Butane torch
{{Use American English|date=January 2019}}
{{short description|Tool for generating heat and flame by burning a mixture of LPG containing some percentage of butane}}
{{Refimprove|date=March 2018}}
File:Heavy duty micro blow torch flame forte.jpg
File:Newport-zero-mini-butane-torch-lighter-silver.jpg
A butane torch is a tool which creates an intensely hot flame using a fuel mixture of LPGs typically including some percentage of butane, a flammable gas.
Consumer air butane torches are often claimed to develop flame temperatures up to approximately {{convert|1430|C}}. This temperature is high enough to melt many common metals, such as aluminum and copper, and hot enough to vaporize many organic compounds as well.
Applications
=Brazing, soldering, plumbing=
=Culinary=
Butane torches are frequently employed as kitchen gadgets to caramelize sugar in cooking, such as when making crème brûlée.{{cite book|last=Lauterbach|first=Barbara|title=The Splendid Spoonful: From Custard to Crème Brûleé|year=2005|publisher=Chronicle Books|location=San Francisco|isbn=0811845028|page=[https://archive.org/details/splendidspoonful0000laut/page/50 50]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/splendidspoonful0000laut/page/50}} They may be marketed as kitchen torches, cooking torches, or culinary torches. Use of the butane torch in the kitchen is not limited to caramelizing sugar; it can be used to melt or brown toppings on casseroles or soups, to melt cheese, to sear meats, and to roast or char vegetables such as peppers.Blowtorches. CooksInfo.com. Published 02/22/2007. Updated 12/02/2007. Web. Retrieved 11/25/2012 from http://www.cooksinfo.com/blowtorches
=Cigars=
Pocket butane torches are commonly used as lighters for cigars, capitalizing on the intensity of the flame to light quickly and evenly the large, relatively damp, burning surface of a cigar.
= Bartender =
Many bartenders and mixologists use butane torches in their recipes. Smoked and flaming cocktails are now a trend.{{Cite news|url=http://drinkwire.liquor.com/post/10-holiday-gift-ideas-from-your-favorite-mixologists#gs.5jBhlMc|title=10 Last Minute Gift Ideas For The Mixologist in All of Us|work=DrinkWire|access-date=2018-01-15}}
=Drug use=
Butane torches are sometimes used in vaporizing cocaine free base (crack), black tar heroin, methamphetamine{{cite book|last=Lee|first=Gregory D.|title=Global Drug Enforcement: Practical Investigative Techniques|year=2005|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-20348-898-0|page=40}} or hash oil{{cite magazine |last=Breathes |first=William |title=Crazy High Times: The Rise of Hash Oil |magazine=Rolling Stone |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/crazy-high-times-the-rise-of-hash-oil-20130610 |date=June 10, 2013 |accessdate=2013-09-23}} for inhalation.