Some pointers: - Weave the wick trough the cotton in the fuel tank so that it zig-zags from top to bottom trough the cotton balls. This helps the wick to cover as much of the fuel tank's total area as possible, enabling it to absorb fuel from a wide area. If the wick is all crumpled up to the top of the fuel tank, it will not come into contact with the fuel-laced cotton balls, and becomes deprived of fuel. The wick must pierce the cotton from top to bottom. - Make sure the wick itself isn't borked. Replace it where necessary. The wick will become ruined right quick, if you try to experiment with alt. ghetto fuels, like mineral turpentine. This is a big no-no. - When not using it, keep the Zippo wrapped up tightly in one of those see-trough plastic bags, that you'd ordinarily use to hold fruits in a grocery store. Wrap the whole thing around the lighter to create an air-tight bundle. This considerably slows down the rate at which the fuel vapors escape from the lighter. - If you're certain that the insert leaks more than it should, as a last ditch effort you could try to make it more air-tight by creating a seal from some plastic film. Improvise a small baggy from plastic, place the freshly fueled insert into the baggy and then stuff the insert /w baggy back into the Zippo's case. The plastic baggy between the insert and the case should make the Zippo somewhat more air-tight, so the vapors don't escape so quickly. - Try substituting the original cotton balls with the stuffing from your typical tampon. Tampon filling has somewhat better liquid retention ability. Don't overstuff the insert, or the balls won't have room to expand when you introduce the lighter fluid. Zippos are phenomenally reliable, if you learn to service them properly. If it weren't for the fuel evaporation issue, they'd be the ultimate lighters.
only after the essential first step of course: i always used a fork, but i guess this would work too, as long as you can get the pliers under the safety band.
Actually, that never bothered me. Plus, all of my friends would always remove that shit, so I'd leave mine on there so there would be question that it was my lighter. We all know how lighter thieves can be. lol
I don't have any experience that bics are better or lasting longer than those cheaper and similar but transparant lighters. I have the feeling they have marketed their brand quite well. Bics don't last much longer than a month here either, and when I buy 5 cheap ones for a euro I can last almost a year with it. Which means I have also no use for a zippo. I like the idea of refilling them but in reality I rarely do that.
i've never done a scientific study or anything, but in my experience bics do seem to last forever compared to not very long at all for the cheap lighters. more importantly, bics seem to consistently have the perfect flame automatically come out, whereas the cheap ones are all over the place. sometimes there's hardly a flame at all, and sometimes it's huge. yes, they are usually adjustable, but that's just not necessary with a bic, and even with adjustment the cheap ones sometimes change flame size suddenly for no apparent reason. it's been a while since i smoked regularly, but i also think i remember having issues with the cheap ones not wanting to light once they're half used if they're not being held upright.
As far as disposables go, I've recently taken a liking to these: The Torjet lighter out of UK Has also appeared under the Ktwo and Firelight brand names. Single flame torch, refillable. An absolute bang for the buck-fifty I paid for it. Will buy again.
Bought One Years Ago To Light Candles And Incense........Total Waste Of Money. If You Layed It On It's Side The Fluid Spilled Out.....Usually In Your Pocket...... Cheers Glen.
These cost the same (£1.00 poundland) and have a light too. You can refill them using the same gas canister you get for portable camping stoves. I've been using and refilling the same one now for about a year.
About a week, but it is dependent upon the season. In the winter about four days because of the wood stove. Are you sure that you are filling it all the way?
That's so funny! I used to love zippos when I was maybe 11 years old. I had one, somehow. I doubt my parents bought it for me. It must have come from somewhere though.