Bargain: XIKAR Axia Black Lighter

I got this on Ebay and it was an absolute bargain, its as new with box and instructions, there is not a mark on it, and the price, well I paid £15 + £3 postage. I dont know how I got it I expected someone to outbid me, and for this to go for much more, but sometimes you get lucky!

This is built just as well as the Pulse 3 jet lighter that I have, but only has 2 jets so its not as powerful, but its a great lighter and the ideal thing to take away with me when I dont want to risk loosing my Pulse lighter.

This would also make an excellent main lighter, so if you are in the market for a 2 jet lighter I would definitely recommend this model.

Review: Xikar Xi2

So I have been pretty poor at blogging recently, its been mad busy at work and I just did not have the time. Well thats kinda true, but I could have made time, so here goes my first review in a while.

I blogged a while ago that I purchased an Xikar Xi2 cutter. I have had a Palio cutter since I first became interested in cigars, but I always felt it was crushing the cigar more than I would have liked, whilst it wasn’t a big issue, it got more and more annoying.

Palio Cutter

The Palio cutter is really well made, and the action is really good, the issue seems to be that the plastic around the blades is so thick that it starts to crush the cigar before it gets cut. So in the end after reading lots of review of Xikar cutters, and having just received an Xikar lighter that I really rate, I decided to get an Xikar

Ebay came to the rescue as usual and I picked up an Xi2 for a really good price.

Xikar Xi2

Now I have to be honest I think that the Palio has better construction and feels more solid, not only in the hand, but also in action, I also find the Xi2’s butterfly cutting blades a little awkward to use. Don’t get me wrong the Xikar is built well, and not too hard to use, but the Palio has the edge.

But when it comes to the cut the Xikar is sooo much better, it does not crush the cigar at all, and the cut is crisp and clean, you just get the feeling that the Xikar blades are much much sharper! Perhaps my Palio was blunt from day one?

So in the end for me the XIkar is the best cutter, at the end of the day the cut is the most important thing, and the Xikar is better than the Palio.

Xikar. Xi2

Just picked up an Xikar Xi2 at a bargain price on ebay. My current cutter is okay but it just does not cut as cleanly as I would expect. I am hoping this will be sharper and cleaner, the review’s are good, I will review fully asap