Pretty much a trait of the lighter. Zippos have a lot of plus points, but they are not great for a BoB. I recommend the humble Bic type lighter, with some sort of firesteel for a backup.

'Peanut' type lighters run on the same fuel as zippos but are airtight, so no evaporation.

 

Never heard of these lighters before. Apparently they have the "split pea" lighters too:

Anyone know of a good source where to get these at a reasonable price?

 

I am a smoker and have tried many lighters so trust me bic lighters are the best lighter out there:

 

I picked up one with a flip-top shell that resembles a cheap zippo knock off. Inside the shell is a refillable insert that is actually a nice, tight, jet-flame style of lighter. It's good camouflage, the only person who's tried to get it is my daughter.

 

I picked up one with a flip-top shell that resembles a cheap zippo knock off. Inside the shell is a refillable insert that is actually a nice, tight, jet-flame style of lighter. It's good camouflage, the inlet person who's tried to get it is my daughter.

A word of caution...the cheaper jet lighters have a tendency to break down for reasons that are sometimes only clear to the lighter.

As a smoker I have to give a thumbs up to the mini bic. Cheap and small enough to have several. Reliable...found one floating in a lake. Pretty clear from the grime build up that it was floating for awhile. Dried it off and worked like a champ.

Also I read somewhere that you can take out the inner stuffing of a zippo and re stuff it with cotton balls. Keep a couple of extra flints in the fuel chamber. If you ever run out you could still start a fire. In the interest of full disclosure I have done this but I have never tried to start a fire with the new stuffing and an empty Zippo.

 

It is a trait of these lighters.

There is a way I have kept them from drying up though. It worked for years. I wrap it in a layer of tin foil. Then a wrap a second layer. For good measure you can duct tape around that.

Had a zippo last 3 years on that method. I have another I packed away 4 years ago and I am going to try it next year to see if it lasted 5.

But once opened, your time is ticking again. Movie scenes where they light a zippo after 15 years is complete BS.

 

Zippo's are for smokers who burn the fuel up lighting cigarettes faster than the fuel evaporates. For long term storage, the refill containers will last because they are tightly sealed. Just store the zippo empty, and keep the refill containers un opened. Then when you need one, fill it for daily use.

or do what i do, just wet the wick with a bit of fresh fluid, light your fire place and never actually fill the lighter.

 

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ8BxUJaWO7yQSv048FwJhPUQncMHAeuN_BlTGztM9EU6tk_Y0&t=1&usg=__k8-aF7169Y-vd-W-_pY1W1Wcfw8=[/IMG]

Anyone know of a good source where to get these at a reasonable price?

I got one from ebay for 5.98 shipped from this seller. (no affiliation)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Peanut-Mini-Lig...Camping-boating-smoking-/280575848029?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41539fae5d

I'm happy with the transaction but not so much with the lighter. The wick on mine has to be soaking wet or it won't light. After 5-6 lights it doesn't have enough fuel to take the spark. I'm a smoker and to me the lighter is a novelty that I would never depend on.

HTH,
AO

 

Thanks for the review. Saves me the trouble. I agree though that it would certainly be a novelty item and conversation piece, but I am looking for functional and useful. So, appreciate the honest feedback!

 

I was wondering if I could seal a zippo up a bit to preserve the fuel??

I could cut a piece of bicycle inner tube and place it flat across the bottom before assembly to seal the bottom of the lighter AND cut a thick band from the same inner tube to wrap around the outside of the zippo to hold the lid down tight.

Will the zippo fuel react with the inner tube though??

Mark

 

easy fix I use a bicycle tube , I don't smoke so not much of a hassle

Not a critique, just a suggestion.

Why not store the zippo dry, and store the unopened bottle of fuel with it?

 

What different kinds of fuel can be used in a zippo anyway? I have a Zippo but I have never tried anything beside the zippo fuel you buy at the gas station. I would be neat if you could use alcohol or other flammable liquids.

 

In the BBC Survivors series they used gasoline in the zippo type lighters.
Is this a feasible alternative fuel?

 

easy fix I use a bicycle tube , I don't smoke so not much of a hassle

 

Thanks for the neat tip. Don't think I would have thought of that one.

Now this is why I like this forum. A lot of you guys have some really cool tips up your sleeves. So, sometimes I ask, what might seem like a "stupid" question, and I get back some brilliant answers!

 

Heres a link on the peanut lighters I have purchased 2 from them work well but not a Zippo
http://www.countycomm.com/splitpea.htm

 

Problems with Zippo lighters are numerous. They are heavy and super slick, which means they easily slide unnoticed out of your pocket when you sit or lay down. They leak and often run out of fluid at the most inconvenient times... and to carry extra fuel is not practical. They require a fair amount of supplies and maintenance to keep them going. If you go into a creek or river, etc. they will not function unless extra precautions are taken to keep them dry.

I am a smoker and ONLY use Bic lighters. They just work all the time... and it is easy enough to get extra flints from used Bics to keep just in case the one you are using spits the flint out (a rare occurrence, but one or two extra flints will fit anywhere). It is easy to see the amount of fluid left if held to the light (don't get the ones with plastic wrap graphics... they prevent fluid inspection, plus peel off if lighter is used as a bottle opener). Bic lighters also can be found in brown, which -if you need a "tactical lighter"- will fit right in with your cammies.

 

try an Imco Triplex Super. Holds fuel much longer than a zippo and just as dependable if not more.

 

^^^THIS^^^

I have been using one of these for several years now, still working great. The lid seals very tightly around the wick and they do not dry out like Zippos (I'm sure they will eventually, but we're talking months not days).

Another REALLY great feature of the Imco's is that the wick and fuel canister part can be removed while lit, you can hold it just like a candle or a match and easily use to light a lantern or tinder without having to hold it in some awkward angle to keep from burning your thumb. Also, it lights without having to touch the spark wheel with your thumb so it doesn't get your hands dirty.

Get them here on Amazon:
Amazon.com: Imco Windproof Petrol Lighter - Super Triplex / Single Packing: Health & Personal Care

 

I'll stick with the one I mentioned. Since I don't smoke (except the occasional Arturo Fuente,) I don't want one that's leaking in my pocket, or losing the fuel to evaporation. If it goes boom in the drier, that's ok, it was cheap and I'll get another.

The insert has the name "Z-plus!" imprinted on it, doesn't show up too good in the photos though.

The camera flash washes out the shell pretty bad, since that's shiny, but the insert is easy to handle. I've had it for a couple months and haven't had to fill it yet.

Since the filler port is at the bottom of the insert - I made sure to find it as soon as I bought it. The port is very well protected from random OTHER crap in my pockets. The port is at the edge, the other item you can see to the center of the bottom is for adjusting the jet.

So far, so good. Thinking of picking up several more.

 

I'll stick with the one I mentioned. Since I don't smoke (except the occasional Arturo Fuente,) I don't want one that's leaking in my pocket, or losing the fuel to evaporation. If it goes boom in the drier, that's ok, it was cheap and I'll get another.

The insert has the name "Z-plus!" imprinted on it, doesn't show up too good in the photos though.

So far, so good. Thinking of picking up several more.

Thanks for the suggestion as I had never heard of this insert before. Found this on YouTube

 

Nice Zippo Mod/Upgrade!

 

I was a heavy smoker for many years, quit about ten years back. Zippos are a great lighter for smokers but aren't ideal for survival, for all the reasons mentioned in this thread. The butane jet lighters are neat, but in my experience very finicky and prone to gunking / wear. In the video of the zippo insert, you can see the guy has to flick the lighter 2-3 times to get flame even when it's properly adjusted. And that thing was brand new.

I'm with everyone else suggesting Bic. They're simple, durable and reliable. I find that their fuel lasts a lot longer than other disposable lighters, especially the adjustable ones. Other disposables aren't as well built either, IMO. The metal tab over the thumbwheel is annoying, but easy to remove.

 

Bics are definitely the best lighters out there. Unless you are in a low oxygen environment, like deployed on a submarine for a long time. In those cases quartz Scriptos work great. The wheel style Sciptos are crap.

 

If you don't smoke, how about a simple ferro rod? You can even keep a small bottle of naptha or alcohol in your pack to make starting fires easier. Splash a little fuel on the tinder or kindling, shower it with sparks, and watch your fire start instantly.

 

I liked the old Ronson lighters. Their cap was a tight friction fit. Downside is you could lose the cap and they did not hold as much fluid as a Zippo. Fluid lasted a lot longer if storing though. Still, it is not as good as a BIC. Zippo is for smokers. BIC is for all purposes.

 

another neat tip for zippo users, if you need flints in a pinch you can use the one out of a used up bic lighter. all you do is put the flint in the zippo and tighten the screw until it makes contact with the striker. strike it a few times until you start to make a new groove in the flint and bingo, no cost/low cost flint replacement. most bics will still have quite a bit of flint leftover after its all used up. hope you guys find this useful.

 

The Zippo is for smokers and not for survival. I am a cigar smoker and have a Zippo and use it daily. A quick trip to Lowes and a pint of naptha and it is good to go.
The flints in a Bic lighter seem to wear quick in a Zippo due to being softer,, or something.
But for those not smoking every day you can't beat a Bic. or Fero rod for starting fires. Carry a small bottle of 2x2 guaze coated with petroleum jelly and a Bic and you can start a fire almost anywhere in any conditionl

 

I am a Zippo fan and a reformed smoker. I use them for cutting / sealing rope and lighting bbq pits. I am considering adding a zippo or two with maybe a half dozen flints each to my BOB. I would like to know more about the fuel (e.g. can it run alcohol).

 

I use zippos all the time. Sure they might not be the best lighter for long term survival but I think they're the best for regular use.

Try using a bic with any noticeable wind. This is where the zippo shines. You can wave your arm with it lit and it stays lit. Yea you have to fill it from time to time but its cheap to do. The zippo is also built to last and I have never broken any of mine. Ive seen bic lighters break a million times.

In the end not the best for long term survival but second to none imo for regular use.

 

Piezo .... you suck

I have well over 200 lighters from Dunhams to Zippos to Colibri's and many more.

1. Piezo lighters eventually fail, but don't (usually) leak

2. Zippo lighters leak but don't fail

3. Bics are great but eventually leak.

For my BOB I'm going for a bic with a fire steel and a mag block backup.

I may include a Zippo with a half dozen or more extra flints as an alternative.

Your thoughts ?

 

A bit of an old zippo collector, and smoker past.
They were once BIG only because of WWII, They were the first lighters in a sense. They stayed reliably dry unlike matches, could burn other fuels like oil/gas, kerosene, or alcohol mixtures, etc. If needed,Which was fine if you had resupply lines. And they were faster for flame than a flint or steel would be if needed, but the truth is they were for first and foremost for smokers They were not intended or carried for survival gear deliberately, but because it was all they had.

That said some petroleum Jelly spread over the fuel reserve wadding will slow evaporation. Foil would be a pain and Plastics would dissolve.

 

i store mine in small zip lock bags, seems to reduce the leakyness and evaporatorness, i also carry the fuel container. i think you can get a airline container for zippos, that stop them avaporating, like a air tight container..

i havnt tried using anything but zippo fuel in them, but i found quality fuels work best, the cheaper zippo lighter fuels evaporate, i think their is a gel you can get instead of liquid fuel for them.