Hammerhead
2B1 ASK1
You may wonder what would possess someone to spend $170 on a lighter, when matches are free, or even just a $1 cheapo lighter would do.
For the same reason people spend more on a fine automobile, I suppose. Because in the hedonistic delight of indulging in the sensory pleasures of tobacco, the accoutrement that you surround yourself with are as important to the experience as "ambiance" is to a restaurant. Candlelight makes even a mediocre meal a better experience.
And so it is with a fine lighter. Oh, sure, I could wax loquacious about certain distinct practical benefits. The reliability and strength of a blue-hot flame resistant to wind and ensure a good light on your leaf. The fact that for cents, you can refill a lighter such as this many times, in the long run, amortizing the cost to even less per fill than a BIC. But I won't kid anyone. This is as much about aesthetics as pragmatics.
Packaging on the Porsche lighter is a class act. The exterior is a soft, semi-matte vinyl-like plastic, with understated but bold "eurostyle" block text. The box opens by a flap closed by small magnets contained under the covering that are just enough to keep it sealed, a first hint that this won't be an ordinary piece of equipment, given so much thought has gone into the packaging. Enclosed is a small instructional leaflet, the lighter itself nestled securely in high-density foam.
One look at this lighter, and you know you're dealing with a "different breed of cat". The first thing you remark about the Porsche PD6 is its unexpected mass. The PD6 is surprisingly heavy for its size, far outweighing just about any other lighter I've handled, short of a DuPont.
Like it's automotive namesake, the engineering, construction quality, fit and finish are everything one would expect of an accessory that bears the Porsche name.
The shape fits neatly in hand, the controls falling where they should. Design is clean, simple, without protuberances of any sort at all. Although somewhat small at only 2.5" high by 1.1" wide by .6" thick, if ever you've used a BIC, you'll manage.
Just about every aspect of this lighter is spot-on. Near-seamless construction. Solid feel. Crisp, reliable ignition. I don't know what the exterior is made of, but the overall impression just screams quality, without having to rely on gaudy embellishments.
The Porsche PD6 is a simple, solid workaday tool designed, like its namesake, to be all about performance without ever a hint at ostentation. I'm looking forward to many years of reliable service, which by inclusion means that the temporary sting of a higher price is rewarded over time by satisfaction and superior performance.
More photos (including high-res 800x600 shots of the pics above) located on my website.
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