Hemp wick

A hemp wick is a length of twisted hemp-fiber twine coated in beeswax, used as a natural alternative to butane lighters and matches for igniting bowls, joints, and blunts. The wick functions much like a candle wick: long hemp bast fibers are twisted into cordage and dipped in beeswax, which controls the burn rate, adds rigidity, and produces a small steady flame that can be applied precisely to flower. The user lights the tip with a lighter or match — any initial butane burns off in the first second — after which the wick sustains its own flame for extended periods. Common diameters run from 0.5mm (thin, lower flame) to 2.0mm (thicker, larger flame), and lengths range from 20-foot pocket packs to 200-foot spools. Many users wrap a wick around a lighter body for one-step storage and ignition. Industry marketing cites a lower flame temperature (around 1,500°F versus roughly 3,500°F for butane), claimed to preserve terpene flavor and avoid inhaling butane combustion byproducts; these figures originate with manufacturers and have not been independently verified. Hemp wick remains a combustion method and does not make smoking inherently safer. → See also: Bowl, Joint. ---