Match vs. Lighter

rat32 · Sep 13, 2018

Searched a bit in the forums and did not see any reference, or either that or I missed it, which is probably likely. Which do you prefer, myself I like the match, don't know why, but that is all I saw my Dad use. He loved to light it up from a match, and always had a package on him, but his last resort would be a lighter.
Years ago you could pick up a pack of match's anywhere for free, mostly cardboard stems, but they would work. I still use the match today,old habits are hard to break.

upnorth1 · Sep 13, 2018

Just type the words matches lighters in the forum search at upper right and stand back.

rat32 · Sep 13, 2018

Sorry i probably did not search right, my bad.

olkofri · Sep 13, 2018

Either.
Matches burn cooler, but they can add a sulphurous taste to your smoke, so wait a few seconds after lighting them before you get their flame near the toby.

bluto · Sep 13, 2018

Tried that waxed hemp twine yet ? I picked some up but have yet to check it out if it adds anything.
The best light I ever had was a small birch twig from a camp fire.

scooterdoo · Sep 13, 2018

I use matches at home. Bics on the road with my lower end pipes.

olkofri · Sep 13, 2018

Tried the hemp wick, even got a whole ball of it. Didn't do much in my case, and having to light your lighter is a hassle.

echambers · Sep 13, 2018

I prefer matches when I am inside (no wind to contend with) but a zippo with a pipe insert when I am outside. I think matches do a nicer job of creating a char and overall I think the bowl burns better.

nitemair13 · Sep 13, 2018

I love to use an old fashioned match but they rarely work on the back porch, so a simple bic lighter is what I use the most.

Chasing Embers · Sep 13, 2018

I gave up on my Corona and use Bics most of the time.

mikethompson · Sep 13, 2018

I have a Zippo with the pipe insert. It works fine except the fluid evaporates out of it. Just part of having a Zippo I suppose.

timt · Sep 13, 2018

I only smoke outside so I don't use matches. I love my zippo pipe lighter when it has fluid in it. I'm also using a bic more often now.

huntertrw · Sep 13, 2018

In order of preference: Kitchen matches, my Nimrod Pipeliter, and my Dunhill Gemline butane lighter with angled flame.

64alex · Sep 14, 2018

[Matches burn cooler, but they can add a sulphurous taste to your smoke,]
I use Swan Vesta matches which are sulphurous free and so do not affect the taste. They are expensive and difficult (but they can be found online) but the best. I always use matches for lighting as burn cooler and can control better the lighting.
As it was mentioned I also use the hemp wick, it is very useful in relighting as you can direct very well down the bowl, if at home I keep a candle ligthen up to light the hemp wick.

olkofri · Sep 14, 2018

Not to argue, 64alex, but I'd not stick my flame inside the bowl. I've been following Cosmic's advice about 'keeping the flame ~1/4 inch above the tobacco/bowl, and let the superheated air, not the flame itself, light the pipe'. I was also sticking my flame inside the bowl, and even with the hemp wick, I burned the heck out of my mouth. Ever since I've been keeping the flame above the toby, tongue bite has practically disappeared (I get it only when trying to relight dottle or the last quarter of the bowl, which does require me to kind of stick the flame inside). Again, not arguing, just passing some tips around.

64alex · Sep 14, 2018

[I get it only when trying to relight dottle or the last quarter of the bowl, which does require me to kind of stick the flame inside]
Agree with you, always keep the flame away and not in direct contact with the tobacco. The problem is when you are at the end of the bowl, particularly if it is a relatively tall one and, as you said, you have to stick the flame a little bit inside even if not down to the bottom. In this situation I find very useful the hemp wick as you can control it very well where it goes and it burns also cooler than a match. No tongue bite doing so.

newbroom · Sep 14, 2018

I use a bic and hemp wick 95% of the time. Re-lights and all. It's become routine. I roll up about 5 yds at a time on a bamboo stick and then push it into a small glass bottle dispenser with a hole in its cap. Last's about a week or more.

No ashtrays full of matches, easy, cool lights.

bigpond · Sep 14, 2018

Pick a tobacco and smoke two bowls. One using only a lighter and the other using matches. Switch the order and retest. In my case, using a lighter makes the tobacco taste less rich.
Here’s a different reason for picking one over another.

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/experiment-match-vs-zippo-vs-bic-vs-old-boy-vs-torch
However, it’s not a perfect test. The flame from a lighter is often easier to direct than that of a match.

bassbug · Sep 14, 2018

I like matches.
There was a time I used them almost exclusively (indoors), but the downside is that you need an ashtray handy. I don't dump ash partway through a bowl, so consequently, I don't keep an ashtray closeby. The Zippo is just more convenient and it works both indoors and out. Some people seem to be a very sensitive to the fuel "taste" but I've found that if I just wait a couple of seconds before putting flame to tobacco (which you need to do with matches anyway), I get none of that.
But, as always, to each their own.

bnichols23 · Sep 14, 2018

Butane lighter, normally either a Vector or some other pipe-design, or else a small multi-purpose inline type that'll give me an adjustable flame & fit in a shirt pocket so I don't break the thing when I sit down.

Bill

Match vs. Lighter

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