XIKAR Revolution

During the 2022 PCA Convention & Trade Show, Quality Importers Trading Co. introduced a number of new products ranging from humidors to lighters to ashtrays. One of the most talked about products to debut at the show was the XIKAR Revolution, a double guillotine cutter packaged in unique housing with a novel way of opening and closing its blades.

WHAT IS IT?

While it looks like something you might see lying around the starship Enterprise—although they probably would not smoke on the ship in the future other than when they are in the holodeck—the Revolution is essentially just a double guillotine cutter, albeit a cutter with a unique rotary cutting action. The cutter incorporates two spring-assisted blades, which the company refers to it as a power-assisted cutting action, that cut cigars up to a 70 ring gauge. The body of the cutter is made of aluminum alloy and the edging of the wheel is composed of plastic, while the blades are made up of stainless steel.

Physically, the Revolution measures 2.1 inches tall, 1.2 inches at its widest point and .29 inches thick. In addition, the cutter weighs a total of 4.9 ounces.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

There are two regular production versions of the Revolution—black with silver blades and silver with black blades—both of which have an MSRP of $159.99. There is also a limited edition incarnation covered in a 22-karat rose gold finish with black blades that retails for $249.99, and only 250 individually numbered rose gold cutters are being sold.

As of early November 2022, the regular production versions have shipped, but the rose gold version has not.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

While it is hard to miss the obvious visual design differences compared to a more standard cutter the first time I saw the XIKAR Revolution, the first thing I notice is that there isn’t a trigger, button, level or handles to open the blades—I usually expect at least one of those on a cigar cutter. In place of those options is a wheel jutting out from the edge of the cutter with groves in a peak-and-valley pattern that is designed to hold my fingers.

In order to actually use the cutter, I grip the wheel with my thumb and turn the wheel downward against the resistance. This causes two things to happen simultaneously: the wheel rotates around in a circular motion while at the same time the synchronized blades pull apart, creating an opening.

While holding the wheel in place to keep the blades open, I then insert the top of the cigar I am cutting into the opening and allow the blades to close enough so that I can determine exactly how much of the top of the cigar I want cut off. Once that is done, I push the wheel back to its original position using all three of my fingers in a quick, aggressive and steady motion, which closes the blades onto the top of the cigar, cutting through the tobacco fully until they are once again completely closed again.

If I open the baldes and let go of the wheel, the blades will snap back into place nearly immediately. While the action looks very aggressive, it’s actually not enough force to cut the cigar, though it is forceful enough that the blades will dig into the cigar.

It took a bit of time to find exactly where my fingers were the most comfortable—and the most effective—in those grooves, but I finally settled on having my middle finger in the bottom-most groove on the left-hand side, while my index finger is in the grove above that finger and my thumb is in the second groove from the right-hand side of the cutter. This allows the body of the cutter to rest comfortably in the palm of my hand, with my ring finger and pinky curling around the bottom of the cutter to add stability.

To be clear, I understood pretty quickly after picking up the Revolution that it was not going to be easy to use out of the box and decided on the above method after a few days of testing and cutting cigars, some of which were cut quite well during that time, and some of which were not. However, after I determined the best method and started cutting cigars that way, the vast majority of the cuts have been as clean as I would expect from a quality double guillotine cutter.

THE GOOD

• It Is Capable of Cutting Cigars Cleanly — There were multiple times in the first two days that I screwed up cuts, mostly because I was either not aggressive enough when pushing the blades through the top of the cigar or because I had not figured out the most effective way to hold the cutter when actually cutting the cigars. Once I learned how to use the unique cutting method, the results were excellent, basically each and every time.
• You Can See Where And How Much You Are Cutting — While this is a large double guillotine cutter, you are still able to see how much of the cigar you are about to cut off. Because of how aggressive you need to be in order to make sure the blades cut through the cigar cleanly, it is imperative that you can see exactly where the blades are going to cut through the cigar, something the Revolution provides you with in spades.
• It Is Built To Last — I carried around the cutter in the pockets of my shorts and pants a number of times when it rubbed against change, keys and various other items. I also threw it into my work bag more times than I can count and even dropped it a few times. After all of that abuse, the finish of the cutter is virtually unmarred, although the blades do look a bit dirty.
• Finger Stabilizer/Carabiner Opening Is A Nice Addition — I am far, FAR from an engineer of any sort, but it became clear to me early on that while it may not be absolutely necessary to have the bottom section on the cutter, the balance and functionality of the cutter is greatly improved when it is included. The reason is simple: since you have to basically pull the blades against springs in order to open them, your fingers need something to brace against to give you the proper leverage. Enter the bottom part of the teardrop-shaped cutter, which performs the task quite well. However, instead of just leaving that part of the cutter solid, the choice was made to add a hole large enough to serve two purposes: it not only can be used as a stabilizer for people who have smaller hands than I do—specifically, by putting a finger into the opening and using it to brace against for leverage—but it also can be used to attach a carabiner to if desired.

THE BAD

• It Is Not Intuitive — While I was eventually able to figure out the best way for me to use this cutter, it did take me a couple of days of work to get to the point where I could get great results from it. This is not a cutter that I envision handing to a buddy and expecting the results to go well. Without someone showing you specifically how to use the cutter, the results are not likely to go well at first.
• The Combination Of Large Size and Weight Is Extremely Noticeable — While not quite as heavy as The Baller from CigarMedics, the Revolution is still pretty heavy and it is not something I am going to be carrying around in my pocket for extended periods of time.
• It Is Not A Great Choice For People With Small Hands — In my hand, the Revolution fits like a glove. In my wife’s hand or someone who is not as large as I am, it looks like a small weapon and seems to be almost unusable, even when utilizing the finger stabilizer.
• It Is Expensive For What You Get — At a minimum price of $159.99, this is a very expensive option considering the multitude of double guillotine cutter cutters on the market that are not only cheaper but also significantly easier to use.
• Spring-Loaded Blades Make Injuries Possible — Yes, someone would have to be stupid enough to open the blades, insert their finger in the opening and then let the wheel go—which would then cause the blades to close on their own, since they are driven by springs—but it certainly seems possible. While springs are oftentimes used to let the blades of a cigar cutter fly open, the idea of using them to close the blades seems entirely unique. Given that the Revolution won’t cut a cigar without turning the wheel, I don’t think you could lose a finger, but it could be painful and seems capable of creating a small cut.

THE COMPETITION

From a visual perspective, there is nothing I have seen that comes close to how the Revolution looks, but since the Revolution is functionally just a double guillotine cutter, the most obvious competitor that I can think of is the XO, also from XIKAR.

There are some pretty major differences between the two products: the Revolution costs about $50 more than the base model XO but can cut up to 70 ring gauge cigars compared to the XO’s top size of 64 ring gauge. In addition, the XO is available in three different versions with more than 10 colors combinations, while you are stuck with only three choices for the Revolution. Finally, you can connect the Revolution to a belt loop or bag its built-in carabiner ring, but the XO is about half the weight of the Revolution, making it easier to carry around in your pocket.

With all that said, I like the XO over the Revolution. While both cutters deliver great cuts, the XO is smaller, cheaper and much easier to learn how to use.

Additional Competitors

• XIKAR Ensō ($99.99) — It has two blades like the Revolution, but that is pretty much where the similarities between it and the Revolution end. For one thing, it is opened and closed with a handle that you push down from the top, and the blades do not move independently. The Ensō is also thinner, lighter and less expensive than the Revolution. Both are awkward to use, but I would still choose the Revolution over the Ensō due to its uniqueness factor.
• Lotus Meteor ($59.99) — This round double guillotine cutter is not only a third of the price as the Revolution, but it is also thinner, lighter and comes in more finishes. However, the Meteor also includes a built-in backplate—which means you can’t see exactly where the blades are cutting—and can only cut cigars up to 64 ring gauge compared to 70 ring gauge for the Revolution. Despite the backplate, I would choose the Meteor over the Revolution due to its substantially lower price and the fact that it is so much easier to actually cut cigars with.
• Colibri Quasar Cut ($59) — If you are looking for another visually unique double guillotine cutter to compare to the Revolution, you have found it in the Quasar Cut, which features a hobnail design pattern along the sides that was originally found on a vintage 1960s Colibri Moletric lighter. It is also much easier to use, is $100 cheaper than the Revolution, does not weigh as much and is sold in eight different color options, all of which make it an easy choice over the XIKAR.
• XIKAR MTX Multi-Tool ($54.95) — The MTX scissors are noted for their ability to fold up, making them the smallest cigar scissors I’ve ever seen. Despite the size, it includes a bottle opener, a cigar poker and a screwdriver to adjust flame height on lighters. Like the Revolution, it also includes a way to attach it to a key ring or carabiner, although the MTX is substantially lighter and not even close to as bulky.
• Fox Knives 749 Cigar Cutter ($85) — Want an equally visually unique Italian cigar cutter that actually works pretty much all of the time—albeit a little more awkwardly—and costs more than $150 less? Then this is the cutter for you. Both choices are awkward to use, both are awkward to carry and both give good cuts, but I would take the 749 based on the lower price and the fact that it gives more control when cutting caps.

SHOULD YOU BUY IT?

Sadly, no.

Let’s get one thing out of the way up front: I love using this cutter. I love the feel of it, I love how it fits in my hand, I love the uniqueness of the overall look and—after figuring out the best way to use it—I love the cuts I get from it. Having said all of that, the XIKAR Revolution has a number of large issues, starting with the fact that it is an over-designed cutter that just takes too long to learn how to use correctly. It is also expensive and bulky, but perhaps the biggest problem is that the resulting cuts are no better than a large number of other options on the market—including the company’s XO cutter—most of which are cheaper, noticeably lighter and easier to actually cut cigars with.