Lighting Pipes

[sparrowhawk]

The thread below on lighters brought up a perhaps ridiculous question, but one that is annoying me, i.e., how to light a pipe without scorching the rim? I'm fond on Zippos, but they wreak havoc on pipes with plateaus, or just attractive rims. Lately, I've been resorting to matches, which is also a nuisance but just how does one go about lighting a pipe without damaging it? Be gentle, please, with your answers, and remember I've only been pipe smoking for less than a year, and have four pipes with terribly burned rims.

 

[bulletsnbriars]

Is the zippo one with a pipe lighter insert, the big holes in the side? I use one of those and haven't scorched my rim. I just barely touch the tobacco with the flame and keep it there as little as possibld.

 

[cortezattic]

With matches (or lighter), it helps to not fill your pipe too completely. It may be the glowing ember that is doing the damage.

One of our forum members, Andrew, suggests wetting the rim just before lighting up. Eminently practical, although

if you're in public you may want to do that in the least odious fashion possible.

 

[topd]

I used to have a problem with burning the rim, but only with a butane type lighter, so haven't used one in years. I use kitchen, strike on box matches inside and a Zippo wick type lighter outside. The flame shouldn't be going into the pipe unless your drawing it in (sucking). If your rim is burning with a Zippo wick lighter, I can't explain it....

 

[ssjones]

I used a combination of Zippo with T-bird insert (butane) and matches. I prefer matches and think they do the least amount of damage.
My pipes have some minor rim darkening on light stained blasted pipes, but certainly no scorching.
I think the #1 factor is: Don't overpack the bowl. My fill level is always below the rim top. Mike G @ Briar Blues mentioned this in a site update due to some severely scorched pipes that he had to fix.
With the match, I hold it above the bowl and suck the flame gently into the tobacco, only enough it get it lit and smoldering.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I hold my Zippo about half an inch above the rim and draw the flame down with my breath. This will suck the flame down, instead of just laying the lighter on the rim, which will cause char. Same with a Bic if I have to use one, but with any lighter keep the bowl up and level with the ground. YMMV

 

[kendodan]

I have one thing else to say on top of what everyone else said. Circle the tobacco quickly with the flame as you inhale, drawing the flame into the bowl. This should be done as quickly as possible I think. In the end, fire is your enemy. You want as little of an ember as possible to get the most flavor from your tobacco I have found.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

+1 kendodan

I read a lot about guys trying to make the whole surface cherry up. But, I try to just keep a small cherry in the center of the bowl, because the flavor comes from the surrounding tobacco heating up, not the actual burning tobacco. Its not quite like smoking a cigar. The trick is slow, not billowing smoke.
That said, there is no right or wrong. There are many that would disagree with me, & rightly so. As long as you enjoy what your doing, keep on doing it. ::

 

[tslex]

Soft flame of a Xikar scribe, combined with the excellent ergonomics of the design = zero rim charring for me.

 

[mrdottle]

There are two general methods:
METHOD 1: Apply saliva to the bowl rim before lighting. Many pipe smoker do this, and I guess there’s nothing uncivil about it if is your pipe and your saliva. But use someone else’s saliva on your pipe or someone else’s pipe with your saliva, then you have a problem. :D Moreover, the real problem with this method is for pipes that have rusticated / plateau / blasted bowl rims. i.e., it can become messy.
METHOD 2: I don’t use saliva but I do keep the bowl rim, regardless of the pipe’s shape, at PERFECT HORIZONTAL with the floor or ground when lighting. This will also prevent the bowl rim from becoming charred. The reason many pipes become charred on the rim is that some smokers hold a pipe at a downward angle when lighting so the pipe and bowl rim are anywhere from a 30 to 45 degree angle with the floor / ground. Do this enough times and a charred rim is a given.
With either method, try not to overfill the pipe with tobacco. I like to use matches for the first half of the bowl, then a Zippo with a pipe chimney for the second half or so.

 

[escioe]

I use a pipe Zippo or matches and my rims are pretty clean after eight years of use. Overpacking is bad, as is butane, in my opinion.

 

[redbeard]

I use a zippo with the pipe insert and have never had this problem unless after a few glasses of whiskey I accidentally forget where the center of the bowl is. :rofl:
Practice makes perfect I suppose.

 

[papipeguy]

I do the char light with wood matches and then relights with my Zippo pipe lighter. redbeard's cautionary advice should be well taken.

 

[thesmokindragon]

+1 w/others; Don't fill that bowl all the way to the brim, watch the bacci as it rises from heating it, tamp it down...Also quick bursts of flame-to-bacci, don't leave the flame to bowl trying to light it all in one shot...Should be doing two false lights; creating the charcoal button and then one final "true" light ::

 

[sparrowhawk]

It's a matter how to light the pipe, not the lighter itself then. Thank you gentlemen. I am going to try to get a Zippo with that special pipe insert, and not be so aggressive in lighting my pipe.

 

[rangerearthpig]

We usually have a good wind going here. All my pipes show some use. I try to hold the flame an inch or two above the bowl and suck the flame down into the bowl to light it. That seems to work well for this old knuckledragger.

 

[goldsm]

I do use a HONEST pipe lighter purchased ebay $4.50. It is butane gas lighter.

Middle of smoke circle cleaning with tissue(paper tower) and a little bit of saliva.

So far I didn't find any problem on the rim.

 

[bryanf]

Easy. My pipes have about a 1/16th thick layer of cake covering the rims which protect them from scorching.

 

[weezell]

Easy. My pipes have about a 1/16th thick layer of cake covering the rims which protect them from scorching.

That's called smoking implement, not fashion statement! Good on you bro. Its about the tobacco...

 

[neverbend]

by otherI use matches, paper for pipe and wood for cigar. Matches burn at a lower temperature and paper match heads stay put better than wood.
As said by others above: Don't pack above the rim and light with the pipe level.
I have used butane lighters but found that better lighters (Dunhill, Dupont, etc.) scratched the rim while Bics (metal is rounded) didn't.
Whatever method, if it works for you it's all good.