At the 2010 IPCPR trade show and convention, XIKAR released the X8, a single action guillotine cutter. It differs from the company’s signature Xi and MTX products, both of which deliver straight cut, in that it is a new take on a relatively classic design. Offered in four different finishes ($29.99/$39.99), the X8 is fairly straight forward and looks like a slightly larger and modified version of a typical guillotine cutter with two finger holes and two opposing stainless steel blades that meet in the center. Where it differs from a typical guillotine is that one blade is stationary while the other moves, allowing the blades to open to a full circle before closing again with only the sliding side retracting from the body of the cutter. That action is incredibly smooth and easy to use. The advantage to the single blade action, which is also found on Palio’s signature cutter, is that the cigar does not move during the cutting motion. This creates a significantly decreased risk of tearing and other errors during the cutting process. For the review, I used the black version of the cutter, which along with the silver finish, retails for $29.99. A carbon fiber and ...
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