Yes indeed! The practice was SOP before the average intellegence level
dropped, but *NOT* using a torch. Hardware stores used to sell dynamite
too, back when common sense was, well, "common" and JC Whitney and
others sold what was essentially a knife-tipped soldering iron for
cutting thru the tar. The gas BTW is Hydrogen - no Chlorine in lead-acid
batteries.

I am not saying that I am that old, but I remember my dad doing that in back of
the garage
for some of his customers.

Leanne