What is your favorite LIGHTER?
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Coop
Flashlight Enthusiast
My Sarome SJ4-03 (03=Black version)
MacTech
Enlightened
Zippo Lighter capsule review/roundup
Since I now own four Zippos (I don't smoke), I just like to have the ability to make fire, and lets admit it, a small metal box that makes fire is quite cool (well, technically it's hot, but.....), I figured I'd write a quick review of them, as they all have a slightly different feel and sound to them
My Zippo collection comprises of;
Satin chrome finish, my first Zippo
Brushed Brass
Granite (gray flecked paint)
Armor Brushed Brass (case is 1.5 times thicker than a standard Zippo)
Satin Chrome Zippo; the bog-standard $9 Zippo, a matte silver finish, mundane, boring, forgettable, they churn these out by the thousands
the satin finish sits right on the border between slippery and grippable but smooth, depending on your fingers, it can seem quite grippy one moment, and the next, feel like it;s been coated in butter, the classic Zippo opening "Klink" is unmistakeable and loud, as is the click of it snapping closed, this particular model is somewhat tempermental when it comes to lighting though, sometimes it lights on the first turn of the striker wheel, other times it can take multiple strikes
Overall rating; 6 out of 10, good, but not great
Brushed Brass Zippo; I *LOVE* this one, it's a little bit heavier than the SC, the opening "klink" is a little deeper, and the brushed brass finish is very grippable, the insert is brass-toned steel, and this Zippo lights reliably, first time, every time, it looks, sounds, and feels like a classy lighter
the only downside of this lighter (and any brass lighter) is the fact that it'll require cleaning to prevent tarnishing, if I want it to stay shiny and not get any character marks, I'll have to keep it in it's case
Overall rating; 9 out of 10, great lighter
Granite; This one I actually *dislike*, the Granite paint makes the opening stiff, and slightly mutes the distinctive Zippo Klink, the cap is also slightly misaligned, it does not close fully (99.999% closed, but there is a small visible gap between the base and cap, it's within Zippo spec, but it just feels mediocre
Overall rating; 4 out of 10, Meh, I've seen better
Armor Brushed Brass Zippo; the Armor line of Zippos have a case that's 1.5 times thicker than their standard lighters, these lighters have a nice, solid heft, and balance well in hand, the only downside I see with the Armor Brass is that the Zippo Klink is more muted** on this one, probably due to the thicker case material not resonating as well as the standard Brass or Satin lighters
the Armor series just feels like a solid chunk of metal, and give you a confidence the thinner walled lighters may not, the Armor Brass seems to beg "C'mon, drop me in your pocket with keys and change, I can take it, I'm TOUGH! Gimme some CHARACTER MARKS, dammit!", it just feels....rugged, and, of course, it lights on the first strike, every time
Overall rating; 10 out of 10, perfect!
**after playing with the Armor Brass for a few minutes, the Klink is indeed getting louder, I'm revising the score to a perfect 10
Since I now own four Zippos (I don't smoke), I just like to have the ability to make fire, and lets admit it, a small metal box that makes fire is quite cool (well, technically it's hot, but.....), I figured I'd write a quick review of them, as they all have a slightly different feel and sound to them
My Zippo collection comprises of;
Satin chrome finish, my first Zippo
Brushed Brass
Granite (gray flecked paint)
Armor Brushed Brass (case is 1.5 times thicker than a standard Zippo)
Satin Chrome Zippo; the bog-standard $9 Zippo, a matte silver finish, mundane, boring, forgettable, they churn these out by the thousands
the satin finish sits right on the border between slippery and grippable but smooth, depending on your fingers, it can seem quite grippy one moment, and the next, feel like it;s been coated in butter, the classic Zippo opening "Klink" is unmistakeable and loud, as is the click of it snapping closed, this particular model is somewhat tempermental when it comes to lighting though, sometimes it lights on the first turn of the striker wheel, other times it can take multiple strikes
Overall rating; 6 out of 10, good, but not great
Brushed Brass Zippo; I *LOVE* this one, it's a little bit heavier than the SC, the opening "klink" is a little deeper, and the brushed brass finish is very grippable, the insert is brass-toned steel, and this Zippo lights reliably, first time, every time, it looks, sounds, and feels like a classy lighter
the only downside of this lighter (and any brass lighter) is the fact that it'll require cleaning to prevent tarnishing, if I want it to stay shiny and not get any character marks, I'll have to keep it in it's case
Overall rating; 9 out of 10, great lighter
Granite; This one I actually *dislike*, the Granite paint makes the opening stiff, and slightly mutes the distinctive Zippo Klink, the cap is also slightly misaligned, it does not close fully (99.999% closed, but there is a small visible gap between the base and cap, it's within Zippo spec, but it just feels mediocre
Overall rating; 4 out of 10, Meh, I've seen better
Armor Brushed Brass Zippo; the Armor line of Zippos have a case that's 1.5 times thicker than their standard lighters, these lighters have a nice, solid heft, and balance well in hand, the only downside I see with the Armor Brass is that the Zippo Klink is more muted** on this one, probably due to the thicker case material not resonating as well as the standard Brass or Satin lighters
the Armor series just feels like a solid chunk of metal, and give you a confidence the thinner walled lighters may not, the Armor Brass seems to beg "C'mon, drop me in your pocket with keys and change, I can take it, I'm TOUGH! Gimme some CHARACTER MARKS, dammit!", it just feels....rugged, and, of course, it lights on the first strike, every time
Overall rating; 10 out of 10, perfect!
**after playing with the Armor Brass for a few minutes, the Klink is indeed getting louder, I'm revising the score to a perfect 10
Ritch
Enlightened
I am trusting in my Windmill Classic, it has never failed. On the other hand I like to use cheap plastic lighters, it's not so bad if you lose one.
> richard
> richard
Uncle Bob
Enlightened
I only have one purchased last winter on sale at Target. It's a Coleman windproof butane with a flip-top made by Colibri. It should complement my waterproof matches.
PlayboyJoeShmoe
Flashaholic
I carry a little SS o-ring sealed "zippo" at the bottom of my RF pocket.
A regular flip top Zippo was usually dry when I needed it.
I am loath to carry a butane as I feel in certain situations I could be letting butane out while in my pocket. I suppose if there was a fairly small butane with a lid it would better suit my needs....
Any recs?
A regular flip top Zippo was usually dry when I needed it.
I am loath to carry a butane as I feel in certain situations I could be letting butane out while in my pocket. I suppose if there was a fairly small butane with a lid it would better suit my needs....
Any recs?
TigerhawkT3
Flashlight Enthusiast
I have a Colibri Trident that works reliably. It's kind of cool having three kinds of fire.
I've tried lots of little butane torches, from cheap China stuff to a Solder-It Micro-Jet, and they all start out working fine, then eventually stop working properly and don't really get back to their original power and reliability (and yes, I do know how to refuel ).
It's kind of a pain, but a flint and steel with some Mg shavings works well enough.
If all else fails, a fun method is pouring gasoline over the firewood and tossing a lit match into it. :devil:
I've tried lots of little butane torches, from cheap China stuff to a Solder-It Micro-Jet, and they all start out working fine, then eventually stop working properly and don't really get back to their original power and reliability (and yes, I do know how to refuel
).It's kind of a pain, but a flint and steel with some Mg shavings works well enough.
If all else fails, a fun method is pouring gasoline over the firewood and tossing a lit match into it. :devil:
eluminator
Flashlight Enthusiast
I've tried lots of little butane torches, from cheap China stuff to a Solder-It Micro-Jet, and they all start out working fine, then eventually stop working properly and don't really get back to their original power and reliability (and yes, I do know how to refuel
If you use Ronson butane, that might explain it. My theory is the oil in the butane plugs up the vaporizer tube used in modern lighters.
I've had another problem with cheap "torch" lighters. The piezo igniter stops working because the trip hammer stops tripping.
guyg
Newly Enlightened
You can sent that Zippo in and they have a lifetime warranty.I don't smoke but... I edc a Black Crackle Zippo w/ Z-plus Butane Insert. The hinge is wobbly though and sometimes doesn't "click" open, maybe I'll look into an Armor Brass Zippo.
Something about having fire in a little metal box always gets me...that and flicking it open and shut 500 times)
Mayo
PS: AMERICAN MADE!
I have heard of this, I may just have to look into it. I do love the Black Crackle texture!
So basically you guys are saying my Butane insert is gonna go
sooner or later? Bummer!
Hey joe, any links to a prefered size O-ring for your zippo?
Mayo
So basically you guys are saying my Butane insert is gonna go
sooner or later? Bummer!Hey joe, any links to a prefered size O-ring for your zippo?
Mayo
GarageBoy
Flashlight Enthusiast
Other solution: wrap zippo in a bike inner tube.
I used to be a Vector/Prometheus/Colibri Xtreme fan- too bad they all died. Cool "features" though
I used to be a Vector/Prometheus/Colibri Xtreme fan- too bad they all died. Cool "features" though
RAF_Groundcrew
Enlightened
My Titanium Zippo !
I have never smoked, but I love the Zippo 'brand' - so simple. The Ti Zippo is noticeably lighter in the hand than the brass bodied zippos.
The 'clink' is different too, higher and sharper I would say, than the brass cased zippos.
I don't even carry it every day, I generally only use it when I'm polishing my shoes or boots.
I have never smoked, but I love the Zippo 'brand' - so simple. The Ti Zippo is noticeably lighter in the hand than the brass bodied zippos.
The 'clink' is different too, higher and sharper I would say, than the brass cased zippos.
I don't even carry it every day, I generally only use it when I'm polishing my shoes or boots.
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tradderran
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2006
- Messages
- 170
custom ha3 zippo. the only way to fly
StarHalo
Flashaholic
I sold and maintained Zippos for several years at a cigar shop, and can say definitively that the Zippo lighter is alongside the Willys Army Jeep and Maglite when it comes to solid and pragmatic American engineering; you can get something nicer if you want to spend more, but it is the standard for its price point and bang-for-the-buck quality.
I'd advise that if you're even remotely interested in the idea of owning a Zippo to flip through their catalog, it's HUGE, and covers hundreds of various designs and specialty interests. And once you're done there, look around the internet for the many various aftermarket places that do their own unique Zippo art (an example; I own all the Coop "devil girls" http://www.coopstuff.com/Pages/Lighters.html :devil: )
I'd advise that if you're even remotely interested in the idea of owning a Zippo to flip through their catalog, it's HUGE, and covers hundreds of various designs and specialty interests. And once you're done there, look around the internet for the many various aftermarket places that do their own unique Zippo art (an example; I own all the Coop "devil girls" http://www.coopstuff.com/Pages/Lighters.html :devil: )
PlayboyJoeShmoe
Flashaholic
Only place a standard or fancy Zippo falls short is for the once in a blue moon user.
Always dry when I wanted to use it.
The little o-ring sealed oil lighter I carry works pretty good and when I want it to.
But a better wind flame butane is what I'm looking for.
Always dry when I wanted to use it.
The little o-ring sealed oil lighter I carry works pretty good and when I want it to.
But a better wind flame butane is what I'm looking for.
souptree
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2005
- Messages
- 1,175
My favorite lighter is a Bic. My second favorite lighter is a Bic also. Two is one, you know.
eluminator
Flashlight Enthusiast
My favorite lighter is a 50 year old Ronson Varaflame Windlite. There is a catch though. I spent a lot of effort replacing the rubber seals.
Chrontius
Flashlight Enthusiast
I hear that the fluid will evaporate if not used in a timely manner, any truth behind this?
http://www.blazerproducts.com/blazerLighters/
my next lighter for sure!
(PB207-CR)
Mayo
Yes. I've since switched to carrying a butane jet-lighter - better for lighting fuzes anyway.
:naughty:
My favorite lighter is a Bic. My second favorite lighter is a Bic also. Two is one, you know.
knock yerself out Soup - go for 3!I carried a posh Porsche Design butane torch lighter when I took a ride to the top of Jungfrau (11,332ft) but it failed miserably, the only person I could bum a light off was a dude with a bic:thumbsup:.
My current favorate lighter, old school flame.
Cheers to Praetor for posting pics of a similar lighter elsewhere that got me hooked on this one:thumbsup:.
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Still love my Zippos!! I've tried butane, it's a pain, I've tried the smaller Zippos, they run out of fuel WAY to fast!! I have several broken lighters I need to send in, and really need the Ti version!!
The only time a Zippo lets you down is if you run out of fluid or flints!
The only time a Zippo lets you down is if you run out of fluid or flints!
