Rollo's

June 10, 2008 11:31 PM

Why are corners cut on some rolling papers?

I have been rolling cigarettes for a while now but never thought to ask why many rolling papers have cut corners. Some have the corners cut, some don't, the same brand will sell papers both ways. Whats the deal?

posted by Black_Umbrella to society & culture (7 answers total)

Cut corners allow for less paper wadded up at the ends and makes for a smoother looking taper.
posted by jamaro at 11:38 PM on June 10, 2008

My elderly neighbor rolls his own, and judging by what I've seen of his paper choice and his technique, I'll have to second jamaro's answer.
posted by amyms at 12:29 AM on June 11, 2008

To make it easier to tuck in.
posted by pompomtom at 12:50 AM on June 11, 2008

Pompomtom is right. When you roll a cigarette, the cut corner can help you to get one of the ends tucked in to start forming a tube. Some people find that useful, since forming the tube is often the most difficult step, and determines how tightly the cigarette is rolled.

I don't agree with Jamaro. Cigarette papers aren't designed to form a taper; a hand-rolled cigarette is supposed to be a perfect cylinder. I did find a patent for a tapered cigarette paper, however.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 1:44 AM on June 11, 2008

a hand-rolled cigarette is supposed to be a perfect cylinder.

Supposed by who? I know lots of guys who roll tapers. They're also the kind of guys to whom you wouldn't want to point out that they're doing it wrong.
posted by Aquaman at 8:45 AM on June 11, 2008

Hand-rolled can be round-ended or tapered, it's both a user preference and an accommodation of the cut of the smoking material. If you prefer tapered and use uncut corners, your first draw is going to taste mostly of paper. (Example, scroll down to the product description of "Gizeh Sphinx")

Cut corners also make a paper easier to insert into a rolling machine but that's an incidental bonus.
posted by jamaro at 9:07 AM on June 11, 2008

I always thought it was to make it easier to feed into a rolling machine.
posted by gergtreble at 8:00 AM on June 12, 2008