Lighter Reviews Anyone?

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Dock

Dock

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I just bought a new Xikar Pipeline and look forward to it's arrival. I've owned many, MANY brands of pipe lighters over the years. I'd love to here others experiences with various flameage and I will post a few of my own...
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Zippo: Classic & pretty to look at but the taste of the lighter fluid seems to really taint the flavor of any tobacco. Even when letting it burn out for a few seconds it's still very much there. A good back up to leave in the car in case of emerginces but NOT a good everyday user.

Porsche: Beautiful tall ergonomic design. Flint and wheel design without built in tamper. Handy spare flint storage in bottom of case. I've used mine for a year now with no issues. Fluid lasts a pretty long time. Always lights on the first stike. It's only drawback is it's price. They're not cheap. They're are comprable lighters that are far less money

IM Corona "Pipemaster": Nice presentation with built in tamper.It's also a non flint model. I've had nothing but issues with this lighter. It never lights on the first click and has a bad habit of not accepting butane properly. It's been a dissapointment since I bought it.

IM Corona "Old Boy": The gold standard of pipe lighters. Built in tamper lift arm model with flint and wheel. Gorgeous presentation and compact design. It just feels great in your hand! I've had mine for two years now with NO issues. Like the Porsche, it's not a cheap lighter but WELL worth it. If taken care of it WILL last you a lifetime.

Dunhill "Unique": The most beautiful (and expensive) lighter that I own. Sterling silver lift arm without built in tamper. Incredible art deco design that just screams quality. Since it doesn't have an angled flame I use it for cigars only. This lighter has seen very little use but has preformed effortlessly when called upon. It drawback of course is it's rediculously HIGH price which is more than double that of the Old Boy.

Colibri "pipe Lighter": If you can't say something nice about a lighter it must be a Colibri! I sent my two back to their factory numerous times for repair. They'd work for a while then crap out again. PASS THIS ONE BY!
 
I have one lighter; a Savinelli for my cigars! Works great. Back in the dark ages (you know, the 60's!!), I used both Zippo and Nimrod pipe lighters. Got tired of the "lighter fluid" aroma in my bowl; started using stick matches. Never went back. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it :joker: :pipe: FTRPLT
 
I've been looking at the Xikars... let us know how you like it!
 
Vector pipe lighters very poor quality,oh they warantee them but costs you 7$ to
have it fixed 2 weeks after you bought it. :x Mike at Mars refunded my $7 but the repair lasted 2 months. :x
IM Corona,just the best with occasional cleaning and Smokingpipes will fix it for
life if you bought from them. :)

Winslow :sunny:
 
Danish_Pipe_Guy":uomjyoqu said:
Zippo: Classic & pretty to look at but the taste of the lighter fluid seems to really taint the flavor of any tobacco. Even when letting it burn out for a few seconds it's still very much there. A good back up to leave in the car in case of emerginces but NOT a good everyday user.
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In the past I used Zippos for cigarettes or cigars but not pipes because of the taste, but since they changed their formula I don't notice it. I'm usually pretty sensitive to fumes and odors like that. The new fluid comes in a black can.
 
I have been using a cheap Imco pipe lighter for the past 8-10 years. I can't remember exactly when I purchased it but at least that long ago. I think I paid $8 for it. I have never had a single issue with it and I get a nice even light from it everytime. Before that I used matches or a Bic. I tried a Zippo but just couldn't get use to it. I can't get an even light from it.

I will say that the quality of Imcos has gone down just like most everything else. I bought my son an Imco last year and it just doesn't perform like my old one. It spits and sputters a lot. I have a new one that Gray Fox sent me with a pipe order and it seems to perform pretty well but the construction is just not the quality of my old one so I don't know how long it will last. I've never owned a high grade pipe lighter but I wouldn't mind trying an Old Boy one of these days. It's just not a priority of my smoking experience right now.
 
I normally use a Zippo pipe lighter or an Imco refillable butane. I was given a Monarch refillable butane pipe lighter with a built in 3 piece pipe tool for Christmas, so I've been using it lately. I like the Zippo best, followed by the Imco and Monarch.

On a side note, I was browsing in an antique store this past Friday and saw a Nimrod pipe lighter for sale at a price of $15.00 I don't know if it works, but I assume that with a new flint and fuel it probably would. What do you guys think, should I go back and buy it? I've never used one.

LtMac
 
LtMac":atmr2ysr said:
I normally use a Zippo pipe lighter or an Imco refillable butane. I was given a Monarch refillable butane pipe lighter with a built in 3 piece pipe tool for Christmas, so I've been using it lately. I like the Zippo best, followed by the Imco and Monarch.

On a side note, I was browsing in an antique store this past Friday and saw a Nimrod pipe lighter for sale at a price of $15.00 I don't know if it works, but I assume that with a new flint and fuel it probably would. What do you guys think, should I go back and buy it? I've never used one.

LtMac
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I had a Nimrod sportsman's lighter a few years ago that I got at a flea market. It was new in the box and I paid $20.00 I recall. It was pretty much like an elongated zippo pipe light. It had the same issue with the fluid tanting the flavor of the smoke. I sold it along with some yard pipes on e-bay. I see them there almost everyday...
 
I've got a couple of Zippos that I use at work. They do not make the initial light well at all but work wonderfully for relights. With the new fluid I don't notice any off tastes. The one issues I'm finding now after a couple years of use is that the hinge on the cases wears and then the thing doesn't seal well and fluid evaporates quickly, going through about twice as much as I used to and if you fill it and leave it for a week or so without use the fluid has all evaporated. I guess I should get one of those Zippo Armor cases and try that.

I have 2 Colibris, a single torch cigar lighter and a pipe lighter - never a problem with either one.

I'm interested in the Xikar, looking forward to seeing how they hold up for a few months before I buy one.

What I really want is a nice Dupont pipe lighter :drool: Guess I've got a case of ping envy :lol:
 
Colibri "pipe Lighter": If you can't say something nice about a lighter it must be a Colibri! I sent my two back to their factory numerous times for repair. They'd work for a while then crap out again. PASS THIS ONE BY!
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Well said Dock! It's almost a rite of passage to be disapointed by Colibri. I have a Coleman lighter with a extendable head that looks like one Colibri makes but it is realible. It also was about a quarter of the price.
 
For me it's a Zippo pipe lighter or nothing. But then again I'm set in my ways. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
Corona Old Boy, A bit pricey I thought, but a years worth of trouble free service proved me wrong,,,lights first time every time,,,,
 
pipetongue1":5oyyhajo said:
Use matches! :tongue:
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Flint and tinder :twisted:

I like matches myself and my trusty Bic lighters, they may not look cool, but they function and the flints are great in a Zippo when the lighter dies. :pipe:
 
I love nice lighters so I'll gladly give my humble opinion on the few lighters I have used/still use:

Zippo: it works pretty well but I just think it doesn't feel right for lighting a pipe. I love to light an occasional Marlboro with it but I prefer other lighters for my pipe. Also I noticed what Puff Daddy said- my Zippo is nine years old and the hinge is already pretty worn so the cap doesn't close tight and the fluid evaporates too quickly.

Corona OldBoy: I would really love it if it weren't for it's delicate construction. It works extremely well, it's precisely made and I really like the built-in tamper. It's just that the lift-arm and the whole mechanism (especially the really thin gas exit valve) seams very delicate to me and I'm always worried about breaking it. Fortunately it hasn't happened yet!:)

Prince Pipette: a flint and wheel type pipe lighter very similiar to this Ronson: http://www.highgradepipes.com/forsale/acc/lighters.htm A very good lighter, reliable and with a good tank capacity. It's a relatively cheap one and sturdily built. The entire round flame exit is horizontal so if you direct it inside the bowl there is no way you will scorch the rim.

Dupont pipe lighter: my favourite, it's the one I use everyday. I got mine at a flea market for 10 bucks!:) I had to pay another 70 bucks to get it repaired but it was still worth it. A wonderful lighter, extremely reliable, lights every single time. It's extremely sturdy with no delicate elements so I don't have to worry about breaking it. I would recommend it to everyone if it wasn't for the fact that it is ridiculously expensive:( The only drawback that I can think of is that the shape of the gas valve is pretty strange and unless you buy the original Dupont gas refills (also ridiculously expensive!) you need to fiddle around a bit to fill it.

Peace:)
 
When I use a lighter (Usually it's matches) I use a Zippo and haven't had any problems with it. The new fuel doesn't give the aftertaste the old stuff did.
Question: Has anyone had any experience with the butane insert they make for the Zippo? I saw them at my local B & M for around twenty bucks.
 
The Zippo butane insert is a very bad idea for lighting a pipe (the same with the Zippo Blu). It has a turbo flame which is vertical- that means you have to put the lighter upside down to light which is pretty uncomfortable. Also the turbo flame has a very, very high temperature and if you hit the rim with it even just for a moment you will scorch the wood almost immediately. My advise is to stick to the regular Zippo if you like it :)
Peace:)
 
I have a Lotus pipe lighter that I like. It has an electronic ignition that lights every time, a side angled flame and built in tamper (which also works great to let out existing fuel when prior to refilling). It's weighted very well. I have had to play around with fuel with it and it seems to like the larger bottles for some reason.

http://www.cupojoes.com/cgi-bin/spgm?dpt=D&srch=DD&item=lot1120
 
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