Pipe lighter
- Thread starter Carol
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Well, if you can’t get it to work, buy some bics- they work. And for around $28 you can get a zippo pipe lighter. For my birthday next week, I bought myself a Kiribi Mikazuki lighter ? Most I’ve ever spent for a lighter.
Either way we need fire!
Just ask this dude!
Yup. Got bics. And matches. I'm set.
I've never used one of those lighters but I've also never heard much about them. I mean the lighter that sounds potentially defective. The fact that they seem mostly to be promotional items (buy two tins of this and get this lighter) doesn't give me a strong feeling they're the best. The point? I'd blame the lighter and not the user if I had to make a guess for who is responsible for it not working great.
Personally I hate bics. Love matches and find Zippos great.
Personally I hate bics. Love matches and find Zippos great.
Thank you. Hope you are right. I dislike using bics because of potential for charring the rim of the pipe. That!s why I wanted the pipe lighter. Well, matches certainly work, if no wind. And you are right, the Zippo pipe lighter would probably be the way to go. Unsure if the lighter fluid would cause an unpleasant odor or taste. Any input would be appreciated.
For my cigars, I definitely avoid lighter fluid, as it imparts much unpleasantness. I would think the same applies to pipes. Butane is much cleaner and the way to go if possible. There are third party pipe inserts for Zippos, but their quality control can be dodgy and they're often thicker than a Zippo shell, requiring you to shave down the plastic tabs/rails on the sides of the insert.
well if you use a zippo correctly you shouldn't get the lighter fluid flavor. Which means let it burn for a 2 seconds or so before bringing it to the tobacco. There is a trick where you bring the lighter up sharply when it's open and then bring it back down quickly before lighting it (not as dramatic as I am making it sound) basically to shake off the excessive gases. Also matches and wind still work once you get the knack for it. Best hint is find old clips of Bing Cosby lighting his pipe. You can see how he makes a wind break with his hands. Although not as popular I find Colibiri soft flame lighters to be pretty decent and affordable. Biggest issue is they use an electric crystal for the spark instead of a flint, which means at some point their lighters will just die. Though mine has lasted quite well even if it's got a tiny tank and has to be refilled nearly monthly.
And rim darkening (not charring) is a lot easier to deal with then people think. You can wipe it off with paper towels and a little bit of water to dampen the towel.
M
Magnum207
Guest
In my experience, the Bic is fine (and 100% reliable) for the initial light, however; unlike my old friend whom only smokes cobs with Prince Albert all day and discards his heavily-used pipe every three-days, rim charring becomes my concern, too, especially as I enjoy my way further down the bowl. Not everyone can afford or even wants to afford a Corona Old Boy lighter like I received as a gift years ago from the grandkids. Although very reliable and designed for a pipe, my Old Boy did needed repairs once and during its down-time, I used the “old style,” wooden stick matches we always used to light the stove when I was a kid. I have never used a Zippo, but imagine the fuel could impart a brief taste to your blend but not enough, I suspect, to influence the entire bowl even with relights. Zippo (lighter fluid type) lighters are considered taboo in the Cigar smoking world for the aforementioned reason, but I believe this is also more of an aesthetic one.
zippo also has butane inserts. And I use a zippo in the winter for my pipes (matches the rest of the year and the still winter days too) and unlike with cigars I don't get the fluid taste. I think part of it is literally the angle. You're drawing the flame down not up and up is the direction the gas likes to go (that's my theory). Also you don't need to make contact between flame and tobacco which means you don't really have to draw as hard as people think you do to light a pipe. I find if I use the same draw as I do with smoking while lighting it works perfectly.
And even if I over fill the lighter and am impatient and get a little fuel taste it's gone with in a few seconds and also is no where near as strong as it is with cigs or cigars.
I have had good luck with these.
You could just buy these
and light them with a Zippo until they are too short to hold?
I've tried dozens of lighters and the only ones that work reliably are Bic, and the Faux Dupont lighters: Buy Products Online from China Wholesalers at Aliexpress.com - https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/ST-lighter/806820_513564967.html
The size of these might not be for everyone, and they need an adapter (included) to fill from normal Butane canisters, but as far as I'm concerned they're the only reliable butane lighter that isn't a Bic.
Every Piezo Electric lighter I have ever bought has failed miserably because the spark isn't big enough to consistently light the gas.
The size of these might not be for everyone, and they need an adapter (included) to fill from normal Butane canisters, but as far as I'm concerned they're the only reliable butane lighter that isn't a Bic.
Every Piezo Electric lighter I have ever bought has failed miserably because the spark isn't big enough to consistently light the gas.
Thank you very much for all your helpful answers. Will try out all of it, as I can, and find what works for me. Have been using bics and wooden matches all this time, so will continue with them for now. Right now, I'm going to go have a smoke, Luxury Navy Flake, in my small clay. Won't char that pipe for sure.