Xikar Xi1 Cutter Review

Manufacturer: Xikar
Cutter: Xi1
Style: Body Art Tribal
Cost: $47.99 - $59.00
Time in Use: 5-Months

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I had never owned a quality two blade cigar cutter just some plastic & metal cheap single blade guilliotines. Puff taught me that single blades are great for shaving, but not for cutting a cigar. While I mostly use a punch to open my cigars, I have been migrating to smaller ring gauges where a good cutter is more appropriate.

Pros:
Small compact/portable cutter
Retractable blades
Extremely cool graphics
Lifetime warranty
Sharp as S___ high quality stainless steel blades
Cuts up to a 58 RG

Cons:
Takes a little getting used to in order to make an even cut*

* I find if you place the cutter on a flat surface and place the cigar in the cutter with the cap touching the flat surface you will get a perfectly straight cut every time.

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The unit comes with a free pleather pouch via registration on the Xikar website, but I opted for the stingray skin pouch, at an additional cost of $20, to match my motorcycle seats. This is one of my favorite accessories I have acquired since being back in the hobby.

I have a Xi2, it was hard to get away from El Cheapo guillotine cutters, but once I did. Wow, big difference. Mine is sharp as ever and a great cut every time. Nice review David.

I love my Xikar xi2, carry it with me everywhere. (Lost one that way; in Belize, forgot it was in the pocket of my swim trunks.)

My Colibri (sign-up gift from CRA) looks nice but doesn't work nearly as well for me; might be something I'm doing wrong, but I just can't get it to cut cleanly.

I also have and use several of the cheaper double-guillotine cutters; roughly one for every working ashtray (including the car), lying right next to a Bic. (Yeah, I have torches too -- one in my pocket with the Xikar, another at my desk, one that "floats"from ashtray to ashtray.)

Single-guillotine cutters work, but I usually consider them disposable or giveaway items. Any double-guillotine (except maybe my Colibri) works better for me.

Maybe someday I'll buy a "top of the line" Xikar or something of similar quality as my coffee table's resident cutter. A fancy pair of cigar scissors might be nice too. But for now, I'd rather spend my money on cigars themselves; priorities, y'know.

Thats a real nice cutter Browns......Good review