Lighting and that elusive "even burn"
- Thread starter DevonS
- Start date
These guys are spot on. Just my 2cts, when I started I read everything I could find at the library, (dating myself?) and a good reference was cigars for dummies. A neat trick was to roll the cigar as it burned so any uneveness or boating was at the top. works pretty well for evening out uneven burns.
Go buy yourself a decent Jet lighter with a lifetime warranty, as AZ said, and take all other advice given above on lighting. It will take you quite a few cigars to get it down, but it's something you will get better at.
I'm not a fan of multi flame lighters though, got rid of my triples and only own singles now. Might take longer, but if I can't take 2 minutes out of my day to properly light the cigar, then perhaps I don't have time for the cigar itself.
I'm not a fan of multi flame lighters though, got rid of my triples and only own singles now. Might take longer, but if I can't take 2 minutes out of my day to properly light the cigar, then perhaps I don't have time for the cigar itself.
Great advice here. I will add to perhaps try and "dry-box" some cigars for a couple of days and see if that helps. And a thought comes to mind. What brand of cigars are you smoking DevonS? Just curious. Are you having trouble with one specific type of brand or bunch of cigars you bought from one source? I'm curious to know. Good luck!
Cigary43
Just Another Ashhole
Just about everyone here has contributed to what is considered the proper lighting technique....while it's not about the lighter per se it's about technique. Flame is what we use to light...properly done it adds to the overall enjoyment of the smoke. Do it wrong and you'll deal with the consequences of a bad light...harsh or burnt flavor is not enjoyable esp. when you light one of the big boys ( churchill ) and have drawn that burnt tobacco through about 7 inches of cigar essentially ruining any rich flavor that you aged/rested for a couple of years. That just makes me plain old sad to know that so much time and effort went into resting a great cigar and then use a 'flare' type lighter and sucked all that flame up into the cigar for about 15 seconds just to get that orange glow at the end.
Torches are an intense flame that generates about 1500 to 2500 degrees Celsius while a regular flame burns at 600 - 800 degrees celsius...quite a difference when you start thinking about applying that to tobacco. The idea as I suggested before is to 'cook' the end...let the heat of the flame light the end. As suggested above rotate your cigar while lighting so it is evenly distributed. I usually use a soft flame lighter ( I love the Xikar Exodus for this---warranty for life and great adjustable flame ) and for those days when the wind is strong I'll use a Ronson single torch on the lowest possible setting so that it doesn't overpower the cigar.
I have double and triple flames and use those on the bigger RG cigars and turn the flame on the lowest possible setting so it will light and not sputter out...triple flames are notorious for fast lighting and if not used properly will impart so much heat that you're going to char the end and then you'll transfer that burnt flavor up the entire cigar and basically change the whole flavor of the cigar and then blame the cigar for not 'tasting' like it's supposed to. I used to light my cigar before cutting because of this...not drawing on the cigar until you have it lit properly keeps that smoke from going all the way through the cigar but one thing that a lot dont like about this is that when you make your cut last sometimes the cigar will/might be plugged and that's inherent risk for cutting after lighting. I went back to making my cigar cut..(take a draw to see how open it is) and if it draws well before lighting then I'll go ahead and light the end without taking any draw until it's properly lit. What a difference it makes...your first few draws will be cooler..it will deliver the taste you expect and overall you won't have contaminated the tobacco with lighting it too hot.
As a newbie this may be considered a PIA to take this much time and effort ( 2-3 minutes ) to light a premium cigar but you've invested quite a bit on a cigar that is supposed to give you satisfaction...why risk your expectation of a great smoke to just torch it like it's a welding rod and expect it to taste good? The total overall experience of a great cigar rewards the user with 1-3 hours of pure enjoyment for 2-3 minutes of preparation to light it correctly. JMHO here and great smoking pleasure to everyone.
Torches are an intense flame that generates about 1500 to 2500 degrees Celsius while a regular flame burns at 600 - 800 degrees celsius...quite a difference when you start thinking about applying that to tobacco. The idea as I suggested before is to 'cook' the end...let the heat of the flame light the end. As suggested above rotate your cigar while lighting so it is evenly distributed. I usually use a soft flame lighter ( I love the Xikar Exodus for this---warranty for life and great adjustable flame ) and for those days when the wind is strong I'll use a Ronson single torch on the lowest possible setting so that it doesn't overpower the cigar.
I have double and triple flames and use those on the bigger RG cigars and turn the flame on the lowest possible setting so it will light and not sputter out...triple flames are notorious for fast lighting and if not used properly will impart so much heat that you're going to char the end and then you'll transfer that burnt flavor up the entire cigar and basically change the whole flavor of the cigar and then blame the cigar for not 'tasting' like it's supposed to. I used to light my cigar before cutting because of this...not drawing on the cigar until you have it lit properly keeps that smoke from going all the way through the cigar but one thing that a lot dont like about this is that when you make your cut last sometimes the cigar will/might be plugged and that's inherent risk for cutting after lighting. I went back to making my cigar cut..(take a draw to see how open it is) and if it draws well before lighting then I'll go ahead and light the end without taking any draw until it's properly lit. What a difference it makes...your first few draws will be cooler..it will deliver the taste you expect and overall you won't have contaminated the tobacco with lighting it too hot.
As a newbie this may be considered a PIA to take this much time and effort ( 2-3 minutes ) to light a premium cigar but you've invested quite a bit on a cigar that is supposed to give you satisfaction...why risk your expectation of a great smoke to just torch it like it's a welding rod and expect it to taste good? The total overall experience of a great cigar rewards the user with 1-3 hours of pure enjoyment for 2-3 minutes of preparation to light it correctly. JMHO here and great smoking pleasure to everyone.
DevonS
Busted Mailbox
Excellent information everyone. I only smoke outside, on my patio, but can light it in the garage. For days when I'm at the beach or on the boat I'll see what I can figure out. I don't even know if there's anywhere in this entire province where you can have a cigar inside an establishment.
I've got brands-o-plenty from all over the place. Some of my fine Canadian friends bombed my mailbox when I startred up here, so I have a good sample of sticks from many different manufacturers.
I'm not so sure lighting is the only culprit here. I've noticed the majority of uneven burns I've had have been due to the wind. Even a slight breeze directly on my cigar can cause the burn to start going uneven, especially if I don't rotate it often enough. I suggest keeping an eye on wind direction & where you place the cigar in relation to the wind between puffs. Also, slightly rotate the cigar between each puff, it really helps me.
And IMO the popular belief about double & triple flame torches being "too hot" is a bunch of hooey. When lighting a cigar with a torch you have two very important tools called "hands". These "hands" can be moved at will, allowing the user to place the cigar either closer to or farther away from the lighter. If you find a flame to be too hot it would be much cheaper than buying a new lighter to just experiment with those hand controls until you get comfortable enough moving them closer and further apart. If you want, you can practice by clapping. If you still find you're having difficulty maneuvering your hands to a comfortable distance, just fold your "fingers" (the long things sticking out of your hand) up until your hand resembles a ball, and punch yourself in the face with it.
BTW, this post was meant to be humorous, and was not in any way directed at any member or comment. Neither was it meant to imply any statement regarding the reader's level of intellect or understanding of the topic being discussed. For any confusion regarding my intent, please see the last sentence of the above paragraph and follow instructions. 3 sets of 10, 3x daily as needed.
And IMO the popular belief about double & triple flame torches being "too hot" is a bunch of hooey. When lighting a cigar with a torch you have two very important tools called "hands". These "hands" can be moved at will, allowing the user to place the cigar either closer to or farther away from the lighter. If you find a flame to be too hot it would be much cheaper than buying a new lighter to just experiment with those hand controls until you get comfortable enough moving them closer and further apart. If you want, you can practice by clapping. If you still find you're having difficulty maneuvering your hands to a comfortable distance, just fold your "fingers" (the long things sticking out of your hand) up until your hand resembles a ball, and punch yourself in the face with it.
BTW, this post was meant to be humorous, and was not in any way directed at any member or comment. Neither was it meant to imply any statement regarding the reader's level of intellect or understanding of the topic being discussed. For any confusion regarding my intent, please see the last sentence of the above paragraph and follow instructions. 3 sets of 10, 3x daily as needed.
Cigary43
Just Another Ashhole
The problem with the theory of using your hands/arms to control a torchs heat capacity is that you can't....the heat from that blue flame lighters produce too much heat that can make temperature control difficult, and increase the chance of burning. Also, the flame from a torch lighter is nearly invisible, and so is harder to position accurately, thereby increasing the chance of acidentally burning the tobacco. Is this something that should be debated ad nauseum...not really but we need to really distinguish what is accurate against what is 'hooey'....newbies need to be clear about what they learn so they don't develop bad habits that could ultimately diminish their enjoyment of cigars.
I know that your being humerous and I'm the first guy off the bench to have fun and it's all about choices and understanding things. For those who want to light their cigars with a flare or a welding machine that's a choice. For those who are starting this fine hobby we owe it to them to give them the best possible advice so they can make their own choices. BTW...I've actually lit a cigar one time when my car broke down and I was waiting for the tow truck....I didn't have a lighter with me or on the car but I did have a flare that I put out on the road. Talk about a hard up cigar fiend looking for a light....I highly DO NOT recommend lighting your cigar with a flare.
I know that your being humerous and I'm the first guy off the bench to have fun and it's all about choices and understanding things. For those who want to light their cigars with a flare or a welding machine that's a choice. For those who are starting this fine hobby we owe it to them to give them the best possible advice so they can make their own choices. BTW...I've actually lit a cigar one time when my car broke down and I was waiting for the tow truck....I didn't have a lighter with me or on the car but I did have a flare that I put out on the road. Talk about a hard up cigar fiend looking for a light....I highly DO NOT recommend lighting your cigar with a flare.
I thought what Treinenwj said about positioning and controlling the lighter was spot on. While the torch lighters are extremely hot, it is up to me how big the flame is, how close my cigar gets to it and how long I hold it there. Not trying to butt heads, but I feel that I could light a cigar with a blow torch in need be. It might take a while but using the super-heated air, and not the flame itself, it can be done. I think that more damage is done by people watching the movies where the actor lets the flame burn on the end of the cigar for a few seconds, blows it out then starts smoking. The cool factor, if you will.
cartisdm
Young & Eager
When I first started out I had one of those $5 triple jet flame lighters and I always ended up rushing my "toasting" step. Sometimes it didn't matter but occasionally I'd burn the wrapper unevenly and find myself constantly touching up in order to get an even burn. I now tend to use a single flame torch lighter whenever possible. However, if I'm smoking outside where it's windy I'll still opt for the triple flame because it's more robust.
Cigary43
Just Another Ashhole
When I used the flare it pretty much destroyed the cigar but as with anything in life...no matter what the advice there will always be a dissenting POV so when lighting a cigar...use a lightening bolt, bic, flint rock, flare or a magnifying glass...did I leave anything out?:thinkideaCigary43, you made his point when you described how you lit a cigar with a road flare. I'm doubting you burned it in half doing so... which means you used your hands to kepe the flame far enough away to prevent charring and used the heated air around it to light your cigar. If you can do that with a road flare, a triple flame CIGAR LIGHTER should be no problem.
That was his point. No matter how hot the flame... you can control not charring your cigar by by how close you get to it to whatever flame source you're using...... especially if you take your time.
We ARE teaching the new guys the truth...... that matches, soft flame lighters, torches... and I guess road flares...... can all be used to light a cigar. You just need to use your hands to control the distance and take your time so you don't char it.
orangedog
Navin R Johnson
I can't remember if it was Savona or Mott, but remember the video where one of them lit a BHK and completely burnt the sh!t out of the wrapper - a good chunk of one side of the cigar turned black. awesome.