It started with a hat. Seriously.
Elon Musk told the world that if The Boring Company sold 50,000 "boring" baseball caps, he’d release a flamethrower. Most people thought it was a joke because, honestly, why wouldn't they? He's a guy who builds rockets and electric cars, not specialized arson equipment. But the hats sold out. Then, true to his weirdly specific word, the Boring Company flamethrower became a real thing that you could actually buy for 500 bucks.
The internet absolutely lost its mind.
In early 2018, the pre-orders went live. Within days, 20,000 units were gone. That’s 10 million dollars in revenue for a product that was basically a glorified roofing torch shoved inside the shell of an airsoft rifle. It wasn't a military-grade weapon, even though it looked like something out of a sci-fi flick. It was a marketing stunt that accidentally became a cultural phenomenon and a legal nightmare all at once.
Not a Flamethrower: The Name Game
You’ve probably heard people call it the "Not-a-Flamethrower." That wasn’t just Elon being cheeky or trying to be "random." It was a desperate, last-minute pivot to bypass international shipping laws and customs regulations.
See, shipping something labeled "flamethrower" across borders is an absolute logistical hellscape. Customs agents tend to get a bit twitchy when they see "incendiary device" on a manifest. To keep the product moving and avoid a total shutdown by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Musk just... renamed it.
The ATF actually has a very specific definition of what constitutes a "flamethrower." Generally, if the flame doesn't shoot further than ten feet, it’s not regulated as a weapon in the United States. Since the Boring Company flamethrower was essentially a propane torch with a fancy casing, it stayed under that threshold. It was basically a kitchen tool for very large crème brûlées.
But that didn't stop the rest of the world from panicking.
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International authorities weren't nearly as amused as Musk's Twitter followers. In the UK and parts of Europe, owning one of these can get you in serious legal trouble. There are stories of people having their homes raided because they tried to import what they thought was a cool piece of tech memorabilia, only to find out their local government viewed it as a prohibited weapon. It’s a weird grey area. Is it a toy? Is it a tool? Is it a liability? Honestly, it’s a bit of all three.
The Hardware Reality vs. The Hype
If you strip away the sleek white plastic and the branding, what are you actually holding?
It’s a CSI SXR Airsoft Shotgun shell. Inside that shell, there’s a standard propane canister and a pilot light mechanism. You pull the trigger, the gas flows, the piezo igniter sparks, and you get a puff of fire. It’s simple. Maybe too simple for something that cost half a thousand dollars.
- The build quality is... okay. It feels like high-end plastic.
- It uses standard propane tanks you can find at a hardware store.
- The "safety" features are basically just a trigger lock.
When the units started arriving at the "pick-up parties" in Los Angeles, the vibe was surreal. People were literally standing in a parking lot, being handed fire-spitting machines, and then being told to go roast some marshmallows. It was peak 2018 tech culture. No one was really thinking about the long-term implications of putting 20,000 of these into the hands of the general public.
The irony is that The Boring Company’s actual mission is to solve "soul-destroying traffic" by digging tunnels. The flamethrower had zero to do with tunneling. It was a distraction. A highly profitable, highly flammable distraction that served as a masterclass in "Hype-Tech" marketing.
Why People Still Obsess Over It
Go on eBay right now. You’ll see the Boring Company flamethrower listing for three, four, maybe five times its original price. It has become a Veblen good—a luxury item where the demand increases as the price goes up because it’s a status symbol.
It’s a piece of history. It represents a specific era of Silicon Valley where "moving fast and breaking things" applied to literal fire. Owners don't usually use them to clear snow or kill weeds, although some try. They keep them in the box. They display them in glass cases behind their desks during Zoom calls. It’s a "if you know, you know" kind of object.
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But there’s a darker side to the obsession.
There have been reports of these things being seized in drug raids or used in ways they definitely weren't intended for. Because they aren't serialized like actual firearms, they are hard to track. This has led to a lot of heat (pun intended) from politicians like California State Assemblyman Miguel Santiago, who tried to introduce legislation specifically to ban these devices. He argued that in a state prone to devastating wildfires, selling "fun" flamethrowers was the height of irresponsibility. He wasn't entirely wrong.
Safety and the "Boring" Extinguisher
Every flamethrower came with a fire extinguisher. The Boring Company sold these for an extra $30. It was a "Boring" branded extinguisher that Musk claimed was "overpriced," but "it comes with a cool sticker."
This was the genius of the whole operation. By leaning into the absurdity and being "honest" about the price gouging, Musk made the audience feel like they were in on the joke. You weren't a customer; you were a fan. You were part of a club that didn't take life too seriously, even when playing with fire.
Safety-wise, the device is actually fairly underwhelming. It’s not a liquid-fuel flamethrower like the ones used in World War II. Those shoot a stream of burning gel (napalm) that sticks to surfaces. The Boring Company flamethrower just shoots a gas flame. As soon as you let go of the trigger, the fuel source is cut, and the flame dies. It’s much safer than a homemade version, but it’s still fire. Fire is dangerous. People are often surprised by how much heat the nozzle retains after the flame is out. You can get a nasty burn just by brushing against it after use.
The Legal Legacy
The "Not-a-Flamethrower" created a blueprint for how tech companies can skirt regulation through clever naming and minor design tweaks. It also highlighted a massive gap in how we define "weapons" in the digital age.
- In New York, the device is technically legal but highly discouraged.
- In Maryland, you need a Type 01 Federal Firearms License to own a flamethrower.
- In many parts of the world, it is considered a "prohibited weapon" alongside switchblades and brass knuckles.
If you’re thinking about buying one second-hand, you need to be incredibly careful. Not just because of the fire risk, but because of the legal risk. Shipping one of these via USPS is a federal crime if you don't follow specific hazardous materials protocols. Many people have had their units seized by DHL or FedEx because they didn't declare the pressurized components or the nature of the device.
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Actionable Insights for Collectors and Enthusiasts
If you’re looking to get into the world of high-end tech collectibles, or if you actually want a tool for controlled burns, here is what you actually need to know.
First, check your local ordinances. Don't assume that because it's "not a flamethrower" it is legal in your city. Municipalities have different rules about open flames and "incendiary devices." If you live in a high-risk wildfire zone, just don't do it. The liability if you start a fire is life-altering.
Second, if you're buying one for investment purposes, the "original box" is everything. The value of a used, scuffed-up unit is significantly lower than a mint-in-box version with the original Boring Company tape still intact.
Third, understand the maintenance. Since it's basically a modified airsoft gun shell, the internal components are somewhat fragile. The plastic can crack if dropped, and the gas seals can dry out over time. If you plan to actually fire it, you need to inspect the O-rings and ensure there are no leaks in the propane line. A gas leak inside a plastic shell is a recipe for a very bad day.
The Boring Company flamethrower was never meant to be a serious product. It was a moment in time—a glitch in the matrix of corporate marketing. It serves as a reminder that with enough "hype" and a large enough Twitter following, you can sell pretty much anything, even if it’s just a blowtorch in a fancy suit. It’s a piece of tech history that still sparks debate today, usually right before it sparks a marshmallow.
If you own one, keep it safe, keep it legal, and for the love of everything, keep it away from dry brush. The novelty is cool, but the consequences of a mistake are permanent.
To stay compliant and safe while owning such a device, your next steps should be:
- Verify the specific "incendiary device" laws in your specific county or province; many have updated codes since 2018.
- If shipping, use a dedicated hazardous materials courier and remove all propane canisters entirely before packaging.
- Store the device in a cool, dry place away from any flammable vapors to prevent the degradation of the internal seals.
- Never use the device during a Red Flag Warning or high-wind conditions, regardless of how "controlled" you think the flame is.