Thank you for a well done video. I've been shopping for a small / jeweler's torch for a few weeks for my home shop. The 'Little' torch was at the top of my list and your review has made it the winner. I'm not a jeweler but rather a machinist for over 30 years. Once again. thank you for such a great video!
Just came up from trying to solder a jump ring to a thin hummingbird pendant. Thought the solder was following the heat but what it was doing was melting the jumping. Lol So when I was looking for a torch recommendation I found yours and you answered my questions exactly. Thanks! You helped at minimum, ME!
Quite right! Torch ERGONOMICS are just a matter of preference and the reason so many exist. I collect and overhaul oxyfuel torches and regulators of any quality brand that strikes my fancy as they're so cheap to acquire used, for example today I scored three acetylene cylinders, a Gentec clone of the Smith Little Torch (most torch patents expired many decades ago) and a Prestolite acetylene-air torch with regulator for thirty dollars at auction. It's a good way to sample a variety of equipment and it's easy to sell (never ship acetylene cylinders) any leftovers you don't want.
Yes! Ergonomics are the reason why the Meco doesn't work for me - it feels so awkward in my hand and always has. And that's amazing that you have the skill to refurbish torches - such an underrated skill set. I love refurbishing older flex shafts - one of mine is more than 35 years old and still works like a dream because I can tune it up.
I worked in high end jewelry store shops (think 9ct diamonds) and most of our smiths including the master smith, had a little torch at their bench. In fairness, we used the laser for delicate work.
Oh lasers are so great for delicate work! I am saving up for one at the moment. But I'll probably always keep my torch because melting metal is such fun. :)
If I was shopping for torch, I would consider a little torch. I learned on A Meco with hypodermic needles put onto the ends when we needed a small flame, removed them when we needed more heat/ larger flame. It worked great, but I never soldered enough to know about hand fatigue. When I was getting my own torch I bought a Swiss torch. It has small hypodermic needle type tips, has larger Hoke type tips, a large melting tip, and I high heat platinum tip. It’s not as light as a little torch but it is lighter than the Meco. The ability to do everything I need by only changing the tips makes it a winner and I don’t have hand fatigued with it. I agree though, torch snobbery is bad mojo. Use what works for you, what you have, or what you can afford.
I've heard the Swiss torch is good! It is probably the only one I haven't tested before. I've gone through the Meco, the Hoke and the Smith. I even used to have a Prestolite with acetylene only (it was atmospheric, no oxygen tank). I should get a swiss torch sometime just to try it out. Lol, one more excuse to buy tools. Thanks for the input!
Hi Sharon, thanks for this view into your torches. I have 3; the Smith Little, the Smith Silversmith (my favorite), and a hand-held Butane which I very rarely use, (only if I have to go extra portable or need a second source). I teach, so I've found a single gas torch (Silversmith torch, NOT the butane torch) easier for my younger students or more apprehensive students. I had the thought that perhaps in another of your Tool Talks, you could discuss why some people say they don't like a certain torch (or the challenges vs. benefits. I find these are valuable variables when choosing a torch. It's interesting that you use the Hoke for alloying/ingot making. I use my Smith Little for that. I do, however, have the brilliant multi-orifice tip kit made for the Little torch. It's manufactured by Paige Tools. I find these tips to be superior to the tips included with the Little torch. Also, another fallacy is that a Butane torch is easiest and best for beginners. Maybe a good topic for your great channel! Ps. Love the Trident!! 😊🌺
Thanks so much for your comment! I agree that a butane torch isn't easier, but I also get that a lot of beginners don't have access to or the funds for a better torch setup. Or sometimes don't have access to great ventilation or large soldering surfaces - so I can understand why a lot of designers get started with it. At the moment, I only have one of my torches setup in my studio, so it will be awhile before I can demo other torches, but thanks for the suggestion!
Hmmm, I'm not sure exactly which extensions you mean, but if you are in the US I'd check out Otto Frei, Gesswein, Stuller or Rio Grande. The rosebud tip that I show in the video I think was purchased from Otto Frei, but I've had it for over a decade, so I don't remember exactly where I bought it from.
Thank you for this video! I love my Little Smith torch. What size acetylene/oxygen tanks do you recommend? I just started making bigger pieces, like thick cuff bracelets.
So I use Propane with mine, and I have the smaller barbeque sized tank and I think I have the 46 cu size for oxygen (I've had it for so long, and I can't find the number, just went off of an old invoice). The size of the tank itself won't necessarily affect the size of the jewelry you are making, though the larger the pieces that you make, the faster you will burn through fuel and oxygen, so if you don't have room for back up tanks, get the slightly larger sizes to be able to work consistently on larger jewelry without the disruption of having to get your tanks refilled.
What an educational and humbly presented video. Thank you for putting it out there! I am in the process of upgrading from my butane chef's torch. I'm battling a fear of gas canisters in the house, though, and it seems to be preventing me from making my purchase. You mentioned the oxygen compressor/generator/condenser/thingy vs. the oxy canister, but the video's focus was obviously on the torch itself. What performance issues do you notice between the condenser vs the canister, if any. Would you recommend one over the other for in-home use?
Thank you for your kind words! I totally understand the reluctance to bring gas and oxy canisters into the home - I think it took me a couple of years to really feel comfortable with my own safety practices with the torches and tanks. At the moment, I still have an Oxy tank - I am waiting for it to empty before replacing it with anything else. As far as performance goes, I didn't really notice much difference between the tank and the oxygen machine. For me, it is really about the convenience and the long term savings of having the oxy machine as well as the additional safety. You can save yourself a lot of trips to get refills, and after a few years, it is less costly since you won't have to pay for refills every few months. Rio Grande sells a whole kit - www.riogrande.com/product/ready-ox-ex-5-oxygen-concentrator-torch-system/500150 that has everything except the disposable propane tank (which you can usually get from a hardware store. It may seem like a big investment, but the upgrade in speed and performance will be well worth it in the long run. Butane torches are great for starting off with, and I still occasionally teach my online chain making classes using it to show how you can do this kind of work at home, but the little torch is much more versatile since you can control the mix of oxygen and fuel for different metals and projects.
Unfortunately I never used either of those torches, so I can't say. Butane tends to be a less powerful fuel for torches than propane of acetylene though. Not sure how the nitrous would affect that. If you have your hands on an Archer and can find a school or indie jeweler who would let you test out the torches, you could see how they compare that way.
So probably not as this is a soldering torch (sometimes called a brazing torch) and not a cutting torch. You can use this style of torch with Oxy/acetylene but for soldering and brazing only and not for cutting. I am pretty sure that to cut brass, you'll need a specific cutting torch and that is outside of my jewelry experience. Wish I had more info for you!
They can, yes, though you need to get the right regulator fittings for them. They make regulators specifically for disposable tanks like this model here - www.ottofrei.com/Smiths-Fixed-Output-Regulators-For-Disposable-Tanks. So once you have those you should be good to go!
Yes! I currently use the Oxygen and Propane tanks, but I have adapted this little torch a few times because I used to have an oxygen generator. You can cut the inner tubing of the hose and adapt it for the oxygen generator and then adapt it back to the tank set up as needed. At some point you may have to replace the hoses, but this is relatively inexpensive. Hope this helped!
That's a really great question! The answer is that it depends. I know that for my tanks, I usually have my fuel set to 5 and my oxygen set to 10. For an oxy concentrator, what I would do is this: start with the manufacturers recommended settings and test it - you may need different oxygen to fuel mixes anyway depending on the work you are doing and depending on the metals you are using. Then try different settings to see if it makes a difference with your work. Max psi on most concentrators is about 7 With this model from Rio, it looks like their max psi is 7 - www.riogrande.com/product/ready-ox-ex-5-oxygen-concentrator-torch-system/500150 So the pressure might not be as high as a tank, but you'll get a more consistent output, so the pressure of the oxy should hold at 7 (vs from a tank where the psi can vary a little but while you are soldering. Hope this helps!
It depends on the size of the melt and what kind of fuel you use. I have melted small amounts (1 gram or so) of platinum, I have balled dup the ends of platinum wire with this torch and I have used it for attaching ear posts to stud earrings in platinum, but I'm not sure that it would do as well with larger platinum work.
Hi there! I use the little smith for soldering 14k gold and silver (separately), but I always find that my gold turns pink :(, which is likely because I am using an oxidising flame (not the right flame), and perhaps not the right tip #? Can you tell me in your experience which torch tip you use for soldering 14k yellow gold (small jump rings/delicate work), where you won't melt the metal, you can get very focused soldering, and it won't turn pink. Thanks!
Great question! So if the 14K gold is turning copper, it sounds like you might be overheating the metal and bringing the copper to the surface. Similar to how it happens in sterling silver. Depending on what kind of fuel you are using (acetylene vs propane), I would switch down to a 4 tip (propane) or a 3 tip (acetylene). These choices are based mostly on experience. I can get a really sharp and direct flame with the acetylene and a 3 tip which allows me to solder more quickly and avoid overheating the metal. Alternatively, if you have ever used firecoat (boric acid mixed with alcohol) to prevent firescale on sterling, the same principle applies here and you can use it to prevent the copper rising to the surface. The good news is that if it does turn pink, you just have to remove that layer with pickle or sandpaper. I know it's kind of annoying to do with tiny 14 K jump rings though, so try out the firecoat or the smaller tip first.
Thanks for this. I don’t know if this is a stupid question, but what is it that puts a lot of people off of this torch? I was thinking of upgrading my torch (currently using an Orca) as sometimes I struggle to get it hot enough. I’ve seen people talking about using Acetylene, but is it better to use propane with the Little Torch?
Great question! I think that the perception of this torch is that it's a little cheaper. It is also less powerful for some larger-scale work. Like, I probably wouldn't use it for large-scale sculptural work, so there is a perception that is is not a powerful torch. Also I have heard of some folks having issues with the hoses over time. What I have found is that the hoses just need a little TLC - keep out of direct sunlight if you can so that the rubber/plastic inner tube doesn't break down, don't roll over the hoses with your chair (confession time - I have done this). My experience, however, is that with care this torch can last just as long as many other torches, and has parts available for replacement which is amazing! There can be a struggle to get it hot enough when working with Propane or Natural gas, though I have been using mine with Propane for 6+ years now with no problems. A lot depends on the type of work that you do - for tiny delicate soldering - say, soldering a tiny jump ring onto a tiny chain, I would prefer acetylene because it is both hot and direct. But for working on anything much larger than say 12 ga wire, I like propane for it's ability to anneal and heat more generally. Mostly, whichever fuel you decide to go with (and you do have to decide - the hoses are different for the different fuels), be sure to get a wide variety of torch tips and test them all out - the torch tips make a huge difference.
This torch can use different kinds of gas - there is a version you can get for acetylene and a version you can get for propane/natural gas - I personally have the propane version since I prefer not to have the sootiness of acetylene to have to filter out of the air. Different jewelers have different preferences for gas choices, so you can choose the gas that works best for you and then get the appropriate torch for that gas. Each kind of gas has it's own benefits and issues. Acetylene is a very hot and direct gas, making it even better for tiny work. I also find that because I can solder quickly with acetylene, I have less of an issue with firescale. But, it is a very sooty gas and you will quickly find it coating your work surface and walls. Some buildings in some cities also have regulations against using acetylene. Propane is a fine gas, but I find it a little less powerful. plus propane is not appropriate for a basement set up as any propane leaks settle and are difficult to clean up.
I have a Little Torch. I refuse to use it. I think Alan Revere told the truth about it. The problem is that the torch is difficult to regulate - an oxydising flame will hiss and get too hot, a reductive flame is not hot enough. I also do not like the rosebud - one time when I was melting metal, the head fell off and landed in the half molten metal. Great. That was the end of it. You see the limitations of the little torch when you get good. I used a Meco torch for many years and I was very happy with it. I use a Swiss torch now - really good, but I still miss my Meco. For annealing, I use a Sievert. The first thing people (beginners) should know about torches is that it is perfectly possible to get a set up without oxygen. Given the cost of it, it saves a lot of money.
I'm so sorry that the head on the rosebud fell off - that sucks. As for the flame, it really depends on what kind of work I am doing and fuel I am using - with propane and oxygen and the right pressure in the tanks, I only get a hissing flame if my oxygen pressure is up too high. So if I need an oxidizing flame, I might reduce the pressure on my oxygen regulator. When I used the same torch with acetylene, it did hiss at me more frequently, but that was also because acetylene makes the torch tips really sooty and they need to be cleaned more often. This is the beauty, I think, of jewelry tools - so many possibilities and adaptations and so much to choose from - we can all use different tools and produce good results. And that's a good point about oxygen - some torches like the Presolite don't need it at all, so you can save a lot of money using it. Thanks for your comment!
Thank you for a well done video. I've been shopping for a small / jeweler's torch for a few weeks for my home shop. The 'Little' torch was at the top of my list and your review has made it the winner. I'm not a jeweler but rather a machinist for over 30 years. Once again. thank you for such a great video!
Oh awesome! I am so glad that this helped. The little torch is such a great tool to have!
Just came up from trying to solder a jump ring to a thin hummingbird pendant. Thought the solder was following the heat but what it was doing was melting the jumping. Lol
So when I was looking for a torch recommendation I found yours and you answered my questions exactly. Thanks! You helped at minimum, ME!
Yay! I am so glad that this helped you out!
You are right, little torch is the one. Love from Perú
Very engaging video, just finished setting up a new Smith Little Torch, Can't wait to try it out. Thanks for the info 🙂
Thank you for watching!
Quite right! Torch ERGONOMICS are just a matter of preference and the reason so many exist.
I collect and overhaul oxyfuel torches and regulators of any quality brand that strikes my fancy as they're so cheap to acquire used, for example today I scored three acetylene cylinders, a Gentec clone of the Smith Little Torch (most torch patents expired many decades ago) and a Prestolite acetylene-air torch with regulator for thirty dollars at auction. It's a good way to sample a variety of equipment and it's easy to sell (never ship acetylene cylinders) any leftovers you don't want.
Yes! Ergonomics are the reason why the Meco doesn't work for me - it feels so awkward in my hand and always has.
And that's amazing that you have the skill to refurbish torches - such an underrated skill set. I love refurbishing older flex shafts - one of mine is more than 35 years old and still works like a dream because I can tune it up.
I worked in high end jewelry store shops (think 9ct diamonds) and most of our smiths including the master smith, had a little torch at their bench. In fairness, we used the laser for delicate work.
Oh lasers are so great for delicate work! I am saving up for one at the moment. But I'll probably always keep my torch because melting metal is such fun. :)
If I was shopping for torch, I would consider a little torch. I learned on A Meco with hypodermic needles put onto the ends when we needed a small flame, removed them when we needed more heat/ larger flame. It worked great, but I never soldered enough to know about hand fatigue.
When I was getting my own torch I bought a Swiss torch. It has small hypodermic needle type tips, has larger Hoke type tips, a large melting tip, and I high heat platinum tip.
It’s not as light as a little torch but it is lighter than the Meco. The ability to do everything I need by only changing the tips makes it a winner and I don’t have hand fatigued with it.
I agree though, torch snobbery is bad mojo. Use what works for you, what you have, or what you can afford.
I've heard the Swiss torch is good! It is probably the only one I haven't tested before. I've gone through the Meco, the Hoke and the Smith. I even used to have a Prestolite with acetylene only (it was atmospheric, no oxygen tank). I should get a swiss torch sometime just to try it out. Lol, one more excuse to buy tools. Thanks for the input!
Hi Sharon, thanks for this view into your torches. I have 3; the Smith Little, the Smith Silversmith (my favorite), and a hand-held Butane which I very rarely use, (only if I have to go extra portable or need a second source). I teach, so I've found a single gas torch (Silversmith torch, NOT the butane torch) easier for my younger students or more apprehensive students. I had the thought that perhaps in another of your Tool Talks, you could discuss why some people say they don't like a certain torch (or the challenges vs. benefits. I find these are valuable variables when choosing a torch. It's interesting that you use the Hoke for alloying/ingot making. I use my Smith Little for that. I do, however, have the brilliant multi-orifice tip kit made for the Little torch. It's manufactured by Paige Tools. I find these tips to be superior to the tips included with the Little torch. Also, another fallacy is that a Butane torch is easiest and best for beginners. Maybe a good topic for your great channel! Ps. Love the Trident!! 😊🌺
Thanks so much for your comment!
I agree that a butane torch isn't easier, but I also get that a lot of beginners don't have access to or the funds for a better torch setup. Or sometimes don't have access to great ventilation or large soldering surfaces - so I can understand why a lot of designers get started with it.
At the moment, I only have one of my torches setup in my studio, so it will be awhile before I can demo other torches, but thanks for the suggestion!
Thanks, Sharon. Great video. I think you are a super jewelry educator.
Oh thank you! Glad you found it helpful.
Thank you for the info.
You're welcome! Hope it helps.
Do you know where to buy 9 or 12 inch extension tips for your smith little torch?
Hmmm, I'm not sure exactly which extensions you mean, but if you are in the US I'd check out Otto Frei, Gesswein, Stuller or Rio Grande. The rosebud tip that I show in the video I think was purchased from Otto Frei, but I've had it for over a decade, so I don't remember exactly where I bought it from.
Hello! Do you use the same tanks for the defferent tips? or you need bigger tanks for the biger tips?
I use the same tanks - I have a smallish propane tank (Barbeque sized) and a 60 cu sized oxygen tank and can use small and large torches with it.
If you have very large scale work, you may need larger tanks because they have higher capacity and will last longer.
Thank you for this video! I love my Little Smith torch. What size acetylene/oxygen tanks do you recommend? I just started making bigger pieces, like thick cuff bracelets.
So I use Propane with mine, and I have the smaller barbeque sized tank and I think I have the 46 cu size for oxygen (I've had it for so long, and I can't find the number, just went off of an old invoice).
The size of the tank itself won't necessarily affect the size of the jewelry you are making, though the larger the pieces that you make, the faster you will burn through fuel and oxygen, so if you don't have room for back up tanks, get the slightly larger sizes to be able to work consistently on larger jewelry without the disruption of having to get your tanks refilled.
What an educational and humbly presented video. Thank you for putting it out there! I am in the process of upgrading from my butane chef's torch. I'm battling a fear of gas canisters in the house, though, and it seems to be preventing me from making my purchase. You mentioned the oxygen compressor/generator/condenser/thingy vs. the oxy canister, but the video's focus was obviously on the torch itself. What performance issues do you notice between the condenser vs the canister, if any. Would you recommend one over the other for in-home use?
Thank you for your kind words! I totally understand the reluctance to bring gas and oxy canisters into the home - I think it took me a couple of years to really feel comfortable with my own safety practices with the torches and tanks. At the moment, I still have an Oxy tank - I am waiting for it to empty before replacing it with anything else. As far as performance goes, I didn't really notice much difference between the tank and the oxygen machine. For me, it is really about the convenience and the long term savings of having the oxy machine as well as the additional safety. You can save yourself a lot of trips to get refills, and after a few years, it is less costly since you won't have to pay for refills every few months. Rio Grande sells a whole kit - www.riogrande.com/product/ready-ox-ex-5-oxygen-concentrator-torch-system/500150 that has everything except the disposable propane tank (which you can usually get from a hardware store. It may seem like a big investment, but the upgrade in speed and performance will be well worth it in the long run. Butane torches are great for starting off with, and I still occasionally teach my online chain making classes using it to show how you can do this kind of work at home, but the little torch is much more versatile since you can control the mix of oxygen and fuel for different metals and projects.
@@SharonZJewelry Thank you for the quick & thorough reply! I’m getting much closer to the big purchase!
This may be a stretch,, but do you know how the smith compares to the old Archer/Microflame butane& Nitrous oxide hand held torch for detailed work?
Unfortunately I never used either of those torches, so I can't say. Butane tends to be a less powerful fuel for torches than propane of acetylene though. Not sure how the nitrous would affect that. If you have your hands on an Archer and can find a school or indie jeweler who would let you test out the torches, you could see how they compare that way.
Me too !
So it's used with acetylene tanks?
I use mine with Propane and oxygen. You can get the Little Torch for Acetylene and oxygen too. It just depends on your needs.
Can I use this touch with acetoline and oxygen to cut woven brass wire mesh o.56 ?
So probably not as this is a soldering torch (sometimes called a brazing torch) and not a cutting torch. You can use this style of torch with Oxy/acetylene but for soldering and brazing only and not for cutting. I am pretty sure that to cut brass, you'll need a specific cutting torch and that is outside of my jewelry experience. Wish I had more info for you!
Do little disposable tanks fit?
They can, yes, though you need to get the right regulator fittings for them. They make regulators specifically for disposable tanks like this model here - www.ottofrei.com/Smiths-Fixed-Output-Regulators-For-Disposable-Tanks. So once you have those you should be good to go!
What is the torch? What is the name brand? Thanks for your great info
Ok. So I see it’s the Smith Little Torch. Sorry. But do you use the oxygen and propane tanks? You said you converted it.
Yes! I currently use the Oxygen and Propane tanks, but I have adapted this little torch a few times because I used to have an oxygen generator. You can cut the inner tubing of the hose and adapt it for the oxygen generator and then adapt it back to the tank set up as needed. At some point you may have to replace the hoses, but this is relatively inexpensive. Hope this helped!
what kind of output do you think is good for an oxygen concentrator?
That's a really great question! The answer is that it depends. I know that for my tanks, I usually have my fuel set to 5 and my oxygen set to 10. For an oxy concentrator, what I would do is this: start with the manufacturers recommended settings and test it - you may need different oxygen to fuel mixes anyway depending on the work you are doing and depending on the metals you are using. Then try different settings to see if it makes a difference with your work. Max psi on most concentrators is about 7
With this model from Rio, it looks like their max psi is 7 - www.riogrande.com/product/ready-ox-ex-5-oxygen-concentrator-torch-system/500150 So the pressure might not be as high as a tank, but you'll get a more consistent output, so the pressure of the oxy should hold at 7 (vs from a tank where the psi can vary a little but while you are soldering. Hope this helps!
Is it able to melt plutinum ?
It depends on the size of the melt and what kind of fuel you use. I have melted small amounts (1 gram or so) of platinum, I have balled dup the ends of platinum wire with this torch and I have used it for attaching ear posts to stud earrings in platinum, but I'm not sure that it would do as well with larger platinum work.
Hi there! I use the little smith for soldering 14k gold and silver (separately), but I always find that my gold turns pink :(, which is likely because I am using an oxidising flame (not the right flame), and perhaps not the right tip #? Can you tell me in your experience which torch tip you use for soldering 14k yellow gold (small jump rings/delicate work), where you won't melt the metal, you can get very focused soldering, and it won't turn pink. Thanks!
Great question! So if the 14K gold is turning copper, it sounds like you might be overheating the metal and bringing the copper to the surface. Similar to how it happens in sterling silver. Depending on what kind of fuel you are using (acetylene vs propane), I would switch down to a 4 tip (propane) or a 3 tip (acetylene). These choices are based mostly on experience. I can get a really sharp and direct flame with the acetylene and a 3 tip which allows me to solder more quickly and avoid overheating the metal.
Alternatively, if you have ever used firecoat (boric acid mixed with alcohol) to prevent firescale on sterling, the same principle applies here and you can use it to prevent the copper rising to the surface.
The good news is that if it does turn pink, you just have to remove that layer with pickle or sandpaper. I know it's kind of annoying to do with tiny 14 K jump rings though, so try out the firecoat or the smaller tip first.
A torch is a torch , there aren't many differences that come into play i can use any torch
Thanks for this. I don’t know if this is a stupid question, but what is it that puts a lot of people off of this torch?
I was thinking of upgrading my torch (currently using an Orca) as sometimes I struggle to get it hot enough. I’ve seen people talking about using Acetylene, but is it better to use propane with the Little Torch?
Great question! I think that the perception of this torch is that it's a little cheaper. It is also less powerful for some larger-scale work. Like, I probably wouldn't use it for large-scale sculptural work, so there is a perception that is is not a powerful torch. Also I have heard of some folks having issues with the hoses over time. What I have found is that the hoses just need a little TLC - keep out of direct sunlight if you can so that the rubber/plastic inner tube doesn't break down, don't roll over the hoses with your chair (confession time - I have done this). My experience, however, is that with care this torch can last just as long as many other torches, and has parts available for replacement which is amazing! There can be a struggle to get it hot enough when working with Propane or Natural gas, though I have been using mine with Propane for 6+ years now with no problems. A lot depends on the type of work that you do - for tiny delicate soldering - say, soldering a tiny jump ring onto a tiny chain, I would prefer acetylene because it is both hot and direct. But for working on anything much larger than say 12 ga wire, I like propane for it's ability to anneal and heat more generally. Mostly, whichever fuel you decide to go with (and you do have to decide - the hoses are different for the different fuels), be sure to get a wide variety of torch tips and test them all out - the torch tips make a huge difference.
@@SharonZJewelry thank you, I really appreciate it!
You did not explain the type of gas the torch uses.
This torch can use different kinds of gas - there is a version you can get for acetylene and a version you can get for propane/natural gas - I personally have the propane version since I prefer not to have the sootiness of acetylene to have to filter out of the air. Different jewelers have different preferences for gas choices, so you can choose the gas that works best for you and then get the appropriate torch for that gas. Each kind of gas has it's own benefits and issues. Acetylene is a very hot and direct gas, making it even better for tiny work. I also find that because I can solder quickly with acetylene, I have less of an issue with firescale. But, it is a very sooty gas and you will quickly find it coating your work surface and walls. Some buildings in some cities also have regulations against using acetylene. Propane is a fine gas, but I find it a little less powerful. plus propane is not appropriate for a basement set up as any propane leaks settle and are difficult to clean up.
I have a Little Torch. I refuse to use it. I think Alan Revere told the truth about it. The problem is that the torch is difficult to regulate - an oxydising flame will hiss and get too hot, a reductive flame is not hot enough. I also do not like the rosebud - one time when I was melting metal, the head fell off and landed in the half molten metal. Great. That was the end of it. You see the limitations of the little torch when you get good. I used a Meco torch for many years and I was very happy with it. I use a Swiss torch now - really good, but I still miss my Meco. For annealing, I use a Sievert. The first thing people (beginners) should know about torches is that it is perfectly possible to get a set up without oxygen. Given the cost of it, it saves a lot of money.
I'm so sorry that the head on the rosebud fell off - that sucks. As for the flame, it really depends on what kind of work I am doing and fuel I am using - with propane and oxygen and the right pressure in the tanks, I only get a hissing flame if my oxygen pressure is up too high. So if I need an oxidizing flame, I might reduce the pressure on my oxygen regulator. When I used the same torch with acetylene, it did hiss at me more frequently, but that was also because acetylene makes the torch tips really sooty and they need to be cleaned more often. This is the beauty, I think, of jewelry tools - so many possibilities and adaptations and so much to choose from - we can all use different tools and produce good results. And that's a good point about oxygen - some torches like the Presolite don't need it at all, so you can save a lot of money using it. Thanks for your comment!