I hear so much talk about slow toasting the foot of the stick as opposed to lighting while you draw. I would love to hear some opinions on this matter. Personally I draw while the heat of the flame is barely close enough to touch the foot. What do yas think?
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To each his own. I light it right up while drawing on it. Never found that toasting made a difference.
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I light it without drawing if I have my torch handy. I think it is just habit.
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I will toast the foot until it is pretty charred and then take a draw or two to make sure that it is lit and it burning evenly.

So I guess I do both! :-)
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http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1906

I was not ready to start working again. :-)
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Da Klugs style is the one I imitate. :-)
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I find that toasting it for a few seconds creates an even burn and requires less draw to fully light the smoke. When i draw a lot on an untoasted foot i tend to drool a little bit on the cigar which i try and avoid
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I toast the foot of the cigar evenly and then light it while drawing. I've haven't tried Da Klugs method in a while so I'll give that a try this weekend.
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Often imitated but never duplicated.... :-)
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Used to draw, then toast, used a bottle of butane in a month, went back to drawing (not to save gas, but to save filling up my lighters every week). After the draw I breath through the cigar to expel any super hot smoke...thats my method at least, each his own.
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Tru Tru :-)
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I found it interesting that Dave and I not only light them pretty much the same, but smoke them pretty much the same as far as the way we exhale out the old snout. More in the begining, less if strong/tanic, etc.

Tragically we part ways on the cut. I generally punch the little buggers. Sometimes they squeal.
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:-)

I don't care for the taste toasting gives the foot. In fact, give me a triple flame on high and stoke that puppy up.
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I toast a bit, up to the point that I can see most of the foot is lit, then I begin to draw and light to make sure it is completely lit and lit evenly for that matter
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:-):-):-)I'm mostly with Dave [Da Klugs] on this one with slight variation to include Mike's [ucla695] & Lou's? [bigloo] technique. I've got a single flame/torch Xikar combo...the EX [this one: http://www.xikar.com/product_lighter_ex.asp# ] and while I love how it looks and the Xikar warranty, I'm finding it's doing a so-so job at lighting. It could be me but it just takes too long. I'm thinking I might have to go with Volt's below or at least a double torch, although I know I'm not supposed to rush it.

Following Dave's method, I slowly rotate the cigar in my hand, toasting the foot with the flame. But I find that the results are often very uneven lighting. I'll toast and look and blow on the foot to get it glowing and repeat until I've mostly gotten it all glowing. If it's being stubborn or I'm being impatient (usually it's the latter as I, like Golfman, tend to drool in anticipation as I'm lighting. :-):-):-)), I'll torch & draw. When I say the cigar is stubborn, sometimes I've gotten it off to an uneven burn due to inefficient rotating or there's a plug right at the head or whatever, it's just not lighting the way it should be, evenly.

If I feel I've gotten it too hot or the breeze blows and gives me the urge, perhaps I might blow through it like bigloo.

So should I move on from the Xikar EX and get a double torch? If so, which one? I've heard trips (triple torches) take way too much gas....
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Spark it up and draw until the flame is about 2 inches high. Then blow it out.:-)
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or there's that... :-):-):-):-):-):-)
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I've lit them pretty much every which way. Lately I've been using the method Klugs describes because I find a get a more even burn (can't seem to get it straight if I draw while lighting) and it burns less hot at the start.

BlackIrish
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Does anyone else use a propane torch and flame it 'till it's going, then smoke away?
That's how I do it when I'm in my garage.
Otherwise I toast a bit then light while drawing.
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I used to be a toast the foot all the way guy, but lately its been lightly toast, and then draw using the flame. I have begun to love that burst of flavor from drawing while lighting. It sort of lets me know where the cigar may be heading.
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