The V cutter , also known as a “cats eye”  or "wedge", is a relatively old-fashioned method which is very popular on machine made, pre-cut cigars.  The V cut imprint digs deep into the filler of a cigar and chomps out a wedge of tobacco.  It is unnecessarily invasive and poses a significant threat to the cigar head.  The V cutter must be extremely sharp to work properly, and it must be deployed in a swift motion.  Hand placement near the head of the cigar is  necessary to avoid potential damage to the cigar.  The V cutter is most effective on very slim cigars, such as panatelas and lonsdales.