Zippo or Butane
Haden
lighter will change the taste of the tobacco due to the kerosene, and
a butane lighter will not change the taste because it is a pure fuel.
All I know, is that my uncle never used anything other than a Zippo,
and he never seemed to have a problem. So what is the general idea?
Ed Duncan
*****************
I only use a Zippo when pipesmoking outside, as even the slightest
wind will make it difficult to light. Only smoke my junkers pipes
outdoors & don't worry about "rim scorch" with the Zippo. I let the
Zippo burn for a few seconds & don't notice any "naptha" taste.
Indoors, sometimes the OldBoy but mostly paper matches.
Ed Duncan, Batavia, NY
pipe since 62, brain addled/mindless forever
lear
Well Haden in the past there have been many discussions on just that
point. I have used both and while I can smell the first ignite if you
wait just a second or two that burns off and you should notice no
difference between the zippo or butane. JMTW Mary
Mmm
PRO:
- -Truly tasteless, adds nothing to the tobacco IMO. Some people claim
that they can taste the butane, but I have never found this.
- -Flame can be carefully directed down to the tobacco. Flame is very
hot and will easily light any tobacco.
- -A single butane fill is likely to last a lot longer than a zippo
fluid fill. Not to mention that if you fill you Zippo and let it sit
around for a week or two, it will be empty, the fluid having
evaporated. A well functioning butane lighter will stay filled
forever.
CON:
- -Flame is much hotter than a fluid lighter. You can burn your tongue
if you are not careful, and burn the rim of your pipe if you are not
careful.
- -Won't work in the wind - in some cases even a slight breeze.
- -More to go wrong - there are valves at both ends that will
eventually go bad or clog up. You usually can't fix these yourself.
And butane can be sensitive to temperature, and to air getting into
the tank (causing that "sputtering" flame)
ZIPPO:
PRO:
- -Flame is cooler than butane - less likely to scortch your tongue,
less likely to damage the rim of your pipe. I think that the
difference is quite noticable for me, especially when lighting the
second half of the bowl. If you are the type of smoker who lights his
pipe once and smokes all the way to the bottom, this will mean
nothing.
In addition, since you are drawing the flame down there is less chance
of damaging your pipe.
- -There is nothing to fix on a Zippo that you can't fix yourself. And
if you can't, Zippo will fix the insides for free.
- -That that opening/closing "clink" sound. To get anything close in a
butane you need to buy a Dupont for megabucks.
- -You can clean the gum residue from price or other stickers with the
fluid. Try that with butane.
CON:
- -There is a very slight taste. The newer version of Zippo fuel is no
longer naptha (it was never kerosene), but instead "synthetic
isopraffinic hydrocarbon". The result is even less taste. Nonetheless,
I find that a first light with a Zippo will result in a slight solvent
taste from the fluid. So I start the pipe with a wooden match or a
butane lighter. The rest of the time its my Zippo.
- -Lighter holds less fuel than a butane, and the fluid will evaporate
over time. My solution is to travel with two lighters - they're
relatively cheap. I just ordered a small Zippo "canister" that will
hold one fill - that should solve any additional problem.
On Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:39:27 -0700 (PDT), Haden <gboy...@gmail.com>
wrote:
Briarroot
I use butane, mainly because it's odorless but also because it's
universally available. Butane (cigarette) lighters are sold nearly
everywhere and do a decent job; there's no need to buy a special pipe
lighter.
I've tried matches but the smell of sulfur lingers too long in the air
and ruins my appreciation for the tobacco I'm smoking. Zippo fluid (I
don't think it's kerosene) isn't so bad, but I don't like it much
either. Zippo has been selling a new lighter fluid which they claim is
odorless and tasteless, but I can still smell it - or maybe I just
*think* I can. <looks around wildly!>
Regards,
Tim Parker ... JF Germain's Esoterica: Dunbar in a Savinelli 1994
Pipe-of-the-Year
--
The society that puts equality before freedom will end up with neither.
The society that puts freedom before equality will end up with a great
measure of both. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a
lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
pipe_smoker
There is a Zippo Butane insert. Just take the old one out and
replace w/Butane Insert. I think you can buy the Zippo w/Butane insert
in already in.
Pipe_Smoker in L.
A..
Joe
> Haden wrote:
>> Do you use a Zippo, or a Butane lighter? I have heard that a Zippo
>> lighter will change the taste of the tobacco due to the kerosene, and
>> a butane lighter will not change the taste because it is a pure fuel.
>> All I know, is that my uncle never used anything other than a Zippo,
>> and he never seemed to have a problem. So what is the general idea?
>
> I use butane, mainly because it's odorless but also because it's
> universally available. Butane (cigarette) lighters are sold nearly
> everywhere and do a decent job; there's no need to buy a special pipe
> lighter.
>
> I've tried matches but the smell of sulfur lingers too long in the air
> and ruins my appreciation for the tobacco I'm smoking. Zippo fluid (I
> don't think it's kerosene) isn't so bad, but I don't like it much
> either. Zippo has been selling a new lighter fluid which they claim is
> odorless and tasteless, but I can still smell it - or maybe I just
> *think* I can. <looks around wildly!>
There is still a very slight smell, but nothing like it used to be,
and it burns off almost immediately when you light the lighter.
The new fluid is far superior to the old (and you're right, it was
never kerosene)...
--
Joe - Linux User #449481/Ubuntu User #19733
joe at hits - buffalo dot com
"Hate is baggage, life is too short to go around pissed off all the
time..." - Danny, American History X
Joe
Zippo doesn't make the Butane insert. They do make Butane Zippos, but
the insides for those do not fit in the standard Zippo cases.
Vector Thunderbird (IIRC) is a butane insert for a Zippo, and they do
have a pipe lighter version. I have one, and it is a bit touchy, but
it works. Honestly, I like the Wick better...
preston forster
My two bits:
1) Zippo is the way to go if lighting outdoors. My Old Boy will work
if it is "calm" outside, but if the wind kicks up it is useless. I
may my Old Boy on the porch on still days, but never take it away from
the house. I just can't rely on the wind staying down in San
Francisco!
2) I can't taste the new Zippo fuel at all. Let the lighter burn for
a few moments after it lights and if I close my eyes, I really can't
tell between my Zippo and Old Boy.
3) It's a pain to fill the Zippo every 10-14 days. But I do like the
rugged, easily repaired construction.
The Zippo is pretty cheap (as long as you don't buy a gold or silver
one). It is one of the best values I know- 12-18 bucks will buy one
new and I still have the first one I bought in 1987 at it still works
perfectly.
You can always buy both a butane and Zippo and see which one you like
best. Or buy a Zippo and see if you need anything else. If the Zippo
isn't right for you, you haven't wasted too many bucks.
Charles
>
> - Show quoted text -
I've been using my Zippo exclusively for convienence, reliabilty. It
doesn't scorch the
rim. I fill mine about every 3rd day,just like my car's gas tank. I've
got good
butane lighters but I don't want to lose them. I seem to hold on to my
Black Zippo
better or at least I remember where I left it.
Funn
Joe
> butane lighters but I don't want to lose them. I seem to hold on to my
> Black Zippo
> better or at least I remember where I left it.
On that, I have a theory... I always hold onto my most expensive
lighters (and pipes, and cigar cutters, and so on) much better than
the cheapies. Same goes for sunglasses. I used to go through a few
pair per year, but since I started buying expensive ones, I never lose
them.