New Lighter

[SmokinFool]

I'm saving my $$$ to buy an Old Boy. In the meantime, I just ordered a Zippo pipe lighter online today. I'm used to using matches, but some tobaccos are hard to light and keep lit, and I'm tired if going through sometimes literally a dozen matches throughout a bowl. I'm anxious to see how the Zippo does.

[bearded1]

In my world, matches do a heck of a better job at initial lights...Zippos shine from then on. Don't get me wrong, a Zippo will do fine, but I prefer a match for charring lights. Did you get the pipe insert? That makes all the difference in the world to me.

Hope you enjoy it.

[dlgillen]

Old Boys are nice lighters, they are expensive and I find they dont always work so well outside. Any wind will sometimes blow them out. I have much better luck with the zippos with the pipe insert. With the new oderless fluid I dont notice any smell in the tobacco..

[gnossos]

bic for me. I have a mastro de paja lighter that is basically the same as an old boy, all these fancy lighters seem to run out of fluid very quickly and are finicky on refills. They are nice when they work, but Bics are reliable and available everywhere.

[highstump]

bic for me. I have a mastro de paja lighter that is basically the same as an old boy, all these fancy lighters seem to run out of fluid very quickly and are finicky on refills. They are nice when they work, but Bics are reliable and available everywhere.

G, I have been thinking along these same lines myself lately. Inside I use a match for the initial light and the Old Boy for relights. Outside it's a Zippo period. Every time my Old Boy gets a bit tempermental (which it often does lately) I think of buying a card of Bic lighters and being done with it. As far as I can see the only advantage to the Old Boy is the tamper. I do know that when mine finally dies for whatever the reason I will not be getting another.

[SmokinFool]

I agree that matches are perfect for the initial light. I will be using the Zippo only for relights.

[frumplestiltskin]

I'm in the exact same camp as most of you gents. Plain old kitchen match for the charring light, Zippo with the pipe insert from there on out. Funny, I thought the match-to-lighter idiosyncrasy was my own! If it weren't for the excellent lighting characteristics of the Zippo, I'd keep it around for the badass noises it makes. The fact that it costs 20% of an Old Boy made it a no-brainer for me. I can't imagine an Old Boy providing a 5X better lighting experience to justify the cost.

[Smoker99]

Matches are just fine with a pipe. I have used an IM Corona Old Boy the last eight years, and love it. Have had no problems with it. Many people forget to purge the lighter before they refill. Press the fill nozzel to release excess air and fuel before refilling. I smoke several pipes a day, and my Old Boy lasts about two weeks.

[RompinDonkey]

I have never used matches. It's not that I am tidy or anything - but I just don't like having an ash tray full ash, or cig butts and certainly not matches.

I have used cheap lighters for many years and a couple of years ago, found myself in a position to afford an Old Boy. Zippos are ok, but I don't seem to have much luck with them.

The Old Boy is worth every penny.

[SmokinFool]

Well, I'll have to wait a bit longer to start using the Zippo. I received an email informing me that, for the second time, delivery has been delayed due to the heavy snow. The lighter, and some tobaccos I ordered are sitting in a UPS depot awaiting the time the trucks can get out.

Which brings up a question (sorry that this is getting a bit off topic, but seeing as I am the one who started this thread, I can get away with it). The tobacco is sitting in a cold depot, and has been for a few days. When it is delivered it will then be in a warm environment (my home). Will either the exposure to the cold temps, or the drastic temp change the tobacco will go through after I receive it hurt it at all? Just curious.

[RompinDonkey]

I can't see that the temp changes during delivery will affect your baccy at all. Just treat it like a new born baby when it arrives

[SmokinFool]

Thanks for the reply Alan. I was thinking that what I may do is leave the box unopened for a time after I take delivery. That way, the contents will be slightly insulated, and will come to room temperature more gradually. It probably doesn't much matter, but it will make me feel better.

[highstump]

Thanks for the reply Alan. I was thinking that what I may do is leave the box unopened for a time after I take delivery. That way, the contents will be slightly insulated, and will come to room temperature more gradually. It probably doesn't much matter, but it will make me feel better.

Wouldn't work for me. When a box of tobacco touches down at my place it doesn't last 10 seconds once I realize it's there.

[SmokinFool]

LOL, I hear you! It will indeed be a test of my will. We'll see if I can pull it off, or if I'll succumb to the pressure! I won't know until probably Monday, as I received yet another email stating that delivery has been delayed due to weather.

[Cobra27]

Matches are just fine with a pipe. I have used an IM Corona Old Boy the last eight years, and love it. Have had no problems with it. Many people forget to purge the lighter before they refill. Press the fill nozzel to release excess air and fuel before refilling. I smoke several pipes a day, and my Old Boy lasts about two weeks.

Excellent point "Many people forget to purge the lighter before they refill" this is soo true. I hear that comment alot in I did last night when I picked up a tin of Vintage Syrian. I show & tell guys this all the time yeah $125 or so is alot for a lighter but it's reliable when used propery that means purge and only use ultra pure filtered butane. I used to use bics but they are so light you don't feel it in your pocket. The old boy is heavy enough to feel thru a coat poket or jacket or sport coat. I still use a bic when I am out in wet elements or roughing it but I absolutely love it and people do like it that aren't hip to the "pipe" scene.

[SmokinFool]

Well the package with the Zippo and some tobaccos was FINALLY delivered today. Can't believe it took almost two weeks to get here. Delivery was delayed several times "due to inclement weather," however, snow and ice-covered roads ceased to be an issue around here almost a week ago, so I was not happy about the wait. I would have gone to the UPS depot and picked it up myself if I could have gotten there in time to do so.

Anyway, I really like the Zippo. I especially like the pipe insert. I wasn't convinced about how easily the flame would be drawn into the bowl, but it works perfectly. Still using matches for the charring and initial light. The Zippo is seeing action only for relights.

[SmokinFool]

OK, now that I have used the Zippo a few times, I have a question for you guys. I made sure to get the Zippo fluid for it, but it smells pretty strong, and I can taste the fluid during the lights, and for a few puffs afterward. I let it burn a couple seconds before lighting the tobacco. I was under the impression that the Zippo fluid was supposed to be pretty much odorless and tasteless. Is it so strong right now because it's new, and the wick hasn't been burned much? I'm hoping it will get better in time. Perhaps I'm not letting it burn long enough before lighting? Any thoughts?

[highstump]

Is it so strong right now because it's new, and the wick hasn't been burned much? I'm hoping it will get better in time. Perhaps I'm not letting it burn long enough before lighting? Any thoughts?

I think possibly you are over filling it. Raw fuel not absorbed by the cotton batting will just sit in the bottom of the case until it evaporates. I get the same thing once in awhile and it helps if you blow acrost the wick a few times before you strike it up.

[Legend]

I learned not to overfill Zippo's the hard way years ago when I was serving in the Navy. The work uniform pants we were issued, called "dungarees", had pockets nearer the front than civilian pants do, and have no cloth insert. In effect, like having jeans style back pockets that kinda go near the crotch. My theory was is that they made them this way so we could not put our hands in our pockets. Well, what I'm getting to is you don't want lighter fluid leaking anywhere near your crotch. It was painful as all heck! I can laugh at this now. That stuff burns.

[highstump]

I learned not to overfill Zippo's the hard way years ago when I was serving in the Navy. The work uniform pants we were issued, called "dungarees", had pockets nearer the front than civilian pants do, and have no cloth insert. In effect, like having jeans style back pockets that kinda go near the crotch. My theory was is that they made them this way so we could not put our hands in our pockets. Well, what I'm getting to is you don't want lighter fluid leaking anywhere near your crotch. It was painful as all heck! I can laugh at this now. That stuff burns.

I learned the same lesson in nearly the same way. Probably not an option in Navy dungarees but the watch pocket in jeans works well for this. Most of them don't have enough room for the Zippo to turn over so as long as you put it in right side up your good to go.