Choice Of Lighter

hotshot · Mar 14, 2015

Ok, money is an object, but I want a good lighter for my pipes. The Old Boy is awesome, but not sure the extra dollars are worth the cost. What other options do ya'll recommend? I currently use a Zippo with pipe insert but would like to move to a better lighter.

brudnic1 · Mar 14, 2015

Zippo with pipe insert. I've tried them all. This is the best.

gloucesterman · Mar 14, 2015

I have a zippo with a z-pipe (butane) insert. Works very well. The Old Boy is a great lighter. It is pricy but you can control the flame better than anything else out there. The problem is you can have five Zippos for the price of one Old Boy.

joshb83 · Mar 14, 2015

the Zippo with pipe inset definitely is great for the price! If you want to spend a little more theres plent of choices. www.pipesandcigars.com has a few good choices as well. My other is a Promise lighter which i like too, but it was about 60$. Whats your price range?

framitz · Mar 14, 2015

Wooden matches. No rim burn no flints no repairs perfect flame and control. Shel

gambit88 · Mar 14, 2015

I use either matches or a nimrod.

hodirty · Mar 14, 2015

I use a Kirbi. I do most of my smoking indoors though. It has a very well controllable flame, holds a weeks worth of butane and is quite well made.

lordofthepiperings · Mar 14, 2015

I've had my IM Corona Old Boy for about three years now. It's worked like a dream and has been extremely reliable. To me it's well worth the price tag.

hierophant · Mar 14, 2015

I've got a Zippo with a pipe insert and it works beautifully. I bought an Old Boy not long ago and it works beautifully. Unless I'm outside, in which case it barely works at all (same as any butane lighter).
I'd say that in terms of performance, the only thing the Old Boy has over the Zippo is the ability to control the flame. You can adjust it from "small and soft" to "ready for brazing".
I wouldn't say that the Old Boy is "better" than the Zippo (call me old fashioned but I don't think anything is) but it is a damn fine lighter and worth the coin in my opinion.

delkhouri · Mar 14, 2015

I went through this same search recently.
I don't like Zippos as I can taste the fluid. I have never tried a zippo with a butane insert for pipes.
IM Corona Old Boy Lighters are nice but they are expensive ($120 - $175). That being said you can generally find the pipemaster or accord/pipe magie roller lighter in the $80-$100 range
There are some other "Old Boy" style lighters out there made by Tsubota ($75 - $100) Kiribi ($75 - $100) and Xikar ($40 - $75). The Tsubota and Kiribi lighters are generally well thought of while the xikar are hit or miss. Xikar also makes some pipe lighters that are not the old boy style such as the resource ($40ish)
As for me, I bought a Peterson "Old Boy" style lighter a month or so ago. It's made in Japan by Tsubota, I like it a lot but I can't vouch for its long term quality as I have not had it long. They generally retail for about $100 but I got it on ebay for about half that price.
I can for sure say stay away from Colibri as I have had two and both have not worked well long term.

dochudson · Mar 14, 2015

dochudson · Mar 14, 2015

Seriously I have an Old Boy which is a great lighter but I find myself reaching for this one more since it was gifted to me.

frozenchurchwarden · Mar 15, 2015

A regular Bic works very well, it throws the flame decently well so you can draw lightly like you're supposed to.

I can also make due with some wind, and of course I don't have burning sticks to figure out how to dispose of.

That said my second choice is a box of matches (it's the romantic option, even though I basically use a whole box every time I try that method).

Also if I know there's going to be trouble I break out the turbo torch (but never on a British pipe).

Chasing Embers · Mar 15, 2015

Bics, matches, an old boy, and the nut and bolt shaped nimrod. I have used them all, but have come to realize something. Why spend hundreds of dollars on a lighter, when you could spend that money on tobacco? I'm just as happy lighting my pipe with a cheap lighter as I am with the corona. Just depends on your personal taste, and what you would like to add to your collection. BTW, you will be alot more satisfied with that Zippo in a breeze than with an old boy.

captpat · Mar 15, 2015

Matches, Zippo, vector (w/tools) and Old Boy. I find that most of the time I reach for the Zippo or vector mostly because the Old Boy looks too nice for the garage or working outside. The Zippo is the best all around, the vector is okay but it doesn't hold much butane. Putting a light coating of Vaseline on the Zippo insert helps to slow down the evaporation of fuel. I don't detect any peculiar odors or taste with Zippo or Ronson fuels. I've been toying with getting a Kiribi as a less expensive Old Boy lookalike, they reportedly hold a lot of butane as well.

rolldog · Mar 15, 2015

I have tried a lot of lighters, but I kept going back to my Zippo with pipe insert. Great in the wind, no rim burn, soft flame, reliable. So much so, that I bought a second to combat the 'ran out of fuel' issue, the only minor issue I have had with my Zip. On both, I have still spent less than an Old Boy, or many other alternatives. If you want to dress one up, buy a fancy Zippo, then send it to the Zippo repair center, and they will fit a pipe insert into it for you.

sparrowhawk · Mar 15, 2015

The Zippo with the pipe insert serves me very well, no more burned rims. I like mine so much I got one personalized with my own art of the beautiful Gabriel:

rcstan · Mar 15, 2015

I have a Corona Pipe Magie ( Dunhill Rollagas clone ) that has served me well for over a year. Throws a decent soft flame that is not quite as wind sensitive as the Old Boy and its clones. Had a Pipe Zippo and never found any use for it except when trying to light a pipe on the shore, plus could taste the fuel, even the black can stuff. I've still to master how to light a pipe with a BIC without setting my thumb on fire.

There's matches, too, if so inclined to keep up with them.....

kingbilliard · Mar 15, 2015

1. Zippo with insert both fluid and butane 2. matches 3. Xikar
Thats my line up

mikestanley · Mar 15, 2015

My primary lighter has been an Old Boy for a number of years. But, I have also had good luck with two different Lotus products. The Lotus L11 can be had online for around $40.00. Use a very good butane (I used the Lotus brand with mine) and it should last for 3-5 years. The Vector is available at my local B&M for $20.00 when I bought mine. Different style but it worked well for about a year and a half.
Mike S.

Choice Of Lighter

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