Davidoff Double Blade Cutter

In the world of cigar cutters, traditionalists might struggle. When you walk into your typical cigar shop you are likely to find a variety of punches, a v-cutter or two, scissors and a variety of guillotine cutters. There is the plethora of butterfly-style guillotine cutters, your typical plastic-handled dual guillotine cutters, oversized guillotine cutters for cutting 70 ring gauge cigars, but if you want a traditional dual guillotine cutter that is made nicely and meant to cut average-sized cigars, you are oftentimes out of luck.

Enter the Davidoff Double Blade Cutter ($330), a traditional style cutter with handles welded together using a special laser application, while an integrated spring system ensures that the blades slide smoothly along their tracks and stay locked when not in use. 

The cutter is available in four standard finishes, each retailing for the same $330: Anthracite, Black Lacquer, Black and Steel. In addition, Davidoff has released a number of different versions of the Double Blade Cutter over the years, including a limited edition Nicaragua cutter, one covered in rose gold and two different colors incorporating Buffalo leather. Each includes a leather cover to provide protection when in transit and the four standard finishes are sold in a gift box.

From the first look, the Davidoff cutter screams elegance, with its incredibly simple yet classic lines and styling. The stainless steel end pieces that you hook your fingers through and the actual edge of the blade has a shiny finish, while the main part of the cutter where you place your cigar when cutting features a matte finish, giving the entire cutter a very nice contrast. The Davidoff logo is etched onto opposing sides of each of the blades, and both are small enough not to distract from the overall look.  

Even after more than a month of using the cutter to cut every cigar I smoked personally and for reviews, using the Davidoff Double Blade Cutter is a joy, both for its look and the obvious balance that it possesses. The cutter is quite hefty in your hand and feels extremely solid when you use it, which makes the actual cutting of the cigar a much sturdier exercise. The operation of the cutter is extremely precise, smoothly cutting the cap of each cigar like a hot knife through butter. When opening and closing, the blades smoothly roll on their tracks, and give an audible click when they finish their trek. and I have never had a problem with the cap coming off. The blades have shown no signs of dulling, and not once have I had anything other than a sharp and perfect cut, regardless of the type or vitola of cigar I used it on. 

Unlike some other guillotine cutters that have a tendency to become loose and start slipping after extended use, the blades on the Davidoff Double Blade Cutter still remain in place after you close them and don’t even show a small sign of loosing up. In addition, the blades still feature the perfect amount of tension despite the fact that the entire cutter is one big piece of metal begging to be marred, the exterior has resisted any and all scratches, leaving it just as attractive as when I opened the box for the first time. 

Of course, even with all of the great things that can be said about this cutter, there are some detriments as well. Many of you reading this probably scoffed at the $330 price tag, which makes it one of the more expensive cutters on the market. Particularly when you remove the bedazzled art pieces from S.T. Dupont and XIKAR. Appearance-wise, the Davidoff logo is partially obscured when the cutter blades. In addition, the shiny exterior of the steel version that I am reviewing is a fingerprint magnet, although it is easily remedied with a quick wipe with a cloth. There’s also the size, which is not recommended for anything beyond a 56 ring gauge.

Trying to find an all metal dual guillotine cutter in a traditional style is challenging. Prometheus used to sell one, although it’s no longer listed on its website. Drew Estate gives out one at its events, although it features a covered back and is not officially offered for sale. Davidoff’s own Zino seeks a variety of traditional dual guillotine cutters, including the Zino Double Blade Metal Cutter ($210), which features a slightly more modern style on the traditional cutter. There of course the XIKAR models, notably the Xi series, as well as the X8 and X875. There are others including a variety of Colibri, the iconic Palió, but none features an all metal construction with two handles and two blades in the traditional style.

I can easily say that the Davidoff Double Blade Cutter is the best guillotine cutter I have ever used, both in form and function. The cut it gives you is clean and sharp every time and the blades show no signs of dulling. The exterior is extremely durable, and I am convinced that even after using it for more than a month, I could wipe it down and put it back in the box and it will look just as new as when I opened it for the first time. Yes, it is also rather expensive, but if you have the money to spend and are looking for a cutter that will last, look no further than the Davidoff Double Blade Cutter.

Davidoff is an advertiser of halfwheel. The cutter used for this review was loaned to halfwheel by Davidoff of Geneva USA.