By Max Slowik » Fri, January 13 2012

“Yo, flamethrowerman, flamethrower me!”

“One flamethrower, comin’ right up!”

“Mmm, flamethrower…”

I will brokerage flamethrowers that have been properly rebuilt and tested In most cases, each model has a certain collector or museum that has the most interest. I will negotiate with sellers on an individual basis for a fair price for both parties. There are some laws both state and federal, and we will adhere to the letter of the law. For all sales, I require a background check and a legal waiver stating that you understand the dangers and will not hold me liable.

This man sells flamethrowers. C’mon, you know you want one. They’re legal, after all.

Holy Shit, Really? Yes. There are currently no federal laws governing or restricting the ownership of flame-throwing devices. Some states have laws restricting possession of flamethrowers, with violations only considered to be misdemeanors, but 40 states have absolutely no laws whatsoever concerning flamethrowers. Only in America would a device capable of launching rivers of fire at people be less regulated than marijuana.

Now a real M2 flamethrower, working and restored, will probably set you back fifteen large. Twenty on the outside, if the paint is super-nice. A replica will still run about ten grand, last I checked, but yeah, they’re pretty much legal to own.

Operating them is a different story, but assuming you’re on private property and throwing a barbecue, you can probably get away with it. Unless you don’t invite your neighbors, because if there’s pork, beer, and flamethrowers and they don’t get an invitation then they’ll probably think you’re the biggest asshole on the planet, and call the cops saying you’re “causing a disturbance” and “recklessly endangering their lives with belts of liquid fire”.

Passive-aggressive jerks that they are.

Besides, with a flamethrower, you’re gonna be the life of the party. No one’s going to care if they start complaining about how your lawn is all black and burny all the time.

Anywhoo, if you’re feeling flush, you can get your own flamethrower from the Flamethrower Expert, Charles S. Hobson. Here’s his website.

He’s also written the book on flamethrowers.

Schiffer Publications released my book “The Illustrated Manual of Portable U.S. Flamethrowers” as of August of 2010, and can be purchased from Amazon, Schiffer and Barnes and Noble. My book will focuses on the identification, characteristics, and development of all US military flamethrowers. Some history will is included, but I did not want to rewrite what has already been done. Instead, I have found and documented information that could only be verified with the prototype photos, development information, and then by rebuilding and firing all the models of flamethrowers. And since the US military copied features from the Japanese, I found, rebuilt and fired a WWII Japanese Model 100.

If you’re interested in the book, well, knock yourself out.