targa88 Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 Following my earlier post on Solingen cutters. I was "inspired" to look for a new cutter. Over the years I have used a number of cutters - in particular Xikar cutters. Part of the attraction is the lifetime warranty. Essentially they replace the part - no questions asked. In the past - you could return the item to the original retailer and it would be replaced (at least where I live). Now that appears to have changed since Xikar was purchased last year by Quality Imports. So they have to be shipped back to QI in the US. Lengthy process (over a month turn around) and additional costs associated. But I digress. Back to the issue: a number of different cutters were used/purchased and all have had to be replaced. Blades have gone dull/blunt. These are the ones I have used so far. Xi2 Ultra Slim M8 Twist punch Now I would not call myself a prolific smoker 3-4/week on average. Typical threshold has been 12-18 months before the blades start showing signs of challenge. There does not appear to be an adequate method to sharpen the blades. Ironically a bevelled shell casing lasts longer. However for the larger vitolas, I would prefer a cutter. Wondering if any other solutions could be suggested. Or just purchase cheaper/disposable and consider it the price of doing business. I understand that this all falls into the category of First World Problems (FWP).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cayman17 Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 I’ve heard many complaints about Xikar. The joke is/was that they warranty was necessary because they needed so much service. I have used a Savoy guillotine cutter for years with zero problems, it’s still sharp. I also recently bought an Elie Blue cutter on sale for the hell of it, and it’s built like a tank. So there are two options for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-ROB Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 10 minutes ago, FatherOfPugs said: I use a Colibri V-cut, have for years without problem. I'll second that recommendation. This cutter produces a rather deep V, if that is to preference, but it does it very reliably and cleanly.. I've used mine on hundreds of cigars and it is still sharp. Next I want to try the Colibri S Cut guillotine with closed back, which appears to be built to the same rock solid standard using the same frame. I really wanted to like those beautiful Solingen V cutters but they turned out to be useless. On the positive side for the "new" Xikar, I recently sent in an old dual torch Tech lighter that wouldn't work anymore and they sent me a shiny new replacement. The amazing thing is that it has been lighting on the first click every time for three weeks now. I have had four or five Xikar lighters and never experienced that before! When they work, they are good lighters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffreyLebowski Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 Cutters inevitably have always failed me. I now simply use a small sharp pocket knife. I lightly cut by rotating the cigar. Works perfectly and creates no addl mess by cutting into the filler unnecessarily. The one I use ($23) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DandyJBez Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 My favorite is the cuban crafters perfect cutter. it has a little back to it so you don't have to really line up the cap. but I like it because its sharp, cuts well, and I can dump the debris when it gets captured. Ive been using it for years and its still sharp as day one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monterey Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 Xikar used to be a good company. They were recently purchased and they have gone straight down hill. I sent my lighter in for repair 2 months ago. They agreed it was broken and that it would have to be replaced, but they don't have any lighters to replace it with. A lighter company doesn't have lighters? They expected to get them in today, but now I'm told that it will be another month. Instead of being decent about it, they cut off communication and I have no idea what is going on. I will be lucky to get my lighter back in 3 months. Shame, they used to be such a good company. Time to move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wineguy Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 2 hours ago, FatherOfPugs said: I use a Colibri V-cut, have for years without problem. All my Xikars have broken in some way after a couple years. So I just stopped buying them. I have had this issue with their lighters as well. All of them..... For cutters, I have a cuban crafters that works great. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
targa88 Posted February 15, 2019 Author Share Posted February 15, 2019 3 hours ago, Cayman17 said: I’ve heard many complaints about Xikar. The joke is/was that they warranty was necessary because they needed so much service. I have used a Savoy guillotine cutter for years with zero problems, it’s still sharp. I also recently bought an Elie Blue cutter on sale for the hell of it, and it’s built like a tank. So there are two options for you. Elie Blue looks like quite the piece.... however $200USD is also quite the price tag. Probably under the category of buy once = cry once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JohnS Posted February 15, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted February 15, 2019 Maybe Xikar have concentrated their efforts onto their premium products since changing ownership? I can attest that the XO cutter is by far the best cutter I've ever owned. It's costly and only about 9 months old, but so far so good. Then again, I rate my gifted Habanos single blade cutter almost as highly and I use it just as often! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainQuintero Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Palio cutter, by a mile the best cutter I've used, lifetime guarantee (You won't need to use it) and relatively cheap. I'm a decade in on mine and still as good as when I first got it. I like the credo 3 in 1 punch, but the super cheapo ones seem to do the same job but blunt quickly Most of the time now I use the big tabletop quad blade kerchunker that Lawrence Sautter made famous, that thing will last my grandkids out! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cayman17 Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 57 minutes ago, targa88 said: Elie Blue looks like quite the piece.... however $200USD is also quite the price tag. Probably under the category of buy once = cry once Lol yes I’m not planning to buy any more cutters. It was my Christmas gift to myself. And I had a holiday coupon code which lowered the price by $30-40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooseAMuffin Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 I have always bought Xikar cutters and lighters, and never had problems. Customer service has always been great to me if I needed to use the warranty. I also prefer the Xikar V cutter over the Colibri that others have mentioned. I keep a Xikar twist punch on me at all times should a random cigar enter my plans. I will second @JohnS on the XO as well. Great cutter. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD Puffer Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 I have several Xikar cutters. Colibri too. My favorite is the foldable Xikar scissors cutter. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzz Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 I have the perfect cutter, for any size cigar. This is what I use.... to sharpen my finger nail. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aphexafx Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 I have two of the Xikar scissors, have used both for many many years (one is 8 or 9 years old I think), and they both still work perfectly. Two thumbs up for those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 I use a Palio for figurados and my nails for parejo cigars. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aphexafx Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 17 minutes ago, El Presidente said: ...and my nails for parejo cigars. Showoff! You have a warehouse for a humidor. You've become jaded. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mt1 Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 6 hours ago, JohnS said: Then again, I rate my gifted Habanos single blade cutter almost as highly and I use it just as often! Is that cutter made in Germany? I have a similar one that's marked as made in Germany and it is absolutely fantastic. It was also a freebie from a cigar lounge, it's sharp, and easily the second best cutter I have used after the Colibri V-Cut (but only because I like V-Cuts more). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 11 minutes ago, mt1 said: Is that cutter made in Germany? I have a similar one that's marked as made in Germany and it is absolutely fantastic. It was also a freebie from a cigar lounge, it's sharp, and easily the second best cutter I have used after the Colibri V-Cut (but only because I like V-Cuts more). Right on. Yes, it's made in Germany by Sollingen. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy_jack Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 Truth be told I'm not concerned about a cutter. When I'm home though, I like my Christmas gift very much. Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotusguy Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 I’m pretty sure that it was Palio that got bought and the quality went to the dogs, not Xikar. Edit after some research: both got acquired by quality importers... Palio production was subsequently shifted to China while Xikar was always made in China. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shlomo Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 5 hours ago, Lotusguy said: I’m pretty sure that it was Palio that got bought and the quality went to the dogs, not Xikar. Edit after some research: both got acquired by quality importers... Palio production was subsequently shifted to China while Xikar was always made in China. I thought so too. Palio has gone to shit over the past ever several years. Xikar has always been just ok, and their warranty is the only reason to buy. I am not happy to hear that the customer has to ship it into Xikar instead of just walking into the B+M. My cutter is going on 4-5 years strong now, but is ever so slightly starting to show some wear. I do almost always prefer a punch however, so I don't use it that often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooseAMuffin Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 1 hour ago, shlomo said: I thought so too. Palio has gone to shit over the past ever several years. Xikar has always been just ok, and their warranty is the only reason to buy. I am not happy to hear that the customer has to ship it into Xikar instead of just walking into the B+M. My cutter is going on 4-5 years strong now, but is ever so slightly starting to show some wear. I do almost always prefer a punch however, so I don't use it that often. There are B&Ms that honor the Xikar warranty. At my local shop, I can walk in and trade it for a new one. They just ask me what's wrong with it and that's that. Also, there is a cigar event I attend every year. The Xikar booth always honors the warranty there as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monterey Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 Xikar ran their warranty out of the St. Louis facility until 1/1/19. Now when you have to send it back, you'll be shipping it to the quality importers place in Miami, FL. Since the switch, they have gone straight down hill. I'm getting nothing but the run around from them. They keep telling me that the lighters will be in stock for replacement in a few days to a week. Then the days comes and goes and I get another lie. Xikar is dead, you are now dealing with a quality importers, a bad company. I consider my lighter long lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowACE Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 I would recommend the Colibri SV cutter. Straight and V-Cut in one. Mine has been spot on since day one.Sent from my SM-N960W using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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