to be too much of a chore, especially if I only cut enough for one bowl. I frequently will use a kitchen knife and do the whole plug at once. Sometimes I use a pocket knife and take just a bit. I have an old Imperial folder that I keep in my pipe kit for that purpose. For the harder plugs, I sometimes just whittle them down. Gaslight, on the other hand, is soft enough that I don't cut it at all. I crush the whole plug in my hand, and then rub it out.

 

[Whisky]

@Kentos Your plug cutter has given me a lot of ideas. Forging a knife out of an old file, pinning it to a post, and mounting it on a cutting board shouldn't be too hard. Now all I need is time, a forge, a file, a post, and a cutting board. What I'm actually going to do is take the idea to a blacksmith friend of mine and see what he comes up with. I think I'm still going to try the mini-cleaver as something to throw with my travel gear to cut plugs on the road.

 

[Hirsute]

I have a plug cutter like @Kentos, but for travels in the field I use this old Parker Edwards Damascus pocketknife with bone scales. They pop up on eBay often and are cheap and work well!

 

[Kentos]

@Kentos Your plug cutter has given me a lot of ideas. Forging a knife out of an old file, pinning it to a post, and mounting it on a cutting board shouldn't be too hard. Now all I need is time, a forge, a file, a post, and a cutting board. What I'm actually going to do is take the idea to a blacksmith friend of mine and see what he comes up with. I think I'm still going to try the mini-cleaver as something to throw with my travel gear to cut plugs on the road.

This is where the inspiration came from. Originally I wanted one like this, but it evolved into what I have now.

 

[karacha]

I haven't cut many plugs recently, but I did cut Gawith Hoggarth ropes and I simpy use a very sharp edc knife to cut them into "coins". Never had any problems. But yeah, the CRKT in the original post should do the trick.

 

[Mike H]

I use a part from some old Tuss sheep shears. I think @Legion gave me the idea

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I don't buy plugs. I'm a big believer in not making life harder than it needs to be. I tried a few plug samples, and decided it was more hassle than it was worth.

 

[BlueMaxx]

Opinel #8 carbon........

 

[RazorbackFan]

Opinel #8 carbon........

Same.

 

[DesertDan]

Hah! same here. I have a small cutting board that I use it with.
Kilroy mentioned just crumbling up the whole plug of Gaslight, I do the same. it pretty much falls apart when handling anyway so might as well.

 

[Kilroy6644]

I haven't cut many plugs recently, but I did cut Gawith Hoggarth ropes and I simpy use a very sharp edc knife to cut them into "coins". Never had any problems. But yeah, the CRKT in the original post should do the trick.

I don't smoke much rope because I find it tends to be too strong for my tastes, and it can be hard to find sometimes. But I went to the hardware store and bought a pair of pruners that make short work of a rope. Nice clean cut, and I don't have to find a suitable surface to cut on.

 

[Kentos]

I used to use a cigar cutter for ropes