Zippo Lighter Caution

[NeroWolfe]

I have used Zippo pipe lighters for MANY MANY years (I am a "registered Old Fart!"!); I prefer Zippos to butane lighters because they burn cooler and there is less chance of charring the top of a pipe, etc., as well as the fact that they burn well in windy conditions. This morning I did something that I never did before, and want to caution others. I filled my Zippo with lighter fluid, went outside with a pipe and a cup of coffee, and then was called into the house by my wife to do something. I left the Zippo standing upright in direct sunlight (very hot and sunny here, already 90 degrees F this morning); about 20 minutes later I went back out, picked up my unlit pipe and the Zippo; when I lit the Zippo, I literally had a flamethrower in my hand!!!! I think what happened is that I probably overfilled the Zippo, and the direct heating of the sun evaporated the fluid, such that when I clicked the striker wheel, WHOOOOSH! I have overfilled Zippos before and have had flare-ups, but never have I had this large of a flamethrower phenomenon. So, be careful with Zippos left in the direct sunlight! I will still use Zippos, and swear by them, but will exercise more caution in this regard.

 

[Guy]

What a story!!.... I must be even more old fashion, I like small stick matches. Small flame, better control and reduced chance of rim burn.

 

[puros_bran]

If you light your zippo after an overfill you can also do the BURNING HANDS trick... quite the grand finally.

 

[Harlock999]

What a story!!.... I must be even more old fashion, I like small stick matches. Small flame, better control and reduced chance of rim burn.

Me too, for the same reasons.

 

[Dutch]

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Schmitzbitz]

If you light your zippo after an overfill you can also do the BURNING HANDS trick... quite the grand finally.

Reminds me of my first Zippo; back when I was all of eleven or twelve, my best friend and I decided we would acquire lighters, ostensibly to look cool and adult. We managed to get our hands on a couple of simple Zippo's, one full sized bronze, the other the smaller sized, in brushed steel.
Of course, we burned through the fluid provided in the first few hours of ownership while we tried to learn all the neat "tricks" one can pull off with a Zippo. No problem, we pooled our change, and came up with enough for a can of fluid. Not knowing any better, we purchased a white can of Ronson butane.
Let me tell you, you can sort of fill a Zippo with said butane - simply depress the tip, and spray the heck out of the cotton wadding. Of course, one should also keep in mind that the boiling point of (uncompressed) butane is below 0c, so exposure to room-tempurature will cause it to flash to a highly volatile gas. With the first strike of the flint, the lighter, arm, and even air around you will become a fireball of excitement. Fortunately, it does burn off very quickly, leaving no damage beyond pride and eyebrows/arm hair.

 

[str8razor]

If you light your zippo after an overfill you can also do the BURNING HANDS trick... quite the grand finally.

Reminds me of my first Zippo; back when I was all of eleven or twelve, my best friend and I decided we would acquire lighters, ostensibly to look cool and adult. We managed to get our hands on a couple of simple Zippo's, one full sized bronze, the other the smaller sized, in brushed steel.
Of course, we burned through the fluid provided in the first few hours of ownership while we tried to learn all the neat "tricks" one can pull off with a Zippo. No problem, we pooled our change, and came up with enough for a can of fluid. Not knowing any better, we purchased a white can of Ronson butane.
Let me tell you, you can sort of fill a Zippo with said butane - simply depress the tip, and spray the heck out of the cotton wadding. Of course, one should also keep in mind that the boiling point of (uncompressed) butane is below 0c, so exposure to room-tempurature will cause it to flash to a highly volatile gas. With the first strike of the flint, the lighter, arm, and even air around you will become a fireball of excitement. Fortunately, it does burn off very quickly, leaving no damage beyond pride and eyebrows/arm hair.

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