Don't Ruin Your Cigar! How To Correctly Light Your Cigar With Your Zippo Lighter

By: Zippo Lighter Fanatic Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Lighting a cigar is the first step to relaxation for many people all around the world. And, like many other hobbies one remains a student until many moons have passed before they can be labeled an "Aficionado." I too am a student of cigars and I would like to pass what knowledge I have obtained regarding an important subject – How to Correctly Light Your Stogie with your Zippo Lighter.

Lighting a stogie with a Zippo is not as simple as igniting the flame then burn the end of your cigar. The first step is to make sure you have all the right tools. My dad who is a Contractor would always say to me, "Son, in order to work efficiently, you need to have the right tools for the right job," and sparking a stogie is no exception.

Before we can light and smoke that tasty tobacco we need a cigar cutter, ashtray, small mirror, Zippo lighter and a Z-plus insert (torch insert). If you do not have a Z-pus insert you can buy one off the Net or your local tobacco store should sell them. I bought mine from Tobacco-Barn.com for $14.95.

Now that we have all the correct accessories for the job let us begin. Take your Zippo lighter and remove the original insert by gripping and pulling it out. Replace the original insert with the new Z-plus insert and Walla! Your Zippo is now a torch . You can always switch back to the original insert by doing the same step.

I can hear the question echoing through minds of millions of readers right now, "Why do I want to use the torch insert instead of the regular Zippo flame?" The first and main reason has to do with the difference between the lighter fluid in the regular Zippo and the butane of the Z-plus torch insert. Depending on how developed your pallet is, you may or may not taste the undesireable odor of the lighter fluid. That problem is solved by using a butane torch that burns at about 1,200+ degrees leaving no taste or odor – plus it's faster and easier.

Cutting the stogie with a cigar cutter is the next step in the process. It's a popular practice to destroy the stogie by cutting too much of it off as seen on television. There is no need to do that; in fact, I choose to cut no more than an eighth of an inch off the cap of the cigar. The point is to cut off as little as possible while still getting a nice, easy draw.

Now that the cigar is cut, set the mirror where you can see yourself as we begin to light. Experienced stogie smokers can perfectly light a cigar in a dark room with their eyes closed but, if you are just starting out it will make sparking the stogie a cinch. When lighting the cigar we do not want to hold the Zippo Lighter directly at the cigar but at a 45 degree angle and three to four inches away to start.

Gently puff on the stogie as you begin to light the cigar. Using the mirror, you will be able to see where your cigar is burning and where it is not. Evenly light the entire surface including the edges of the stogie by moving your Zippo all around. It should only take about ten seconds with the torch to light the stogie. You will know that the stogie is lit correctly when the entire surface including the edges are burning red and now, you kick back and relax.

Follow these steps on how to light your cigar with a Zippo lighter and you can bet you'll enjoy your stogie every time. The two key steps are the Z-plus insert and the mirror, especially if you are just starting out. By removing the original Zippo insert we are guaranteeing that we do not befoul the stogie with any hint of lighter fluid and, the mirror will help light the cigar evenly. Give it a go, practice and happy stogie smoking!

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Year after Year working in meaningless jobs, Zippo Lighter Fanatic began employment at the Tobacco Barn Cigar Lounge in Orange County CA at his brother-in-law's request. Uplifted and renewed, he began to eagerly spread the word of his new hobbies through articles, blogs and video. We are the Zippo Lighter Experts. Visit us at www.tobacco-barn.com/s-85-zippo-lighter.aspx for the largest selection of zippo lighters!