Short answer: These are two premix hand torches built for quartz and scientific work, but they solve the buyer’s problem from opposite ends. The Herbert Arnold Premix Hand Torch (model 126/22) is a precision German instrument: a brass body with two separate needle valves, one for gas and one for oxygen, for very exact flame adjustment, at about $649. The Nortel Twin Fuel Handtorch is a light, inexpensive premix torch with a single finger-tip control on an aluminum handle, around $110, and it accepts the wide family of National-style tips. Choose the Arnold if fine, repeatable flame control and build quality lead your list; choose the Nortel if a light hand torch, a big tip ecosystem, and a modest price matter more.
Both are premix hand torches in our catalog, so both mix fuel and oxygen ahead of the jet rather than at the face. If you are still deciding whether premix even suits your work, start with surface mix vs premix torches, then come back here for the head-to-head.
What “premix hand torch” means here
A premix torch combines the fuel and oxygen inside the torch, upstream of the jet, so the flame leaves the tip already mixed. That gives the short, sharp, high-temperature cone that quartz and scientific glassblowing lean on, which is why both of these torches end up recommended for the same jobs. It also means premix torches are more sensitive to how you set the gases, and both makers approach that sensitivity differently: Arnold with two independent needle valves, Nortel with one blended control.
Both are hand torches, not bench burners, so they are meant to be held and moved to the work (or mounted at a lathe), rather than sitting fixed while you feed glass into them. For the broader trade-off between held and mounted torches, see bench vs hand torch.
Herbert Arnold Premix Hand Torch (126/22)
The Herbert Arnold Premix Hand Torch, catalogued as model 126/22, is a premix burner for gas and oxygen that Arnold’s own materials describe as producing very sharp, hot flames, and call “very suitable as a sealing burner.” Its basic body is made of brass and carries two precisely adjustable needle valves, one for gas and one for oxygen, which is the feature that defines it: you set each gas independently and finely, so you can dial a flame in and return to it.
The upper part is exchangeable, secured by a screwed swivel nut, with acceptance threads for interchangeable jets. Arnold’s standard jet accessories for this torch are stainless-steel jets in 0.8, 1.0, and 1.3 mm bores, with groove jets supplied for propane and natural gas and single-hole jets available for hydrogen. In our catalog the torch is recorded as a Premix, Hand-held, 1-stage torch running on propane, and it ships with three stainless groove jets for propane in the 0.8, 1.0, and 1.3 mm sizes. Price sits at about $649 in the mid band.
The design is aimed at quartz and borosilicate. Note that our catalog lists its fuel as propane; the hydrogen single-hole jets are a documented Arnold accessory line, not a claim that this specific configuration is set up for hydrogen out of the box. Match the jet to your fuel, and confirm the current jet options with the maker.
Nortel Twin Fuel Handtorch
Nortel describes the Twin Fuel Handtorch as a premix hand torch built around a special injector-type mixer with one hand finger-tip control, on a lightweight aluminum handle. That single control is the character of the torch: rather than tuning two needle valves, you manage one blended control on a torch light enough to hold comfortably for long sessions.
Its twin-fuel valves let you combine natural gas, propane, MAPP, and hydrogen with oxygen for a range of temperatures, and Nortel points it squarely at quartz working, other high-temperature work, and lathe work. The extra-long neck, in Nortel’s own framing, makes it a good lathe hand torch that can also serve as a booster torch. In the catalog it is a Premix, Hand-held, 1-stage torch running on propane, natural gas, or hydrogen, at about $110 in the entry band.
The tip ecosystem is the other reason people reach for this torch. It accepts all National-style tips (a 7/16-24 thread), and Nortel notes a full range of tip sizes, including multi-orifice tips and ribbon burners. If your bench already runs National tips, or you want to grow into different flame shapes without changing torches, that compatibility is worth real money. Our four National premix hand torches, including the National 3A-B, sit in the same tip family.
Head to head
| Spec | Herbert Arnold Premix Hand Torch | Nortel Twin Fuel Handtorch |
|---|---|---|
| Model | 126/22 | Twin Fuel Handtorch |
| Mix type | Premix | Premix |
| Mount | Hand (held) | Hand (held) |
| Stages | 1 | 1 |
| Flame control | Two needle valves (gas + oxygen), fine | One finger-tip control, injector mixer |
| Body | Brass | Lightweight aluminum handle |
| Jets / tips | Interchangeable jets, swivel-nut upper part; 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.3 mm | National-style tips (7/16-24); multi-orifice and ribbon options |
| Fuel (catalog) | Propane | Propane / natural gas / hydrogen |
| Price (reference) | $649 | $110 |
| Oxygen | Not published | Not published |
Read the table as a set of priorities rather than a scoreboard. The Arnold’s argument is precision and build: two fine needle valves and a brass body, with jets you swap by unscrewing a swivel nut. The Nortel’s argument is lightness, versatility, and ecosystem: one control, a long neck that doubles as a booster, a broad fuel range, and access to the whole National tip catalog, at roughly a sixth of the price.
The price gap is large, about $649 against $110, but the two torches are answering different questions. One is buying you fine, repeatable dual-gas control and German build; the other is buying you a light, adaptable premix hand torch with a deep tip supply. Neither is “better” in the abstract; they weight control, weight, and cost differently.
Oxygen and fuel supply notes
Neither maker publishes an oxygen consumption figure for these torches, so we do not carry one. Our catalog records oxygen as unpublished for both, and we will not invent a number. Treat oxygen for either torch as something you size to the flame you actually run: the tip or jet bore, the fuel, and how hard you push the flame all move the demand. Bigger jets and harder flames pull more oxygen.
On fuel, follow the manufacturer’s manual first, always. For the Arnold, the jet you fit is tied to the fuel, groove jets for propane and natural gas, single-hole jets for hydrogen, so the jet choice and the fuel choice are one decision, not two. For the Nortel, the twin-fuel valves are what let it run natural gas, propane, MAPP, or hydrogen with oxygen; confirm the correct regulator and fittings for whichever fuel you choose, and never mix fittings between fuels. Fit the flashback protection your torch and gas supply call for, per the maker’s guidance, not a blanket rule.
Editor’s note: figures here come from Nortel’s and Arnold’s own product pages and the Arnold burners PDF where we have them. Oxygen consumption is unpublished for both torches and is treated as an estimate you size to your setup, never a fixed spec. Model options, jets, tips, and prices change; confirm the current configuration with the maker before you buy.
Which to buy
Buy the Herbert Arnold Premix Hand Torch if fine, repeatable flame control is central to your work and you value a brass-bodied instrument with two independent needle valves. It rewards a maker who wants to set a precise flame and return to it, on quartz and boro sealing work, and who is comfortable at the mid price point. The interchangeable-jet upper part keeps it flexible within Arnold’s own jet range.
Buy the Nortel Twin Fuel Handtorch if you want a light hand torch that is easy to hold for long sessions, a broad fuel range, and access to the large National tip family, including multi-orifice and ribbon tips, at an entry price. The long neck that also works as a lathe booster is a genuine bonus for scientific and lathe setups. If your bench is already built around National tips, this is the torch that drops straight in.
If you are still narrowing the field, our guides on the best scientific glassblowing hand torch and the best torch for quartz put both of these in wider company, and the complete buyer’s guide walks the whole oxygen, fuel, and budget decision.
Related guides
- Surface mix vs premix torches
- Best scientific glassblowing hand torch
- Best torch for quartz
- Bench vs hand torch
- How to choose a glass torch
Sources
- Nortel Manufacturing, Twin Fuel Handtorch: https://www.nortelglass.com/twin-fuel-handtorch/
- Herbert Arnold (Arnold Gruppe), hand burners: https://www.arnold-gruppe.de/index.php?L=1&id=169
- Herbert Arnold (Arnold Gruppe), ARNOLD Burners (PDF): https://downloads.arnold-gruppe.de/ARNOLD%20Burners.pdf
- National Torch (Premier Industries), torch and tip line: https://nationaltorch.com/?page_id=301