I suppose you have a point I use Oxy/Acetylene torches all the time(25 years exp), not everyone understands how to apply basic physics(especially kids). I'm sorry your friend didn't pay attention to the flame, it got so close to the nozzle and melted it. You are right about the dangers of aerosol cans, my friends and I used em as torches all the time when we where kids, only Lysol or the equivalent, bug spray and paint cans would catch fire from the side spray. I guess it was just luck until we learned which cans worked best. I do remember a couple paint cans getting thrown cause the tops lit up but they never exploded. It always took several minutes after throwing them in a fire before the cans exploded, yes we where crazy.