"Duh" Tip for Those Who Use Matches

rmbittner · Feb 18, 2013

I recently dug out an old box of extra-long cigar matches from the bottom of my tobacco drawer. And wouldn't you know it: I discovered that cigar matches make great "first lights" when you're firing up a fresh bowl of tobacco. Now I've gotten into the habit of sticking a couple of cigar matches in my shirt pocket, so they're always handy. I'd never use them for any subsequent lights -- too easy to char the bowl -- but they give a nice long flame for that first light. And you may find that you don't need to relight at all after that.

piperl12 · Feb 18, 2013

Good tip! Thanks I'll give that a try.

cortezattic · Feb 18, 2013

I never heard of cigar matches. Got any pix, links, or brand names to search for?
Sounds like a good idea, though. :clap:

tennsmoker · Feb 18, 2013

I have used cigar matches before as well. They work wonderfully well. Like Rotnh says, they sometimes come with a bigtime cigar purchase.
But, I have also found an alternative, that is much cheaper, albeit not as long and not as long burning as the cigar matches, but nonethless very effective.
Plain old diamond kitchen matches. You get 300 in a box. The match itself is about 2 1/4 inches long. The head doesn't burn as big or as long, but it will give you a good charring light.
It is pennies for the number of matches you get in a box.

papipeguy · Feb 18, 2013

I also use them for the char light. Nice way to get things going. I always bum a couple of boxes at the B&M.

tbradsim1 · Feb 18, 2013

#1 on the Diamond Kitchen matches, I have my wife pick up 2 boxes when she stocks up at the grocery store. The old cajun

rmbittner · Feb 18, 2013

I never heard of cigar matches. Got any pix, links, or brand names to search for?

I love Swan Vestas. But I'm currently using a box I got from a Binny's wine/spirits shop in Chicagoland. (They also have a pretty good cigar humidor.)

foggymountain · Feb 18, 2013

#3 on the Diamond matches.

sparroa · Feb 18, 2013

I go through small wooden matches like crazy - it usually takes me quite a few to get the tobacco burning the way it should.
I will have to look into getting some cigar matches...

john218 · Feb 18, 2013

I use Diamond matches that come 32 to a box and are 1 5/8 inches from the supermarket. I also use the box of 250 generic brand 2 1/4 inch kitchen matches that they sell, but I find the flame gets too big, so I usually use them just for the first light. Both are more readily available than cigar matches and work fine for me.
If I am outside, I take along two boxes of the small matches in my pocket.
I never use a lighter.

tennsmoker · Feb 18, 2013

A quick story: My philosophy professor in college smoked a pipe. In class! He was always quoting Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Euclid and many others.
And when he would get on a quoting frenzy, he would take his pipe out of his mouth, strike a match and go back and forth from pipe to waving his hand, never really lighting his bowl of tobacco.
We made bets in the back of the classroom where the dummies sat on how long it would take for the match to burn the professor’s fingers as he inched the flame away from his fingers.
Just at the last second, he would stop his quote, puff life into his pipe and cleanly blow out the match just before the flame reached his thumb and forefinger.
It was a pipe show every class. No wonder I was not a good philosophy student. I was too interested in the professor’s pipe, which was a crusted over long-shank pot.
Needless to say, I smoked a pipe in college. I always used matches and still do. Pipe lighters are nice, but for me, I light my pipe with a match out of respect and memories.

flyguy · Feb 18, 2013

I occasionally use the Diamond greenlight kitchen matches (300 in a box) sold at walmart. They are 2 1/4 inches long and a little thicker and work great.

allan · Feb 18, 2013

+4 on diamond matches in the house
Outside xikar pen liter
Allan

sparroa · Feb 18, 2013

Thanks for the story, tenn.
I have never used a pipe lighter and I probably will not start because I haven't seen the need.
Sure it might be a little more convenient but procuring matches is definitely easier in the long run.

cigrmaster · Feb 18, 2013

Anthony, for lazy people like me, I have to use a pipe lighter that has a built in tamper. I hate having to reach and look around for my tamper.
Swan Vestas matches suck in Florida. The humidity makes them go bad very quickly and I had to throw out a bunch of boxes. Up north I used to use them and when I brought them down here, I was amazed at how they went bad on me. I have tried using matches but I just hate looking for my tamper all the time.

popsmusix · Feb 18, 2013

I use the Diamond greenlight matches as well. They are ridiculously inexpensive and do a superb job at lighting my bowl.

yadan · Feb 18, 2013

There was a period of about 25 years during which I smoked pipes as well as Cuban cigars (I can no longer afford the Habanos) and I used cigar matches to light both. I now light up my pipes with disposable butane lighters I get for free from my tobacconist. : puffy

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ssjones · Feb 18, 2013

I keep a box of Diamond Matches in my work shop and out on the patio, but keep them in a small tupperware container so the moisture doesn't get to them.

redbeard · Feb 19, 2013

I use matches when I get a few boxes from the tobacco shop. The thing I hate is 80 percent of the time after I strike the match all I can smell is the horrible smell of whatever that is. Any tips for this? LOL
Once I am out of matches I use a bic

Perique · Feb 19, 2013

Another vote for Diamond kitchen matches.
Redbeard, the key with matches is, once your strike it, let it burn for a few seconds so the sulphur burns off and you just have flame on wood. That's why a kitchen match (or cigar match) is preferable to a standard size match (and why individual wood matches are preferable to cardboard matchbooks).

"Duh" Tip for Those Who Use Matches

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