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Last post 4 years ago by USNGunner. 14 replies replies.
Xikar Tech Quad - any experiences / opinions / reviews?
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Pudding Mittens Offline
#1 Posted: Mon, Aug 19 2019, 3:45 PM EST
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
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Hey guys. Have any of you ever used the Xikar Tech Quad lighter? I have Tech singles, doubles and triples, but not the quad. Looks to me like it'd be a similar experience to using, say, the Xikar Volta (same jet count and 2x2 configuration).

Apparently the proper way to use these is to hold the cigar quite a long distance away to let the 4 jets "combine" into one really wide jet (similar to the Alec Bradley "The Burner" table lighter), and use that single merged, wide flame to toast the entire foot simultaneously and evenly and, due to the distance involved, you don't scorch the wrapper leaf.

Is this true? Anyone try 2x2 quads, preferably this one in particular? The Tech triple builds up heat quickly, is the quad a finger-burner so you have to use an asbestos glove or something? Opinions and experiences? Thanks.
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Pudding Mittens Offline
#2 Posted: Tue, Aug 20 2019, 12:42 PM EST
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
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Really? None of you fellas have ever used a 2x2 quad-jet lighter?
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dstieger Offline
#3 Posted: Tue, Aug 20 2019, 12:52 PM EST
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
Been using one I got here (Rockwell, I think) for a few months.

It is a lighter
corey sellers Offline
#4 Posted: Tue, Aug 20 2019, 1:44 PM EST
Joined: 08-21-2011
Posts: 10,354
I use a moretti quad got like 5 brand new still using the same one from a couple years ago looks rough but works
clintCigar Offline
#5 Posted: Tue, Aug 20 2019, 2:00 PM EST
Joined: 05-14-2019
Posts: 4,682
I have the Moretti Churchill and a Cohiba 2x2 quad flame that work well. I'm sure the Xikar Tech would be similar.
Pudding Mittens Offline
#6 Posted: Tue, Aug 20 2019, 2:55 PM EST
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
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Thanks guys. I ordered one, even though I already have way too many Xikar lighters, because why not? I'll try the "long distance away" method and see what I think. Hopefully it'll result in a big wide unified flame that'll work well for initial lights.

I imagine this thing will completely suck for wavy burn line touchups, but that's what I have my single jets for.... or, better yet, my flat-flame Veranos (with the narrow, sharp "blade of fire").
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dstieger Offline
#7 Posted: Tue, Aug 20 2019, 2:58 PM EST
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
Order butane, too
Mrs. dpnewell Offline
#8 Posted: Tue, Aug 20 2019, 3:49 PM EST
Joined: 08-23-2014
Posts: 1,373
I used to use the quads from Jetline, but they tended to scorch, plus they ran out of fuel quickly. Since I slowly toast my cigars, I'd have to re-fuel every 2 to 3 cigars. Nowadays, I prefer the table top triples I win here for $7.

David
clintCigar Offline
#9 Posted: Tue, Aug 20 2019, 3:56 PM EST
Joined: 05-14-2019
Posts: 4,682
Pudding Mittens wrote:
I imagine this thing will completely suck for wavy burn line touchups, but that's what I have my single jets for.... or, better yet, my flat-flame Veranos (with the narrow, sharp "blade of fire").
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Yes they do. I use my Colibri Daytona single flame for burn corrections.
Pudding Mittens Offline
#10 Posted: Tue, Aug 20 2019, 3:58 PM EST
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
Mrs. dpnewell wrote:
I used to use the quads from Jetline, but they tended to scorch, plus they ran out of fuel quickly. Since I slowly toast my cigars, I'd have to re-fuel every 2 to 3 cigars. Nowadays, I prefer the table top triples I win here for $7.

David

Thanks for the info!

I used to toast too, but for the life of me, I just cannot notice any difference between "toasting then lighting", and "just lighting". I'm starting to suspect that the former being superior to the latter is a placebo effect that we convince ourselves of.

Perhaps the idea was planted by butane companies! I wouldn't put it past 'em! It makes PERFECT business sense to start pushing such an idea! Herfing

Triples are good, both the "triangle type" (cluster of 3 jets in a triangle all facing the same direction) and the "Trezo-type" (3 jets in a line with the outermost 2 aimed inward 8 degrees). I prefer the Trezo-type configuration, although I'm happy with either.

Now that I remember, I actually DID try a quad once, a Xikar HP4. It's not a 2x2 though, it's like if you took a Trezo and made its center jet into two vertically-stacked, parallel-pointing jets, and you kept the pair of 8-degree-tilted outer jets. I think they call it a "Diamond Quad" or something. I returned it because it scorched the living schitt out of every cigar I used it on. But, that was before I knew to hold quads far back from the foot. Nowadays I might like the HP4, who knows. Maybe I'll get one again.
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Mrs. dpnewell Offline
#11 Posted: Tue, Aug 20 2019, 4:08 PM EST
Joined: 08-23-2014
Posts: 1,373
Pudding Mittens wrote:
Thanks for the info!

I used to toast too, but for the life of me, I just cannot notice any difference between "toasting then lighting", and "just lighting". I'm starting to suspect that the former being superior to the latter is a placebo effect that we convince ourselves of.

Perhaps the idea was planted by butane companies! I wouldn't put it past 'em! It makes PERFECT business sense to start pushing such an idea! Herfing

Triples are good, both the "triangle type" (cluster of 3 jets in a triangle all facing the same direction) and the "Trezo-type" (3 jets in a line with the outermost 2 aimed inward 8 degrees). I prefer the Trezo-type configuration, although I'm happy with either.

Now that I remember, I actually DID try a quad once, a Xikar HP4. Returned it because it scorched the living schitt out of every cigar I used it on. But, that was before I knew to hold quads far back from the foot. Nowadays I might like the HP4, who knows. Maybe I'll get one again.
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To me, toasting is more of a ritual then anything else, and adds to the experience. I've smoked well over 10,000 cigars in my life, and to me, that's just how it's done. I'm not claiming it's superior. It's the way I was taught, and old habits are hard to break.

David
Palama Offline
#12 Posted: Tue, Aug 20 2019, 8:04 PM EST
Joined: 02-05-2013
Posts: 23,618
I used a Jetline quad when I first started but watched a video on how to light a cigar and learned to hold it at a distance to prevent scorching. The quad was great but eventually Mr. Hands of Stone dropped and broke the lighter. d'oh!

However, I wasn't too broken up about the dropped lighter as it did suck up a lot of fuel. Luckily I had a Jetline triple waiting in the wings and have since stuck to them or a Xikar Turrim double when initially lighting. I use a Xikar single Tech for touch-ups, smaller RGs and perfectos such as Fuente Hemingways.

Personally, I don't think I'll ever go back to a quad since I have a decent amount of triples stashed away. Even after I deplete those, I'll probably stick to just doubles for initial lighting.
Pudding Mittens Offline
#13 Posted: Sat, Aug 24 2019, 6:10 PM EST
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
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I got the Xikar Tech Quad. What people have said is true, the key is to hold the cigar a good distance back to let the four jets "merge" into one big, wide OmniJet (I ought to trademark that word), and do your initial light with that. I held the cigar at proper OmniJet distance and at a 45-degree angle and rotated it to toast, first without puffing for some toasting action, then with puffing to really get it going.

Works great. Works fast. The lighting process with the Tech Quad seems and feels like a Xikar Trezo cigar lighting, but with slightly more power and slightly less focus, which is exactly what you'd expect given the two lighters' configuration differences.

I like the Tech Quad and would recommend it, however it's obviously going to be problematical for touch-ups.

It's still very hard to beat two-jet lighters (like the Tech Double) for all-around versatility. Enough power to light anything reasonably quickly, yet also in-line accuracy for correcting wavy burn lines.

If you guys have some extra cash though, a great setup would be the Xikar Quad Tech for inital lights along with a Xikar Verano for the world's sharpest and most accurate wavy burn line touch-up capability (it has a "blade of flame" that minimizes "collateral damage" to surrounding wrapper leaf amazingly well, much better than even a single jet). The Verano can also be used for main lights on tiny stuff like Lanceros, although they should be fine if carefully held at a good distance with the Tech Quad.
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USNGunner Offline
#14 Posted: Mon, Aug 26 2019, 12:14 AM EST
Joined: 05-17-2019
Posts: 4,402
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Good stuff!
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