Zippo fuel options

F

fishtale

Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
337
I love the Zippo lighter but would like to hear about the other fuels people use. The standard Zippo brand has a strong smell and isn't that great for lighting a good cigar. Anything with less oder is what I'm looking for...alcohol, white gas, etc. Thoughts? ft
 
Not sure how this relates to wilderness and survival, but most true cigar aficionados always use a butane lighter as it leaves no residue like naphtha (zippo fuel). On a more survival standpoint gasoline, white gas, maybe alcohol would all work, not as great as the standard fuel. Any volatile fuel should work but be aware of corrosion with more exotic fuels.
 
The best way to light a cigar is very slowly with a wooden match.

Alcohol evaporates too fast. I tried white gas but it didn't seem to perform as well as the zippo fuel. The white gas also evaporated too fast to be useful in the field.
 
I used coleman fuel for like a year with no performance issues at all. Only thing is that it burns pretty sooty.

On the liquid fueled lighter note, have you guys heard of those world war lighters the soldiers made out of spend cartridges? I would like to know more about them and possibly make one to facilitate likely cancer with style.
 
Thanks for the quick feedback. I know this isn't a real survival thing but this group is very cleaver when it comes to improvising. My problem is not having the Zippo fuel when I need it. It's always somewhere else, but I never lose the cigars :)

Anyways...I just ran out and bought an new antique brass Zippo to try with alternative fuels. Currently it's running isoprophyl alcohol 91% (always in the med cabinet). Seems like a nice blue flame. I'll keep you posted.
 
Try 151 or Everclear? They evaporate quickly but can be stored in a plastic bottle, and burn clean. Also useful as an antiseptic, in a stove, or in your belly (small doses! that stuff will kick your butt.)
 
There is a newer fuel for Zippos, have two of the pipe lighting type but haven't ran out of the original Zippo fuel yet. I think the new stuff comes in a blue can/container. Also the Zippo would be a better choice for survival. Leave it dry and just carry some of the lighter fluid in a small bottle. Zippos are wind proof and more dependable than butane lighters, IMHO.
 
I enjoy cigars... but the normal zippo fuel does add a fuel taste to the cigars...

what I have found that works really well is a torch lighter insert for the zippo body... its call the Z-plus zippo insert... heres a couple pics, just google for it and you'll find it... its about 12 bucks

z_plus_fluid_lighter_case_replacement_7.jpg

and
z_plus_fluid_lighter_case_replacement_8s.jpg



it uses the compressed butane that most torch lighters use... the fuel does not evaporate and best of all it doesnt make your cigars taste funky.
 
hey, jstrider - have you tried that zippo insert in cold weather?

In my past experience, I have found those types to perform badly below about 45 F.
 
Howbout Zippo fuel on some tinder and a flick of the flint to light it? Howbout some Zippo fuel on the wood and a flick of the flint?
 
I've used it in about 40 F weather, seemed to work pretty well... had to hunker up next to a building to get my cigar lit because of the wind but the lighter worked fine.
 
The 91% isoprophyl alcohol seems to be working ok. The main problems are evaporation, hard to light consistently, low/colorless flame and any breeze from above the wind cage puts the flame out. Other than that...it's great???

There's gotta be a few more options...the search continues.
 
hey fishtale, im a bit of a zippo fanatic and it might help to find the new zippo formula fuel, it burns much much cleaner (i believe this was to make zippos a bit more cigar friendly) and has almost zero oddor. it has a reduced evaporation as well, if the lighter is just left to sit it can last for 2 weeks. also by moving the wick to the left (the hinge side) you can make the flame taller, to the left it becomes smaller.
the best alternate fuell is pure naptha, the clossest thing to this is remote controll car gasoline which you can pick up at hobby stores.
if you realy want some good ideas as around at the lightertricks forum, they will have an answer for you.
www.lightertricks.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top