Can you recomend a lighter?

kirk13 · **on:** December 31, 2011, 01:43:10 AM

Surprised myself the other night...I've been using a cheap disposable lighter to melt the ends of paracord dodas,and I found I was just about out of fuel!No biggy to buy more disposables,but I'd rather have something a bit more perminant,some thing that could fit into my edc,or be handy in the even of a braai(bbq)or having to bug out!

Basic parameters are:cost+/-£20,preferably Butane,preferably electronic ignition,and if its wind proof so much the better,but not a deal breaker if it isnt.

First thoughts were to look at Zippos.Never had one,are there any pros or cons?Yes I know they're usually petrol.Are they about coolness over performance?

I'm drawn towards Ronson,because my Dad always used Ronsons when I was kid,and these look like they might be winners:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Dust-Ronson-Lighter-Personalised/dp/B004O7WEHC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1224C2GYMYFX5&colid=ZR7C3IPPHM2B
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ronson-Pebble-Pewter/dp/B001J6KV94/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2FSB0ZWL35JET&colid=ZR7C3IPPHM2B

So...any thoughts,ideas,experiances or feed back?

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #1 on:** December 31, 2011, 01:51:42 AM

I'd get a small jet flame over a Zippo. As much as I like Zippos, they are smelly and almost always out of fluid since it evaporates quickly. They also don't heat as fast as other lighters, meaning you'll probably take more time to singe cord ends.

I'd suggest getting a good jet flame lighter- they produce a lot of heat quickly and can be had for a reasonable price. They don't take a lot of fluid either, and unlike a Zippo the fuel won't evaporate.

I used to have a Colibri, but there are a number of good ones for a reasonable price.

Def

5hif7y · **Reply #2 on:** December 31, 2011, 01:57:56 AM

if you still interested in a zippo you could change the insert to a butane insert. this way you can pick what style zippo and still have the style of lighter you want. and it shouldn't cost you over to budget.

http://www.amazon.com/Thunderbird-Torch-Lighter-Insert-Lighters/dp/B0049K2TR4

i dont have one so i cant tell you what they are like but ive read good things about them.

MirrorEdge · **Reply #3 on:** December 31, 2011, 04:20:01 AM

Bic lighters
Cheap and good

kirk13 · **Reply #4 on:** December 31, 2011, 05:07:10 AM

Quote from: 3bdul3zeez on December 31, 2011, 04:20:01 AM

Bic lighters
Cheap and good

Your not wrong,but I'm looking for something more perminant

2xTap · **Reply #5 on:** December 31, 2011, 07:46:54 AM

If you like Zippo but want a Butane, they do make a line of Butane-specific lighters called BLU......

http://www.zippo.com/lighters.aspx?id=1227

2xTap

dks · **Reply #6 on:** December 31, 2011, 08:07:14 AM

colibri and their brands e.g firebird, have some good jet ones. Also eurojet. but test it first. I am also fond of my pistol an my cannon novelty lighters. imported from China for under 5 dollars each, I think ! If you want to light cigars get a twin flame jet lighter. For that money you want to spend you should be able to get something that you enjoy using and looking at.

EDIT: Adding a picture:
From the left: Firebird (10 years old now) by Colibri with leather wrapping (Cowboy cool!), Pierre Cardin, Cannon, Eurojet (the black is well beat up and about 10 years old but still works ok, the silver one is newish but hard to operate; too tight), pistol lighter..

Note that jet lighters can be a pain to re-fill. There was a thread about that here a few months back..

Flying Dutchman · **Reply #7 on:** December 31, 2011, 09:18:19 AM

Colibri is a nice brand, I have one. Another that I like is shown here: http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,32850.0.html

For $5, its pretty cool.

enki_ck · **Reply #8 on:** December 31, 2011, 05:09:36 PM

Get an IMCO. They look classier than a Zippo, are reliable, hold their fuel 3 times longer than a Zippo. There are a lot of us IMCO fans around here. I personally prefer the Streamline but the Triplex and the Junior are great too.

Take a look at EDCGears review of it.

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,2630.msg449718.html#msg449718

kirk13 · **Reply #9 on:** December 31, 2011, 05:46:49 PM

Oh dear....

I've won a Ronson Pebble on ebay a bit earlier today(new,£12 delivered),but this lighter lark is starting to look interesting!

I like the idea of fitting a butane lighter into a Zippo case(cheers 5hif7y!),Colibris look cool too!

As a tangent,I kinda a wee bit bummed.I found out that Ronsons are American,I always thought they were British!Still,live and learn!

grimm_kaosboy · **Reply #10 on:** January 03, 2012, 04:07:43 PM

While I do like a Zippo, they do evaporate quickly. So unless you want to top one off every week a butane insert is the way to go. Grab some bic disposables for long term SHTF senarios, they cant be beat. Then grab a Zippo or Colibri for style points

edcgear · **Reply #11 on:** January 03, 2012, 06:44:00 PM

I have a Butane insert for Zippo. And I love it!!!

It's Z-Plus butane torch insert. You can find that for arround 15$... Only thing is, get yourself steel zippo, it won't look good in Brass or Copper...

All the rest... Awesome!!!

It endured bit over 2 weeks with fuel, and keep in mind I'm hardcore smoker...

Also it doesn't leak, it stayed filled for few weeks in my drawer (I had an urge to switch back to standard Zippo insert with petrol just for cool factor...)

Woz · **Reply #12 on:** January 03, 2012, 07:32:30 PM

I kind of fell in love with the look of the new Wenger lighters. They are expensive, but hey, they are Wengers!

Still, when it comes to cheap EDC lighters I will always get an Imco flint and wick lighter. Great value, and they keep the fluid much longer than Zippos.

Adam Clark · **Reply #13 on:** January 04, 2012, 01:55:26 AM

a good quality butane torch style lighter..... the regular BIC lighters are always in my pocket too.

But if you wanna go in style:

Adam Clark · **Reply #14 on:** January 04, 2012, 01:58:17 AM

here's another one.... a while back, Leatherman had an ad campaign for the WAVE tool. It featured the BIONIC LOBSTER:

turnsouth · **Reply #15 on:** January 04, 2012, 03:12:21 AM

I've often wondered with the way the French have the world market cornered with the Bic, why they never came up with a "drop in" disposable for the Zippo. Seems like it would be a hit (I would buy them...)

Sazabi · **Reply #16 on:** January 04, 2012, 04:53:47 PM

Quote from: turnsouth on January 04, 2012, 03:12:21 AM

I've often wondered with the way the French have the world market cornered with the Bic, why they never came up with a "drop in" disposable for the Zippo. Seems like it would be a hit (I would buy them...)

Though not disposable, the two best refillable butane inserts for the Zippo are the Z-Plus, which uses piezoelectric ignition, and the Thunderbird insert, which is similar to the standard Zippo insert, but uses butane instead.

kmanct3 · **Reply #17 on:** January 04, 2012, 06:59:57 PM

I did not realize how expensive the wenger lighters are.saw some on ebay,, nice lighters.

rayraychil · **Reply #18 on:** January 05, 2012, 10:02:04 PM

I have had one of these Silva Helois babies for aroun 10 years I think from memory may be less but it is a great tool and has only let me down when I forgot to refill the gas when it has gas it always does it's thing, I love Zippos as well I have 2 of the common petrol Zippo but tend to use these as backups.
The Helios one does the job every time every where gets very hot great for melting para cord as wella s lighting fires.

http://www.naturessecretlarder.co.uk/bushcraft-equipment-reviews/silva-helios-storm-lighter-review.htm

kirk13 · **Reply #19 on:** January 06, 2012, 07:48:05 PM

Well the Ronson arrived,and I got to say I'm very pleased with it.Its not as big,or quite as butch as the Varioflame my dad used to use,but sits nicely in the hand.

And it came in a tin!Doesnt mean much,but its a classy touch

Singh · **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2012, 07:09:56 PM

Do they make butane zippo inserts for the small zippos? I have a small zippo (not the the standard size) and I'd be interested in getting butane guts for it.

edcgear · **Reply #21 on:** January 07, 2012, 07:14:34 PM

Quote from: shamus on January 07, 2012, 07:09:56 PM

Do they make butane zippo inserts for the small zippos? I have a small zippo (not the the standard size) and I'd be interested in getting butane guts for it.

No they don't... And it's a shame... I'm a fan of slim Zippo's too. I was thinking on writing a mail to Z-Plus about that...

AND I WANT THIS LIGHTER!!!!

or any other of those WWII nose art pinups....

This one

tattoosteve99 · **Reply #22 on:** January 07, 2012, 08:05:15 PM

I tried the z-plus to slim email

. It's just not popular enough. I like the slimmer ones better too.

edcgear · **Reply #23 on:** January 07, 2012, 08:08:43 PM

Quote from: tattoosteve99 on January 07, 2012, 08:05:15 PM

I tried the z-plus to slim email . It's just not popular enough. I like the slimmer ones better too.

Well that make 3 of us... If that doesn't make it popular, don't know what would...

Singh · **Reply #24 on:** January 08, 2012, 04:21:32 PM

DRAT! I want to put butane guts in this lighter:

bquinlan · **Reply #25 on:** January 08, 2012, 09:47:50 PM

Quote from: kirk13 on December 31, 2011, 01:43:10 AM

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Dust-Ronson-Lighter-Personalised/dp/B004O7WEHC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1224C2GYMYFX5&colid=ZR7C3IPPHM2B
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ronson-Pebble-Pewter/dp/B001J6KV94/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2FSB0ZWL35JET&colid=ZR7C3IPPHM2B

I really like the looks of both of those. Can anyone tell me how to find them in the US? Neither the Ronson site or Amazon US show any signs of either.

Thanks!

--Bob Q

kirk13 · **Reply #26 on:** January 08, 2012, 10:37:58 PM

Quote from: bquinlan on January 08, 2012, 09:47:50 PM

Quote from: kirk13 on December 31, 2011, 01:43:10 AM
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Dust-Ronson-Lighter-Personalised/dp/B004O7WEHC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1224C2GYMYFX5&colid=ZR7C3IPPHM2B
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ronson-Pebble-Pewter/dp/B001J6KV94/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2FSB0ZWL35JET&colid=ZR7C3IPPHM2B

I really like the looks of both of those. Can anyone tell me how to find them in the US? Neither the Ronson site or Amazon US show any signs of either.

Thanks!

--Bob Q

Have a look here
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Tobacciana-Smoking-/593/i.html?_catref=1&_ssn=a1_gift_store_uk&_trksid=p3911.c0.m1538
If it doesnt pan out,pm me,we can see what we can work out

tattoosteve99 · **Reply #27 on:** January 08, 2012, 11:37:35 PM

Quote from: edcgear on January 07, 2012, 08:08:43 PM

Quote from: tattoosteve99 on January 07, 2012, 08:05:15 PM
I tried the z-plus to slim email . It's just not popular enough. I like the slimmer ones better too.

Well that make 3 of us... If that doesn't make it popular, don't know what would...

This sounds like a good next project for me to find a solution for

.

Heinz Doofenshmirtz · **Reply #28 on:** January 12, 2012, 07:29:48 PM

My next lighter is going to be an Imco or a County Comm peanut lighter... I'm off piezo ignition lighters for good.

I had a Windmill Trekker for a couple of years and it was far from reliable. It's advertised as being a "survival" or 'adventuring' lighter, but it performs very poorly in that role. It wouldn't ever light at altitude, regardless of the gas level setting. Anything above about 3,500 ft and it simply wouldn't work.

A couple winters ago I hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls with my wife in the middle of January, and once we were on trail and going up, it just wouldn't work at all. I thought it might be an issue with the cold, so I stuck it on my neck lanyard and kept it under my jacket, but it made no difference. Absolutely ZERO ignition in any way, shape, or form.

To add insult to injury, it completely crapped out a couple of weeks after the two year warranty expired. At the very least, I will never buy another Windmill POS again.

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Can you recomend a lighter?

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