GTT Kobuki: the three-stage Triple Mix showpiece that imitates the whole lineup
GTT Kobuki · Bench torch · Surface mix
The GTT Kobuki is a three-stage, 49-jet Triple Mix (surface-mix) bench torch, a 7-jet Lynx center, 15-jet Phantom middle, and 27-jet outer ring, that can imitate the Lynx, Phantom, Mirage and Delta Elite flames plus its own wider Kobuki flame, with an optional compressed-air path.
Specs
- Mix type
- Surface mix
- Mount
- Bench
- Oxygen (estimate)
- ~33 LPM
- Fuel
- Propane, Natural gas
- Skill level
- Advanced
- Glass
- Boro, Soft
- Best for
- Production, Large boro
- Price
- ~$3,550 (reference)
- Jets
- 49
- Stages
- 3
Manufacturer page
Manufacturer page
Manufacturer page
Treat the oxygen figure as a rough sizing estimate, not a specification. Depending on the model it may be manufacturer full-flame consumption, a converted flow figure, or a documented estimate, and delivered pressure and purity matter as much as flow. What actually drives a torch choice is the glass, the work, and the flame, so size your oxygen supply after you pick the torch. Prices may be manufacturer list prices or observed dealer references. Use the evidence label and sources below, then confirm the exact configuration before buying.
Overview
The GTT Kobuki is Glass Torch Technologies’ showpiece, a three-stage, 49-jet Triple Mix bench torch built to be many torches at once. It stacks a 7-jet Lynx center, a 15-jet Phantom middle, and a 27-jet outer ring, and the result can imitate the Lynx, Phantom, Mirage and Delta Elite flames as well as its own wider Kobuki flame. In other words, it’s a single torch that covers GTT’s whole flame range, from a pinpoint to a broad soaking flame. An optional compressed-air path rounds it out.
What the three-stage Triple Mix flame gives you
Triple Mix is GTT’s surface-mix technology: fuel and oxygen meet at the face of the torch, keeping the mixing chamber cool and giving a clean, penetrating flame that drives heat into the core of thick glass. With three independently usable stages, the Kobuki scales from the fine Lynx center all the way up to large-boro heat, which is how it manages to stand in for so many models in the line. For the underlying tech see GTT Triple Mix technology and surface mix vs premix torches; for why penetration matters on heavy boro, read soaking vs penetrating flame.
The compressed-air option
The Kobuki can be ordered with GTT’s compressed-air path, which injects air into the fuel system so you can lower flame temperature while keeping the same flame chemistry and flame type, the documented idea behind GTT’s 4-Way Mix torches. It’s a useful lever when you want a cooler flame without otherwise changing how the torch behaves. The full explanation is in GTT compressed air & 4-Way Mix.
Who the Kobuki is for
The Kobuki suits advanced makers and production studios who want one torch that does everything, detail one minute, large boro the next, and are happy to feed and pay for that versatility. It’s not a beginner’s torch and it’s wasted on detail-only work.
Glass, fuel, and oxygen
The Kobuki burns propane or natural gas with oxygen and runs both boro and soft glass. As a three-stage production-class torch its oxygen demand is high, realistically tanked oxygen or multiple concentrators. Our catalog carries a ~33 LPM reference converted from GTT’s flow table for the largest usable flame; size your supply to the flame you actually run and confirm with GTT. Start with how many LPM does my torch need.
Where it sits in the GTT lineup
The Kobuki is the versatile flagship of GTT’s multi-stage bench torches, sitting alongside the production-class burners like the Delta Mag. It’s built around the same Lynx center and Phantom middle as the rest of the line, which is precisely why it can imitate them, the flame behavior you learn on smaller GTTs is all there in one torch.
Before you buy
Budget for the whole system, not just the torch: an oxygen supply sized to a three-stage torch, the correct propane or natural-gas regulator (plus an air source if you take the compressed-air option), flashback protection matched to your torch and gas supply, didymium or boro-rated eyewear matched to your glass, and serious ventilation. New to plumbing a torch this size? Start with the fittings, hoses & connectors guide and the glass torch safety setup guide.
Editor’s note: spec details reflect GTT’s own materials. The catalog’s ~33 LPM oxygen figure is converted from GTT’s flow table for the largest usable flame (a ceiling, not a minimum), and current configuration details should be confirmed with GTT before purchasing.
Fit and tradeoffs
Best for: Advanced makers and production studios who want one torch that covers GTT's whole flame range, from a Lynx pinpoint to a wide soaking flame for large boro.
Not for: Beginners or anyone on a small single concentrator, this is a thirsty, top-tier production burner, not a starter.
Pros
- + Three-stage Triple Mix: Lynx center, Phantom middle, and a 27-jet outer ring (49 jets)
- + Imitates the Lynx, Phantom, Mirage and Delta Elite flames, plus a wider Kobuki flame
- + One torch covering detail through large-boro and production heat
- + Optional compressed-air path to tune flame temperature without changing flame type
- + Clean, penetrating surface-mix flame that drives heat into thick glass
Cons
- − High oxygen appetite, plan a tank or multi-concentrator supply
- − Pro price band; a serious investment in the torch and the oxygen to feed it
- − Far more torch than detail-only or beginner work needs
- − Some oxygen figures are converted from CFH and prices vary by configuration; confirm the exact setup with GTT
Flame notes
3-stage Triple Mix: 7-jet Lynx center + 15-jet Phantom middle + 27-jet outer ring (~49 jets). Imitates the Lynx, Phantom, Mirage and Delta Elite flames plus a wider Kobuki flame. Compressed-air option.
Maker
Glass Torch Technologies
USA
Focus: Boro, Production, Pipe, Soft
Tioga, Pennsylvania maker of standard surface-mix, patented Triple Mix, and 4-Way Mix glassworking torches. GTT says it machines, builds, and tests its torches by hand.
Related reading
Compared with
Head-to-head guides that put the Kobuki against other torches.
FAQ
- What makes the GTT Kobuki special?
- It's GTT's showpiece multi-stage torch. Three stages, a 7-jet Lynx center, a 15-jet Phantom middle, and a 27-jet outer ring (49 jets), let it imitate the Lynx, Phantom, Mirage and Delta Elite flames plus its own wider Kobuki flame, so one torch covers GTT's whole flame range.
- Does the Kobuki have a compressed-air option?
- Yes. GTT offers a compressed-air path, which injects air into the fuel system so you can lower flame temperature while keeping the same flame chemistry and type. See our guide to GTT's compressed air and 4-Way Mix.
- Can the Kobuki run on an oxygen concentrator?
- It's a three-stage production-class torch, so its oxygen demand is well beyond a single small concentrator. Our catalog carries a ~33 LPM reference converted from GTT's flow table at the largest usable flame, so plan around tanked oxygen or multiple concentrators and confirm with GTT.
- Is the Kobuki a good first torch?
- No, it's an advanced, top-tier burner. Beginners should start with a single-stage GTT like the Bobcat or Cheetah and a far smaller oxygen supply.
- Soft glass, boro, or both?
- Both. The catalog lists boro and soft glass; its strength is covering everything from fine detail to large boro and production in one torch.