Nimrod Sportsman lighter

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monbla256

monbla256

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My recently aquired Nimrod Sportsman Pipe lighter arrived back from ARS in this afternoon's mail. I found one of these at a Goodwill store I get my clothes at about 6 weeks ago. It was basically NOS with box/instruction sheet etc all together and looked as though someone got it as a gift sometime back around 1969 ( was the date on the instruction sheet) and tried it for awhile and then put it up in the box. I sent it to ARS up in NYC to have it all gone over with new flint/wick etc. They had some extra "Nimrod" flints, though they said any Zippo flint will work, and some extra wicks that I got as well. I've loaded it with fluid, adjusted the wick and it is really a FANTASTIC pipe lighter! It just might replace my matches it's so good! I think someone is re-making these and if they are as good as the original, they might be worth a look at. I've never gotten that dreaded "fluid" flavor when I've used any of the other two fluid lighters to light my pipe but then I don't smell "ketchup" in my Mcc's 'bacs :p :p

For those wanting some of the BEST repair of older lighters ( non-butane except Dunhill ) I recomend these folks. Have used 'em since 1975 for ALL my lighter work:

http://authorizedrepairservice.com/repair_services.asp
 
My thrift/junk stores never have good lighters. There's a Nimrod at an antique place in town for $20, but that seemed a tad high to me. Plus, they're kind of unwieldy for a lighter. Is it worth picking up? That's a bit out of my price range, and I doubt I can talk it down, the owner of the booth is kind of a hardarse.

What'd you pay for it, Mon?

8)
 
Kyle Weiss":rjajb6ld said:
My thrift/junk stores never have good lighters. There's a Nimrod at an antique place in town for $20, but that seemed a tad high to me. Plus, they're kind of unwieldy for a lighter. Is it worth picking up? That's a bit out of my price range, and I doubt I can talk it down, the owner of the booth is kind of a hardarse.

What'd you pay for it, Mon?

8)
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At first glance it does seem like it would be hard to operate, but I recall the Captain who introduced me to a pipe back in'Nam used to used it with just one hand as easily as I used my Zippo. I've been practiceing and i think I'll get there as well. i paid $18.50 for it and another $25.00 at ARS to get it all working and adjusted. Considering what an Old Boy or it's ilk cost I don't think what I've put out is to bad :p And you can use ANY lighter fluid and don't have the temp/air pressure problems I've seen folks encounter with gas lighters. And this one's made as well as any Zippo and I've gone through a BUNCH of lighters over the years and I keep coming back to my two fluid lighters time after time. Now I have three fluid lighters, my Dunhill, my Zippo and now my Nimrod ! I'm set for the rest of my life :cheers:
 
The Nimrod lighters were manufactured in two original versions: The Pipe Lighter and the Commander/Admiral.

The FGT Sportsman Plug-Lite is a currently manufactured near reproduction of the original Nimrod Pipe lighter. Differences between the FGT Sportsman and Nimrod Pipe Lighter includes:
The Nimrod has a four-sided "nut." The FGT lighter has a six-sided "nut."
The FGT lighter has a compass on one end. The Nimrod does not.
The fuel reservoir on the FGT lighter is under the compass, the top fitting over the reservoir threads. The Nimrod lighter's reservoir is under the same end of the lighter, but the top fits into the reservoir threads.
The FGT lighter can be disassembled via a screw accessible from the outside of the lighter. The Nimrod cannot be disassembled.


Sounds like I'd better hold on to both of my Nimrods and the Beattie Jet lighter I picked up last year. I've got both styles of Nimrods and I like the rectangular cased one (the Commander...looks much like a zippo) much better than the Sportsman but they both work so well it's hard to fault them except for the Sportsman not holding much fluid and it evaporates so quickly. Other than that they are both good. I'd take the Commander over my Zippo any time.

Thanks for the link to the repair center. I see they repair Beatties. That's good to know. The Beattie is like a miniature soldering torch. Impressive roar when the fluid heats up enough that the flame turns into a jet.
 
I'll have to try to pick up that Nimrod I saw. I'm very curious about the thing, now.

8)
 
I went out on a limb and picked this Nimrod Sportsman I saw up. While worn and used, it was in great condition, and just needed a little cleaning, a new flint and some fluid to get fired up.

The action on the thing is not particularly intuitive. I assume one can either pop out the sliding end while holding the flint wheel to kind of light it two-handed style in one fell motion, but I was getting better luck just using one hand to slide the flint side up and then pushing the wheel forward with my thumb.

My impression? IMCO TriPlex/Junior lighters are much easier fuel lighters to use for me...one press of the thumb, and poof. Foolproof. The Nimrod has the advantage of looking like a spark plug, having an ingenious design that gets the flame to the bottom of any pipe (meanwhile not scorching the rims), but working the action is odd. I still love my IMCOs, but I guess this was a good investment...it even had the box. I know people like these things. Old fuel lighters are neat.

8)
 
Turns out I have the Nimrod Executive Pipeliter. It's not too bad at all. I still prefer my IMCO and the Tsubota lighters
 
Congratulations those are great lighters! My Nimrod Commander out performs every zippo I've ever had.

Kyle enjoy yours 20 might seem high but they are so worth it

Jim
 
Maybe. Its awkward use, larger size and propensity to drying out have not impressed me much. However, when it is working and not being fussy, it lights a pipe something ace. I'm glad I picked it up, though.

8)
 
Interesting concept. Watched this video to see how it works.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eUdq-URaNQc" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
I have two of them and they don't perform as well as the Zippo pipe lighter IMO,
 
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