Better than a Zippo???

Junkyard

Junkyard

Joined
Aug 8, 2002
Messages
710
I'm kind of new to the survival subject, however I am definitly a gear nut. I am totally intrigued by some of the info in this forum.
I have carried a zippo for 8 years, (I do not smoke,) but I always thought that it is a good idea to have a fire starter with me. I also keep extra flints in the base of it to make sparks after the fuel runs out, ( a friend showed me this.) Anyway, I was wondering, what lighters would you recommend instead of a Zippo. Are there any lighters that are better suited for survival and EDC? Links and Pictures would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Jason
 
Your Zippo will light in any weather. Butane and cold temperatures don't go well together.

Paul
 
So would you guys say that the zippo is the best survival and EDC lighter?

Thanks,
Jason
 
my zippo has NEVER failed me, i went through 10-20 butane lighters first then settled on a zippo, by far the best $20 i have ever spent on a lighter.
 
I'll second that. I spent a fortune on a Windmill POS. After the first refil it clogged the valve!

You can get a 3rd part tank for the Zippo that replaces the cotton wadding or whatever it's made from and I beleive it gives you about 2~3 times the volume of fuel.
 
But how about a lighter you just want to hide away and use in an emergency? Doesn't the Zippo fluid evaporate over time?
 
If you want to hide a fire starter away, get a ferro rod.
Zippo is the best, most reliable lighter at any price.

Paul
 
storing the Zip for any longer than a week, even when it was full to begin with, and you'll end up with a dry lighter.

I use Camping fuel for my zippo's as well as camping stoves and such so it's not much of a stretch for me to have a supply of extra fuel in my pack, or small bottle of it in a "buttpack" or "daypack".

In any case, never rely on just one type of firestarter. Have them all... matches, lighters, ferro-rods. Have a few of each.
 
I am also a huge fan of zippos, for both the usefulness as well as the nostalgia.

I filled up a zippo and kept it in my garage where it's cold, and it didn't evaporate to empty for 3 or 4 weeks. I'm sure it was evaporating, but the cold seemed to slow the process down.

On the down side, it was very hard to light when cold. When I brought it into the house for an hour, it would light up immediately. I suppose in the wild you could simply carry it in your pocket, but I was still a little disappointed. I will try this with other zippos to see if this one is defective.

Still love them, and agree with others about having multiple fire starters.
 
I'm afraid you guys are giving bad information regarding the length of time a Zippo will retain its fuel.

Didn't you see the movie "The Postman," starring Kevin Costner? Remember the scene where Costner is about to die of hypothermia, then finds the old, long wrecked car, with the skeleton of the "postman"? Costner finds a Zippo in the skeleton's clothes and immediately, it lights, and he builds a fire and saves his life. No telling how long the skeleton had been "dead," but obviously, it had been for months, even years... therefore, a Zippo will retain its fuel for months... or even years.

I saw it in the movies, and we all know that whatever we see in the movies, is TRUE!

So fill up that old Zippo with fuel and never worry about it again.

L.W.
 
Thanks guys, there is good info on this forum. I think that I will end my search for a better EDC lighter, and just stick with my zippo.
I do have a question though, does anyone know about the third part tank that Temper spoke of? If so, does it work and where can I get one?

Thanks,
Jason
 
I don't know... Over at the Ranger digest ( http://therangerdigest.com ) "Ranger Rick" has a few nasty things to say about zippos. To quote from his "Fire making" page:

"Zippo Lighters - A long time ago I read a 'three page'
article in the American Survival Guide magazine written
by some survival guru (or idiot) on how wonderful he
thought Zippo Lighters were for starting fires. Yep,
they're pretty durable all right. And yep, sure are easy
to use. And yep, will start a fire in seconds too. Ya
don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure this out,
duh?

"The Problem? Anyone who has ever owned a Zippo will tell
you the lighter fluid doesn't last very long, and so you
either gotta refill it everyday or carry some around with
you. (Duh!)

"To the writer of that 'Zippo article…' don't take this
personal, but I think you're an idiot!"

Just food for thought.
 
"The Problem? Anyone who has ever owned a Zippo will tell
you the lighter fluid doesn't last very long, and so you
either gotta refill it everyday or carry some around with
you. (Duh!) . . ."

So? What's the problem? Carry a little fuel bottle. It is still more reliable than any other lighter, and will burn nearly any fuel.

"To the writer of that 'Zippo article…' don't take this
personal, but I think you're an idiot!"

I think anyone who devotes that much effort to bashing an obviously very successful and well liked product is an idiot. If you don't like them, use something else (Duh).

Scott
 
I like trench lighters, what soldiers used during WW1. They are totally waterproof and will start in any weather.. And, the fluib won't evaporate. As far as zippos go, rather than using lighter fluid.. try rubbing alcahol, it doesn't start as easily, but, it won't evaporate away on you.
 
it also burns colder and smokier than any other alcohol. For that exact reason, experienced campers who use alcohol stoves avoid it like the plague. Alcohol also evaporates faster than lighter fluid... what is left when you think it's still got fuel is the water that's added. Stick with lighter fluid or Camp Gas. In dire emergencies, gasoline, diesel and kerosene will work as well, but be prepared for nasty fumes. The best bet is to have a small container of lighter fluid closeby, and if size is an issue, try washing out an empty Visine bottle and after drying, fill it with lighter fluid.

Also, about Ranger Rick, he was bashing everything out there because he's selling his firestsarter which is essentially a disposable butane lighter with the butane reservoir removed. The attitude he used in bashing the Zippo was one of "tongue in cheek" where I don't think he really thought anyone would believe him and chuck their Zippo for his firestarter. But then, everyone knows that Rangers aren't the smartest guys in the Army, just the guys with the least sensitivity to pain.
 
I still have my old brass Zippo - stopped smoking over a dozen years ago - and keep it with a bunch of other relics that I love. But, face it, as a fire starter, particularly one you might need in an emergency, it is no match (oops, poor pun!) for a modern BIC. I have carried a small BIC wrapped in a couple layers of cling wrap in my Altoids kit for several years - check it from time to time - and it still has plenty of fuel and still works. I also carry a flint firestarter as a back up.

A Zippo needs to be checked regularly, needs replacement flints and reliable as it has been proven, still has many faults: for example, fuel can evaporate if it is left opened or very quickly in a hot climate.

Keep those Zippos for old time sake, but rely on something more dependable.
 
Lifeboat-style matches - the ones with the coated heads about half the length of the matchstick. They light in wind and rain and last about 20 seconds though you ought to test the brand if it isn't actually Lifeboat.

A little Bic lighter and a box of Lifeboats in clingfilm are together probably not much bigger than a Zippo and possibly not as heavy. Ordinary Swan Vestas (the type of match that will light on anything) in a film canister with a strike strip are quite nice to have as well.

That said, this thread is an education. Never knew all this about Zippos before!
 
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