EDC pocket lighters

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s&wbest

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I use to have a bic in my pocket but have recently started carrying a $9 Ronson butane lighter. The heat and use in a high wind is so superior to a bic or zippo. It has to be carried in an inner pocket to keep it warm or it will not light dependably. Bic is still a good back up but the butane torch is missed when I do not have it. I top it off every morning from the refill can. What do you all depend on?
 
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When I smoked, I carried a Bic. Tried the refillable type, they work well, but to much of a hassle for me to use every day.

In my hunting / woods backpack, I carry a Bic, a magnesium strike flint, a candle, and a small chunk of fireplace log starter in a ziplock bag. Never had a problem starting a fire when needed.

Larry
 
Haven't smoked in decades, but my Zippo with a USAF SAC crest and my name and duty station engraved on it will be a family heirloom. I hope...

I liked the sound of James Bond's lighter in Ian Fleming's books: a gunmetal Ronson. It helped me to "see" the character, along with his guns, Sea Island shirts, shoes, car, etc.
 
I have smoked exactly 3 cigars in my 62 + years but I do not recall a single day since my youth that I did not carry a lighter. Could not imagine being without fire. I do not lead a house bound life. Always seem to be outdoors doing something. Thawed a frozen padlock this November that lead me through a gate to a large bull elk just minutes later. Years ago if you washed your vehicle in the winter, the next morning you could not unlock your car. Heat the key a few times and the lock will turn. Countless propane and acetylene torches have been lit. My lighter was just used yesterday to light a 3 year old girls birthday cake candles. I use a fair amount od nylon rope and once cut the rope ends must be burnt. Dangling strings on clothing are scarce when my lighter is handy. I seem to use it several times a week. Years ago I carried a small sized Zippo in my watch pocket but finally quit that as my watch pockets wore out before my pants did. Now I carry the small Bic lighter and change it once a year.
 
I quit smoking 13 years ago but still carry an engraved Zippo that was a gift to my wife. I refill it once a week even though I rarely use it to light anything but the Weber.
 
I still do enjoy a fine cigar from time to time but no longer carry a lighter except when hiking in the woods or intend to have a cigar that day. I always have a ZIPPO fueled up in the car so if I ever feel the need to grab it and take it along, it's never far away. In the house, garage and workshop I must have 50 + Zippo's Ronson's, Colibri's, Dunhills etc. scattered around. Always keep one in my Hunting Vest while afield.
 
I must have over 50 Bics lying around. They must have little legs.
I'll buy a multi-pac at the grocery checkout to take to hunt camp or leave in the glove box, but whenever I look for one they've disappeared.
So, I buy more.
I have a few zippos also, but get tired of filling them after a while and go to the Bics, ( when I can find them!)
But in answer, I always have some sort of fire on hand, and the Bics are the handiest.
 
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Question, please: Any potential problem leaving a Bic lighter in the glove box of a car in the desert? Gets REALLY hot in our cars in the sun out here. Thanks.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
Back in the 60's, 70's, and early 80's I always carried a Zippo. At least then it was the most reliable lighter available at a reasonable price.

Any time I think of a Zippo lighter, I always think of the movie, “Four Rooms,” staring Tim Roth, Antonio Banderas, Jennifer Beals, and Quentin Tarantino and of course the main star one Zippo lighter. This dark humor movie is hilarious.
 
kaaskop49 said:
Question, please: Any potential problem leaving a Bic lighter in the glove box of a car in the desert? Gets REALLY hot in our cars in the sun out here. Thanks.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
Click to expand...

I've never seen this be a problem with a genuine Bic, but with the cheapo lighters like Crickets or other Chinese imports, I've found them shrapnel-ed all over the inside of a car a time or two, and found one with a cracked case and all the butane leaked out a bunch of times. This was in western WA where the outdoor temps only get into the high 80's or low 90's.
 
kaaskop49 said:
Question, please: Any potential problem leaving a Bic lighter in the glove box of a car in the desert? Gets REALLY hot in our cars in the sun out here. Thanks.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
Click to expand...

You brought up an interesting question that I do not have an answer for since I do not live in warm climates. I have often heard that very cold weather effects them as well and renders them useless. I have used them countless times in very cold temperatures but only after they came from my warm pockets. It is time to experiment. I will let a new Bic sleep in the freezer for a few days and try it. I do know that if you use a Bic lighter to light acetylene torches when fabricating something on the bed of a truck, and switch between welding helmets and cutting goggles, that when arc welding, a hot welding cherry will melt through the plastic, igniting the propane. About half way through the rod I heard a muffled sound, and felt unusual heat under my helmet. By the time I finished the rod, I could smell burnt hair. It took awhile to grow out the mustache again.
 
I carry a mini Bic almost every day. Especially at work it gets used mostly for burning tics I find crawling on my clothes.
 
Rintimtin said:
I carry a mini Bic almost every day. Especially at work it gets used mostly for burning tics I find crawling on my clothes.
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Bic-a-Tick....I hate those little things!
I wouldn't try it on a raincoat or nylon jacket.
 
There are all sorts of warnings on butane lighters, I think some are related to high temperatures. That said, I have never seen one explode. My father claimed to have seen a butane lighter explode and take a man's thumb off. Seems unlikely but possible. I recall Mythbusters visiting the issue but do not remember the results.

I use matches. I carry strike anywhere kitchen matches and use them to light my pipe. A regular butane lighter burns too hot and can damage your briar. When I do carry a lighter, I use it to light matches and then use the match to light my pipe.

People argue with my about it, but I believe butane lighters lose effectiveness when exposed to cold
 
I have converted a few of my favorite Zippo lighters that I use the most to run on Butane. It is an insert that replaces the original fluid style. All that is required is to pull out the original and insert the new butane one. There are several manufacturers of the Butane inserts (some better than others) and it makes the Zippo perfect for lighting cigars without getting the oil based odor - which is very nice. To convert them back to original takes 2 seconds and no harm has been done to the lighter, value or collectibility.

When I go into the woods, I use a standard type fluid filled Zippo as they are more reliable and more wind resistant than the Butane insert type. While the Butane insert work well, they are still a little finicky in the wind - although they do state they are windproof (but NOT as windproof as the original fluid based ZIPPO'S ARE).

I've also got a collection of other original lighters from the 20's - 70's that belonged to my Parents, Grand Parents and others some of which I have found out are quite collectible.

As much as I enjoy collecting and using the antique lighters, I actually light most of my cigars with wooden matches - just because.......
 
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Carried a Zippo in Vietnam. Always reliable to light your heat tabs or C4 to warm up the C-Rats or make hot coffee. The issued water proof matches never worked but we could wade a creek with a Zippo in your pocket and it would always work.
 
30-30remchester said:
You brought up an interesting question that I do not have an answer for since I do not live in warm climates. I have often heard that very cold weather effects them as well and renders them useless. I have used them countless times in very cold temperatures but only after they came from my warm pockets. It is time to experiment. I will let a new Bic sleep in the freezer for a few days and try it. I do know that if you use a Bic lighter to light acetylene torches when fabricating something on the bed of a truck, and switch between welding helmets and cutting goggles, that when arc welding, a hot welding cherry will melt through the plastic, igniting the propane. About half way through the rod I heard a muffled sound, and felt unusual heat under my helmet. By the time I finished the rod, I could smell burnt hair. It took awhile to grow out the mustache again.
Click to expand...

not a welder or a smoker but have one in the glove box of both cars to light the candles I also have in the glove box .. also a few lying on top of the frig for lighting the BBQ ..

The company I retired from made a rule that no propane lighters in the weld shop .. guess a few times welders bending over pushed the tab on the bic and the welders ignited them and a few had their legs burnt or small poofs when the gas ignited .. ..
 
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