Bic Lighters

Whenever I read a thread referring to a bic lighter i get the impression the term "bic" is just referring to a genre rather than a specific lighter.
At the end of the day you just need it to work when you need it and not had the gas bled out by something pushing on the gas valve.
I found a wick lighter made from a shell casing and a screw on cap with an o ring seal, it works great. I keep it in my car kit :)
 
StandOnGuard said:
The "adjustable" disposable lighters can only be adjusted so far. Those that don't have the adjustable feature can be adjusted any which way you want; you just have to remove the flame guard.
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I usually leave my BIC's Child Guard over the sparkwheel, and the warning stuck to the lighters' barrel, just in case someone, like a child, might somehow grab my lighter (they have the agility of monkeys, sometimes...), or I accidentally leave it laying around. In case that lighter is judged to be mine, I want that lighter to talk for me, to let the investigator know that I wasn't being negligent.

If the SHTF, well, 'nother story....

GeoThorn

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Government Secrecy is inversely proportional to Government Accountability
 
pict said:
As an aside... IMO the "camo" lighters are silliest thing on the market. Mac
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C'mon man - how're you gonna covertly de-animate a sentries unlighted cigarette with a non-tactical lighter...sheesh:D

A few bics scattered around the kit are good insurance I reckon. I prefer a zippo for cold/wet firestarting because I can set it on the ground and let it burn for a minute or two (not too long). I have a mini gas torch, magnesium block, Zippo and a few bics in my pack.
 
I used to think that the whiz bang 'Electro-Turbo-Jet-Thruster' models were the cats meow, until I bought one and threw it in the trash less than a week later ($30.00 Windmill)

I don't smoke but I bought myself a solid brass Zippo because I like traditional materials and I want a lighter of some sort. I have been carrying it around for a while now and play with it all the time while reading stuff at the PC (Better than biting nails :) ) Anyway, although it doesnt burn as long as a Bic or Bic-type lighters it is pretty much fool proof and should have enough fuel, even allowing for evaporation (As a side note has anyone experimented with different fuels for a Zippo and seen anything worth noting like less evaporation or hotter flames?) to make a considerable number of fires and if you can't keep a fire going once its started then there coems a time when there is nothing else to be done for you :p

I have also seen the Zippo made fuel canister and flint holder, yes, its another piece of kit to be carrying but its worth the effort IMHO.
 
Ming65 said:
C'mon man - how're you gonna covertly de-animate a sentries unlighted cigarette with a non-tactical lighter...sheesh:D
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For "tactical situations," where ditching your fire source is for some reason mandated, there are always the routine dark green, dark blue and black BICs.

Although, if one thinks that they might need a camouflage BIC, for potential ditching purposes, at least they are out there....

GeoThorn

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Government Secrecy is inversely proportional to Government Accountability
 
I gotta' Electro-Turbo-Jet-Thruster in the form of a Helios,guaranteed to do everything but weld underwater super lighter.Works OK I guess,flame level needs regular adjustment,it's in a drawer somewhere.
ZIPPO
If the smell offends the wimmens,ya' can always use a cologne,there are cheap ones that have high enough alcohol to burn.Or if you can afford it, use your regular stuff.Never mind.That would probably only work for James Bond and a few of us.:)
 
Temper said:
(As a side note has anyone experimented with different fuels for a Zippo and seen anything worth noting like less evaporation or hotter flames?)
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A good tip that has been brought up here before -wrap your Zippo in a section of old bicycle inner tube. It seals the unit better and extends the life of the fuel quite a bit (at leas 2-3 times in my experience)

ZippoTrick.jpg
 
Ming65 said:
A good tip that has been brought up here before -wrap your Zippo in a section of old bicycle inner tube. It seals the unit better and extends the life of the fuel quite a bit (at leas 2-3 times in my experience)

ZippoTrick.jpg
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Holy smoke Ming I bet that Zippo could tell a tale or two!

I hope you look after your Steiners better ;)
 
Temper said:
Holy smoke Ming I bet that Zippo could tell a tale or two!

I hope you look after your Steiners better ;)
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:D Actually when I bought it I seem to remember the particular model was given a brushed brass treatment for that 'aged character appearence', the Zippo version of stonewashed. I've just helped it along.
 
Geez....people are going to start thinking that I'm weird (not saying that they don't, already, mind...), but, I guess that I need to hang around a bicycle repair shop <along with my 'typical' knife retailers...> and try buying a couple of worn-out inner tubes! ;)

Great tip, Ming65!

GeoThorn

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Government Secrecy is inversely proportional to Government Accountability
 
the main reason that army types use the zippo is that whether you realise it or not, the bic style lighter is pressurised, and you can't travel in unpressurised aricraft carrying pressurised canisters as they might explode. For the same reason army types won't use gas canisters for stoves even though they are so handy and quick to get going. Having said that if you know you're not going to be travelling in unpressurised aircraft then I'm all for gas and bic! the zippos are good though if you want to leave one burning for a long time, and lighter fuel has its uses..
 
Another reason Army types carry Zippos is that when it is out of fuel, you can tie a bit of string on the interior case and either drop it in a fuel jerrycan or a non diesel vehicle fuel tank for a quick refill.
Don't carry it in your pocket after doing this, fuel rash ain't fun.
 
Ming65 said:
A good tip that has been brought up here before -wrap your Zippo in a section of old bicycle inner tube. It seals the unit better and extends the life of the fuel quite a bit (at leas 2-3 times in my experience)
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And supplies emergency tinder.
 
The bad thing about a Zippo is if you get submerged and water gets in to the Zippo and contaminates the fuel, you can forget lighting it.

But I have submerged a Bic for 24 hours in a bottle of water, removed it, shook it out, let it dry for about 30 minutes, and it lit on the third attempt.

Not to mention that the Mini-Bic is extremely light-weight and small.


Cheers,
Allen.
 
Bic did you say ?? There was a recent item in the news - police fired a Taser at a BG. It hit a bic in the BG's pocket , which immediately exploded !!
 
mete said:
Bic did you say ?? There was a recent item in the news - police fired a Taser at a BG. It hit a bic in the BG's pocket , which immediately exploded !!
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Simple. Don't be a bad guy, and you should reduce your chances of being tased, and your BIC exploding, as a direct result, to nearly zero. ;)

GeoThorn
 
when the lighter is empty take a butane bottle n fit it rit over nozel were the butane comes out of the lighter. you then push the button to light the lighter and push down with the bottle. this refills the lighter and will let you reuse it about 6-7 times. thats the most i got before it leaks


ive herd the explosive power in a bic is equal to a silver salute (the good old ones that could blow ur hand off, not the new crap :D)
 
I also carry an old brass zippo as my EDC. Had it for years. I like it for its reliability. I lights, rain or shine, wind or no wind. I also like its traditional look. I store 5 or 6 extra flints for it inside the case between the fuel absorbsion material. In my urban Bob that rides behind my seat in my truck I carry 3 small Tobassco sauce bottles (the little ones that come in MREs) filled with lighter fluid. One of the small bottles will provide enough to refill a zippo. I have heard of the bike tube trick and will try it the next time I run across an old tube.
As for getting them wet. I have not done a good test but I have waded and even swam lakes with my lighter in my pocket and never had a problem with it lighting. Maybe it wasn't in long enough to get throughly soaked or was too tight, but it lite afterwards with no problem. Think I will fuel up my spare and toss it in a bucket of water for a while as an experiment.
OldSalt
 
Survival Sheath Systems makes a little kydex sheath for mini-bics. You can use it as a zipper pull, key chain, etc. You can use the lighter in its kydex sheath. I love it. :D

Bill
 
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