accessories
PRODUCT: Credo Synchro
TYPE: Cigar cutter
CONTACT INFORMATION: The cutters are exclusively distributed in the United States by Arango Cigar Company, Northbrook, Ill., Toll-free: (800) 222-4427, Tel: (847) 480-0055, E-Mail: arangocigar@aol.com.
OTHER: Credo web site: http://www.credo.fr/uk/home_uk.htm
REVIEWER: Doc
SPECIFICATIONS:
Color: Polished Stainless Steel and Matted Gray Stainless
Length: 3 ½ inches
Width: 2 ¼ inches
Weight: 2.4 ounces
FORM: 95
FUNCTION: 90
VALUE: 85
OVERALL SCORE: 90.0 – STOGIE FRESH GOLD STAR RATING
BACKGROUND:
In my opinion, one can never have enough cutters. Of course, I like to collect things, but cigar accessories are my favorite collector’s paradise. I do have standards, however. And they are very simple: a cigar cutter must work. That is, it must cut cigars and cut them well consistently. It must be able to cut cigars of all shapes and of nearly every size. Of secondary importance, yet still important enough, is a cutter should look cool. It should have a certain “pod factor.” I mean, I like to pull out my cutter and lighter at a herf and have something that I can show off. Yeah, a good cutter should be cool too.
That said; I am here to review the Credo Synchro Cigar Cutter.
The Credo Synchro is constructed from durable stainless steel and comes in many styles. The different versions include a classy polished stainless model, matted silver, gold and black, and a variety of wood-veneer types: Mahogany, Amboyna, Birdseye Maple and Macassar Ebony.
Manufacturer’s suggested retail prices are $70 for all metal-bodied models, and $90 for the wood finishes.
FORM and SETUP: [Score: 95]
The Credo Synchro Cutter’s body is a sleek 3.5 x 2.25 inches. The polished stainless and mat gray versions each weigh in at 2.4 ounces, which makes them the heaviest cutter we have reviewed to date. For some people, the extra heft is a good thing and a sign of a well-made cutter, for others it just represents extra weight.
The Synchro includes a leather pouch and comes with some simple “principles of operation” that are stated on the box. I took the cutter out of the box to give it the “once over.” I thought that the polished stainless cutter was very cool and would give it 9.5 PODS, on the 1-10 “Pod Factor Scale.” The matted gray cutter was not as good looking to me and tended to scratch easily.
The cutter is a blend of a double-guillotine cutter and cigar scissors. This form consideration is important: because the cutter has scissors handles, it is easy to get a good grip on the cutter and it provides more than enough leverage for important cutting tasks. On the other hand, because it is a double-guillotine, it has a smaller footprint and doesn’t take up as much space in your pocket or herf bag as would a set of scissors.
FUNCTION: [Score: 90]
At Stogie Fresh we don’t even start a cutter review in earnest until we have made between 75-100 cuts. I took out some dog rockets and started to get a feel for the cutter. I made cut after cut, trying to develop the most efficient method for using this cutter. After 85 “practice cuts,” I began using the cutter for my prized stogies. Over the next couple of weeks, I used the cutter to cut cigars of various shapes and sizes: torpedo, Churchill, perfecto, corona, and robusto, were some of the vitolas incised by the Synchro. I must say that the cutter has a sharp blade. It cuts very cleanly and stays sharp, at least through the 100-plus cuts that I made.
The locking mechanism is a bit finicky and sometimes sticks. Without the locking mechanism, the blades would stay in a wide-open position all the time because the mechanism has a spring that opens the blades, thus the need for a lock.
VALUE: [Score: 85]
Each cutter comes with leather carrying pouch and 100% lifetime warranty. The price may be a bit steep for some, considering that you can buy some very fine cutters for much less.
OVERALL SCORE: 90.0 = GOLD STAR RATING
In summary, this is a very cool looking cutter that has sharp blades that cut well. This cutter performs very well and would be a handsome addition to your cutter collection. Due to the price, this cutter would not be for everyone, but for the cigar enthusiast who must have the finest, this would be a great choice.
How we rate Accessories
1. FORM: Is the product well designed and are directions for set up (if applicable) easy to follow and intuitive?
2. FUNCTION: How well does the product perform the function it was designed for?
3. VALUE: To what extent is the product worth the price?
4. OVERALL QUALITY = FORM + FUNCTION + VALUE (divided by 300)
5. RATING SCALE: We use a 50-100 point scale.
51 - 69 = POOR
70 - 79 = AVERAGE
80 - 89 = SILVER STAR
90 - 100 = GOLD STAR
Credo: Synchro Cutter
Friday, April 27, 2007
