Best Pipe Lighter?

[hawke]

Well, I've been a real cheapskate buying lighters and spent enough money on them to have bought a good dependable lighter. I'd like a butane lighter with pipe tools but most important is that it will last and work for, well years lets say.
What lighters do you have that have worked consistently for you over time?

 

[danielplainview]

I have a Xikar soft flame with built in pipe tool and wood finish. I've had it for over 3 years I think. It's used daily and I've never had any problems. I would say I'd buy another, but it has a life time warranty. If it breaks, the next one is free.

 

[gogosamgo]

I've been looking into this myself, and I've read some good things about Kiribi lighters and I'm considering picking one up. They have a few models, including ones with built in tools:
Kiribi at P&C

 

[sajgre]

I have two corona old boys which are expensive but great quality. I have used Kiribi for a few hours and to me it feels cheap compared to corona, not worth so little price difference.

Corona is useless in any wind thou, that is where Zippo shines

 

[darwin]

Kiribis may feel cheap but I've been using one for well over a year and it's given me zero problems. It's very sturdy and holds a ton of butane. Same problem as an Old Boy in wind however.

 

[tarak]

I have a zippo with the pipe insert. $20 and works well. The only time its not great is if you have a very deep bowl (and I do have several large Italian dublins)- you have to draw pretty hard to relight the bottom of the bowl and you can start to see starts
That's a more rare experience. For $20- its a great place to start.

 

[brass]

I've got a half dozen pipe lighters plus disposables. I just have not had much luck with butanes. After the initial fuel is burned, it seems that it can refill only a couple of days worth of lights - at most. This may be the lighter design or perhaps I just don't know how to refuel the properly.
I now use Djeep disposables as backup lighters and a Zippos as my primary. The Zippo is easy to refuel and is more dependable than the butanes I own.
I also keep kitch matches around.

 

[tarheel1]

You need to make sure you bleed out all the air from your lighter before refilling it. I have used corona old boys and had a dunhill unique lighter. All held up really over the years. I needed money at one time and sold the dunhill lighter and kept the old boy.

 

[derfatdutchman]

The only butane lighters I have had any luck with are torch lighters for cigars.
For a pipe lighter I use my Zippo's with a pipe chimney or matches.
I will mention that if you find a Zippo you like with out a pipe chimney. You can send the lighter to Zippo with a note that you would like a pipe chimney. They will replace the standard chimney with a pipe chimney one and return it to you free of charge.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have a Corona and a few pipe Zippos. Zippos and the Corona are excellent, quality lighters. For me the frustration comes with just normal maintenance of the damned things. I get all of my pipe stuff out at the cigar shop or the Briary. Guys start watching me, envious of my stuff. I prep, pack, and then snickering ensues when my lighter is out of fluid or it needs a flint, which always, always, ALWAYS happens to me. I am not about to start carrying fluid and flints with me as well, so I just use a Bic, leaving hundreds of dollars in lighters on the shelf at home. If my Bic goes out, I can get a replacement anywhere.

 

[theediabeticman]

I'd stick with Zippo or Xikar b/c of the warranties....My personal favorite is my Nimrod Bolt lighter

 

[voorhees]

Probably far from the best, but I have been using a Vertigo Puffer for more than a year without issue. Got it free with 1lb bulk tobacco purchase from P&C. Got two since I got 2 lbs. So, I have a back up. Tools are handy as well.

I want a Old Boy with briar case, just haven't pulled the trigger due to price.

 

[warren]

Inside? My Peterson "Old Boy" clone.
Out of doors? Not a butane but to beat the "Zippo" with pipe insert. I've not found a good out of doors butane in any kind of breeze. There is always a "Bic" handy in gear bags, pockets and vehicles.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I am happy with good wooden matches and a few disposable Bics and the like. But I will keep the above in mind when I hit the West Coast Pipe Show. Thank you. Oh, I do have a good looking $10 special off of Amazon, and it does need bleeding before the refill. But it's heavy and finds my pocket only when I want to show off.

 

[rfernand]

Similar to what warren said - I use a Peterson or a Colibri unless it's windy. The Zippo pipe lighter works great outdoors, and unlike refillable butanes, it's TSA-friendly.

 

[brass]

I'd stick with Zippo or Xikar b/c of the warranties....My personal favorite is my Nimrod Bolt lighter

I've got a Nimrod Bolt lighter, unused, still in the original box with little manual. I used one in the 60's and 70's but lost it along the way. I haven't been able to bring myself to use the new one. This will be the last time I buy a collectible that I can't use daily. Seems like a waste just sitting in the box.

Similar to what warren said - I use a Peterson or a Colibri unless it's windy. The Zippo pipe lighter works great outdoors, and unlike refillable butanes, it's TSA-friendly.

Hadn't thought about that but I went through the TSA checkpoint recently and they didn't complain about the Zippo in the basket. I did read somewhere that you were allowed a lighter in you pocket but not in your carry on and that you were restricted to carrying one lighter.

You need to make sure you bleed out all the air from your lighter before refilling it.

Thanks, Tarheel. I'll be more assiudous about venting the lighter before refilling.

 

[drezz01]

I've been very impressed with my Kiribi Kabuto. It's less effective outdoors, but if it's breezy enough to blow out that lighter, it's too breezy for me to enjoy a pipe outdoors.
Frankly, my zippo was even less effective outdoors, but only because I smoke so infrequently that every time I went to use the damn thing the fuel had evaporated from it.
I used one of those butane inserts until the fuel ran out but it seemed cheap and gimmicky. It didn't have that great tactile feel the zippo (or any great lighter) should have.

 

[warren]

Failing to inspect or check before leaving the house is operator error. Not a failure of the lighter.
In all honesty, I do keep a can of fluid in the truck for just such unexpected occurrences.

 

[drezz01]

Failing to inspect or check before leaving the house is operator error. Not a failure of the lighter.

:lol: That's fair, and I'm sure it's not an issue for those who smoke more than once or twice a week.
The Country Squire Radio show has a feature on pipe lighters from Oct 20th. Can't say if it is any good, I am just starting to listen to it.

 

[perdurabo]

I use a regular Bic lighter with Bee Line Hemp wick wrapped around a large screw. Before that I used matches, which you can never escape the sulfur taste. If you have a deep bowl, hemp wick will save you a lot of trouble.