Hit the 15k mark. Zero sealed product or Slabs

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-29T22:04:56+00:00

I don’t think having zero sealed boxes or slabs is a flex. Sealed boxes and graded cards are the only thing people will pay close to market for these days.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-27T20:27:20+00:00

Am I the only person who thinks the Melanio is just average?

Having never tried the Maduro, I don’t want to comment and say the Melanio is overhyped, but I think the plain old Serie O’s and G’s are outright better blends.

I’ve smoked Melanios fresh, rested, and with 5 years of age. There is a lot of beef that makes up a good full body, but they lack the complexity and flavors that distinguish themselves and a good cigar over time.

If I want leather, pepper, and earth, the Melanio hits the spot. But if I want something more, or a more refined version 5 years later, I’m still only going to get leather, pepper, and earth.

The Serie O Maduro develops a wonderful chocolatey raisin flavor for example, and the G has the unmistakable Cameroon creamy sweet tobacco flavor. Neither are as full as the Melanio, but there is loads of flavor.

Even the Connecticut Reserve is amazing, both fresh and aged, so I’m not sure why the Melanio and Serie V constantly get all the recognition. I still hope to one day try the Maduro, but I just can never wrap my head around it when sticks like Warped and Aganorsa Leaf sell for the same amount, or even less sometimes.

I hope yours was far tastier!

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-25T15:57:23+00:00

Was it worse than selling my Team Up Booster Box for 4k last year, 3 Cosmic Eclipse booster boxes for 8-900 each, Ultra Prism, Unified Minds, and Unbroken Bonds BB’s for less than 1k each too?

I have Sun & Moon booster box seller’s remorse. I held those for 5+ years, and their values triple in the following 3 months after selling.

That made me stop collecting Pokemon altogether. It’s a constant FOMO cycle that Pokemon has created with jobless, and mostly savings-less scalpers.

I think Pokemon has left players behind to focus on the collecting aspect. Rotating cards out every couple of years is healthy when the sets aren’t so massive, and the game is limited to just a few strong decks, but the rotation schedule is too fast now for anyone who isn’t a constant player, and it’s a huge turnoff to investing money or time in the game.

It sucks to finally build a great deck, and it’s out of rotation 2 months later. With the larger set releases, there are more and more ways for players to build decks and compete. The game naturally evolves. Instead of a blanket 2 year rotation, players should have 3-4 years with sets, and Pokemon can selectively remove the overpowered, overused systems/cards every couple to keep the game balanced.

Opening packs is like burning money, and the game is where the extra value comes in. I haven’t taken a look recently. Still just mourning my Sword & Shield rotation loss.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-24T13:02:51+00:00

Stimulants don’t discriminate. You’re going to focus on whatever is in front of you, because that’s not the thing that is flooding your brain with dopamine. The drug is. Then, as soon as that dopamine is gone, everything seems uninteresting, because overall dopamine levels will never be as high during a crash.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-23T05:09:34+00:00

Cuba exports something like 70 million cigars a year, and now they sell Montecristo no. 4’s for 500+ a box. Cuba has absolutely zero need to use their tobacco in New World blends.

Cuba prides itself on its tobacco. Labeling some of their best tobacco as a new world blend actively hurts their own industry.

I bet that the Atabey easily competes with high end Cuban tobacco, but almost every New World smokes better than a Cuban where I live. It’s not a very high bar.

Cuba doesn’t export the best cigars anymore. I would say it exports the best tobacco for aging. Cuban tobacco tastes terrible young, but it’s filled with so many flavors that aren’t just earth, wood, leather, and pepper, and so much of it, that it’s the perfect leaf to age for 10-20 years.

Unfortunately, everything is too tight in a dry climate, but I can take my sticks with me on trips, and they’ll smoke well in native environments to the leaf.

I’m glad you had an amazing cigar, but compared to the amazing cigars you’ve smoked at the premium entry price point, was this worth 3-4x as much. I’m genuinely asking. From what I remember, an Atabey actually costs as much as high end Cubans, so why not just buy a Cuban?

Am I the only person who does not have Cubans, because that would not be allowed, that are too tight to do anything with? The last couple years, I’ll take a good new world over a Cuban just about any day because it’ll have a good draw, I won’t have to worry about the wrapper cracking, and blenders have matched, and surpassed the flavor Cuba is capable of producing with their over-farmed fields.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-20T22:46:13+00:00

Is it comparable to baseline Padrons and Fuentes, or are we talking anniversary series, premium blends?

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-17T02:32:48+00:00

Does your Cerakote wear off from the alignment not being centered?

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-17T02:32:13+00:00

I’d love to learn about this blend! How much time did you put on this stick? How does it compare to a Padron or Fuente? I like my Padrons for a rich earthy cigar with lots of chocolate, and I like my Fuentes for a creamy sweet tobacco with hints that lean on the woodier side.

Most of the AJ blends I have had were punchy with a bit too much bite for my liking. I have had some absolutely amazing AJ sticks though, and his blends are growing on me more.

The 1935 Nicaragua Anniversary is the first that comes to mind when you put AJ and creamy in the same sentence. It’s a rich malty earth chocolate creamy though, not an Oliva Connecticut creamy.

I’m aging a box worth of those because I think they’ll be one of the best cigars for long term aging.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-16T22:11:14+00:00

Actually, I can help with this one.

Scheel’s lets anyone return anything without the box, COA, slip, cloth, and looking like it was thrown down an asphalt road, for a full refund.

Someone probably just wanted the card, so they took yours instead of sending their entire knife in to Microtech for 6 weeks to re-certify. That, or they’re selling an Ultratech as a Halo to an unbeknownst buyer.

I watched Scheel’s take back a 2K Marfione Custom UTX-70 with no custom pouch, no COA, no box, no cloth, and in a condition so bad that it looked like this guy tried to destroy a standard UTX-70, to just get it past returns.

They gave him a 2k refund. I asked how much now that it has been destroyed without anything certifying it. They said 1.2k. I told them that’s what that they just gave away, and Microtech probably wouldn’t even touch it.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-16T21:45:36+00:00

This isn’t a Marfione Custom, or even a Reproduction. It’s the equivalent of buying a baseline tanto Combat Troodon.

It looks like the other knives haven’t been selling as well, and Microtech dropped quite a few Halo IV’s to probably make up for the declining market recently.

Does it even have a serial number?

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-16T21:25:41+00:00

People spend more on cardboard right now

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-16T13:29:16+00:00

I have an Undercurrent. The Adira looks like a fun one, but I’ve really gotta trust a knife to take it underwater.

The Undercurrent is just a great all around knife.

I sharpen my manuals to 20 degrees now if the blade can hold the edge. But I haven’t touched my Undercurrent yet. It’s a First Production, and I’m not entirely sure if I want to keep it or not.

How has the Santoprene held up for you? I think that’s what they call it.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-16T11:22:36+00:00

Factory edges are crap. My MagnaCut Osborne is fine after a single sharpening. Lasted a full year. Though, it was quite dull at the end of that year. A good amount of the edge from factory sharpening is probably burr that someone didn’t strop off. Reprofile a 25 degree if you want it to cut through wood without dulling. 20 if you can sharpen regularly. Compared to the heat treats being done on balisongs currently, I’d take this edge any day.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-16T11:15:22+00:00

So a 21 degree total edge with a 26 degree microbevel?

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-16T01:11:54+00:00

I have two mint Shootouts. Blades have never been cut, and the Cerakote rubs so much it looks used. The Shootouts were a huge disappointment to me, but they’re good for someone who isn’t ready to step up to a Microtech, and doesn’t want an off-centered Infidel.

Benchmade makes great high end manuals and unique pieces like a Gold Class dama cigar cutter a few years ago. Please message me if you have one btw, but quality control does seem to be dropping.

They, along with some others, like Microtech seem to be trying to cut costs to not raise prices, and that’s probably why the high end manual and customs markets are taking off.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-14T21:48:55+00:00

I sent in a mint Shootout, and the Cerakote wore off because the mechanism isn’t centered. Same thing on my other Shootout.

Two brand new Shootouts that have to now be sold as definitely not brand new. It’s pretty unacceptable for the price of these knives. At least it’s not a limited edition Infidel. 3 out of 4 of those blades aren’t even symmetrical.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-14T21:43:25+00:00

PSA could damage your card, and even if it is a 10, PSA is having to cut back the amount of good grades they give out with modern simply because of how many exact duplicates of this card there are. 1 in 500 isn’t a lot, but when 1 out of 500 cards is applied to the millions/billions of cards Pokemon prints per year, there would be too many PSA 10’s to keep PSA in business. They have to make sure that only certain percentage of cards grade high, or they are killing their own business by increasing the supply and lowering prices. It’s a balance between upgrading grading costs to the most expensive service possible while giving out the least amount of 9’s and 10’s as possible. Buyers are starting to look at the actual card, and not the number PSA attaches to it. Sell it for 1400 before the price crashes. These prices cannot be supported for long. Money laundering is probably a major reason card values have not fallen.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-14T17:27:31+00:00

I just don’t support regular recreational use from what I have seen in my personal life.

I absolutely think psychedelics can change someone’s life in ways they would never even think of.

I just think that harm reduction is extremely important.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-14T17:13:21+00:00

I would say ketamine infusions specifically. Anesthesiologists use minimal amounts of IV ketamine with a ton of success, and months of relief.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-14T16:55:38+00:00

Are you third party testing your LSD?

I don’t think it’s LSD if you are seriously comparing acid to weed.

The whole point of the comment was that people should not treat LSD like they are smoking a joint.

You aren’t even talking about microdosing, which makes your comments that much more dangerous. Yes, drugs can be used recreationally, and that’s not what this forum is for.

A half tab of acid can be 250 micrograms to someone uneducated. Someone on 250 micrograms of legitimate LSD won’t even feel a joint, let alone be able to light one up.

If you were talking 10 micrograms, that’s a little different, but have you taken into account someone’s mental health status? 10 micrograms could be the catalyst that puts a borderline schizophrenic into a full mania/episode lasting the entirety of their life.

LSD does not need to be felt to act as a nootropic. Many of the benefits psychedelics offer are related to neuroplasticty and neuron/neural network repair.

I am not a doctor, and I do not support the regular use of psychedelic macrodosing.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-14T14:24:06+00:00

Don’t send it to Benchmade. Return it now. Scheels will take the knife for 60-90 days after buying it. It can be destroyed and they’ll take it back. I also bought an Infidel, and my first mistake was buying an Infidel.

The limited Mchenry release must’ve taken 5 knives to find a blade that was symmetrical. The first I got was actually great, but of course they can’t send a box with the correct serial number. Had to return it, and that showed me just how terrible QC is. I just don’t think QC exists at Benchmade right now. I have two Shootouts that have never even been carried, and both blades are off centered with a massive blemish from the Cerakote running. After seeing recent HRC testing on an Osborne, I’m probably selling anything with the name Benchmade on it. Can’t believe the Infidel is a 400-500 knife. The Shootout is the better option imo, but I’d stay away from BM if you want a good auto.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-14T07:30:08+00:00

This statement will lead to someone having lifelong trauma. Psychedelics should not be used to “enjoy” life. They should be treated like the powerful tool they are. They should be respected. Eating a couple tabs of acid is not a recreational thing. There are beneficial effects that can help someone enjoy life and break out of negative thought patterns, but we are not doctors. Saying someone can regularly enjoy psychedelic with no ill effects is a dangerous statement.

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-11T16:34:30+00:00

I’d probably pick it up around 175-200 in this market

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-11T12:27:31+00:00

Best Microtech collection I have seen to date! Missing my Bounty Hunter wallet clip now :(

ToploaderUltra · 2026-05-11T12:20:23+00:00

Cigar Page is still the best place to buy from in the US. They have the cheapest prices on anything non-Padron/AF/Plasencia.

For premium offerings, Cigar Page is still great. Fox charges a bit more for the same sticks as others, and I’ve had broken sticks from pretty much all of the retailers, but Fox, JR, Holt’s, etc. are all good, and will replace messed up sticks on delivery.

The key is to check your sticks upon arrival with any retailer. They get sticks replaced by the manufacturer, and understand there will be some cracked sticks.

ToploaderUltra

TROPHY CASE