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Xikar XO Cigar Cutter |
For this review I am going to pretend I never owed my favorite cutter (Xi3 Titanium Black). Why? Because I do not want to compare the two at this point as many people reading this may never of owned a Xi series or simply the XO design aesthetically speaks to them.
The first thing I noticed out of the box was it's weight. Visually, I thought it would be heavier. Still not light coming in at roughly 2.45 ounces. Being a fan of weight as it generally means better quality in the lighter world, I should note it did not feel "cheap". The new XO can cut 64 ring gauge and the caps of 70 ring gauge. To open the XO cutter there is a spring loaded release button on the side of the cutter. This is a very responsive release, no hesitation. Bam, it quickly opens right up. Once open the gear system that Xikar calls Planetary Geared are revealed. There has been some chatter about these gears. My experience when closed quickly (normal cigar cutting quickness) the gears are relatively smooth in action. It's when I was sizing my cigars up between the blades and advancing slowly that I could really feel the "roughness" of the gears. Not deal breaker, but a bit of a surprise at the rough price point of $99. I will note that when fully open there is a bit of "play" and "rattle" between the blades. Maybe the 2nd generation will address a tighter tolerance between the blades.
Overall, you have to clap your hands for Xikar. Kudos of to Xikar for not resting on their success and becoming complacent. I think the XO is a great idea, creative, and functional. Of course it comes with Xikar's lifetime warranty, a true lifetime warranty compared most to competitors. I have no doubt this line will continue to evolve and improve in the years to come. I will end with the XO is a pretty damn cool cutter.
BEST Price CLR Found: XIKAR XO