Cigar smokers, how do you light your cigar?

[scottmandue]

I like to char the end of my cigar before I start puffing on it, for a while I was cheap and just used my gas stove for the job but I decided to get fancy and drop seventy bucks on a fancy Colibre lighter. Now that piece of junk only works about half the time so I'm going to send it back and out of frustration I have gone back to using the stove. Do any of you cigar smokers know of a refillable lighter that works? Or should I stick to using the stove? Should I just buy a bic and stop my whining?

Thanks,
Scott

[Joeaksa]

Have a nice St Dupont lighter for the times that one wants to show off, otherwise just use a wooden match after the head has burned off.

[Dottore]

I use cigar matches. These are from Europe somewhere, leave no sulphur aftertaste and burn very long.

[legion]

I use wooden matches. I rotate the cigar over the flame and start puffing after doing this for about 5 seconds.

[greglepore]

Calabri's suck. Every one I've had, and I've probably had half a dozen, stops working after a couple months. Actually had a cool $10 chinese dual torch thing, in the shape of a traditional zippo, that was great, but lost it.

[gprsh924]

I either use my zippo for ease, or if i want to look kinda fancy, take a matchbook, strike one match, then use that to light the entire matchbook so you get a huge flame, looks really cool

[CurtEgerer]

To light it correctly, you're never supposed to let the flame touch the cigar. The yellow flame contains soot. Use the heat above the flame. That said, I normally take the biggest lighter I can find (propane tank if there's one handy) and just fry the crap out it to get it lit .....

[jriera]

From Cigar Aficionado:
HOW TO LIGHT A CIGAR
Lighting a cigar is not like lighting the tip of a cigarette or the wick of a candle--it takes longer. Light your cigar the same way you would toast a marshmallow over a campfire--keep the cigar above and near the flame, but don't let them touch. Burning a cigar directly in a flame makes it too hot. And, as with a marshmallow, you'll want to rotate the cigar so all parts of its tip are equally heated. Be patient, and keep at it until there's a glowing ring all the way around the cigar's tip. Once the cigar is lit, gently blow on the embers to create a smooth, completely rounded ash.

Then, raise the unlit end of the cigar to your mouth and take the first puff. The question is, which way to puff? Many aficionados blow the first puff out through the cigar in order to avoid unsavory flavors such as sulfur from matches or gasses from lighters. No one, of course, should ever apply more than one outward puff.

Full article --> http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Archives/CA_Show_Article/0,2322,467,00.html

Personally I just light the sucker with anything I have handy and enjoy it.

[tabs]

I have a DuPont Lighter (Gas)...which I never use...bought it for $75 at a Cigrette Lighter Show.

I also have a Large Table Model Dunhill Silver Plate Lighter, which is packed away. Way Cool looking.

However I just use a Kitchen Match and light it...

I use a Guilotine cutter (Soft Touch) and have a pair of Soligen Cigar Scissors.

[pwd72s]

Boy, do I ever agree with those calling colibri lighter krap...I'd never buy one after having been given some as gifts. I usually use a wooden match or a cheap bic. Hey, don't put too much romance into this...it's only a stogie...much like the fact that the finest wine in the world is still just booze.

[scottmandue]

Okay so it's not just me Colibrie's are crap... it has been duely noted, I guess I was fooled by the fact that almost every cigar store I have been in seems to sell them. I probably have $150 invested in the two I have but live and learn. I know about the toasting the tip of the cigar and not letting the flame touch it thing but that process takes up about half the charge in a refillable lighter that's why I went to lighting them on the stove.
I have one of those self lighting torches down in the garage that you use to solder copper pipe, I have been thinking of bringing it into the house and giving it a shot, kind of industrial looking but I usually smoke by myself so who care as long as it works... and I only use it about once every five years when I have a plumbing project around the house.

That and every time I buy cigars they give me matches.

[Hugh R]

I bought a nice Ronson torch one at Rite Aid for $4, refillable too, seems to work fine after six months.

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by Hugh R
I bought a nice Ronson torch one at Rite Aid for $4, refillable too, seems to work fine after six months.

I'll check into that, Thanks Hugh.

[Gordo2]

Originally posted by scottmandue
...I'm going to send it back and out of frustration...

Rats, I should have thought of that before I chucked my 2 month old Colibrie into the woods for the same reason.

Now I bum a light from my smokin' buds that have lighters that work (consistently).

Gordo

[LeRoux Strydom]

I have one of these:



It works like a charm, everytime.

It should, dammit, considering how much I paid for it.......

[Isabo]

Lighting with a Dupont improves any kind of smoke

[stevepaa]

Usually 2 wooden matches before I even take first puff. And do as posted from cigar link. Rotate and hold at 45 degrees while roasting the end.

[Lothar]

I was given this advice by a Dunhill rep:

First, lick the wrapper around the foot of the cigar. This helps to keep the wrapper from burning faster than the binder and filler. Use a butane torch lighter and light the entire foot without puffing until it is glowing. Then, you can begin puffing away.

This way, you will not suck partially burnt fuel into the filler and binder, therby contaminating the cigar.

Enjoy.

[RallyJon]

First, lick the wrapper around the foot of the cigar.

Bah! If you can't afford an intern, maybe.

[campbellcj]

It's great to hear that my Colibrie is gonna crap out sometime soon

My (infrequent) smokes are usually when I'm on the road and thus have to make-do with what's available - typically paper matches, or wood matches or even a bic lighter if I'm lucky.