6 Cutter Review - Page 2

The Poet · 07-04-2009, 09:56 AM

Nice review, and nice job by both bigloo and Chuck. But personally - and I do mean personally - there is one factor overlooked. In my case, I use an Xikar, but I did not really pay for it! It was a bonus with a Cohiba Red-Dot 3-pack offered by JR maybe 18 months back at $40 - which is about the price of the cigars alone. I'm not a Red-Dot fan, but I thought this was a good chance to sample 3 of their blends plus get a nice cutter. I have also recently gotten 2 nice Montecristo double-blade cutters for the same price - nuttin' - as a bonus with Monte boxes. One can find deals like this often enough, as with deals including lighters, cases, even humidors, that there is often no reason at all to spend money on accessories - unless you're picky. The only cutters I have ever paid for are cheesy plastic ones at 50 cents a pop - but even at that price, they are less cost-effective than a free one.

But hey, I'm a poor boy, have been all my life, will be 'til I die, so just because I'd rather spend my hard-earned dollar on smokes instead of bling don't mean you should.

ca21455 · 07-04-2009, 10:18 AM

Thanks for the nice review. I much prefer the Palio over the Xi2, but have tried the Xi3 and in my opinion it performs much better then the Xi2. The 3 operates smoother and has less "wiggle" when you make the cut. It also did not pinch the cigar like my Xi2 tended to do.

07-04-2009, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigloo

For me, they are very comfortable and the action is super smooth.

Oh I dont doubt that though but I just cant get past the design of it, I may have to try it out someday.

The Palio has been on my to-get list for quite some time.

DPD6030 · 07-04-2009, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChasDen

I was using a few punches for a while and found I liked it a lot.
Just wish I could find one that lasts. All the ones I had either fell apart
or started dulling pretty fast.

Chas

I agree especially when I drop it open and it takes chips out of the steel punch cutter. Not good. Going to see if xikar will replace it. If not it's back to using the palio and xikars

shilala · 07-05-2009, 10:35 AM

The factor that pushes Xikar over Palio for me is the bling (cause I think they sre so cool) and the biggest factor...
Palios make me bleed.
My hands don't work so good, and when I use a Palio it pinches the skin between my thumb and forefinger whe the cut "snaps".
I don't like tools that hurt me, so I stick with the Xikar.
If you can feel your hands, then by all means, a Palio is a nice cutter.
I like metal over plastic, too, and the plastic Palio just didn't seem of any higher quality than all my $5.00 cutters.
I don't know that Palio makes an all metal version, because I haven't followed up.
If they do, by all means, I'd love to try one.

To Qualify, every single cigar cuter I use right now are all metal construction. It's just what I like.

icehog3 · 07-05-2009, 10:41 AM

The Palio Cigar Cutter is not a standard ABS plastic, but a composite. But for me, it is all about the cut, i.e., the blades. IMHO, comparing the quality of the blades on the Palio with the quality of the blade(s) on a $5 cutter is like comparing apples and chili.

Disclaimer: I still have 2 Xikars, and I do use them from time to time. I also use my $2 Havana cutter in a pinch....but Palio is my first choice, like Lucian's.

Smokin Gator · 07-05-2009, 01:10 PM

Thanks for the work on the review.

Have a couple of Xikars that are my cutters. I had a Palio and sold it. It just didn't fit my hand. The past couple of months I have been using a punch almost exclusively and really like it over a cut.

Silound · 07-05-2009, 10:01 PM

I'm not disagreeing with your findings, but I'd like to add this to it for thought.

Most people overlook the fact that, beyond the actual sharpness of the blade, the tolerances of the cutter and the angle of attack on the blade make the difference between a good cut and a bad cut. A sharp blade that has less curve will not always cut as well as one that has a deeper curve. The Palio, for example, has a deep curved blade that allows for more shearing action and less pressure required to achieve the cut. The Xikar cutter has a shallower curve.

Also, the composite bodied Xikars are notorious (at least in the B&M world they are) for having looser tolerances that allow the blades to deflect side to side. This means the blades don't come together cleanly, leaving what I refer to as the "stair cut" where one blade cuts lower on the cap than the other.

Other factors that influence the quality of the cutter's cut are the thickness of the blade and the bevel. My Palio has a thinner blade that cuts round cap cigars better, but fails miserably on torpedo tips because it doesn't stabilize the cap as it cuts very well. In contrast my Xikar has a thicker blade that allows it to support the cigar as it cuts resulting is a cleaner cut on torpedo tips.

The bevel of the blade also factors deeply into the quality of the cut. The bevel is ground with the idea that it creates an edge that is sufficiently sharp to cut cigars, but also capable of withstanding substantial use before it goes dull. As the angle of the bevel gets smaller it means a sharper cleaner cut (*up to a point), but means the blade will wear and go dull much faster. A larger angle of bevel means it will retain it's cutting edge longer, but will not be as sharp for cutting.

In the end, it's all personal preference, but I end up carrying different cutters with me depending on what I smoke

MarkinAZ · 07-06-2009, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silound

Most people overlook the fact that, beyond the actual sharpness of the blade, the tolerances of the cutter and the angle of attack on the blade make the difference between a good cut and a bad cut. A sharp blade that has less curve will not always cut as well as one that has a deeper curve. The Palio, for example, has a deep curved blade that allows for more shearing action and less pressure required to achieve the cut. The Xikar cutter has a shallower curve.

Also, the composite bodied Xikars are notorious (at least in the B&M world they are) for having looser tolerances that allow the blades to deflect side to side. This means the blades don't come together cleanly, leaving what I refer to as the "stair cut" where one blade cuts lower on the cap than the other.

Other factors that influence the quality of the cutter's cut are the thickness of the blade and the bevel. My Palio has a thinner blade that cuts round cap cigars better, but fails miserably on torpedo tips because it doesn't stabilize the cap as it cuts very well. In contrast my Xikar has a thicker blade that allows it to support the cigar as it cuts resulting is a cleaner cut on torpedo tips.

The bevel of the blade also factors deeply into the quality of the cut. The bevel is ground with the idea that it creates an edge that is sufficiently sharp to cut cigars, but also capable of withstanding substantial use before it goes dull. As the angle of the bevel gets smaller it means a sharper cleaner cut (*up to a point), but means the blade will wear and go dull much faster. A larger angle of bevel means it will retain it's cutting edge longer, but will not be as sharp for cutting.

Good follow-up information

07-04-2009, 09:56 AM	#21
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: 6 Cutter Review Nice review, and nice job by both bigloo and Chuck. But personally - and I do mean personally - there is one factor overlooked. In my case, I use an Xikar, but I did not really pay for it! It was a bonus with a Cohiba Red-Dot 3-pack offered by JR maybe 18 months back at $40 - which is about the price of the cigars alone. I'm not a Red-Dot fan, but I thought this was a good chance to sample 3 of their blends plus get a nice cutter. I have also recently gotten 2 nice Montecristo double-blade cutters for the same price - nuttin' - as a bonus with Monte boxes. One can find deals like this often enough, as with deals including lighters, cases, even humidors, that there is often no reason at all to spend money on accessories - unless you're picky. The only cutters I have ever paid for are cheesy plastic ones at 50 cents a pop - but even at that price, they are less cost-effective than a free one. But hey, I'm a poor boy, have been all my life, will be 'til I die, so just because I'd rather spend my hard-earned dollar on smokes instead of bling don't mean you should.

07-04-2009, 10:18 AM	#22
ca21455 Working on Reality Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: John Location: Backyard Posts: 393 Trading: (7)	Re: 6 Cutter Review Thanks for the nice review. I much prefer the Palio over the Xi2, but have tried the Xi3 and in my opinion it performs much better then the Xi2. The 3 operates smoother and has less "wiggle" when you make the cut. It also did not pinch the cigar like my Xi2 tended to do.

07-05-2009, 10:35 AM	#25
shilala Dear Lord, Thank You. Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Scott Posts: 13,721 Trading: (252)	Re: 6 Cutter Review The factor that pushes Xikar over Palio for me is the bling (cause I think they sre so cool) and the biggest factor... Palios make me bleed. My hands don't work so good, and when I use a Palio it pinches the skin between my thumb and forefinger whe the cut "snaps". I don't like tools that hurt me, so I stick with the Xikar. If you can feel your hands, then by all means, a Palio is a nice cutter. I like metal over plastic, too, and the plastic Palio just didn't seem of any higher quality than all my $5.00 cutters. I don't know that Palio makes an all metal version, because I haven't followed up. If they do, by all means, I'd love to try one. To Qualify, every single cigar cuter I use right now are all metal construction. It's just what I like. __________________

07-05-2009, 10:41 AM	#26
icehog3 Admiral Douchebag Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Clermont, Kentucky Posts: 71,305 Trading: (60)	Re: 6 Cutter Review The Palio Cigar Cutter is not a standard ABS plastic, but a composite. But for me, it is all about the cut, i.e., the blades. IMHO, comparing the quality of the blades on the Palio with the quality of the blade(s) on a $5 cutter is like comparing apples and chili. Disclaimer: I still have 2 Xikars, and I do use them from time to time. I also use my $2 Havana cutter in a pinch....but Palio is my first choice, like Lucian's. __________________ Thanks Dave, Julian, James, Kelly, Peter, Gerry, Dave, Mo, Frank, Týr and Mr. Mark!

07-05-2009, 01:10 PM	#27
Smokin Gator Just plain insane! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Swamp Posts: 6,237 Trading: (106)	Re: 6 Cutter Review Thanks for the work on the review. Have a couple of Xikars that are my cutters. I had a Palio and sold it. It just didn't fit my hand. The past couple of months I have been using a punch almost exclusively and really like it over a cut. __________________ Check out the Cigar Asylum Newbie Sampler Trade

07-05-2009, 10:01 PM	#28
Silound ex-CS Swamp Gorilla Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Somewhere in a swamp, south of sanity Posts: 802 Trading: (15)	Re: 6 Cutter Review I'm not disagreeing with your findings, but I'd like to add this to it for thought. Most people overlook the fact that, beyond the actual sharpness of the blade, the tolerances of the cutter and the angle of attack on the blade make the difference between a good cut and a bad cut. A sharp blade that has less curve will not always cut as well as one that has a deeper curve. The Palio, for example, has a deep curved blade that allows for more shearing action and less pressure required to achieve the cut. The Xikar cutter has a shallower curve. Also, the composite bodied Xikars are notorious (at least in the B&M world they are) for having looser tolerances that allow the blades to deflect side to side. This means the blades don't come together cleanly, leaving what I refer to as the "stair cut" where one blade cuts lower on the cap than the other. Other factors that influence the quality of the cutter's cut are the thickness of the blade and the bevel. My Palio has a thinner blade that cuts round cap cigars better, but fails miserably on torpedo tips because it doesn't stabilize the cap as it cuts very well. In contrast my Xikar has a thicker blade that allows it to support the cigar as it cuts resulting is a cleaner cut on torpedo tips. The bevel of the blade also factors deeply into the quality of the cut. The bevel is ground with the idea that it creates an edge that is sufficiently sharp to cut cigars, but also capable of withstanding substantial use before it goes dull. As the angle of the bevel gets smaller it means a sharper cleaner cut (up to a point), but means the blade will wear and go dull much faster. A larger angle of bevel means it will retain it's cutting edge longer, but will not be as sharp for cutting. In the end, it's all personal preference, but I end up carrying different cutters with me depending on what I smoke __________________ Back in black, and better than ever! You can't keep a good gorilla down! LSU* Geaux Tigers!