Queston about good old lighter fluid need advise..

Lighter fluid in my trusty Zippo Lighter but it seems to evaporate in a week or so with no use....Any suggestions . <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />....Great forum guys.....Nick

I put extra lighter fluid into a washed out bottle of tobasco sauce (the tiny bottle you find in MRE's)

Course, it's glass but fairly thick for it's volume so I don't think it should break accidently dropping it unless you hit something like concrete....

I'm not sure if the lighter fluid will eat the plastic cap off, but it's been about a month and so far it's still hasn't leaked at all.

Still, there's nothing like backup, so you might want to carry a mini bic with you as well. Some people like the "permanent match" type devices, which seem to hold the fluid without evaporating longer.

That's the ONLY down-side to the trusty Zippo, old hands and smokers just get used to having a fuel can at home, in the car, in the tool box, in the tackle box, etc., etc., etc.. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.
In all seriousness though, there's something about a Zippo that makes it worth having to refill it every few days, although a mini-bic for a back-up doesn't hurt a thing.

Troy

The Tabasco bottle's a pretty good idea, and you shouldn't have to worry too much about it eating the cap, the cap and bottle it came in are plastic (unless you got it off Grandpa's shelf, in which case, the steel can's a collector's item).

Troy

Try using an eye drop or breath freshener dropper bottle.My brother uses this trick with much success.The dropper tip pops out to fill and pops back in for use.
BOATMAN
John

Seems the fluid is Evaporating in the lighter with no use ...Act's like Denatured Alcohol....

Blowfish, that's just one of the "features" of a zippo. You could try wrapping a ranger band (a 1-2" section of bicycle innertube) around it. Or maybe even try rigging up some sort of thin O-ring to help make it more airtight. I'm not sure if either is really effective.

As most have said here, the key is just having a refill handy. You could consider buying a zippo fuel canister

I've never seen those fuel canisters except on like, german websites. I don't even recall seeing it on zippos website

Where can I get one? How do they work exactly? Is it like a pressurized butane canister, or is it simply something you unscrew and pour into the lighter?

Hmmm, it's on the zippo site, under accessories.

This auction on ebay has the clearest instructions I've seen

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...ssPageName=WDVW

Zippo badly needs to redesign their web site. Waiting 15 seconds with a high-speed connection for their web page to load all them fancy graphics did not impress me; and then there's no description of any sort for the product, just a single very small picture with no price, size, or anything else.

Thanks Guys I will try your suggestions .....

I thought you might of had some special mix of Vaseline and Zippo Fluid or liquid White gas.....Oh well ...Great forum....

Thanks Again ...Blowfish.

I'm prolly gonna get in trouble for bringing this up since there are a lot of diehard Zippo fans around here but here goes anyway. For $2 you can get air tight fluid storage and a million times better flint and striker than in a Zippo and (for you smokers) a great conversation piece.

Behold the permanant match!.!.!!@#$%^&* <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

You've got a point there... but it doesn't have the same character, if you're not a Zippo conneseur, you just can't understand <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />.

Troy

Hehehe I knew someone would say it. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I do not use my Zippo for anything daily and have found that wrapping it in 3-4 layers of Saran wrap retards evaporation for many weeks. A couple of rubber bands keep the Saran in place. I slip a small note under the wrap with the date filled.

I also carry the Tabasco bottle and that works very well. About 2.5 fills in the bottle. The Zippo canister is also very nicely made and carries more fills.

I wouldn't try it with a prized zippo, but...

Lamp oil (like Ultra-Pure) seems to last forever in oil/kerosene lamps without evaporating away. Granted, they're probably a little more closed, and exposed to less heat...

I guess the real question is whether a lamp-oil soaked wick can be ignited from sparks. That I don't know, it may well require vapors, which by definition means evaporation. I don't smoke or own that style of lighter.

Brian,

I'll second the Permanent Match. I've had one for about a month, and no evaporation of the lighter fluid yet. It always works, but usually takes a few strikes to get a flame going. And it's smaller than a Zippo.

Brian: That's a particularly nice looking example. Can you point to a site where they're offered? -- Bear

I've been a happy Permanent Match owner since Craig posted a link on them a few months ago.

I will periodically "top it off".......but, actually, I've never noticed any evaporation.

Harley

I got the idea from Craig, too. (Thanks Craig!) I even ordered it from the same place:
www.therestlessmouse.com

It was too inexpensive to pass up. So I bought 4 of them.

For price of the zippo fuel cannister you could try www.zipsho.com. Its under the accesories panel. Website uses flash too, but its very basic, not fancy like Zippos website.
It also gives the product codes.
The seller is in Singapore but sells to overseas buyers too. You can pay thru Paypal... Go check it out for more details.

I have a butane conversion in my Zippo. The Tobacco Shop sells a $14.95 KGM Vector butane lighter that is such a close copy of the Zippo that you can just pop the butane insert into the Zippo case.

No more evaporation, and it uses the stock Zippo flint. On the downside, opening the top starts the gas flowing, so you can't open/close/open/close/open/close/open/close/open/close/open/close just cause you like the sound.

I also have one of the permanent matches in my Ritter PSK.

To me one of the nicest aspects of the traditional old Zippo, is that even when all the fluid has evaporated or been used, you still have a large sparklite complete with cotton tinder and replacable flints. Pull a bit of the cotton wadding out and spark away.

I thought you might like this. It's a Zippo belt-clip. Enjoy.


Robert

RBruce

That is soooooo neat!

I don't smoke, but I may buy one just for the "GEEK" factor for my Zippoes and wannabe Zippoes.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

GREAT point... I hadn't thought about cannibalizing my beloved Zippo, but it would definitely WORK... thanks for the insight!

I just got two permanent matches in the mail and I have a couple of questions. Is there a simple way to fill it to the top without overflowing with fuel? What can I use to replace the wick if it is no longer good? Also, what is the best way to strike the match to get it to light consistently? That's all I can think of for now. Thanks.


Robert

I use a syringe with a needle to fill mine. It´s not a good idea to fill it to the top as the striker displaces some fluid. I keep the fluid level about 2 mm below the thread.
If you put the flame out when the fuel is gone the wick should stay good. I hold my match with the rod vertically and strike upwards. That works pretty well.

Well I may not be the best example. I fill mine up and then stick the match back an let it spill over a little. That's my way of being sure I have it completely full <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />. I normally use Zippo brand fluid and it evaporates so fast that I dont worry much about the spillage. I wipe it with a paper towel and then what's left is evaporated in seconds. As far as replacement wicks, I don't know. Considering that I can replace the entire unit for $2, I haven't really considered it. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

The only place I can find them is the internet. I got two and with shipping they averaged to about $5 each.

Brian,
What's your method of striking the permanent match to get it good and reliably lit.


Robert

IMCO?

Permanent match price range.

Double the cool factor of a Zippo.

YMMV <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I also have only found them on the Internet but since I do 90% of my shopping on the Net anyway, that is a non-issue for me.

I have found that for me the most reliable way to strike it is holding the match at 45 degree angle to the ferro rod and running it from the bottom to the top. This gives less spark overall (for me anyway) but puts the most spark on the match tinder. I figure that is a good method because not only do I get a more reliable light but I also dont waste that tiny little ferro rod by making excess spark.



Yeah I know ... the image was really unneccessary but I'm back in the office today and a little bored after my day off playing with fire and char cloth and my new knife.

Cool, thanks.


Robert

You can also get them in the Coglan's Tinder Kit, but the instructions were written by someone that did not know you put light fluid in them!!!
Here is a review

There was a table lighter sold that worked about the same, except that it lit when you pulled the match out of the holder...If anyone knows where to get one, please let me know.