Xikar, shaking up the traditions of the aficionados

Cigar culture is deeply rooted in tradition. Many aspects of it have not changed, from the tobacco plants grown in areas with centuries of rich cultural heritage to the families passing cigar blending techniques down from one generation to the next.

Many of us would say that is a good thing, particularly in a world where the pace of progress and development keeps increasing. But what happens when a company decides that the status quo is not good enough, and that some traditions are simply out of date? That question preoccupied Kurt Van Keppel (editor’s note: in an interview he gave), who looked for an answer through a relentless pursuit of innovation, development and progress that led to the creation of Xikar, Inc.

A shake-up in the cigar world

Xikar’s tradition is in fact invention, starting with the ground-breaking Xi cigar cutter, which has become something of an icon. With the immediate worldwide success of that cutter, many would have suggested riding the winning horse to the end, but a flat refusal to stop innovating has been at the heart of the company for the past 20 years. That is clear from the growth in research and development now taking place at Xikar’s head office, where the first floor is occupied by the product development and engineering departments.

What makes Xikar increasingly distinctive is the wide range of cigar accessories in which it has become the innovator. This includes highly reliable cigar lighters, genuinely inventive scissors, and the introduction of entirely new technologies to the industry. A closer look at each of these areas shows how broad an effect Xikar has had on the cigar world as a whole.

Xikar cigar lighters, mastering the flame

One of the most notable achievements produced by Xikar is a genuine understanding of lighter technology. « One of the biggest factors in the reliability of a cigar lighter is having the right air-to-fuel ratio, every time, to ensure combustion », said Rob Lembke, vice-president of engineering at Xikar.

« Our new lighter has been engineered in depth for reliability. Everything, from the placement of the vent to our implementation of a simplified fuel delivery system and the redesigned activation mechanism, is what allows this lighter to be a reliable, high-performing machine. »

Talking further with Rob showed that the company’s culture of improvement does not stop at lighters. The metal Xikar V-cut, now a staple cutter for many cigar connoisseurs, has also been overhauled. Rob went on: « Before our VX V-Cutter, most V-cuts were cheap plastic cutters that did not work properly. But by working closely with our long-standing manufacturing partner, Wolfertz GmbH, we were able to produce a V-cutter using high-quality materials, and also to implement a way of reversing the blade to turn it into a neater cut ». It is arguable that this innovation contributed a great deal to the growing popularity of the V-cut in the United States over the past decade.

Innovation applied to the cigar

Nor did Xikar’s innovation stop at improving older techniques. Xikar’s introduction of a new wireless technology has improved the care given to cigars through proper humidification. The new Purotemp Wireless Hygrometer System lets the user actively monitor up to three humidors remotely, with the option of setting minimum and maximum conditions for temperature and relative humidity. The device will automatically alert you when conditions inside the humidor fall outside those settings. « Combining an existing technology, previously unrelated to the cigar industry, shows our commitment to innovation; to better solutions, » Lembke concluded.

Xikar puts its efforts into supplying the latest technology and innovation so that cigar accessories perform as well as they can, even if that means questioning tradition. If you want a cigar cutter, a lighter or an accessory engineered for guaranteed performance, go to your specialist smoking articles site Smoking.fr, where tradition and technology meet.