The FlintFire I Windowpane is the “slim” design that measures 5/16 of an inch thick, 2 3/4 inches in length and 1 3/8  wide. Despite the slender size the solid high-gloss body has a great weight and texture in your hand. The lines are just large enough to be felt by your fingers and the “Flint Strike Wheel” texture/lines are slightly enlarged for effortless lighting.

A small plate hides the FlintFire I Windowpane fill nozzle and the flame adjuster is, again, a replica of the S.T. Dupont. However this “Easy Adjustment Wheel” is rather miniature and may not be ideal for anyone with larger hands. It is safe to say that you will need finger nails or a small sharp object to lift it up. I also want to mention that while I am comparing the FlintFire I Windowpane to a S.T. Dupont the lid will not make any sort of “ping“.

FlintFire I Windowpane is a great lighter that one can use for the occasional social gathering. The size of the lighter limits the amount of fuel and therefore makes it a little too much work as a heavy use cigar lighter. The other downfall is that the FlintFire only has a single flame making it great for a quick touch-up but time consuming for lighting a larger cigar.

Remember that the size is limiting the FlintFire I Windowpane in features and you will be required to carry a cutter or punch.

MSRP for the FlintFire I Windowpane is a reasonable $79.99 and comes with the XIKAR Life Time Warranty.

Often time I justify the purchases to my boss (spelled w-i-f-e) by really breaking down the reason I need the lighter as opposed to the one I just purchased.

The story usually goes like this: “I NEEDED to buy the XIKAR EX brushed lighter because it has one flame and that gives me better control on my relights. Sometimes the dual flames are just overkill. And you told me to stop buying so much lighter fluid, so im conserving it. Plus this one matches perfect when I wear a white shirt and it’s classy. The other dark lighters were more for evenings, wearing a dark jacket. Or they were just something I wouldn’t mind loosing. I love you.”

Shortly right after I get a dark glare that only signals my retreat to the couch for the rest of the night.  One night on the couch is a small price to pay to add this lighter to my collection.

The XIKAR EX brushed is a single flame beauty that will feel solid in your hands.

The brushed finish makes it rugged enough to be your everyday lighter without the fear of scratching the body in your pockets (keys, phone, etc). Additionally it is easy to take a polisher to it for a quick clean up.

The flame adjuster is located on the bottom and allows the lighter to stand upright. The knob is large enough to adjust the flame with ease but it will not accidentally move on you.

Price will hit you in the wallet at $59.99 from XIKAR directly. Doing a little internet research you can pick this up at an even $50.

To fast forward this story I purchased a wonderful smoke and quickly realized I had nothing to cut it with at the hotel. Then she caught my eye: the XIKAR Xi3 Redwood. Upon picking it up I first took note to how great it felt in my hand, mostly due to the weight. The XIKAR felt solid.

The body is polished to a high gloss that reflects the deep color of the wood. The release button feels equally as sturdy and quickly opens the cutter up allowing it to accept cigars up to a 58 ring gauge. I was really hooked after the first cut; you could hear the click as the blades moved back into a closed secure position, you notice the cut was effortless, and everything in general was perfect.

This is a great cigar cutter that any avid smoker should at least consider buying. XIKAR provides a lifetime guarantee, they are willing to sharpen the blades for you if they so happen to loose their cutting edge.

Something To Consider: I know this will not effect most people. I have not been able to find a cigar lighter that matches the cutter. I always feel like they are out of sync when I hand the mismatched lighter and cutter to someone.

XIKAR Website
1-866-676-7380