Confused About Zippos

[mordy18]

It is well accepted among cigar smokers that one should not use a Zippo to light a cigar as the lighter fluid will taint that taste of the tobacco. People only use butane or matches (or cedar spills if you are extra fancy).

Yet, I think I see people lighting their pipes with regular zippos. Is the lighter fluid taste not an issue with pipe tobacco or do you think it is just a myth in the cigar world?

I use a butane soft flame lighter or matches with my pipes.

 

[acidpox]

Some people claim they can taste it. I just light my zippo for a few seconds to burn of the fuel taste then light away. I personally think it's some snobbery as well. But diffrent strokes for diffrent folks. Do whatever make you happy.

 

[BROBS]

it's a myth IMO. You might taste it off the first puff but after that no.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

If you hold the Zippo a half to an inch over the bowl, and just draw down some of the heat to light the bowl, you're not going to get a bowl full of fluid taste. Same with cigars, if you hold the light back far enough when lighting, you don't get that taste either. I am in favor of gently lighting cigars anyways, and I hate those welding jet lighters. Might as well smoke a cheap OTC cigar after you've torched the damnd thing.

 

[sisyphus]

I feel to get a really good light started on a cigar you need a butane torch. You don't have to get fancy, a Ronson Jetlite from Walgreens for $6 does nicely.

For me the problem of Zippo and pipe much more than a hint of lighter fuel at light is that the flame is very cool. I think getting your pipe lit with a Zippo is too finicky and I prefer wood matches.

 

[Casual]

It is well accepted among wine drinkers to pretend to taste things they can’t actually discern, as well.

There‘s a fancy side to everything, as well as a utilitarian one. Zippos are utilitarian, and ones with skulls on them, doubly so.

 

[wordheavy]

I know plenty who can taste it in cigars. I light cigars with butane or matches. Pipes I sometimes use a zippo with, like previously stated I think the key is burning it a while before lighting the tobacco. I too only notice it on the first light and sometimes the relight but do not taste anything while smoking.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I think it's more about patience. Guys want to nuke the things as quickly as possible and jump right to chewing on it, won't take the time to enjoy the process and relax.

 

[gervais]

I have not experienced any lighter fluid taste using my zippo. Not even when I light up immediately after turning the wheel.

 

[macaroon]

This is one of those issues that seems to come up when someone gets caught up with what they "should" do rather than what they want to do and what works for them. I feel the same way about fancy packing techniques and a few other little quirks of this pastime that can sometimes fill a forum post with pages of conflicting opinions.

My advice? Try not to overthink it, and simply do whatever brings you joy

 

[Frozenoak]

I use a zippo for both. I do get a taste of lighter fluid on occasion but only at light-up, and briefly. It's not like the whole smoke is destroyed by it. It does remind me to slow down though. Take @cosmicfolklore 's advice.

 

[didimauw]

Lighting it hard and fast worked for me!

 

[olkofri]

I have tasted the fuel from a Zippo. It's not pleasant.

There's a technique to light a pipe with a Zippo: as has been mentioned above, waiting a few seconds after lighting the Zippo, and also to avoid tilting it downwards (not doable with regular Zippos, only with those with the pipe insert) towards the bowl, but keeping it parallel to the ground or tilting it a few degrees upwards, to avoid the fuel to descend. When I've done this, I've gotten no fuel taste.

 

[Frozenoak]

(not doable with regular Zippos, only with those with the pipe insert)

Yes, the pipe insert is helpful. Haven't had the issue since I upgraded, now that you mention it.

 

[peregrinus]

This is one of those issues that seems to come up when someone gets caught up with what they "should" do rather than what they want to do and what works for them.

This is definitely a topic that waxes and wanes. Whatever works is good.

I am normally not in a rush so I prefer matches for both pipes and cigars over lighters, primarily because of the aesthetics, but as an additional benefit they are easier on pipe rims than butane. However, I smoke outdoors a lot and living in a windy and rainy part of the universe end up using butane lighters very often just to get the fire going.

When I am sitting at a bench working, there is another method I have used that I am reluctant to mention. @cosmicfolklore, have you ever used a bench torch? ?

 

[voorhees]

I use soft flame butane on the pipe. I like matches on a cigar, but will use a torch if that's all I have.

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

I found that I can definitely taste the fuel when using my pipe-specific Zippo, so I stopped using it shortly after buying it. Maybe, as mentioned above, it would subside after a bit of smoking, but I don't want to start my bowl with a mouthfull of zippo fluid. Kudos to those who aren't bothered by it or don't notice.

I use a Kiribi to light my pipes, or a bic in a pinch. Or once in awhile, on a sunny day I'll use a magnifying glass, but that's only for my wacky tobaccy (legal in my state of CA).

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

@BROBS it's called "solar puffing" and even though I never notice any butane taste from a bic, using the magnifying glass is a significantly tastier experience. Wear sunglasses though. And try not to stare directly at the bright sun "dot" you create.

 

[wulfheard]

I think it's more a matter of odor than a taste. That being said, we get a lot of our precieved taste through out olfactory sense. So under certain circumstances you might get a minor taste of lighter fluid but it's my experience that it burns off rapidly.

To be honest most cigar aficionados will tell you that a wooden match is best but I ways found that the odor and taste of sulfur is more objectionable than that of lighter fluid.

To me it's a matter of preference and as another poster already said, don't over think it, just do what makes you happy.

 

[anotherbob]

zippo even tells you to let the lighter burn for a second to burn off the excess fuel so it won't effect the flavor and wow it's amazing but they actually know how to use their main flagship product.