Les Fines Lames and German Engineered Cigars Team Up for the 3D-Printed Le Petit Kentron

Les Fines Lames has teamed up with German Engineered Cigars to produce a new version of its Le Petit cigar knife that features a 3D-printed handle which is said to offer unparalleled stability and a pleasing and secure grip.

It’s called the Le Petit Kentron, and the design is based on the intricate structure of a tobacco leaf.

“’Engineering as an art‘ is a principle we share with our French colleagues at Les Fines Lames,” said Oliver Nickels, co-founder and chief cigar engineer of German Engineered Cigars, via a press release. “This shared vision sparked the creation of Le Petit Kentron, a symbol of true friendship. It blends traditional craftsmanship and avant-garde technology and shows what happens when creative minds and skilled hands come together across borders. We are excited to unveil Le Petit Kentron, a tribute to French-German excellence.”

Nickels and German Engineered Cigars have several years of experience producing 3D-printed cigar accessories, as in 2019 the company released the Kentron #42K Ashtray, which was printed out of aluminum and took 42,000 individual elements to create. In 2021, the company released a 3D-printed cigar stand capable of holding up to two pounds, despite weighing only .045 ounces (or 1.3 grams.)

Like the numerous other design options offered, the Le Petit Kentron is a friction folder knife, measuring 4.53 inches long when closed and 6.18 inches long when open, with a 2.55 inch non-lockable blade made from 14C28N stainless steel that can cut the cap off cigars up to 70 ring gauge. It debuted in 2015 and is made in Thiers, France, referred to as the capital of French cutlery.

“Our connection with our German neighbors, Klaas and Jan, has always revolved around the spirit of sharing,” said Pierre Jourdan, creative director and founder of Les Fines Lames, in a press release. “The inception of this collaborative idea occurred in Vegas during PCA 2022, where we shared a booth at the tradeshow. From these conversations emerged a high-quality product designed in harmony with the Kentron line of unique accessories that German Engineered Cigars propose.“

Pricing is set at $179 in the U.S. and €179 for other markets. The Le Petit Kentron is currently available via Les Fines Lames’ online store.

Images courtesy of Les Fines Lames.

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, the G-League's Valley Suns, and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.