Bic Lighters?

[solafid3]

So... whenever I read an article about Cuba and cigars, or a biographical article about cigar company owners, I always find people lighting their cigars with bic-type lighters. My querstion is, how bad, if it is at all, is it to light your cigar with a bic? Like, does it impart some taste or something. Having tried it myself a couple of times, I couldn't tell, but at the same time, I'm no cigar tasting expert.

[guy g]

I use a Zippo, which has far more potential for fumes than a BIC. If you get fumes or taste, then just lightly blow back thru. The lighting part is a bit slower than with a butane torch.

[BostonMark]

Most cigar smokers (myself included) will tell you that there is a definite, although not significant, taste imparted from the gas in the Bic lighters. Ideally you would light with a cedar stick, but your best bet is going to be head over to wal-mart or wal-greens and get a cheap Butane Torch lighter. The advantage to butane is that it is tasteless and odorless, so there should be no taste imparted on the cigar. Get a Ronson if you can find it - theyre about $3 and are one of the best torch lighters on the market! This from a guy with a Xikar! Hope this helps!

[JCK]

Aren't BICs filled with butane as well? Butane in pureform is colorless and odorless, but I believe commercial products have other gases mixed to impart a smell so you know if the lighter is leaking or for cost reasons.

The butane I use to fill my torches have an distinct aroma. I believe torches may burn the butane more efficiently/completely.

[Commander Quan]

Originally Posted by khubli

Aren't BICs filled with butane as well?

Yup, use a Bic if you want I highly doubt you will taste anything at all.

[Smoked]

When you consider how much money is spent on cigars I figure why even risk it.

[fireman43]

I've used my Bic when I didn't have my torch handy. I never really noticed much difference as far as taste, but my noobish palate is weak anyhow. I prefer my torch mainly because it's easier to toast the foot and light outside.

[688sonarmen]

Originally Posted by Commander Quan

Yup, use a Bic if you want I highly doubt you will taste anything at all.

HMMM 7 year old Madascar Vanilla?

[tedrodgerscpa]

Things that one shouldn't light a cigar with...

Citronella Candles
Zippo Lighters
People

Things that are O.K. to light a cigar with...

Bic
Matches (wooden preferred, paper O.K.)
Thin Cedar strips
Creme-brulee torch
Ronson Jet Lites
Opus X Limited Edition S T Dupont lighter (but only if you've grown tired of lighting your cigars with $100 bills)

Those things KILL me... $1,500 for a friggin lighter...

[solafid3]

Oh cool, well, I really was just asking out of curiosity, I've already spent way too much on my torch. Ideally, I'd cut with my xikar (can't afford a palio because of the stinky gb) and light with my torch (Just the easiest way to do it).

[duckmanco]

Originally Posted by 688sonarmen

HMMM 7 year old Madascar Vanilla?

To me, and of course I am sure I am a member of a select few who feel this way, that if you lit two of the same cigars, blind taste test style, you could not tell the difference using a BIC. Some folks get real caught up in some of these particulars. I do use a Ronson when I have one around because I found them to cheap and refillable. I don't like the idea of throwing away a lighter when its done, seems wasteful to me. But I would light my cigar with anything available if I needed to.

Now, if you were an editor for CA, I'm sure you could tell what brand of butane was used to fill the lighter just by the "taste"....

[pbrennan10]

Originally Posted by tedrodgerscpa

Things that one shouldn't light a cigar with...

Citronella Candles
Zippo Lighters
People

Things that are O.K. to light a cigar with...

Bic
Matches (wooden preferred, paper O.K.)
Thin Cedar strips
Creme-brulee torch
Ronson Jet Lites
Opus X Limited Edition S T Dupont lighter (but only if you've grown tired of lighting your cigars with $100 bills)

Those things KILL me... $1,500 for a friggin lighter...

I find $100 bills leave my mouth with a slight cotton flavour, do not recommend.

[Dgar]

Other than the fluid, I like the control I have when using a torch, I can get a clean light, It's nice to start it off with a nice even burn. Hey a bic may work just as well, I've never tried it... If bics are working for you, it's all good!

[Nabinger16]

Originally Posted by pbrennan10

I find $100 bills leave my mouth with a slight cotton flavour, do not recommend.

I go with the $1 bill... they impart a nice clean working mans ass taste to my cigar, plus I feel really frugal using them.

[tedrodgerscpa]

Originally Posted by Dgar

Other than the fluid, I like the control I have when using a torch, I can get a clean light, It's nice to start it off with a nice even burn. Hey a bic may work just as well, I've never tried it... If bics are working for you, it's all good!

Nah... I think most people would rather use a torch than a bic...

But there ain't nothing wrong with using a Bic in a pinch!