Zippo flame

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diff_lock2

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Sep 19, 2007
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Finland Turku
My zippo is burning with a partial flame, and its mostly blue or non-visible.

Is there some wick adjustments, or is it the fuel I am using?

I am looking for a more complete flame, and one that puts out more visible light so I might have a chance at using as a candle to see when needed.

Also the lantern fluid I used seems to have a high ignition temp, so high that the sparks aren't lighting the fluid. Could be something else though, since I think the sparks are pretty hot.
 
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I found the problem, its the lantern fuel. I tried deodorant, and that works great (hot invisible flame though).

Its time for me to find some zippo fuel. And a new wick, I raped this one trying to get the lantern fuel to work.
 
You dont nead zippo brand fuel but you shou;d be using lighter fluid...Ronson is a more easily found brand and is sold at most grocery stores by the smokeing stuff and or candle section...Also you cna adjust your flame height by moving the wick towards the spark wheel or away from it, towards it makes the flame smaller, and away make it bigger...
 
If you can't find Zippo or Ronson brand lighter fluid you may have better luck finding the raw chemicals.

Ronson lighter fluid is nothing but pure Naptha and Zippo fluid is just Liquid Paraffin.

They both burn pretty much the same, with a bright yellow flame but I prefer Zippo as the liquid paraffin won't cause chemical burns on your skin if the lighter happens to leak in your pocket.

HTH
 
My lantern fluid is paraffin based, but it just won't ignite with the flint and striker. I can light the zippo with a second lighter just fine and it burns good, but i cant start it with the sparks.

Also my wick is burning, thats wrong right?
 
diff_lock2 said:
Also my wick is burning, thats wrong right?
Click to expand...

Well it will burn overtime, but it shoud not go black right away on you...If its burnt and al thats left is the wire just use needle nose pliers and pull the wish up to reveal a new section, you have about 3 inches of new wick in your lighter...So each time it burns up you cna pull it up even with the top of the chimeny and snip off the crap...But obviously after you do that a few times you will need to replace the wick entirely with a new one, hahah...But they cna be found on ebay no problem...
 
Your lantern fuel is probably kerosene. Or hopefully a highly purified kerosene, cuz regular kerosene stinks so bad. It's not volatile enough to ignite or burn well in the Zippo. In fact pure kerosene isn't volatile at all at room temperature.

You need gasoline. The stuff you put in your car is very impure and will probably eventually gunk it up, but it can be used. Lighter fuel is clean but fairly expensive. The liquid Coleman fuel is probably the cheapest stuff at around $6 a gallon, but it makes me nervous storing a gallon in my apartment so I use the camp stove fuel that is sold by the quart in stores that cater to backpackers.

If you have kerosene in the lighter you may need to clean it out with gasoline because it won't evaporate on it's own. You could also clean it with mineral spirits or paint thinner. You could try using the mineral spirits in the Zippo as fuel, but I doubt it will work because it's not as volatile as gasoline.
 
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I would disassemble the lighter, replace the cotton balls, maybe snip the wick a bit and replace the flint. Then refill with lighter fluid and start over. It takes 4-5 small balls and the flints can be had at Walgreens or wherever.
 
ok, so I went to the local tabaco store and picked up a new wick and some zippo fuel (and flints, but thats not my problem). I cleaned the zippo lighter with a microfiber towel and aired it out with a hair drier.

With new cotton, a new wick and zippo fuel. This zippo now lights like zippo.

PROBLEM SOLVED.
 
Excellent!! Zippo`s are so very easy to take care of! I suggested to flints cuz one of my kids ran a flint to the nub after leaving the thing in his pants and it ran throught the washer.
 
diff_lock2 said:
ok, so I went to the local tabaco store and picked up a new wick and some zippo fuel (and flints, but thats not my problem). I cleaned the zippo lighter with a microfiber towel and aired it out with a hair drier.

With new cotton, a new wick and zippo fuel. This zippo now lights like zippo.

PROBLEM SOLVED.
Click to expand...


Cool, I like to hear happy endings, lol, you should store a few extra flints inder the pad in the insert so if your out and about and your flitn runs out you cna pop the insert out and there ya go you have a new flint to replace it right there and then so u cna use your lighter...

p.s. I have a flint changing vid in case anyone is interested...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-3rh6iYb-I
 
Yeah I saw that vid, (I watch all your vids). There was a small hole in my felt pad so I stuffed one flint piece in there.

Lets say I fill my zippo lighter up with zippo fuel. How long will it hold the fuel? I assume it evaporates out, its just a matter of time till it drys out.

Also, what is the "burn time", how long will the flame burn, theoretically.
 
I dont know an actual time, but I use mine to light cigars and that can take a couple of minutes. I was at wal mart today and there are many items for temp lighting such as long burning candles and battery operated lights. I would consider those rather than depending on a lighter as a light source
 
diff_lock2 said:
Yeah I saw that vid, (I watch all your vids). There was a small hole in my felt pad so I stuffed one flint piece in there.

Lets say I fill my zippo lighter up with zippo fuel. How long will it hold the fuel? I assume it evaporates out, its just a matter of time till it drys out.

Also, what is the "burn time", how long will the flame burn, theoretically.
Click to expand...


Well, yes it will evaporate out, most zippos last about a week with normal use, if you smoke often maybe 2-3 days before a refueling needs to take place...As for burn time good question? One day I will need to try that to actually see...A good tip though if you don't use your zippo often is to cut a 1 inch piece of bicycle inner tubing and use that and wrap it around your zippo over where the lid and base meet, that will make it air tight and not let the fuel evaporate out, but its a poajn to get on and off, so its reccomended if yoru storing your zipo for say camping or something similar, for everyday use with smoking its too much of a pain to take on and off...
 
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