• FauxPseudo
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    157 minutes ago

    In my state I can both own a flame thrower and kangaroos. I have no plans at this time.

  • @over_clox@lemmy.world
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    2717 hours ago

    From my understanding, the reason most states allow them is largely because they’re very useful tools in certain fields of construction, particularly for melting tar.

    If I’m mistaken, or if they also have other legitimate uses, feel free to correct me or add additional information…

    • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet
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      713 hours ago

      Traditional flamethrowers have fuel gelling additives that cause the burning fuel to stick to the victim, making them considerably more dangerous than a long flamed torch.

      • @Creat@discuss.tchncs.de
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        13 hours ago

        Flamethrowers typically set fire to a stream of flammable liquid, like gasoline (as a trivial example). Torches use gas, or gas mixtures.

        The inherent range differences are a meter (maybe 2) for torches, and flamethrowers do 50-100 m (source: Wikipedia). Just in case that isn’t clear, those aren’t the same category of device.

      • @Sludgeyy@lemmy.world
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        16 hours ago

        A flamethrower is a ranged incendiary device.

        What do you consider a flamethrower?

        How far is ranged?

        Construction uses what I would call torches, not flamethrowers

        There is very few cases where you want to “throw” flames. It’s inefficient. Keeping the flame and the material close is preferred.

        Giant pile of tar you want to set on fire as fast as possible? I guess a flamethrower is effective. Burning brush, anything where you’re catching something on fire so it spreads.

        They use “flamethrowers” on bitumen roofs. But the idea behind the tool is to not throw the flames as far as possible.

        I’d define flamethrower as “An incendiary device that disperses uncontrollable flames at a distance”

        • @Jesus_666@lemmy.world
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          915 hours ago

          For me the required characteristics would be that it dispenses a burning liquid at a distance in a controlled, directed manner.

          • If it dispenses burning gas it’s not very useful as a weapon and is really just a big gas burner. Roofing torches, blowtorches, and weed burners fall into this category.
          • If it doesn’t cover a meaningful distance it’s also not very useful as a weapon and is essentially just a leaky container. Driptorches fall into this category.
          • If it dispenses the burning material in an uncontrolled or undirected manner it’s either an incendiary bomb/grenade of some sort or an accident. It might be a weapon but not one I’d call a flamethrower.
        • @Alexstarfire@lemmy.world
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          113 hours ago

          Flamethrowers don’t use gas. It uses liquid or solid. That’s why real flamethrowers can be used at ranges of 50+ ft. Often times even higher than that.

    • snooggums
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      1117 hours ago

      They are also very useful for controlled burns.

      The most important thing is that nobody is using them maliciously so there is no incentive to ban them.

  • @HexadecimalSky@lemmy.world
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    1216 hours ago

    See I can’t see colour, but fun fact, flame based weed abatement systems can be easily purchased in many parts of California, and they are basically just a flame thrower attachment for propane tanks.

    • @3ntranced@lemmy.world
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      17 hours ago

      Torch, not flame thrower.

      Vaporous propellant ignition is a torch, usually butane not propane as propane leaves residue on the glass, and burns differently.

      Flame throwers are literally a pee stream of fuel that is ignited on the handle by the operator. There is only destructive use with flamethrower as well due to the lack of accurate control.

      • @HexadecimalSky@lemmy.world
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        114 hours ago

        It is is a hadheld nozzle that ejects propane that is on fire ~3ft for the purpose of burning weeds, I think that is enough to count as a “flame” “thrower”

        • Miles O'Brien
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          514 hours ago

          As someone who uses a propane burner for blacksmithing, I am constantly reminding my wife “IT’S NOT A FLAMETHROWER!” because once not long after we met, my old decrepit one sprung a leak out the side and from her viewing angle she thought it had set me on fire.

          In fairness, mine is designed for a 1ft flame, but I did use a weed burner in my very first forge. About 2ft if I blasted propane without a regulator.

          I’m not ready to die on the hill, but I will gladly throw up some polite resistance upon it.

      • @Hugin@lemmy.world
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        212 hours ago

        Yeah a real flamethrower fires a line of sticky flaming liquid up to 50". It’s like saying a BB gun is the same thing as a M4.

        • @HexadecimalSky@lemmy.world
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          011 hours ago

          The first flamethrowers date to the 7th century. No they aren’t modern military flamethrowers but as with the description “commercial flamethrowers are generally blowtorches using gaseous fuels such as propane”. No they don’t have the same range or lethality but saying they cant both be flamethrowers is saying a BB doesn’t shoot projectiles because it’s not as the same projectiles and range of a military assault rifle.

      • @HexadecimalSky@lemmy.world
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        011 hours ago

        Not all flamethrowers throw napalm, as seen flamethrowers predate napalm. A flamethrower made to abate weeds is not nearly as powerful as a military grade one, but it still throws flame. So even if you can’t buy a fancy flamethrower that shoots out 20+ feet, you can have some fun with a little propane tank based weed abatement “flamethrower”. I wasn’t trying to kick up an argument on the technicalities of what is a flamethrower, but your arguments are the weakest thing to support your idea.

  • KingJalopy
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    717 hours ago

    Remember the time Elon made a flame thrower and even that was a piece of shit too?

    • @over_clox@lemmy.world
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      617 hours ago

      Yup. Strangely, that’s why I got perma-banned from Reddit, just for commenting that the thing exists, and posting a link for reference.

      • KingJalopy
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        1017 hours ago

        Lol nice. I got banned once I found out about Lemmy. After that I simply went to a thread which had a particularly shitty power mod and literally just said, “sounds like something a cringe reddit person would say”.

        Boom. Permanent admin ban.