Using a Zippo Pipe Lighter

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kyriefurro

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 14, 2013
223
3
Since I tend to smoke outdoors more often than not, I bought a Zippo pipe lighter. I liked it at first but I'm lately I find that it takes a lot of work to draw the flame down into the bowl, especially once the bowl has been smoked down below the halfway mark. I have to draw too hard to get the flame to come down and it takes several puffs to get the pipe lit again. I end up with a bad case of tongue bite.
I didn't really think a lot of this until a couple of days ago when the flint ran out in the Zippo and I ended up resorting to a cheap standard Bic to finish my bowl. A flick, a slow steady puff, and a twirl of the lighter had my tobacco emitting a cheerful red glow.
Has anyone else had problems with this, or am I maybe doing something goofy....again? :roll:

 

delkhouri

Can't Leave
May 4, 2013
446
22
Columbus Ohio
There is a zippo Pipe insert out there. It basically has a hole in the side and a cap on top so the flame goes out to one side. Google Zippo pipe insert and you will find it. A friend of mine has one but I have never really used it because I don't like to use a zippo for my pipe. I can taste the fuel and I don't like that.

 

delkhouri

Can't Leave
May 4, 2013
446
22
Columbus Ohio
I see that you may have been talking about the pipe lighter with the pipe insert. So I can't offer much advice. I did find this review.
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/zippo-pipe-ligher-review

 
Aug 1, 2012
4,587
5,131
Unless the bowl is giant or your pack is really tight, just make sure the fluid is topped up and that should solve the problem. My problem is the charring light with one of the zippo pipe lighters.

 

phred

Lifer
Dec 11, 2012
1,754
4
You can also adjust the length of the wick if the flame's not big enough.

 

voorhees

Lifer
May 30, 2012
3,834
937
Gonadistan
I have both regular and pipe Zippos. I almost never use them for the same reasons, I end up using a baby bic, which can be tipped into the bowl more easily without charring the rim.

Not fancy, but it works.

 

kyriefurro

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 14, 2013
223
3
Unless the bowl is giant or your pack is really tight, just make sure the fluid is topped up and that should solve the problem.
The problem is more pronounced with my larger Danish style freehands than my cob or Peterson, so yeah, that's part of the problem. And I came to the realization last night that I tend to pack too tight. I tried the palm fill method last night and was surprised at how lightly the pipe ends up being packed and how much better it smoked. Now if I could just resist the urge to "top it off" :roll:
My problem is the charring light with one of the zippo pipe lighters.
Yep, I have issues there too, again because I seem to have trouble getting the flame to draw down into the bowl.
You can also adjust the length of the wick if the flame's not big enough.
I thought I had it adjusted fairly high, but I'll play around with it. Maybe some fine tuning is in order.

 

soggycitybob

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 30, 2013
222
0
Portland, OR
I am a staunch supporter of the Zippo pipe lighter. Even after pouring ash out and with half a bowl of tobac left I have no problem drawing the flame.
I did notice when I first started with the Zippo that if the baccy was packed to tightly I did have problems drawing the flame. Thus it was a good teacher of proper packing.
Even now if I have pro lems with a draw I will take my trusty Czech tool a.d loosen the baccy a bit and try again.

 

daytonsean

Lifer
Aug 28, 2012
1,018
3,201
Dayton
I really like my Zippo pipe lighter. I've never had any issues at all drawing a flame down to the bottom. I hate using matches at this point, and I'll grab a Bic if my Zippo's aren't handy. People say that there is no need to use anything but matches to light up since tobacco doesn't need the amount of heat that a lighter produces. I don't really care about the physics of it; I just need a light.

 
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
The only problem I have had with my pipe zippo was when I packed the tobacco a bit too tight in the Nording Freehand. It has a bowl that is quite deep. Wasn't the lighters fault, it was my fault. It's been a great lighter, works like a charm if I'm in the wind, and I'll probably purchase a couple more with different shells.

 

irwinmetro

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 31, 2013
205
0
I'll have this issue occasionally with matches. Usually the issue is something is blocking the draw. I'll run a pipe cleaner through and then everything is right as rain.

 

bullbriar

Can't Leave
Mar 6, 2013
495
9
I use a Zippo pipe lighter when I have a pipe on my boat. In Long Island Sound, it's usually breezy, so the Zippo is my only choice. I agree that if the pipe is too tightly packed, there is a problem, also I've noticed that the easier I puff with the Zippo, the better it works. Finally, I keep the wick cut in the dead-center of the punched hole.

As a side note, I like Zippo fuel, better than Ronsonol, there is less chemical taste.

 

phred

Lifer
Dec 11, 2012
1,754
4
I thought I had it adjusted fairly high, but I'll play around with it. Maybe some fine tuning is in order.
Colorado's pretty breezy, so I keep the wick pretty dang long - probably longer than it actually needs to be, really. But it works, and I've had no problem lighting the last 1/4 of a bowl...

 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
I only use my Zippo pipe lighter as a last resort in very windy conditions and that is a few times a year. I do not care for the flame on it as it is unwieldy and not easy to control.

 

zonomo

Lifer
Nov 24, 2012
1,584
5
You didnt ask about this specifically but once I installed my Thunderbird inserts, my appreciation for Zippo increased 100 fold.

 

rickpal14

Lifer
Jun 9, 2011
1,432
2
Totally agree zonomo!! I have 12 Zippos in my collection and 4 Thunderbird butane pipe inserts and I love them!!!

 
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