Lighters

How to Smoke a Cigar

August 12, 2022 by John McElheny

7 Comments

In the four years I spent as a tobacconist, one of the most commonly asked questions I received was simply: "How do I smoke a cigar?" It's a simple question, though the answer can get a bit complicated, as the process of smoking is beholden not only to proper methods but to the personal preferences of the individual ... Read More

Survival Pipe Skills

February 9, 2022 by Joel Balyeat

22 Comments

Typically I light my pipes with my favorite Kiribi lighter, but I have lately been remiss in resupplying my butane needs and find myself without. I like a challenge, however, and accept this situation as a test of my character and ingenuity. ... Read More

Pipe-Smoking Holiday Gift Guide 2021

November 26, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

1 Comment

The holiday season is a strange time of year for pipe smokers because we know the chance of our loved ones finding the right gift for us is vanishingly small. You have to know a lot about this esoteric subject to choose wisely. It's like that with every hobby or specific interest, though. How can anyone without experienced knowledge purchase the right sharpening stone for a knife ... Read More

IM Corona: The Best Hard-Use Pipe Lighter

November 18, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

16 Comments

We pipe smokers come in every size, shape, color, and level of hairiness, and our preferences in pipes and tobaccos are as varied as we are. One thing we all have in common, however, is the need for fire. We have to light our tobaccos or we can't really be called pipe smokers. Lighters, too, appear in all kinds of permutations, though none are hairy. ... Read More

What is Fire and Why Do We Like It

September 23, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

11 Comments

Everyone loves fire. Perhaps not when it's burning down our house or enveloping neighboring forests, but under controlled circumstances, fire is hypnotically soothing. Few activities are more satisfying than gazing at a campfire, and we especially appreciate the way fire ignites our favorite tobaccos. ... Read More

Johan Wolfgang Dobereiner, Inventor of the First Lighter

August 4, 2021 by Chuck Stanion

7 Comments

The first friction match was invented in 1826. Obviously, matches were a quantum leap in technology for smokers, who before that time used tongs to hold small coals against the tobacco in their pipes, or carried flint and steel, or used "spills," which were shavings of wood specifically used for lighting one's pipe or cigar. So popular were spills that a number of woodworking planes were ... Read More

The History Of The Zippo Lighter

March 13, 2020 by Jeffery Sitts

22 Comments

The Zippo lighter has long been considered an iconic symbol of American culture and is trusted by smokers around the world for its reliability, versatility, and durability. It's been featured in thousands of movies, television shows, and stage plays throughout the years and is a product many smokers have owned at some ... Read More

How To Light A Cigar | Smoke Rings University

February 20, 2020 by Tim Vanderpool

5 Comments

Whether you are brand new to cigars or have smoked them for years, you've likely had an issue with an improper burn or a bad light at some point. Sometimes it's user error, but often it's product malfunction. Cigars are handmade products, after all, and occasionally you will happen across an improper roll or poor ... Read More

Kiribi Kenshi: Every Pipesmoker's Everyday Lighter

December 12, 2019 by Truett Smith

13 Comments

For two years, I've relied on a Kiribi Kabuto lighter for my pipesmoking needs. I appreciate the simple, classic presentation of the Kabuto, its chic finish, Old Boy-style striking wheel, and sound reliability. It's been a mainstay within my coterie of accessories, and I've traveled with it to pipe shows and camp sites alike ... Read More

Lighters Need Cleaning Too

November 20, 2019 by Chuck Stanion

17 Comments

I've managed to destroy a number of items by running them through the laundry in various pockets I've neglected to empty: valuable checks, essential phone numbers, flash drives, and a chocolate chip cookie I left in a shirt pocket, a cookie whose flavor was detrimentally mutated by the soap cycle. I still miss that cookie. ... Read More