dstieger wrote:finish scratches easy
The nicer finshes, sure. But "nice finishes may be damaged by abrasion" is common sense. You're supposed to protect them with a suitable carrying case, not let them slide around on the dashboard of your car or get ground up against jagged keys in a pocket. Of course they'll scratch!
For scratch resistance, nothing beats the Xikar Stratosphere II. The finish is rubber. It basically never scratches. Love it!
There's also the "wrinkle black" a.k.a. "crinkle black" finish on some Xikars (e.g. Turrim Single, others). It's a tough and textured black that's very hard to scratch.
For cutters, the Xi2 (fiberglass/nylon composite body) and X8 and X875 (resin body) are pretty much immune to scratches too.
For the majority of my Xikars which aren't scratch-resistant like the above models, I simply keep them in cases that protect their finish (e.g. Xikar CigarLocker with the padded spots for cutters and lighters). Works great, protects them and keeps their finishes looking good as new.
Also,
remember that the warranty covers the finish (along with anything and everything else). Finish scratched? Swap it for a new one at your nearest dealer, even if it still lights just fine. You can do that forever, over and over again. But, it's easier to keep it in a case that protects it with foam or the like.
.