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Last post 5 years ago by engletl. 16 replies replies.
Attention Xikar fans...
Pudding Mittens Offline
#1 Posted:
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
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For those who didn't hear already, Xikar's added some new stuff to their lineup:

http://halfwheel.com/xikar-announces-hp3-turismo-lighters/270961

Meh, the Turismo's really no different from the Enigma and Axia, and the HP3 is really no different from the Trezo.

In both cases, same jet configuration and same overall form factor and trigger mechanism and motion as their predecessors. Yawn-worthy.

http://halfwheel.com/xikar-adds-xflame-electric-lighter-to-portfolio/271129

This thing looks like a total "avoid". The head wears out and is NOT covered under the lifetime warranty, and you have to keep buying replacement heads forever. Also, USB-chargeable, which means eventually it stops taking a charge, so you have to send it back... but is the battery covered under the warranty? They don't say. Also, how in the hell do you do touch-ups to the burn line with this thing? You don't. Hard pass! No thanks.

http://halfwheel.com/xikar-adding-first-flat-flame-lighter-reducing-high-performance-butane-price/270985

Now this might be interesting. Never used a flat flame, but it looks interesting.... however, isn't it just a narrower version of the "wall of flame" something like a Trezo generates? If so, it's a less-powerful Trezo, which is more yawn material.

Dropping MSRP of the high-performance black-can butane from $13 to $10 is very nice though!
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bgz Offline
#2 Posted:
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
I've seen other brand electric lighters... I'll pass too.

Could probably make one pretty easily with an old car lighter and an 18650 battery... but I prefer a good old fashioned flame.
frankj1 Offline
#3 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
Pudding Mittens wrote:
.
For those who didn't hear already, Xikar's added some new stuff to their lineup:

http://halfwheel.com/xikar-announces-hp3-turismo-lighters/270961

Meh, the Turismo's really no different from the Enigma and Axia, and the HP3 is really no different from the Trezo.

In both cases, same jet configuration and same overall form factor and trigger mechanism and motion as their predecessors. Yawn-worthy.

http://halfwheel.com/xikar-adds-xflame-electric-lighter-to-portfolio/271129

This thing looks like a total "avoid". The head wears out and is NOT covered under the lifetime warranty, and you have to keep buying replacement heads forever. Also, USB-chargeable, which means eventually it stops taking a charge, so you have to send it back... but is the battery covered under the warranty? They don't say. Also, how in the hell do you do touch-ups to the burn line with this thing? You don't. Hard pass! No thanks.

http://halfwheel.com/xikar-adding-first-flat-flame-lighter-reducing-high-performance-butane-price/270985

Now this might be interesting. Never used a flat flame, but it looks interesting.... however, isn't it just a narrower version of the "wall of flame" something like a Trezo generates? If so, it's a less-powerful Trezo, which is more yawn material.

Dropping MSRP of the high-performance black-can butane from $13 to $10 is very nice though!
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there is no meaning to MSRP. It is not real.
It is a made up number from which to pretend to discount.
Pudding Mittens Offline
#4 Posted:
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
frankj1 wrote:
there is no meaning to MSRP. It is not real.
It is a made up number from which to pretend to discount.

Ummm, yes, like nearly everyone, I'm aware of that. But a substantial MSRP drop usually means the real, street price will drop too, which is the good outcome I was implying.
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frankj1 Offline
#5 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
Pudding Mittens wrote:
Ummm, yes, like nearly everyone, I'm aware of that. But a substantial MSRP drop usually means the real, street price will drop too, which is the good outcome I was implying.
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new owners in place at xikar yet?
could reflect a quality drop too...
engletl Offline
#6 Posted:
Joined: 12-26-2000
Posts: 26,493
New owners but customer service is still good. Sent a pair of lighters back for warranty work. An original Tech lighter and an Enigma.
Got an email that the Tech could not be fixed and they are replacing it with an ELX.
Pudding Mittens Offline
#7 Posted:
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
engletl wrote:
New owners but customer service is still good. Sent a pair of lighters back for warranty work. An original Tech lighter and an Enigma.
Got an email that the Tech could not be fixed and they are replacing it with an ELX.


Odd... why not replace it with another Tech? They're in current production. Why switch to an ELX for the replacement (unless they gave you similarly-priced options to choose from, or you asked really nicely for an ELX, or something)? Fill us in on why!

As for the lifetime warranty, word from reliable sources is that it WILL REMAIN IN PLACE indefinitely, as the new owner wants to position Xikar as their top-end, "Cadilliac" brand with all their other-named accessory brands/lines below it, and they realize that most of the "cachet", strength, respect and overall value that people associate with the brand "Xikar" is due to that lifetime warranty.

You want your Cadillac line to be thought highly of, obviously. You want people to react with stuff like, "Oh, THAT stuff's great s**t!" when the brand name is mentioned. You do that by keeping its single greatest value: the lifetime warranty.

Sounds like there are smart folks in the boardroom of the new owning company!
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Ewok126 Offline
#8 Posted:
Joined: 06-25-2017
Posts: 4,356
I will stick to my Trezo I think. They have done right by me on repairing it when I needed.

Back when it was announced about the "New Owners" I had called and spoke with a few folks at Xikar and they did say that the warranty was going to stay in place. I was content after I got that word.
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#9 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
frankj1 wrote:
there is no meaning to MSRP. It is not real.
It is a made up number from which to pretend to discount.


I LOL'd at "high performance butane"
Pudding Mittens Offline
#10 Posted:
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
Ewok126 wrote:
I will stick to my Trezo I think. They have done right by me on repairing it when I needed.

I have four of them, two in G2 (two kinds of gunmetal) and two in the gold and brushed silver combination. Love them all.

By the way, for those of you who want a Trezo-like lighter on the cheap, check out the Vector Drone. It's like a Trezo and a Tech had a baby. Same jet configuration as a Trezo, but mounted on the giant, clear tank of the Tech. Comes with the Vector "no proof warranty", which after reading all the fine print seems to be like Xikar's EXCEPT that it becomes void once the model is no longer in current production. But hey, it's better than nothing, and you can find them for $9.99, and jet-wise they operate identically to a Trezo and hold a lot more fuel (but are less stylish). Not bad!

Quote:
Back when it was announced about the "New Owners" I had called and spoke with a few folks at Xikar and they did say that the warranty was going to stay in place. I was content after I got that word.

Your intel fits with mine. This is good because I own a schitt-load of Xikar products with the lifetime warranty.

Thunder.Gerbil wrote:
I LOL'd at "high performance butane"

You shouldn't. Independent reviews on the web, and a couple of my cigar buddies plus a local B&M shop owner, all confirm (versus other common premium butanes) significantly higher flame heights at identical height settings (or identical flame heights at substantially lower height settings) and that it often brings dead lighters back to life, when conventional butanes do not / have not.

It's supposed to also work better at high elevations, but nobody I know has climbed large mountains or taken it to Denver to test it.

There's something different in the formulation, but I've not seen an explanation of what, so far. But it's a very real and noticeable difference.
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Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#11 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
Good stuff, Maynard.
frankj1 Offline
#12 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
and more economical for huffing.
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#13 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
We'll need to see some independent reviews on that Frank. Something that also covers how well it huffs at altitude.
frankj1 Offline
#14 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
In concert with my continuing pursuit of scientific advancement, I would be a willing participant in future studies...at any altitude.

Whatever it takes...to find the Biggest Flame
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#15 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
Frank, make sure you investigate if someone huffs xikar high performance butane, will it bring dead brain cells back to life?
engletl Offline
#16 Posted:
Joined: 12-26-2000
Posts: 26,493
Pudding Mittens wrote:
Odd... why not replace it with another Tech? They're in current production. Why switch to an ELX for the replacement (unless they gave you similarly-priced options to choose from, or you asked really nicely for an ELX, or something)? Fill us in on why!

As for the lifetime warranty, word from reliable sources is that it WILL REMAIN IN PLACE indefinitely, as the new owner wants to position Xikar as their top-end, "Cadilliac" brand with all their other-named accessory brands/lines below it, and they realize that most of the "cachet", strength, respect and overall value that people associate with the brand "Xikar" is due to that lifetime warranty.

You want your Cadillac line to be thought highly of, obviously. You want people to react with stuff like, "Oh, THAT stuff's great s**t!" when the brand name is mentioned. You do that by keeping its single greatest value: the lifetime warranty.

Sounds like there are smart folks in the boardroom of the new owning company!
.

No clue why Ken D did not offer the new version of the Tech. Offer was for an ELF in the finish of my choice.
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