Short answer: The Herbert Arnold Zenit uses a concentric-ring head and one twist grip to move from a needle point to a broad flame. Choose among 40, 50 and 65 mm heads, then the version made for your fuel. Arnold rates it for borosilicate, plus quartz on the hydrogen version. Full-flame oxygen demand is substantial; the tables below separate head size, fuel and gas supply.
If you are new to how torches combine fuel and oxygen, read surface mix vs premix torches first. For every Arnold model side by side, see the Herbert Arnold torch lineup.
Who Herbert Arnold is
Herbert Arnold started the business as a one-person company on 1 October 1950 in Weilburg, Germany, developing production technology for glass and later quartz. The group now describes itself as a manufacturer of burners, tools, machines and complete systems for glass and quartz processing, photovoltaics, fiber optics and other industries. Source: Arnold Gruppe company and history.
What that means for a buyer: most of Arnold’s burner catalog is laboratory, quartz and machine burners, and the Zenit is written up in the same data-sheet format as the rest of it, with head size, glass capacity, pressures, maximum gas consumption, connection threads and weight for every version. Most of the numbers you need before ordering are published, and this guide quotes them.
How the Zenit makes its flame
The Zenit is surface mix, which Arnold calls Getrenntgassystem (separate-gas system): fuel and oxygen stay apart inside the burner and combust at the face. Its jets sit in rings around a common center and fire as one coordinated flame, which is what “concentric ring” means here. The reviewed Arnold burner catalog and Zenit brochure do not specify a jet or ring count for each Zenit head, so this guide does not assign one.
Control is ball valves plus one twist grip that changes the flame continuously from a needle point to a bushy flame. There is no second stage to switch in, and our catalog records the Zenit as a single stage; that is our catalog convention, not a maker-published stage count. On larger multi-stage GTT models, separate fires have their own controls. A fire can contain more than one ring, so ring count and stage count are not interchangeable. Neither layout is better in the abstract: the Zenit trades switchable stages for one flame you sweep smoothly across its range.
Arnold describes low-noise operation and a flame-stabilization system for the propane and natural-gas versions, allowing surplus air and a cooler flame. These claims appear in the burner catalog (page 22), Zenit brochure (page 3) and website. They are manufacturer claims, not our independent noise or temperature measurements; assess the sound and flame on a demonstration burner if those qualities drive your purchase.
The documents also specify a heavy cast-iron base with a ball joint, ball valves and, on the propane and natural-gas versions, a compressed-air connection rated 0.5 to 1 bar (about 7 to 14.5 psi). The hydrogen version lists no air connection.
The three Zenit heads
Head size is the main decision, and Arnold rates each one for a tubing size. Figures are from Arnold’s burner catalog (page 24).
| Head | Boro tubing | Quartz tubing (hydrogen version only) | Maximum flame diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 mm | about 80 mm | about 50 mm | about 40 mm |
| 50 mm | up to 100 mm | about 60 mm | about 50 mm |
| 65 mm | over 100 mm | about 80 mm | about 70 mm |
The burner weighs 6.9 to 10.4 kg depending on head and fuel.
In Joe Blanchard’s sixteen years on the distribution side of the glass industry, the 40 mm and 65 mm were the Zenits he encountered most often, while the 50 mm was uncommon in his experience. That observation does not replace sizing for your work: Arnold rates the 40 mm for tubing of about 80 mm, the 50 mm for up to 100 mm and the 65 mm for over 100 mm.
Fuel versions, pressures and gas ceilings
Each head is built for one fuel: 114/1 PSL (propane), 114/2 ESL (natural gas) and 114/3 WS (hydrogen). A given burner runs the fuel it was built for. Arnold’s catalog pressures:
| Version | Fuel pre-pressure | Oxygen pre-pressure (40 / 50 / 65 mm) | Compressed air |
|---|---|---|---|
| 114/1 PSL, propane | 50 mbar (about 0.7 psi) | 2.0 / 2.5 / 2.8 bar (about 29 / 36 / 41 psi) | 0.5 to 1 bar |
| 114/2 ESL, natural gas | 22 mbar (about 0.3 psi) | 1.5 / 2.0 / 2.8 bar (about 22 / 29 / 41 psi) | 0.5 to 1 bar |
| 114/3 WS, hydrogen | 500 mbar (about 7 psi); 1,000 mbar (about 14.5 psi) on the 65 mm | 1.5 / 2.0 / 2.8 bar (about 22 / 29 / 41 psi) | Not listed |
Editor’s note: Arnold’s separate Zenit brochure gives 3.5 bar (about 51 psi) oxygen for the 65 mm head on every fuel, against 2.8 bar in the burner catalog. The two documents disagree and we show both. The psi figures are our unit conversions. Arnold’s own instructions take precedence over this table; confirm the pressures for your exact version with Herbert Arnold.
Arnold also publishes maximum consumption per version, in cubic metres per hour. We convert oxygen to litres per minute (m3/h x 16.67), the unit most oxygen supplies are rated in:
| Version | 40 mm, fuel / oxygen | 50 mm, fuel / oxygen | 65 mm, fuel / oxygen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propane (PSL) | 0.5 / 3.5 m3/h (O2 58 LPM) | 0.6 / 4.2 m3/h (O2 70 LPM) | 1.1 / 4.7 m3/h (O2 78 LPM) |
| Natural gas (ESL) | 2.2 / 4.4 m3/h (O2 73 LPM) | 2.5 / 5.0 m3/h (O2 83 LPM) | 4.0 / 8.0 m3/h (O2 133 LPM) |
| Hydrogen (WS) | 7.2 / 4.0 m3/h (O2 67 LPM) | 10.5 / 5.4 m3/h (O2 90 LPM) | 15 / 8.8 m3/h (O2 147 LPM) |
These are ceilings at the largest flame, not what the burner draws at a working flame, so use them to size the supply rather than to predict a gas bill. Maximum compressed-air draw on the PSL and ESL versions runs 3.0 to 6.5 m3/h by head and fuel. Even the lowest oxygen ceiling, the 40 mm propane head at ~58 LPM, is tank or bulk-oxygen territory at full flame; see oxygen concentrators vs tanks before you plan a concentrator setup around a Zenit. If you are weighing the hydrogen version, our hydrogen vs propane guide covers the supply side.
Arnold recommends protecting its burners against reverse gas flow and flashback. Set up the flashback protection your torch and gas supply call for, following Arnold’s instructions and your gas supplier’s.
What a Zenit costs
Arnold’s 02/2025 price list, in euros excluding VAT:
| Version | 40 mm | 50 mm | 65 mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propane (PSL) | EUR 2,794 | EUR 2,999 | EUR 3,846 |
| Natural gas (ESL) | EUR 2,562 | EUR 2,672 | EUR 3,452 |
| Hydrogen (WS) | EUR 2,289 | EUR 2,511 | EUR 3,386 |
The same list prints cheaper N-M7 versions of some heads (the 40 mm at EUR 2,645 on propane and EUR 2,414 on natural gas). The catalog says the standard M7 head has no gas fine-adjustment screw and an optional head adds one, but neither document says which suffix is which, so ask Arnold which head a quote covers. The Color Edition adds EUR 180, and the brochure shows decorative finishes. Sold separately: a US adapter set for 9/16 inch fittings, regulators, a safety-screen holder and a table clamp.
Our US reference figure, $3,300, is a reference, not an Arnold list price. Shipping from Germany, import charges and the adapter set all change what you actually pay. Arnold’s published October 2015 terms apply to business customers and provide a 12-month defect-claim period with stated exceptions (sections 1(3) and 8(15) to 8(17)); confirm the terms of your order. The Zenit brochure offers an on-site inspection covering jets, air taps and burner adjustment, but the reviewed brochure does not state the inspection price.
Big Arni, Arni and the hand torches
Arnold’s flameworking range around the Zenit is small. The lineup guide covers each model in depth; the short version:
| Model | Arnold number | Mix | Head or jets | Euro list, ex VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Arni bead burner | 126/11 | Surface | 28 mm head, 11.7 mm jet ring | EUR 856 (126/11 ES, the only version listed) |
| Arni bead burner | 126/12 | Surface | 20 mm head, 6.6 mm jet ring | EUR 398 propane, EUR 372 natural gas |
| Zenit Hand Torch | 114/21, 114/22, 114/23 | Surface | 40 mm Zenit head | EUR 2,719 propane, 2,588 natural gas, 2,585 hydrogen |
| Premix Hand Torch | 126/22 | Premix | Three jets, 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.3 mm | EUR 400 propane and natural gas, EUR 378 hydrogen |
| Mini Hand Torch | 126/20 | Premix | Supplied jets 0.5 and 0.8 mm (0.3 and 0.5 mm on hydrogen) | EUR 304, every fuel version |
On page 35 of its burner catalog Arnold states surface mix for the Arni; the Big Arni’s table on the same page gives 2-zone adjustment but names no mix system, so surface mix for the Big Arni is our reading from its sibling, not Arnold’s words.
The Big Arni is, despite its name, the smaller bench burner: a bead burner for beads and small or large glass handicrafts with 2-zone adjustment, running propane at 50 mbar or natural gas at 22 mbar with oxygen at 0.5 to 1 bar (about 7 to 14.5 psi). The 15-jet count and roughly 40 mm work size that circulate for it come from earlier listings, not Arnold’s catalog page. In Joe’s distribution years it was a rare order next to the Zenit. The Arni is its smaller sibling, for bead details.
The Zenit Hand Torch is the 40 mm Zenit head separated from a bracket-mounted control unit, fed through 1,600 mm hoses. On propane it runs 50 mbar gas and 2 bar oxygen (about 29 psi), with the same ~58 LPM oxygen ceiling as the 40 mm bench head, and Arnold lists no compressed-air connection for it. The Premix and Mini hand torches are premix by Arnold’s own word (Mischgassystem), so they mix the gases differently from every burner above; the Premix Hand Torch is also rated as a sealing burner.
Who the Zenit suits
- Scientific and technical glassblowers working boro tubing, and quartz on the hydrogen version, who want a flame they can set precisely and return to. This is Arnold’s home market.
- Boro workers who prefer one continuously variable flame to switchable stages, and who have the oxygen supply for the ceilings above.
- Not soft-glass buyers. Arnold rates the Zenit for borosilicate and quartz only.
For production work, compare the actual working sequence. The 65 mm head is rated for boro tubing over 100 mm; a staged torch adds the separate ability to switch between independently controlled fires. Which arrangement suits the job is a practical choice, not a size ranking.
Decide the head and the fuel first, then size the oxygen supply to that version’s ceiling. For fitting any torch into your setup and budget, see the complete glass torch buyer’s guide, and for the maker overview, the Herbert Arnold maker page. Confirm the current spec and price with Herbert Arnold before you buy.
Related guides
- Herbert Arnold torch lineup
- Herbert Arnold Zenit vs Nortel Red Max
- GTT Phantom vs Herbert Arnold Zenit
- Herbert Arnold Zenit vs GTT Mirage
- GTT Cobra vs Herbert Arnold Zenit
- Herbert Arnold Zenit Hand Torch vs GTT Delta Elite
- Herbert Arnold Big Arni vs Bethlehem Bravo
- Surface mix vs premix torches
- Hydrogen vs propane for glassworking
- Oxygen concentrators vs tanks for lampworking
- Flashback arrestors explained
Sources
- Arnold Gruppe, “Company”: https://www.h-arnold.com/company
- Herbert Arnold, burners overview: https://www.h-arnold.com/burners
- Arnold Gruppe, burner catalog (PDF): https://downloads.arnold-gruppe.de/ARNOLD%20Burners.pdf
- Arnold Gruppe, Zenit brochure (PDF): https://downloads.arnold-gruppe.de/ARNOLD%20Zenit.pdf
- Arnold Gruppe, burner price list 02/2025 (PDF): https://downloads.arnold-gruppe.de/Brenner%20Preisliste.pdf
- Arnold Gruppe, terms and conditions, October 2015 (PDF): https://downloads.arnold-gruppe.de/Arnold%20AGB%20102015%20en.pdf
Editor’s note: figures come from Arnold’s burner catalog, Zenit brochure and 02/2025 price list, rechecked 2026-10-08. Euro prices exclude VAT and shipping, and our USD figure is a reference, not a quote. The two documents disagree on the 65 mm oxygen pressure; both values remain above. The head-suffix mapping is a separate unresolved identification question, not a demonstrated contradiction. Confirm the current spec and price with Herbert Arnold before you buy.