Two broken lighters...

[smokintexas]

I really am at a loss here with my inability to buy and maintain a lighter. The first lighter I got was a $35 dual flame Colibri knockoff that worked great when I first got it. It quickly ran out of fluid so I grabbed some Lucienne quadruple refined butane fluid, purged the lighter of the air buildup, filled up the lighter, waited for the fluid to warm up, and the first few times I did this things went well. After doing it a few more times I noticed how quickly and often air would build up. It got to the point that every time I tried to light it it took about 10-15 tries to get it to light and stay lit. It would spark, and catch flame for a split second, but would not stay lit even though I heard the gas coming from the lighter. When it got to this point is when I decided to get a Blazer lighter and was blown away by how well it worked when I initially filled it up. Well, after a few times of refilling it I ran into the same issue I ran into with the Colibri knockoff but now it wont catch a flame at all and it sounds like there isn't much gas coming out at all. The other thing that is worrisome is that when there is fluid in the Blazer I can hear it leaking when I'm not even using it. So now I've got one lighter (Colibri knockoff) that works some of the time, and I've got a Blazer lighter that doesn't work at all. :angry:

 

[CoventryCat86]

I gave up long ago with butane lighters, I just use Zippos now.

One thing about every butane lighter I've ever had is the damn things refuse to work when they are cold. I smoke a lot of my cigars in the car and I leave my lighters in the car. If it's one of those cold Nova Scotia ( :whistling: ) winters and I grab the lighter and try and light a cigar, they never work until they warm up, WTF good is that?

So like I said, I gave up.

And no, I never taste the flavor of the Zippo lighter fuel when I light my cigars and I highly doubt anyone else can either.

 

[twizz]

And no, I never taste the flavor of the Zippo lighter fuel when I light my cigars and I highly doubt anyone else can either.

Thats about the most definitive comment I've ever heard on the topic.

I've always been 'scared' to use a zippo, as when I smoked cigarettes, I could ALWAYS taste a zippo. I'm a soft flame guy, and use a $20 retro looking butane that has served me quite well over the past 100 or so cigars. I top it off every few days just to not run out. Wind is a bitch though....

 

[flamchop]

When did you get the Blazer? I think there is a 1 year warranty. I have had no problems with my Blazer, I've only had it about 6 months though, if that. I just make sure to bleed it before a refill.

You're the first person I've heard of having a problem with theirs, which is why I'm thinking warranty might be a good option since they are generally so reliable and work so well. At the Philly herf last weekend it was funny to see all the Blazer torches laying around all the tables. At one point I pulled mine out for a touch up and Andy pulled his out and said hey we match! (or something like that).

When did you get the Blazer? I think there is a 1 year warranty. I have had no problems with my Blazer, I've only had it about 6 months though, if that. I just make sure to bleed it before a refill.

You're the first person I've heard of having a problem with theirs, which is why I'm thinking warranty might be a good option since they are generally so reliable and work so well. At the Philly herf last weekend it was funny to see all the Blazer torches laying around all the tables. At one point I pulled mine out for a touch up and Andy pulled his out and said hey we match! (or something like that). Or maybe it was someone else. Or maybe it didn't happen at all. Who knows.

 

[MadMonk]

Here is what crossed my mind as I read.

If you hear it leaking, I wonder if you are over filling it? I believe that an overfilled lighter will not light properly, essentially blowing itself out. You did not mention if you are adjusting the flame. Just an impression I have had over the years.

Some folks adjust to minimum, purge, fill, then adjust as neccessary. When you purge, depress the valve until it stops hissing. Shake the lighter vigorously, then depress the valve again. Do this several times until you're satisfied that you've released all the air.

Get a can of compressed air, and blast the burner. Not too close, maybe a inch or two away.

All that said, butane lighters are are evil, insideous, contraptions.

 

[Not A Nice Person]

Get a Blue Rhino.

Mine is ugly and beat to crap and in two years has never let me down . . . even using grocery store butane.

~Boar

 

[mmburtch]

Had the same thing happen to my 2+ year old blazer. A little surgery later and I discovered a blockage in the jets. The repair costs were about the same as the replacement cost after the warranty period. It still doesn't work, but it was fun trying.

 

[smokintexas]

When did you get the Blazer? I think there is a 1 year warranty. I have had no problems with my Blazer, I've only had it about 6 months though, if that. I just make sure to bleed it before a refill.

You're the first person I've heard of having a problem with theirs, which is why I'm thinking warranty might be a good option since they are generally so reliable and work so well. At the Philly herf last weekend it was funny to see all the Blazer torches laying around all the tables. At one point I pulled mine out for a touch up and Andy pulled his out and said hey we match! (or something like that).

I got the lighter 10 days ago so I would assume, and hope that it's still under warranty. If worse comes to worse I'll send it back, I was just curious to see if there was a quick fix.

Here is what crossed my mind as I read.

If you hear it leaking, I wonder if you are over filling it? I believe that an overfilled lighter will not light properly, essentially blowing itself out. You did not mention if you are adjusting the flame. Just an impression I have had over the years.

Some folks adjust to minimum, purge, fill, then adjust as neccessary. When you purge, depress the valve until it stops hissing. Shake the lighter vigorously, then depress the valve again. Do this several times until you're satisfied that you've released all the air.

Get a can of compressed air, and blast the burner. Not too close, maybe a inch or two away.

All that said, butane lighters are are evil, insideous, contraptions.

I wonder how big of a difference it makes to adjust it to minimum because while I try to ensure I do, I sometimes forget and realize it after I've reloaded the lighter. As far as over filling it, I didn't even know that was possible. I'll purge it once more, with the flame on minimum and try not to overfill it and see where that gets me.

 

[smokintexas]

Upon further inspection I see numerous particles some larger than others floating around in the gas chamber which I would assume could be a possible issue by clogging. I'm at a loss for how these particles got here, I would assume it didn't come from the quadruple refined butane, but if it didn't come from that where else could it have come from?

 

[mmburtch]

I decided to get a Blazer lighter and was blown away by how well it worked when I initially filled it up. Well, after a few times of refilling it I ran into the same issue I ran into with the Colibri knockoff but now it wont catch a flame at all and it sounds like there isn't much gas coming out at all. The other thing that is worrisome is that when there is fluid in the Blazer I can hear it leaking when I'm not even using it. So now I've got one lighter (Colibri knockoff) that works some of the time, and I've got a Blazer lighter that doesn't work at all. :angry:

I got the lighter 10 days ago so I would assume, and hope that it's still under warranty. If worse comes to worse I'll send it back, I was just curious to see if there was a quick fix.

Are you playing with it? Do you smoke constantly? I do, and mine last for a couple of weeks on each refill.

 

[KiltLad]

My Blazer is 15 years old. I clean it every refill buy soft scrubbing with an old tooth brush, then use my air compressor on it. I turn it to low after multiple purges and then refill it with triple refined butane.

It does not like to burn on any level but high, so I always keep it on that setting. Even on high, it lasts for at least two months.

"So Far, So Good"


- KiltLad

 

[smokintexas]

I decided to get a Blazer lighter and was blown away by how well it worked when I initially filled it up. Well, after a few times of refilling it I ran into the same issue I ran into with the Colibri knockoff but now it wont catch a flame at all and it sounds like there isn't much gas coming out at all. The other thing that is worrisome is that when there is fluid in the Blazer I can hear it leaking when I'm not even using it. So now I've got one lighter (Colibri knockoff) that works some of the time, and I've got a Blazer lighter that doesn't work at all. :angry:

I got the lighter 10 days ago so I would assume, and hope that it's still under warranty. If worse comes to worse I'll send it back, I was just curious to see if there was a quick fix.

Are you playing with it? Do you smoke constantly? I do, and mine last for a couple of weeks on each refill.

I don't really "play" with it, I checked it every now and then. I smoke about 3-4 times a week and probably relight the cigar once or twice each time. I've refilled it 3 times thus far but every time I did it was after I purged the lighter of nearly half the tank because the lighter wasn't working. I'm planning on sending it back to see what they say but the good news is the other lighter I thought didn't work very well seems to be working better now.