Cigarette Lighters and Butane

As the old saying goes, now you are cooking with fire. Butane lighters, unlike their heathen brethren the lighter fluid guzzlers, are probably the best bet with lighting up a cigar. Butane is a light, smell free gas that enables you to light your cigar without jumping through hoops.

Butane lighters come in many shapes and sizes. You can purchase them practically everywhere, and there are also refillable models. On the techy side of things, you can even find butane lighters that offer uniquely colored flames, or look like some sort of welding torch. In addition are the butane lighters that work like an old stove, where the eye heats up into a red, angry looking circle. Each of these “tech” lighters will do just fine on your cigar, so long as you keep certain things in mind. With the stove-top lighter, just be sure to move the “eye” around enough so it lights the whole area of tobacco. With the “torch” lighter, be sure not to hold it too long near your cigar, as it burns hotter than traditional lighters, and could potentially catch your cigar on fire. A definite no-no!

Finding a Good Match

Just as there are two types of cigarette lighters, so too are there two types of matches. And also like the lighter, one match is good, one is bad. Can you guess which is which?

The Paper Match

Paper matches are made with sulfur heads. If you have ever visited Hell or had Satan pop in for a visit (or driven through New Jersey for that matter) you will know how unpleasant this smell is. In addition to the sulfur heads, additional chemicals are added to keep the flame burning. All of this means that your cigar has the potential to take on some foul tastes, and as such, it is best to avoid paper matches altogether.

You can, however, use the same lighting method with a paper match as you do with a lighter fluid lighter. Light the match, wait a few seconds, and then hold the flame about a quarter of an inch away from the cigar, puffing in every second or so to stoke the flame.

This method isn’t really the best route. If you have ever tried to light anything with a paper match, such as a candle, you will know it usually takes several matches (if not the whole book) to accomplish this feat. Now imagine trying the same thing with a cigar, which take a considerable amount more heat to light up. You get the idea.