Butane vs kerosene for flavor?

[SonofaMac]

First time poster here.
I’ve been personally using a combo of regular bic and clipper lighters, with the occasional match to smoke an inexpensive pipe, with some inexpensive Captain Black over the years. It’s suited me just fine until the later part of 2025 when I decided to get more into the nuances of pipe smoking to “level up” and broaden my understanding of personal tastes and general knowledge. Despite having worked in a smoke shop that was predominantly geared towards greener things, as well as cigars, I realize that when it comes to pipe smoking, as much as I like it, I humbly just don’t know as much as I hope to.

So, with that I was thinking about something a customer told me once. They preferred to light a wic, then light their bowl of whatever, because they claimed they could taste the butane.

This had made me wonder a couple of things. One, might there be an advantage to using that same method with tobacco pipes or is it just extra steps for no real difference other than ceremony? Two, has anyone ever noticed a palatable difference between butane and kerosene filled lighters?

Thanks for your thoughts

 

[BigR]

Hello and welcome to the forum. There was a recent thread about this that you can see what a lot of different folks think. Myself, I prefer wood matches.

Lighters vs Matches :: Pipe Smoking Basics & Beginner Questions

Hello all, I took up pipe smoking a few months ago and have been enjoying it thoroughly. However I’ve been wondering what people prefer when it comes to lighting, matches or lighters. I’ve been using matches as they are quite cheap and my friend told me they are superior for pipe smoking but I...

pipesmagazine.com

 

[ashdigger]

I love the taste of kerosene in the morning, it tastes like victory.

 

[anotherbob]

First time poster here.
I’ve been personally using a combo of regular bic and clipper lighters, with the occasional match to smoke an inexpensive pipe, with some inexpensive Captain Black over the years. It’s suited me just fine until the later part of 2025 when I decided to get more into the nuances of pipe smoking to “level up” and broaden my understanding of personal tastes and general knowledge. Despite having worked in a smoke shop that was predominantly geared towards greener things, as well as cigars, I realize that when it comes to pipe smoking, as much as I like it, I humbly just don’t know as much as I hope to.

So, with that I was thinking about something a customer told me once. They preferred to light a wic, then light their bowl of whatever, because they claimed they could taste the butane.

This had made me wonder a couple of things. One, might there be an advantage to using that same method with tobacco pipes or is it just extra steps for no real difference other than ceremony? Two, has anyone ever noticed a palatable difference between butane and kerosene filled lighters?

Thanks for your thoughts

There are as many opinions as people. But it's probably not the bic they're tasting but how much hotter it is and how much hotter it makes the herbal tonic they're smoking taste different. Then again who knows people say mineral oil has no taste and I find it distinct and identifiable.
Now my opinion a Zippo for me is better then a bic and matches are better then a zippo. And not only do I find they taste better but also get less chance to burn my tongue. Though at the end of the day you are the one that gets to judge which gives you the best results. (that's one way to look at it, they're all tools and work slightly differently, so it's less if they work but how well they work for the crafter.)

 

[anotherbob]

I love the taste of kerosene in the morning, it tastes like victory.

That explains so much. Like when your one friend told us it's safer to just wait till the after noon to talk with you.