Bic Lighter Flints

V

Vivi

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I saw someone talking about the flints from Bic lighters here once and I can't remember what they did with them. They seem too short to use like a normal fire steel, so what do you use them for once you've taken them out of the empty lighters?
 
People use them to replace Zippo flints. I have taken them apart but have never been able reinsert a flint back into a Bic lighter.
 
I was surprised when it was propelled out by the spring myself. :D

I caught some napkins on fire using the flint and a Vic Classic. Hahah. Don't know what I''ll do with it seein gas I don't have a Zippo.
 
Hi Vivi....

I've made a fire started using them,, by filing a groove into a piece of hardwood, and expoxying about 6-8 scavenged lighter flints into the groove...

Works pretty well...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Not to be a "topic revive-er" But I've got a question...

How many "flicks" does the flint ine a bic lighter last?
 
Hey Darth...

Not sure how many flicks you get,, but the flints outlast the lighter fluid in the Bic...
so when you find a dead lighter,, theres usually lots of flint left in them..

I've even started a fire with a dead lighter I found..Spark only..

ttyle

eric...
O/ST
 
Normark said:
Hey Darth...

Not sure how many flicks you get,, but the flints outlast the lighter fluid in the Bic...
so when you find a dead lighter,, theres usually lots of flint left in them..

I've even started a fire with a dead lighter I found..Spark only..

ttyle

eric...
O/ST
Click to expand...

Normark brings up a good point. A fuel depleted Bic lighter can still start fires. The spark from a depleted lighter will readily ignite the pappus (fluff) of both Thistle (Cirsium spp.) and Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and probably other Milkweeds, as well. While I've never tried, I'm sure it could also work with the pappus of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and perhaps Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara).
Another reason not to throw away an empty lighter - the chrome guard can be removed, flattened, and used as a fish attractor (lure) on a piece of cordage to bring fish close enough to spear. Broken pieces of the case, if brightly coloured can also be used in the same fashion.

Doc
 
Normark said:
Hey Darth...

Not sure how many flicks you get,, but the flints outlast the lighter fluid in the Bic...
so when you find a dead lighter,, theres usually lots of flint left in them..

I've even started a fire with a dead lighter I found..Spark only..

ttyle

eric...
O/ST
Click to expand...

Yeah, yesterday I found a dead Bic in a ash tray, so I started a fire useing lint from my pocket. While they don't cause tons of sparks, There still quite useful.
 
While they don't cause tons of sparks,
Click to expand...

What I generally do to create more sparks; is to slowly rotate the striker wheel for about a minute. This will create more "dust" (if you want to call it that) in the lighter, and when you do strike the flint you get a lot more. This is due to the dust igniting and lasting for about a second. Try it out. Also removing the metal flame guard helps a bit too.
 
Isn't it the same material in a bic flint as in a firesteel?
 
My first thought is that the flints will still be more usefull in the lighter than by themselves. Much easier to strike sparks that way. But if you do happen to have one by itself, they can be pressed into the pith in the center of a small twig so you can hold them. Kinda like a pencil. Then you can swipe it across a rock like writing, to make sparks. May have to shape the end of the wood at an angle to support it.
 
I have read two schools of thought on using a dead Bic for sparks.

First school, most popular, says remove the metal wind protector that wraps around the flint and jet area, so your sparks can fly out into your prepared "nest" of tinder.
You can also hold lgihter in one hand, and tinder up next to it in the other hand. Basically this is the same theory as the SparkLite.

A second school of thought, not as popular, says leave the metal shroud on the bic, find some fine tinder and place it into that little area, strike the Bic, then once the tinder is glowing, dump it into your prepared tinder "nest".

I haven't tried either way, but will put it on my list of things to do and report back with findings.

I haven't read anything about removing the flint from the Bic.
Anyone? links?
 
Back when I was a cubscout I remember an activity where we made fire starters by glueing bick flints into a small trench down the middle of half of a clothes pin. Along with this improv fire steel we paired it with a 2 inch piece of hacksay blade and stuffed it in a film canister along with some dryer lint. Never got around to using it though. Apparently it works.

-Lindey
 
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