Abstract: A battery operated barbeque igniter has an igniter implement with an axially extending heater element and a sheath to keep the heater element from accidentally burning anything or anyone as it cools after use. The heater element is positioned inside a metal tube which is closed at one end. The heater element includes a spiral tungsten filament supported between two coaxial quartz tubes. The outer quartz tube is closed at one end. A central steel rod extends the length of the metal tube and serves both to position the tungsten filament inside the metal tube and as an electric conductor to one end of the filament. The rod is brazed to the inner quartz tube and the filament at one end of the filament. The outer quartz tube is brazed to the inner quartz tube and the other end of the filament. The sheath receives the heater element and is slotted to permit cooling of the heater element without inadvertent contact with it.