| ign="center"> | | | | no taste or odor � plus it's easier and |
| Lighting a cigar is the first step to relaxation for | | | | faster. |
| many people all around the world. And, a student | | | | The next step in the process is to cut the cigar |
| must practice their hobby until many moons have | | | | with a cutter. On television and on the big screen |
| passed before they can be called an "Expert." I | | | | it's a popular practice to murder the cigar by |
| too am a student of cigars and I would like to | | | | cutting off an inch of it. I choose to cut no more |
| pass what knowledge I have obtained regarding | | | | than an eighth of an inch off the cap of the cigar. |
| an important subject � Learn to Spark | | | | The point is to cut off as little as possible while still |
| Your Cigar with a Zippo Lighter. | | | | getting a nice, easy draw. |
| Step one in the ritual is take your Zippo lighter in | | | | Now that the cigar is cut, set the mirror where |
| one hand and your cigar in the other, strike the | | | | you can see yourself as we begin to light. |
| flint wheel and burn the end of the cigar, right? | | | | Veteran cigar smokers will not need the mirror |
| Wrong! Making sure you have all the correct tools | | | | but, if you are just starting out it will make lighting |
| is always the first step. My dad who is a | | | | the cigar a cinch. Do not hold the torch direct |
| Contractor would always tell to me, "Son, in order | | | | aimed at the cigar but at a 45 degree angle and |
| to work efficiently, you need to have the right | | | | roughly three to four inches away to start. |
| tools for the right job," and lighting a cigar is no | | | | Gently puff on the cigar as you begin to torch the |
| exception. | | | | cigar. Using the mirror, you will be able to see |
| The tools that we will need before we light and | | | | where your cigar is burning and where it is not. |
| smoke that tasty tobacco are a cigar cutter, | | | | Evenly torch the whole surface including the |
| ashtray, small mirror, Zippo lighter and a Z-plus | | | | edges of the cigar by moving your Zippo torch all |
| insert (torch insert). If you do not have a Z-pus | | | | around. It should only take about ten seconds |
| insert you can buy one off the Net or your local | | | | with the torch to light the cigar. You will know |
| tobacco shop should sell them. I bought mine | | | | that the cigar is lit correctly when the entire |
| from for $14.95. | | | | surface including the edges are glowing red and |
| Now that we have all the proper tools for the job | | | | now, you kick back and relax. |
| let us begin. Take your Zippo lighter and remove | | | | Follow these steps on how to light your cigar with |
| the original insert by gripping and pulling it out. | | | | a Zippo lighter and you can bet you'll enjoy your |
| Replace the standard insert with the new Z-plus | | | | stogie every time. The two key steps are the |
| insert and Walla! Your Zippo is now a torch . You | | | | Z-plus insert and the mirror, especially if you are |
| can always switch back to the standard insert by | | | | just starting out. By removing the standard Zippo |
| doing the same step. | | | | insert we are insuring that we do not pollute the |
| "Why do I want to use the torch insert instead of | | | | cigar with any hint of lighter fluid and, the mirror |
| the normal Zippo flame?" I can hear the question | | | | will help light the cigar evenly. Give it a go, practice |
| echoing through minds of thousands of readers | | | | and happy stogie smoking! |
| right now � so let me answer the | | | | Trapped in meaningless jobs year after year, |
| question. The first reason has to do with the | | | | Zippo Lighter Fanatic began working at the |
| difference between the lighter fluid in the regular | | | | Tobacco Barn Cigar Lounge in sunny Orange |
| Zippo and the butane of the Z-plus torch insert. | | | | County CA at his brother-in-law's request. |
| Depending on how developed your pallet is, you | | | | Uplifted and renewed, he began to eagerly spread |
| may or may not taste the odor of the lighter | | | | the word of his new hobbies through articles, |
| fluid. That problem is solved by using a butane | | | | blogs and video. |
| torch that burns at about 1,200+ degrees leaving | | | | |