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The Atoll Eye Cutter

Michael Moretti
Posted: February 26, 2007

The "Eye" from Atoll takes the traditional oblong punch cutter and flattens it out into something ocular.

The one-square-inch cutter has a quarter-inch-thick body that encloses a concaved circle, which has another circle at its center. From a bird's-eye view, it could pass for the retina and pupil of a steely human eye. A rounded cigar head fits snuggly inside the outer circle aligning the cutter's inner circle with the center of the cigar head. Gently press the cigar to the circle -- actually a spring-loaded retractable blade -- and the sharp edge is exposed, punching a perfectly round hole in the cigar cap. Take care not to press too hard because you could damage the cigar. Release the pressure and the blade withdraws, simultaneously forcing out the excess cut of tobacco to the ground or to an awaiting ashtray. As with any punch cutter, this type of setup will not work with a tapered or figurado-style head.

The Eye cutter is available in 30 different colors and types of leather grain facings, including crocodile, ostrich and lizard. It has a suggested retail price of $110. For more information, call 800-819-5856.

Photo by Lynn Berry