Question about Zippo lighters.

[goldenlight]

I've owned several Zippos over the decades. Great lighters for the money.

Right now I have two: a standard size brushed chrome, and a 'slim' model in high polish chrome. Both are in near new condition. (I don't smoke, but I like bright shiny things that make fire...).

I've noticed something strange: the standard size Zippo usually lights on the first or second try, (indoors), and is *very* wind resistant.

However, the 'slim' model takes 4 or 5 tries to get it to light, (indoors), and is nowhere nearly as wind resistant as the standard size model. A fairly light breeze will blow it out. On a day that's mildly windy, it won't light at all

Both have Ronson flints in them, and Ronson fuel. So, it has to be the lighters themselves.The 'slim' lighter has been this way since it was new.

I get a great spark from the 'slim' one, and the wicks on both look pretty much the same. I can't figure it out.

Any ideas? TIA

 

[cutlerylover]

Hmmm, well sometimes Zippos will not light on the 1st strike because of the lack of oxogyn in the chimeny...Fire needs oxogyn to light and what happens is the lighetr fluid vapors build up in the chimney when its closed...So to deal with this issue all you have to do is when you opn the top of your lighter brush your thumb past the chimeny one time that will create enough of a breeze to get some air in there and it should light on the 1st try...You will find this happening on your slim model because the shimeny is smaller and a tighter space filled with fluid vapors from it being closed...that should sove your problem as far as lighting it goes...Now for keeping it lit in the wind...I have never had a problem with my slim models staying lit? Now you should always use Zippo brand products in Zippos like Zippo lighter fluid and Zippo flints, but thatbeign said I do not think using ronson productsm should really make that much of a difference to tell you the truth, for the most part is is all the same exact stuff witha different name on it...but here are a few tips you can try...1st, make sure that your wick is nice and clean (if it gets too burnt and blackened you can pull it up and snip off the black part, the full length of the wick is about 4" inside your lighter, most people don't know that) then make sure that you ahve enough fluid...but BE CAREFULL, many people overfill their zipos and that is dangerous...when filling it you should not see the puddle of fluid rising over the rayon balls (cotton) that is too much....and last but not least here is a trick I try...not many people know you can kind of adjust the flame on a zippo...if you bend the wick closer to the wheel the flame will be smaller, if you bend it away from the wheel it will be larger...try to bend it away from the wheel therefore more fluid vapors can escape and it may stay lit longer in the wind...So to recap, trim your wich, make sure there is enough fluid but not too much, then try ebnding your wick to adjust the flame...then get back to me and let me know if any of that worked for you!

 

[goldenlight]

Thanks for the tips! The wick on my 'slim' Zippo was considerably more blackened than the standard size one. Strange, because it's gotten much less use.

I used a needle nosed pliers to pull up the wick, and cut it with a wirecutter.

Now, it lights on the first or second try almost every time; a BIG improvement!

But, using the controlled wind of a small desk type fan indoors, the 'slim' Zippo stil has almost zero ability to stay lit in the wind, while the standard sized Zippo will stay lit always, about 3 feet from the fan on medium, and if I'm careful to keep the chimney at a right angle to the 'wind', it will even stay lit with the fan on high. I still don't understand this....

The flame in the standard sized Zippo is considerably larger than the 'slim' Zippo. (At least twice as big). I tried adjusting the wick as you suggested, in the 'slim' Zippo, and while I could make the flame size somewhat bigger or smaller, it didn't seem to help with wind resistance at all.

In any event, at least the 'slim' Zippo is now much easier to light, so it is much more useful than before.

While really large fires scare the cr@p out of me, if I ever suffer a complete personality meltdown, and become an arsonist, :thumbsdow :sick2:, I'll stick with the more wind resistant, standard size Zippo. Or the time honored 5 gallon can of gasoline, and wooden match.... :tinfoil: