The Half Ashed Cigar Forum

So I've talked about these things for over a year, and have been a pretty big fan - even with my previous, long-standing avoidance of the whole scissor format in cutters. I've mentioned along the way that they still are doing great after *a lot* of use.

Well, I'm happy to report they still are behaving fantastically. I'd noticed they felt a little "grippy" and were not cutting through so easily as before. I gave 'em a minute on the honing steel from our kitchen knives....and good as new. I really dig these things.

Now, my collection of expensive Xikar lighters? Crap. Absolute crap. All but one have been replaced. My favorite is the 4th copy after the others tore up (no, not inferior fuel usage; genuine jacked up delivery system parts, broken lids, etc.) Now I'm sitting on a collection of fancy paper weights that I can't return any more. My little $4US almost-disposable job is a much better lighter.

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Kip wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 19, 2018 6:33 pm

So I've talked about these things for over a year, and have been a pretty big fan - even with my previous, long-standing avoidance of the whole scissor format in cutters. I've mentioned along the way that they still are doing great after *a lot* of use.

Well, I'm happy to report they still are behaving fantastically. I'd noticed they felt a little "grippy" and were not cutting through so easily as before. I gave 'em a minute on the honing steel from our kitchen knives....and good as new. I really dig these things.

Now, my collection of expensive Xikar lighters? Crap. Absolute crap. All but one have been replaced. My favorite is the 4th copy after the others tore up (no, not inferior fuel usage; genuine jacked up delivery system parts, broken lids, etc.) Now I'm sitting on a collection of fancy paper weights that I can't return any more. My little $4US almost-disposable job is a much better lighter.

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I feel ya on the lighters Kip. It seems the cheapos work just as good as the expensive ones. I just got a thunderbird soft flame insert for a zippo and installed it today. Very happy so far and might order a couple more.

To be honest here, I've had plenty of inexpensive crap lighters as well. BUT, I'm less disappointed to toss one of them. The one I just bragged on literally cost the equivalent of $4, and has done better than almost all of my Xikar lighters - for which I paid between $30-$75 apiece over the years. It's disappointing for a number of reasons, not just the money. Even with the warranty, it's bothersome to have to go through taking/mailing it in for repair and trade....and this is exacerbated by the fact I paid 10x the price of one that works better.

It's kinda like Craftsman tools with their lifetime, no-questions-asked policy. I have some that belonged to my Dad. They're now ancient and still perfect for their designed use - even after decades of my Dad using them hard in an industrial setting. They're built like tanks. The ones I bought myself over the past 15 years or so are not. In Florida, I was regularly trading them in for new ones. Sure, no questions asked. No flak from the company. But it's a hassle to stop progress on a project to go trade in a broken ratchet or wrench. I always *hated* that, and it happened too often.

Craftsman has always had this warranty. The issue, it seems to me, is they stopped making their tools NOT to break and began making them so cheaply they don't mind replacing them. I feel like that's where the market sits with lighters. I love the look, feel, and heft of a "nice" lighter. If somebody could just make a durable torch I'd be happy to lay out the cash.

Another side of this is high end luxury brands like S. T. DuPont or some of Davidoff's farmed-out stuff. These have a place in the market with guys who can/will buy them. I'm in no position to drop $400 to $10k for a lighter....but even if I could that's not for me. Maybe they're amazing; I don't know. I never will, even if I were a wealthy man. For me, the benefit of a good lighter has a limit with regard to cost. I won't criticize those who have them. It just isn't for me. I believe it's possible to make a solid, long lasting lighter in the Xikar (or slightly more) price range. Just spit balling here, but I genuinely believe it can be done for $100 at retail. I don't need a brand name, nor jewel encrustation and precious metals. Just make the joker work with modest maintenance and I'm all set.

Maybe I'm crazy. Well, there's little doubt of that....but I hold out faith in engineering and good old steel/polycarbonate construction.

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So, have the Xikar scissors gone the way of the PanAm Hijacker? Lost with no trace?

kurtdesign1 wrote:So, have the Xikar scissors gone the way of the PanAm Hijacker? Lost with no trace?

I'm afraid so. But, no biggie. I have plenty of cutters, and there's no sentiment bound to that particular one. I might grab another pair when we're stateside this summer.

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