Customer Reviews for Bernzomatic 5-Piece PK1001 Brass Pencil Flame Plumbing Torch Kit

Kit not very practical.....

Easy to use, flame stayed lit and easy to adjust and control. The flux and solder was just enough but you may want to pick up more. Great kit and great value.

WORKED WELL FOR HOT WATER HEATER REPAIR !

So good

I needed to do a 1/2 inch T and had more than enough stuff in the kit. to light turn on propane slightly then hold match to bottom side of the tip of the torch it stays lit at every angle every time I Light it with one match every time. this is perfect for the small job I had and cost efficient since I will probably not need it very often

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

There is really nothing wrong with this kit. The 1.5 oz lead free solder and .5 oz of flux would have been enough for a small job. The only reason I gave it 3 stars is because it did not come with the spark lighter so I will return it. It was easier to go home and get my propane, torch head and solder supplies. If it had come with 1.7 oz of flux and 4 oz of solder I would have kept the kit. If it had come with the spark lighter I would have kept the kit. A Bernzomatic kit always came with a spark lighter or a trigger start torch. I do not smoke so it was useless to me. As for would I recommend the kit the answer is without the spark lighter "NO". Spend a little more and get the tank with the "trigger start". It is worth the extra money.

I had no problems using this kit. It contained all of the components as advertised in the detail section. This was my first time sweating copper and I used the kit to replace a couple of old 1/2" copper elbows. I practiced soldering and un-soldering a couple of joints in the comfort of my garage after watching several online videos with tips and tricks for soldering. Other reviewers mentioned problems keeping the torch lit but I had no problems. The torch worked well. The flux worked well. The solder worked well. A professional plumber may have difference thoughts about this/these products based on his or her experience, but as a DIY homeowner I had a positive experience and will keep this kit handy for my next leak.

Nervous to buy product due to low ratings and complaints. In the end i had no major problems and the job got done. To light torch i lit match first then twisted guage very slowly until lit. Torch did go out a couple times. I found the key to keeping it lit was to keep flame no more 1 1/4 in and be patient in heating pipe. Finished 3 joints with no problems. For a small project it did the job.

I read some reviews and was skeptical at first, especially when people mentioned the torch wouldn't hold a flame. The trick to getting it to light is this: Ignite a long stick lighter and hold it at the end of the propane torch. Then, you only need to barely turn the propane knob to get the torch to light. You can then adjust the flame accordingly. If you turn on the propane first and then try to light it then yes, it will blow out the lighter flame and will not work correctly. I used this to solder some 1/2 inch copper pipes together and it performed as needed. I recommend this kit for small projects, for sure.

Torch was useless from the gate it did not work. The flux was maybe 1/3 full...maybe. The flux brush shed hairs unbelievably bad, had to pick brush fibers out of the flux and parts being fluxed. This inferior product cost be MORE TIME and MONEY. The only benefit I got was the propane. The company needs new management because of poor quality control.

If you are just soldering 1/2" copper pipe and fittings, this will do the job. It's kind of a pain to light the torch with separate spark or flame required. I used a wind resistant type lighter to light the torch and it worked well. If you are doing more than few joints or are soldering larger material, like a shower mixing valve, or larger pipe, spend the extra 20 to 30 bucks for a mapp gas (yellow bottle) torch with trigger igniter. It burns hotter and is way easier to use. I didn't really like the flux, so I ended up buying the H20 flux by Oatley, it didn't burn off as fast as the benzomatic flux that comes with this kit.

I went through two boxes of matches to do a 5 minute job. Every time the torch was moved through the horizontal position it went out. Literally every 5 seconds! Spend the extra cash for a proper one.

Dont ever buy this product or you will never finish your plumbing job. The problem is in the solder. It is not made to join new and old copper pipes. My advice use acid core slder

Does not come with a striker so not a complete kit. Very difficult to light with a match. Then will not stay lit especially in a horizontal position. Takes 10 times as long to get the job done because of this.

Used torch to replace a damaged 16" pipe section. Torch lit every time with striker and valve turned on very low. I kept the bottle below the valve as per instructions to not flood the valve and the flame never went out. Replaced pipe and no leaks.

Using this kit was completely frustrating as the torch would constantly cut off. It made doing a simple job long and difficult.

A lot of reviews talk about this not staying lit or not getting hot enough melt the solder. I think the one thing missing from this package is striker to light the torch. I picked one up for a few bucks after going home and realizing a match was not going to be a great way to light this thing. It took a few tries even with a striker but once it was going it stayed lit and was plenty hot enough to heat the pipe.

Product worked fine for me to sweat 3/4" cooper pipes into tee connection for water heater. For small DIY products this kit should last a long time. I did not have any problems with the flame going out at all. The flux and lead free solder in the kit did fine and after the joints cooled down and water was turned on, no problems found. Maybe other folks were not holding bottle in upright position or tipping bottle to the side.

This kit seemed like a quality unit with everything you need to solder. However, no matter how you turn the valve low, medium, or high it continually goes out within 10 seconds. I must have tried to light it a dozen times to no avail. It's going back tomorrow.

Continually flamed out. Tried for 20 minutes, never got the pipe hot enough to melt the solder.

Follow every review on here and do not buy this. You'd be better off buying the tank by itself, buying a nozzle with a self light, and the plumbing parts separate. Could not get torch to fire no matter what setting.

I repaired my main water line and did not have a problem. The gas knob to release the gas is very sensitive. I only needed to turn it a little bit until there was this tiny blue flame when lit. Then I would adjust the flame, again by turning the knob very little and slowly, to the proper heating intensity. It took me a few minutes to solder the pipe and was worried about leakes since the pipe carries a lot of pressure. But thankfully it's been about a week and so far the soldering materials are holding up. Not bad for being the first time

Torch flamed out constantly. Couldn't get the pipe up to temp. Included acid brush shed bristles onto work. Waste of time.

its always nice to have around you never know when you may need it

Cleaning and solder not good, waste of time try using. Need to buy quality solder to do the job.

Purchased this to repair a copper pipe, but is very difficult to ignite. Just a few minutes turns itself off and then don't turns on, it is impossible to use.

Unit would not stay lit about the time you get the copper hot enough the flame would go out then you must start over. Took it back and purchased the map unit. It works great.

Purchased this to repair a copper pipe. Soldered 3 joints and then it stopped working. Gas stopped coming out and flame went out. Gas was still coming out, but not enough to keep flame going... probably a bad valve. Will return this 'made in China' unit and try another brand.

The flux and solder that come with product are junk. Both bottom of the barrel. Soldered pipe using them...leaks everywhere! Went out and bought a higher quality brand (Not sure if I can say which) from Home Depot separately. I redid the job with the new flux and solder....perfection. Just buy the torch, then buy the solder and flux separate.