Zippo style lighter dries out every 2 days

[JeffersLos]

I want to remedy this. 

 

I was given a gift of a personalized Zippo style lighter that I want to keep and use daily. However, after refilling, it has dried up and doesn't light after around 2 days. 

 

I use this lighter fluid to refill it.

 

 

I changed the flint, which was the only other part a little watch and lighter stall had, but still the same.

 

Is it likely the fluff inside it? Or the wick? 

 

Is it easy to buy better quality fluff and wicks here? Would that likely make it last a lot more than 2-3 days after refill? How long should they last before needing to be refilled again?

 

TIA.

[petermik]

It`s a built in health warning for you to give up smoking......

[JeffersLos]

Just now, petermik said:

It`s a built in health warning for you to give up smoking......

 

I don't smoke. 

[Michaelaway]

Sounds like the lighter has an air leak which causes the fluid to dry up quickly. Is the cap sitting tightly when closed? If so, maybe you can take out the cotton and try to to see if there's a hole or crack in the metal of the case. Maybe even blow through the body to find it. If/when you do find it, use a drop of super glue or epoxy to seal it. Anyways, that's what I'd do (I have a lot of lighters). Good luck.

[JeffersLos]

43 minutes ago, Michaelaway said:

Sounds like the lighter has an air leak which causes the fluid to dry up quickly. Is the cap sitting tightly when closed? If so, maybe you can take out the cotton and try to to see if there's a hole or crack in the metal of the case. Maybe even blow through the body to find it. If/when you do find it, use a drop of super glue or epoxy to seal it. Anyways, that's what I'd do (I have a lot of lighters). Good luck.

 

Thanks, I didn't think of that. ???? 

[wombat]

wants to use daily but doesn't smoke...where is that curious icon?

[JeffersLos]

1 hour ago, wombat said:

wants to use daily but doesn't smoke...where is that curious icon?

 

I guess you don't live in a house in South East Asia ????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The living room is lit with candles every evening as it's a much nicer glow and atmosphere than electric lights, scented oil burners in both the bedroom (lavender) and living room (different oils), incense sticks in the upstairs and downstairs bathrooms. ???? 

 

 

[Na Fan]

Its the cheap local fuel. Use original zippo fuel - yes, more ecpensive, but it lasts 10x longer

[pacovl46]

Unfortunately that’s par for the course with Zippo lighters, mine has the same problem and there’s nothing you can do about it apart from getting a wide rubber strap and putting that around the seam between the body of the lighter and the lid to seal it. Alternatively you could switch the insert to a butane one, which in the long run would be “healthier” than the lighter fluid. There’s a zippo shop in Bangkok somewhere that sells those inserts. You can also buy them online. I had one, but for some reason I could never really get it filled with the butane available in Thailand, apparently low quality lighter gas will clog the nozzle and the insert didn’t really fit properly into the case either. 
 

I just ended up buying a different lighter from dodoneed. Google dodoneed copper lighter. They’re bulky, but the evaporation problem is almost non-existent with those lighters. The fillings last “forever”. I can only highly recommend them. 

[zzaa09]

Remember in the good old days when mass produced commercial items were quality made with a sprinkling of ethnics in mind? 

This doesn't work throughout today's business market where profitable turnaround of cheaply made rules, whereas the practice of being replaced, repaired and continuous maintenance within a very short period are the accepted norms. 

 

I suspect there is a couple generations that have known little else and continue to assist in perpetuating this standard business model.

[Acharn]

I used to have that problem. I had a Zippo lighter that I really wanted to keep. I had even sent it to the factory once to be refurbished. Don't remember why, I think it was just because I hate the no-repair throw-away culture. I was born near the end of The Depression, and my parents instilled in me the old Yankee proverb: "Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, Or do without." Anyway, the daily temperature in Thailand causes the lighter fluid to evaporate quickly. My experience was the same as yours -- after two days it had to be refilled. I ended up reluctantly buying the disposable lighters. I was able to quit smoking ten years ago, so it's no longer a problem for me.

Edited March 23, 2021 by Acharn

[Golden Triangle]

They're candles & Joss sticks, just get a 10 baht lighter from your local shop ????????????????

 

 

Or one of these if image is everything.

Edited March 23, 2021 by Golden Triangle
Added pic

[JeffersLos]

3 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

They're candles & Joss sticks, just get a 10 baht lighter from your local shop ????????????????

 

......

 

15 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

I was given a gift of a personalized Zippo style lighter that I want to keep and use daily.

 

[Upnotover]

15 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

I was given a gift of a personalized Zippo style lighter that I want to keep and use daily. However, after refilling, it has dried up and doesn't light after around 2 days. 

I also had a personalised one and also liked to use it daily.  Exactly the same issue as you face.  Luckily I left it outside the house one evening and like anything not welded to the ground it was stolen.  At least that solved the drying out problem, I hope the thief was happy.

[worldexpress]

What do Zippos and women past menopause have in common?

[jvs]

On 3/23/2021 at 6:26 PM, pacovl46 said:

dodoneed copper lighter

Did you buy this in Thailand?info please?

 

[pacovl46]

4 hours ago, jvs said:

Did you buy this in Thailand?info please?

 

I saw it in a video about lighters on YouTube, then googled it and ordered it online. At the time I had already moved back to Germany. 

Edited March 25, 2021 by pacovl46

[voulez vous]

It's a real bummer when this happens to one of your favourite gadgets. I had a similar upset when my shoehorn broke. That was also a present; from a lovely Dutch lady. Tried superglue and hot-weld but no! In the end I just put it away and tried to forget it. Which I eventually did.

 

Have you tried shopping around for a repair shop? If not, I suggest filling it and holding the canister in water to see those tiny air bubbles; like they do with inner-tubes. If you can locate the hole you can then repair it.

 

Anyway; good luck. Hope it all gets sorted out satisfactorily.

Edited March 25, 2021 by voulez vous

[alacrity]

Bought a Zippo a long time ago in Dallas. After I had committed to the sale, the guy re-aligned the wick. Moving it closer to the filling point. Told me to refill weekly also. Never had a problem when applying those guidelines.

 

I don't smoke either. Just wanted a reliable lighter that beats rubbing sticks.

[Nojohndoe]

Ok. The post  eventually provided justification for wanting to  preserve the viability of an antique ignition system.

I just wonder if an investment in an air purifier has been  made to suck the she.et out of indoor air that is being generated by those various polluting combustions?

[Nojohndoe]

9 hours ago, Nojohndoe said:

Ok. The post  eventually provided justification for wanting to  preserve the viability of an antique ignition system.

I just wonder if an investment in an air purifier has been  made to suck the she.et out of indoor air that is being generated by those various polluting combustions?

To clarify that my comment above is  based on legitimate consideration perhaps the following link will be of interest.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2377255/

[ExpatOilWorker]

On 3/25/2021 at 12:04 PM, worldexpress said:

What do Zippos and women past menopause have in common?

They are both useless?