All Flames Equal?
- Thread starter BriarsAndBottles
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Maybe I'm strange, abnormal or perhaps just lucky, but I have never in my life tasted Zippo fuel when lighting my pipes.
I don’t use a zippo due to the smell/taste I experienced using it at the start of my smoking journey, but I also have a sneaking suspicion that, with the benefit of hindsight, I was overfilling the reservoir leading to an overly damp wick, leaving some incompletely burned fuel to get carried by the flame. Now I just stick with my bic for the sake of simplicity!
It took me a embarrassingly long time to learn that lesson. Now I love my Zippo and don't leave home without it.
I don't worry about lighting with a zippo, if I have to smoke outside, because of the wind. The aftertaste is initial, then it fades. Maybe with time, you get rid of certain habits or thoughts. But each person is different. As we sometimes say here, trial and error.
It's not a flame or no-flame proposition. Fire is fire, but different delivery systems have distinctly different degrees and control of heat.
I love lighters as gadgets when they're working, and they are effortless, though sometimes the fuel can add unwanted smells and taste.
But for shear control and softness of flame, matches are my favorite. I can move the flame around in a directed way without worrying about much charring, if any. Some of my pipes are prone to it, but mostly not.
So I have an array of lighters -- gas and liquid fuel, but I usually use matches. My wife gave me a little metal match box with an open side to expose the paper match box striking surface. Only the trimmer match boxes fit that are sold for wedding and event use. Regular small kitchen match boxes are too large. But I really like the metal match box, as part of the pipe smoking ritual. It's particular and individual and singular.
I love lighters as gadgets when they're working, and they are effortless, though sometimes the fuel can add unwanted smells and taste.
But for shear control and softness of flame, matches are my favorite. I can move the flame around in a directed way without worrying about much charring, if any. Some of my pipes are prone to it, but mostly not.
So I have an array of lighters -- gas and liquid fuel, but I usually use matches. My wife gave me a little metal match box with an open side to expose the paper match box striking surface. Only the trimmer match boxes fit that are sold for wedding and event use. Regular small kitchen match boxes are too large. But I really like the metal match box, as part of the pipe smoking ritual. It's particular and individual and singular.
Thanks for all the input gents. I have a zippo a friend gave me that needs to be filled but maybe I’ll get around to that soon . I also have a beautiful green peterson lighter, but even the thought of wind seems to put it out, so I can’t really use it as I smoke outside. A few seconds of tasting fuel doesn’t bother me.
I hope you put those organs back where you found them!
What is a pipe insert for the zippo and where do I get them?
1972?? Same year as me John.
I think that makes us two the youngest on the forum, as well as the two most handsome of course.
Un Abrazo y Arriba España!
Praise be to the God. I think I'll go to the dentist to have my teeth whitened. Oh yessssss. God knows we're the best looking people on the forum. Damn it simong. This deserves a dram of whiskey. For the love of God simong, seriously, are we the best looking people on this forum? Another big hug to you simong.1972?? Same year as me John.
I think that makes us two the youngest on the forum, as well as the two most handsome of course.
Un Abrazo y Arriba España!
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Zippo website: Zippo Stainless Steel Pipe Insert - https://www.zippo.com/collections/lighter-inserts/products/pipe-insert-chrome
They work flawlessly for me. While you are on the site, order some extra flints. They are cheap, easy to install and you will need to replace occasionally. When they are wearing out the wheel will be hard to turn, a small reverse turn will allow you to keep lighting for a short time so you don't need to carry them around. I have yet to replace a wick, but I am still young...ish.
My flint just locked up my wheel a couple days ago. First time in 2? years. I have flints somewhere. Actually I think I know exactly where, just have to dig to the bottom of one of the compartments of one of my goodie containers with "all things pipe related".
Forgive me if I don't just accept your opinion in regards to appearance. I notice that you don't have your mug in your avatar. Most women and men such inclined prefer beards, so I assume yours is longer than Gandalf's?1972?? Same year as me John.
I think that makes us two the youngest on the forum, as well as the two most handsome of course.
Un Abrazo y Arriba España!
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Fire isn't just fire, temperaturewise. Fireplace fanciers and campers consider different woods produce different heats. Maybe why Vesta Swans have fanciers is the wood that brand uses which may minimize scorching the delicate tobaccos. I've never done pot, but some of my friends like to use hemp for its cool flame, and you can reach down to the bottom of a stack. On the road, I like a Zippo with a butane Z-pipe insert - easy to use one handed and control the flame away from the rim. No fuel taste or leakage/evaporation.
Easy to replace. Remove the insert same as when you refill, unscrew the bronze pin to reveal the flint. If it is your first time, you should then search the room for the spring. The metal end is not the flint! The flint may not even be there. Put a new flint in the tube and replace the spring and screw - Done.
![IMG_3580[2576].jpg](https://pipesmagazine.com/forums/data/attachments/234/234566-0ed87c7350fbf83ba2114844df53a17c.jpg "IMG_3580[2576].jpg")
