Kansas City, MO - May 3rd, 2003 - Curious? Confused? Maybe a little of both? Company officials now want to set the record straight on what XIKAR means and how it became the recognized brand name for this Kansas City based manufacturer of precision cigar cutters and folding knives.

Xikar, pronounced Zy-car with the heavier accent on the first syllable, is actually a word of great historical significance, according to company founder and president, Kurt Van Keppel.

The original spelling was SIKAR, a Mayan Indian word for "cheroot" which they regularly smoked. When the Spaniards discovered the Mayan culture, they also discovered the cheroot and began smoking this "cigar" for the first time, returning to their own country with it.

Through the years, the spelling changed and became what we commonly refer to as the cigar.

"We changed the spelling a bit and developed XIKAR as both our company name and our product brand," said Scott Almsberger, company vice president and chief product designer.

But with that name came every possible mispronunciation imaginable, Almsberger added. "You name it, we've heard it."

As a long-time marketer, however, Van Keppel knows the value in a company name. And in XIKAR's case, that value is high in terms of customer recognition, brand awareness and consumer loyalty.

"You don't forget XIKAR," Van Keppel states. "We are setting the standard for precision cutlery design."

"We've had consultants advise us to change our name because they say it's too difficult, and therefore has limited value," Van Keppel said. "I told them it's unique and recognized, and the value can be seen on the bottom line."

After seven years in business, that translates to success no matter how you say it.

About Xikar

Today, XIKAR cigar cutters and gentlemen's folding knives are sold worldwide through more than 3,000 dealers.

Most recently, the company has introduced several new products including the Xi3 Cutter, Xi 007 Twist Punch, MTX Multi-Tool, as well as a full line of fine pocket knives. These include the XI-118 Elan, the XI-138 Excel, the XI-158 Excursion and the XI-188 Extreme. Product specifics can be found on our website at www.xikar.com.

Company Website: http://www.xikar.com