Permanent match project

Howdy all. Yesterday a friend came by the shop and showed me a new lighter. One of those permanent match types from china. Said he bought it for a few bucks on ebay. I LOVED IT! I've been thinking about lighters recently. At home i use matches because i find they light a pipe much better and more evenly than my zippo with the pipe insert. Anywhere else i use the zippo and it's just okay. This permanent match worked just as good as a match for me. I'd never heard of them. I did some research and apparently they've been made for many many years in Japan by the Mitsugiri Mfg. then a US company started copying them (Everstrike) and chinese companies make their own versions and sell on ebay. From everything i can see they're all plastic and cheaply made. I'm not a big fan of cheap plastic items so I'm thinking of making my own but wanted to make it out of some sort of metal (aluminum, stainless, brass, copper, titanium, etc) I like the cylindrical versions better than the rectangular ones but not set on shape yet. Do any of you guys use the permanent matches for your pipe? Any suggestions on ways to make them more user friendly? I'm really leaning towards "red brass" as a material since i like copper but brass would be a bit more corrosion resistant and just develop a nice patina with age.

here's a video by a guy showing it fairly well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZt3joy6w_U

Here's two for $7 on ebay. They sell other brands cheaper but these seem to be slightly better than the one to two dollar deals.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-x-HONEST-permanent-match-striker-oil-lighter-with-key-ring-/161505257292?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item259a76a74c

Warren, what is the difference between using that and using traditional matches. When i lit it it didn't seem to be any different than striking a traditional match. I love using wood matches to light my pipe but rarely do just because it's a pain to keep them handy and then i have to dispose of them. This just seems like a way to get the benefits of a wood match with the portability and convenience of a lighter.

Yeah i have noticed a lighter fluid smell/taste if i don't let my zippo warm up a bit before lighting the pipe. I just have a hard time lighting the pipe evenly with it. I never get a good char going on the entire surface of the bowl the way i can with a match. I do prefer lighter fluid over butane though for purely aesthetic reasons.