A Better Pipe Smoking Community

Hey, for once I have to disagree with someone. :-)

When I smoked cigs I used a Zippo for years, but in the end I was back to Bic lighters.

Because:

Against

a) It is messy. After a while the oils from gasoline vapors and chips from the flint make some hard to remove goo inside the lighter;
b) Smell. I like the smell, but not on my briars. I heard that now there is a odor-less fluid, but I haven't tried it, so I don't have a opinion, this is based on the old gasoline fluid.
c) Reload. It is fun the 1st 10 times, than it starts to be a pain in the but. I refill my butane lighter in 10 seconds;
d) Safety. I want a lighter that goes out if I drop it from my hand in the car.

Pro

a) It will work in any weather, I agree, but that feature is not that important for most city pipe smokers, in the fields, well that's another story.
b) Most Zippo are beautiful, enough said.
c) The fire is cooler than butane, so less chance of charring (it will go black, anyway, but that will be residue, not charring).

My option is a cheap not pipe specific Ronson ligter

And for refill, a 250 mls tin will refill this baby for months, at a very low cost, zippo fluid is more expensive.
I'm expecting a useful life of about 1 year, while a zippo can live forever, but this costs about 10€ here, I think I can get one every year or so.

But Zippo is cooler... Hell yes!

... I see where C&D has $25 (C&D logo) Zippo lighters for sale on their site.

Personally, I use a refillable pipe lighter ($11.25) made in Austria. Has a flint (not electronic) but carries an extra flint inside for convenience. I also have a GEI refillable butane lighter with electronic ignition that works well, too.

... A Zipo pipe specific lighter with the black label fuel. No thigh rash as yet. Minimal fuel taste.

I do love zippos, but I don't have the pipe adapter for it. Having just used the zippo with its regular adapter I think it works just fine. I find bic's, at least for me, have more of a taste because I end up sucking in fumes more then the fire as those d@mn things always go out.

For almost a year I used stick matches exclusively, but now I have an old boy lighter that I wouldn't go without.

I have a pipe zippo, but it has not been used since I purchased my Corona Old Boy, good reliable lighter & yes the new black can fluid imparts little to no taste.....

Do yourself a favor, start stashing for an Oldboy, believe me, you won't regret it. You can get the black matte model usually for under $100. It is the best lighter I have ever owned, and it didn't really break the bank.

I have a number of others, and currently have my eye on a dunhill lighter, but my zippo is my favourite.

I don't really get the fuel taste, with zippo's new fuel formula, and it is such a pleasure to use.

I also like it because it doesn't promote charring of the rim of the pipe, so it's good all round.

Ciao!

Justin

I bought a Zippo back when I started with a pipe, and it has rarely been more than an arms reach away ever since. Today I have several Zippo's, but I also have an old beater of a Dunhill Rollgas lighter that I use often.

The Zippo is perfect for me, because it's so damned easy to maintain. Butane valves are a lot more sensitive to buildup. My Zippo will flame up with just about any amount of crud on it.

As far as the smell goes, I always let the flame settle down for a few seconds. After that it's smooth sailing.