Disposable Pipe Lighter

[deepspringfarm]

Some gentleman gave my friend a disposable pipe lighter at October's CORP show. It's pretty neat, soft flame and angled flame. It is called a Side Light. Haven't been able to find one anywhere on the internet. Does anybody know about these or where I could find them?

 

[nachman]

I used to buy Side Lights at my local B&M, but they don't have them any more. Could I recommend a Virtigo Lighter. It has the soft angled flame and costs about fifteen dollars. It has several advantages over the Side Light. It is refillable and comes with a set of nifty pipe tools built in. It looks better too.

 

[carytobacco]

Hard to find and probably going to be found in a B&M. They used to be readily available but now HAZMAT fees have made it so that most vendors cannot ship the lighters to retailers out of state. And if they do, the fees make the cost of the lighters prohibitively expensive so retailers aren't interested in carrying them. No one wants to sell or buy a disposable lighter for $15.

 

[brass]

Another example of our government helping us.
Lighters Direct offers the Virtigo line. I'm not vouching for them, just know they have them for sale. Not sure which one is the pipe lighter. Here is the page.
http://www.lightersdirect.com/Vertigo.1742
Pax

 

[lestrout]

Sponsor P&C has Vertigo Puffers http://www.pipesandcigars.com/lighters/76532/vertigo-puffer-lighter/
I got mine with one of their deals and it works just fine. Admittedly it's not disposable, rather being a refillable.
hp

les

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

As long as the wind isn't blowing the wrong direction I don't have any problems using an upside down Bic held at an angle.

 

[brass]

But man when that wind is blowing, you can get a singed thumb.
I have zippo pipe lighter but I have to refill it every two to three days.
Most butane lighters same to clog up after three or four refills and I can never get them to perform like they did when new.
So, I use bics or kitchen matches 99% of the time.

 

[coraxsnag]

Djeep lighters have a wider body to them, making it easier to avoid thumb roasts as well.

 

[carytobacco]

I use djeeps most of the time.

 

[fnord]

I'm intrigued by the Vertigo line. The Governor looks pretty solid for a Jackson.
My go-to lighters are a pair of beat to hell, used IMCO pipe lighters I picked up at a second hand store near Dodge City four years ago. (I'm astonished that a couple of plastic lighters have become such work horses.)
Brass, I used to be a pack a day guy and carried a Zippo for over thirty years. At every refill I'd smear a very light-light-light dab of Vaseline around the insert and it would last a solid week before refueling. Of course, YMMV.
Fnord

 

[deepspringfarm]

I will have to look into some of these other pipe lighters. The side light interested me because it looked like an amped up bic. Which if it only cost a few dollars wouldn't be a big deal to throw in my truck/car etcetera. I just did a search for pipe lighters on amazon. The results are interesting. One came up that was a chinese knockoff of my IM Corona old boy pipe shapes lighter.

 

[brass]

I ordered a pack of djeeps from Amazon last night. At 8 bucks and free shipping, not much more than otc bics. Thanks for the recommendation.
Fnord, to clarify, the insert is the hole in the packing where you insert the fuel nozzle?
I just had a flashback to the sixites and seventies. Remember the lighters that used a clear plastic body? Internally, the mfr would insert a little plastic figure like a golfer or maybe a trout fly. You could use those lighters for weeks without refueling.
Haven't seen that style in years. I think bics must have killed them off.
Pax

 

[brass]

I may have back-off from my forum participation. Read this thread, then that got me thinking about lighters, then checked out another thread and rediscovered Nimrod pipe lighters. Saw one in new condition on ebay for $55.00 bucks. Hope I get it. The guy selling it has only had an account since last month.
Pax

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I never angle the flame down into the bowl. This is how I would ruin a rim or char the inside of the bowl. That is too hot!!! for me anyways. Feel free to treat your pipes however you want. But, me, I hold my flame sideways about a half inch above the rim and draw the heat (not the flame) down into the tobacco. This will more evenly ignite the tobacco than if you angle it down. It is the heat you want, not necessarily the flame. This preserves my rims and gives me an excellent tasting ignition, to make the whole bowl taste good from start to finish. This also works on a tall 3" chimney only half packed. The heat travels down, not neccesairly the flame.
I've always wondered why guys complain about the taste of the fluids in their tobaccos, and wondered why people char their rims so much.
You can do what you want, but if you are having an issue getting a Bic to light your pipe, where you would want to buy an angled lighter, give this a shot.
1/2 inch above the rim, draw the heat down, not the flame. And, if you draw too hard (notice the flame doesn't go down) then you will actually see flames from the ignited bowl rise up. Give it a try. It may save your rims, and some money buying a lighter that will possible char your pipes on the inside. Ever see an estate pipe with crackles on the inside... yep, someone didn't ever light their pipes properly.
I got this watching my uncles use a match to light their pipes. They always held the match way above the tobacco. This may be becoming lost knowledge with guys not having other pipe men around them.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'm doing it in my avatar. Holding my Zippo above the bowls and the igniting tobacco is sending up flames and crackling. Oh, how I love lighting my pipes, ha ha ::

 

[brass]

Another great tip. Does it take any longer to light?
I'll try it in few minutes when I prepare my bowl for my afternoon commute.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Actually, I think it is faster. But, since it is the only way I light my pipes, I don't have any way to compare... unless you want to race, ha ha. You tell me. Let us know how it works for you.

 

[fnord]

Sorry, Deepspringfarm. I honestly had no intent to hijack your thread.
Those soft, angled flames are always he best way to light a burner and I hope that Side Light does the job for you.
Now, Brass, when it comes to Zippos I'm talking about the entire insert that fits into the brass or chromed case. A finger tip smear will push that every 2 or 3 day refill out to a 6 or 7 days.
Also, if you haven't thrown down on that cherry Nimrod lighter yet, I've got a used Stainless and a used Executive Nimrod looking for a good home.
Cheers,
Fnord

 

[kane]

From what I can tell a Zippo is so economical and works so well I don't think you need to bother with inexpensive disposable lighters, unless you're going through airport security. Than it's a cob and a Bic. Even if you don't apply the petroleum seal as Fnord suggests, a can of fluid will probably be more economical than throw-aways for as log as the can lasts. Since I've been getting used to a Zippo with the pipe insert I am using less matches, as the lighter fluid Zippo seems easier on the pipe and provides a narrower flame than matches with flames that fan out to char the wood and burn the fingers (at least with my bad technique) for deep in the bowl lightings. Can't see the advantage of a throw-away, nor a high priced designer model, compared to the tried and true performance an economy of a Zippo.

Must admit I have not tried a Nimrod, it looks like a nice design.....minimal and easy to carry.

 

[condorlover1]

I can't use zippo's as they play havoc with my ancient meerschaum pipes but I do find Swan Vesta matches to be the perfect thing but I am not sure if they are available in this country at all.