Matches or Lighters?

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lyle37

Lurker
Oct 8, 2016
17
0
Just thought I would see what you all preferred, matches or a lighter. I have always preferred matches myself...

 

mackeson

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 29, 2016
758
2
I like a simple Bic lighter. Sometimes one of my Zippos, but mostly the Bic

 
Oct 7, 2016
2,451
5,195
Definitely matches whenever possible. When in the car, I use a Corona Old Boy or a Zippo pipe lighter. Outside, a Zippo

 

captpat

Lifer
Dec 16, 2014
2,265
12,139
North Carolina
Depends on what and where I'm smoking, but matches, zippo's and butane pipe lighters, like the Old Boy, see service as does the occasional hemp wick.

 

katarn07

Might Stick Around
Mar 1, 2016
95
0
I'm an outside smoker. Matches are a no go for me most days. I had a cheap Z-Pipe Butane lighter insert but it stopped giving me a flame so now I use a Peterson pipe lighter. Love it.

 

mayfair70

Lifer
Sep 14, 2015
1,968
2
In a perfect world where I smoked inside my own personal Diogenes club, it would be wooden matches. For practical reasons, I have always used a Bic lighter.

 

texmexpipe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 20, 2014
998
246
I go through periods where I use only my zippo with a pipe insert. And times where I use only matches. A good ole bic makes its way in there sometimes too. All work great

 

bluegrassbrian

Your Mom's Favorite Pipe Smoker
Aug 27, 2016
5,973
51,338
41
Louisville
If I'm indoors, matches.

Outdoors, Kiribi Kabuto... unless it's windy, in which case I use the trusty zippo with pipe insert.

 

kane

Can't Leave
Dec 2, 2014
429
3
Start with matches for the charing light and relights when the bowl is more than half full and I can get it to light with the match held above the bowl. After that it's a Zippo pipe lighter. It seems faster and safer for the rim of the bowl to suck down the flame from the Zippo pipe lighter rather than trying to get a burning match to work when the bowl is low, especially if it's a deep bowl. I probably have a bad match technique.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I like matches for their softer flame, their tradition, their sound and look, and the ritual involved. I have a couple of lighters, but I haven't used them enough to become adept; I'd hate to burn up my brims learning to use them, but I like matches too well anyway.

 

kane

Can't Leave
Dec 2, 2014
429
3
Hmmm...I always assumed that wood burns hotter than lighter fluid (don't know about Butane). I assumed that a wooden match is more likely to burn the rim, as the flame gets wider as the match burns, whereas the Zippo pipe lighter has a relatively narrow flame that is easy to center over the bowl and away from the rim. I like matches when the pipe is full enough to hold the match about 1/2" above the bowl, but when relighting a low bowl the match gets too close to the rim. I probably don't have the correct technique, though, as I know that you and many other people feel lighters are more likely to char a rim.

 

mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
Never used a match yet to light my pipe, I always use angled gas lighters. Cheap and dependable for about two months then the 'clicker' refuses to click anymore so I have plenty at hand.
Regards,
Jay.

 

lohengrin

Lifer
Jun 16, 2015
1,198
2
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jvnshr

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 4, 2015
4,616
3,868
Baku, Azerbaijan
I used only matches for a year, nothing else. Then I started smoking while driving, so I had to switch to Bic. And you can totally feel the difference between the matches and the lighters after using only matches for a year. Soft flame lighters have more combustion temperature than matches for sure and they alter the taste. I use matches 90% of the time.

 

darthcider

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 24, 2014
717
2
Wales
Usually matches as they are always around the house.

Cheap chuck away lighter when away from the house.

 
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