How to Light a Pipe With a Zippo

Light a pipe with a Zippo lighter that has a pipe insert.

A pipe insert on a Zippo lighter makes it easy to light your pipe without burning your fingers or charring the rim and bowl, because the flame is produced on the side of the insert instead of at the top. A smoking pipe should take three lights to get the pipe going. The first two are called charring or false lights because they evenly char the tobacco, preparing it to be smoked.

Things You'll Need

• Pipe insert
• Pipe tamper

Instructions

1. Ignite the Zippo lighter with pipe insert.

2. Hold the pipe insert of the Zippo lighter over the pipe bowl and light the top layer of tobacco while puffing. Remove the lighter and let the smoldering tobacco extinguish itself. Tamp down the charred tobacco with a pipe tamper.

3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 until the top layer of tobacco is evenly charred.

4. Light the pipe a third time by passing the pipe insert of the Zippo lighter slowly over the bowl while puffing. Keep the Zippo lighter lit until the tobacco is evenly ignited.

5. Close the lighter and continue to puff on the smoking pipe to keep it lit.

References

• Pipe Smoking Guide: How to Light Your Pipe

Resources

• Pipes: Zippo Pipe Lighter
• Tobacco Barn: Zippo Pipe Lighter Insert