Zippo's are all different, even 2 brand new ones. I have over 200 Zippo's, half are collectable and never used. The rest I rotate in and out to light my cigarettes. My experience with the gaskets is that I can get more days out of one with a gasket than I can without. Since I'm only lighting cigarettes, I don't let it burn for 5 minutes and have no reason that I could think of to do so. If you're a smoker and have used Zippo lighters for that purpose, you'll be pleasantly surprised with the amount of lights you’ll get. The flame on any Zippo is different but I've never had a little short flame like the one you demonstrated. Again though, I've been using these lighters for 30+ years and have a wide variety to choose from and the gaskets have been great in my opinion.
As a 40+ year smoker, I absolutely agree with your comment! I also use one of these gaskets and have no air-pocket seal. You just need to thumb the flint wheel well enough to produce a grand spark, or it won't always ignite. And Zippo has _always_ professed that there's a natural air-lock when you use a Zippo and that you should fan the lighter in an upwards arc as you zip it for it to light first time every time.
@@TheGeezzer im having that same problem with a zippo original flints.. have to strike it really strong to get it ignite if it cold.. now after im using imco brand flint, dont have that problem anymore.. imco flint in a zippo produces lot of spark compare to zippo brand flint.. now it will ignite even with the slight rotation to the flint wheel..
Vapors have to have somewhere to go lol I figured that would be the issue with this gasket just the zippo lid being closed can trap vapors and cause vapor lock until you blow inside the chimney and clear them vapors out so when you seal the whole thing up and vapors are trapped all inside bad performance was bound to happen
Aren't vapors supposed to ignite easier? When I leave my zippo lid closed and then open up and strike before the vapors have a chance to escape they light up in a short little explosion
I got my first Zippo two days ago and I am very excited to get some fluid for it. I mostly bought it because my father used to always carry one on a daily basis during the 60’s-70’s, I will always remember the sound of the lid clicking shut.
What a crazy intense test. I love it. Zippo lighters are just way cooler than anything else. It's a personal item. I recently bought dental cotton to repack my zippo. It's highly absorbent cotton. Works better than cotton balls.
Best way to conserve fluid, without vapor locking that ive found is a ranger band. It wont probably save as much fuel as it only prevents it from leaking when its closed. But it also won't allow moisture to get in if you drop it in water.
While I have always loved a metal Zippo lighter (naptha lighter), I would NEVER consider having one in any kind of 'bugout', 'survival' or 'get home' bag (mentioned in an earlier video)...they just don't hold fuel for long periods of time, no matter the gadget involved. On a SIMILAR NOTE, I just happened to come across 5-Bic (classic) lighters that I KNOW I purchased and put back in 2009 (10 years ago) while new..I checked them YESTERDAY, and found that not only do all 5 still light on the first-strike, but when I shined a light through their cases, ALL OF THEM were STILL full of butane! They were, in fact, still 'like new'! So, if you want 'survival', 'emergency', 'catastrophe' lighting...look no further than the good old Bic lighter...and don't overfill your Zippos, or suffer the wrath of 'Naptha Burns' on your legs...
i see your point, but i have to disagree that zippos are useless in those survival situations. the beauty of zippo lighters, is that when a butane bic lighter runs out of fuel, thats usually it. zippos, in a SHTF or other sort of situation, you could fill zippos up again with gasoline, charcoal lighter fluid, isopropyl alcohol, or heck, you could even distill your own ethanol and use it. a dry zippo style lighter in a shtf bag is useful because its verstile with fuel, and when it runs out, its not next to worthless
It's because the fluid being wicked up and burned away by the flame is creating a vacuum, and there's no way for air to fill that void rapidly enough, so the rate at which fluid is wicked up is decreased massively. It seems counterintuitive, but if you put a pinhole or two on the rubber, it'll fix the issue.
I don't think that's an issue with lighters because of the nature of combustible gas. White gas is very volatile so it's constantly evaporating from liquid to gas form. The gas form can fill a lot more space than the liquid, so any gas that burns away will just be replaced by more gas that evaporates from the liquid. If you compare to butane lighters with a sealed tank, absolutely no air is getting into that tank but the flame doesn't change much until the lighter is nearly empty. My guess is that any change to the flame is probably because the felt pad was removed. The felt is much denser than the cotton, and that probably affects the rate of evaporation or something like that. One way to test my idea would be to shave some thickness off of the felt pad and then put it on top of the gasket.
I don't think that's true, the gasket is not air tight anyways, there is some space between the flint screw on the bottom and the rubber. It's not air tight.
I'm not a smoker, I just like the idea of having a lighter on-hand, in my bag as well as in my desk, for those times I need it. Out of the box Zippos are the worst for this, because of the evaporation issue. The fix for this, for me, is to switch to a butane insert. Zippo doesn't have a slow flame version, yet. I have a Yellow Thunderbird in one of my Zippo cases and it fits loosely. I have to add two little strips of gaffers tape to keep it in place. I'm going to try a Zippo-branded dual flame butane cigar-type insert in another lighter and see if that's any better. I really think the fuel storage for Zippos is a fundamental design flaw; what good is a lighter if the fuel vanishes? Thanks for the honest video.
@@professored7169 ha! Thanks. I do a cigar once in a while. The dual-flame insert did the trick. There's a slight fight issue, but Zippo emailed me and offered to check it out.
Don't fill it up all the time. I usually only put just a few grams in just to get it to work for around a day or so. Keeping fuel canister and fuel can within means reach
If you know you will be away from being able to refill the fluid in a zippo, cut a piece of bicycle inner-tube and place it around the lighter making sure it covers the opening area. this will significantly lengthen the time before a refill is needed.
Exotac makes a lighter that is similar to a zippo, but is sealed with a few O rings. This solves the whole leaking/evaporation issue, as well as making the lighter waterproof. I think I still prefer zippos in some situations, but Exotac's TitanLight is a great alternative, especially for outdoor activities.
The thing is once you get into stuff like that its not a zippo anymore it loses its look and feel completely there are thousands of great lighters that dont leak fluid but none of them are Zippos :)
Good seal, hasn't shrunk, still a large flame, no strike issues. I'm actually very happy with my gasket. I did notice that on the hinged side there was a tiny gap between insert and case. Tilting the lighter would ignite gas from this gap. The gasket stopped this - but I wonder if it is a design feature 'chimney' to prevent vapour lock. I'm looking at trying the survival zippo case next - and I've just ordered a Japanese 'douglass' waterproof trench : )
I got a couple gaskets for my Zippos they are working quite well so far didn't notice any shortage and Flame on any of mine so far so good. Edit: I've had zero trouble filling mine, I actually like it a lot better than having to lift through the felt.
Seems like the gasket works fine for me. Refilling takes longer but they definitely hold the fluid longer. No issue on the flame height. Much bigger flame than what this video shows as a picture of the lighter lit with the gasket in. And it lights on it's own.
@@dany_2945 well, it's easier to carry a zippo in my pocket than candles, also I would use my zippo to light the candles, so it cuts out the middleman. I just light my torch off my zippo and then set down my zippo lit, i can then just flick my torch over my zippo if my torch goes out. Also candles create a lot of soot wich will effect the quality of work if I'm using it for waxwork.
I’ve used Zippos for years..Love the click..My main lighters for over five decades is the beautifully designed Dunhill Rollagas..Not cheap..form and function highest level..
Good test.I've stopped using a Zippo in summer because the fuel evaporates in a very short time and I end up with an empty lighter/So use a gas clipper.Could be that insert would maybe stop that......
5:23 No its not weird because when sometimes i forget to refil my zippo it creates this small flame which means there is not enough fuel feeding the wick , which means the wick gets burned so when you try to strike it, it wont light up because the wick is burned and that carbon around the wick prevents the sparks from going through. Also i smoke so many ciggaretes that my zippo wont actually lose fuel :( Sad but true.
Thank you for the in depth review! I was going to buy a few of these, but not now, I like a nice, big flame. That vapor lock really killed the flame. I'm a new subscriber 👍
i know right? there was this one time, i was visiting my family in LA, and there was a bit of a kerfuffle at party I was attending. Now I smoke but I'd lost my lighter at some point but borrowed a zippo off a guy. Wound up having to use it as a flashlight in some tight places. anyway everything worked out in the end.
Seen all these vids and the Thyrm one. I was wondering if you combine the gasket with the Thyrm.. Could it perhaps be the best overall option? Would be cool to see if that lights and if so, has the flint pocket, am curious, would be cool to see @cutlerylover love your channel
Neat series of videos. You did a great job thanks, very interesting. BICS will have catastrophic failures pretty quickly from heat. The little spring flys out.
Whether you use the seal or not... if you use crown fuel or coleman fuel which is very inexpensive per fuel there is a need to meter the fuel somehow. The little syringes they sell or give out at pharmacies for kiddie Tylenol are a good solution. 6-7CCs is a good amount.
I know this is an old video, and my question is a long shot. But i cant find the video you were mentioning about testing how long several different lighters would burn. I did a search but cant find that video. Any link?
Zippo is the post apocalyptic war lighter. Where you do not have anymore cheap plastic lighters to hand. A zippo can use the flint wheels and flint from other lighters and can be dunked into fuel to be reused over and over again. It also was designed to be used as a candle.
Not only as a candle, soldiers in Vietnam apparently cooked whole ass pots of stew on these, lmao. I don't know how the insert fared after such treatment and if this trick could be repeated more than once with the same one (although after cleaning it from soot I really see no big reason as to why not, it's not like the thing would have melted or something) but anyway its hella cool
You will notice a small hole in the cotton gasket, I believe that is for a spare flint, well I used to keep spare flints in it I also kept spare flints under it too.
I've used Zippos for several minutes at a time to burn patterns into tomahawk handles. Could I have used a torch of some type? Sure, but I don't own, have never used one to make burn patterns and makes it an outside project instead of a kitchen table top one.
Using the same Zippo I noticed the flame becomes unpredictable if you change the felt pad with the rubber gasket. Airflow inside the insert is restricted thus the flame behaves differently but it still lights though.
i like the gaskets alot and ive never seen the issue you had with the flame with my gaskets, i think thats not gasket related myself, if this item was made by zippo or made in america would talk so negative about the gaskets?
The biggest reason i picked em up is I wanted to see if you just let it sit will the fuel evaporate slower. So far I filled a pipe zippo and an armor zippo about 3 weeks ago and they both still light. I checked them by striking them every few days. Yes I know not scientific but fuel would never last more than a week in a zippo I would just fill and rarely use before so i call it a win for that reason.
IT's also worth mentioning that not just less fuel but also less air by having the gasket the air flow that helps the draw the fuel from the tank thru the wick is slowed down too which also saves fuel! I purchased a 5 pack of the gaskets from watching your first video, I do not smoke but I have a Zippo Collection and I carry one sometimes and I hate to be out of fuel when I need a flame and I thought I would give this a try so far it is extending the life by double and that is pretty good specially considering I am in Hot Central Florida.
yes I believe it has more to do with suction and lack of air flow that conserves the fuel rather than literally sealing the bottom so it cant evaporate out of the bottom part of the insert...
@@cutlerylover I have been playing with leaving enough of a air bubble to keep it from totally filling so that the flame is so small and that it can be strikes started,
Have you tried lighting it with the little rubber gasket flap at the bottom open. Perhaps then you would get more air flow, then seal it again to prevent evaporation
I think it depends on your lighter- I put the gaskets in two Zippos and one Star. With the two plain-cased ones, it didn't seem to make much difference, but my favorite one has a stylized brass and steel plate with a coyote braised on it- it doesn't get as hot nearly as fast... I like it because I don't always remember to refill 'em, and it stretches our the fuel so that once a week is enough instead of every 3-4 days.
I smoked for 37 years and carried a military Zippo around for 35 of those years. A Zippo is what it is. I do, however, think you're using the wrong fuel. Ronson fuel and flints always worked better for me than Zippo.
Thanks for commenting about leaving a zippo lit I thought its ridiculous to think there's no reason to, Also great for heat shrink for same reason. It's also used as a lantern for camping or cabin living.
Thanks for the test vid. Saved me money, which is always good. However, it seems as though you were trying to test too many variables in one test. I would like to see a retest for non use fuel retention. Not being a smoker, I had to abandon Zippos because they don't like to work on a periodic schedule. I can live with less flame as long as it was there after two weeks rattling around in my pocket. Love to see you try it without the daily burn step: Fill with 4 grams fuel, weigh every two days. The $3 jet lighters that I use now do this easily, but refueling is a bit of a pain.
I just use an old bike inner tube on my two user zippos, a high polish chrome, and black crackle with a pewter zippo logo emblem. The inner tube works pretty well for slowing fluid evaporation, water resistance, scratch resistance, and even grip. At most, I get two weeks worth of fuel on my high polish model, and maybe 10 days on my black crackle with the emblem. It is harder to put the inner tube on emblem zippos, and the seal is better on zippos without emblems. The inner tube hack is probably your best bet for slowing fluid evaporation.
I used a Zippo to light fires without enough kindling. There are plenty of scenarios where you might have it burn for a longer time than a few seconds.
I've always used the hole to fill my zippo and have had it over fill only a couple times. Its easier and faster for me to just use the hole instead of lift the pad
@@ogstacey9281 i know but its so much easier than lifting the pad and filling it. I usually always keep extra flint in my truck so i never carried one in my zippo
Here are my results from making it run out twice in a span of two days. From constantly lighting it on BUT leaving the felt pad on. Though I sliced it in half to make it slimmer... 1) No shrinkage what so ever. 2) The flame is 30% bigger. 3) Fuel is lasting me slightly longer. Even though the flame is bigger. Bonus: I've lit it up roughly 90 times. Most times keeping it on 5 seconds at a time. Sometimes 10. So far flint os still at 50%. That was the more surprising part to me!
Update: I lit it and let it run out of fuel 3 times. Still no shrinkage. Also the wick still worked. But sometimes it would take 3-4 times to light up. Became black and stiff.
Wrap a small plastic from a reguler sandwich zip bag (cut it small enough to fit buttom half of your inner zippo) then put it back on its case. It will some what seal the bottom part to prevent leaking found it how to do it on youtube somewhere...
I only use my Zippo during winter because not much fuel vaporizes and it lasts longer, and the way I use it to let it stay lit is I warm my hands with it lit on the table like a mini fire for a minute or so and then it heats up and I also hold it on my hand in my pocket for a minute like a hand warmer.
Yep bic isn't design for prolonged burned they have meltdown videos of over used bic lighters . zippo and peanut lighters have the longer burn . they do have a video of how to get a zippo to burn alchol it took a bigger hole and wick to get the propper amount of fuel to flow up the wick . kinda think the gasketed lighter might have the same issue till the insert shrinks and becomes a moot point anyway
Zippo Fanatic 77 Outdoors he uses a freezer bag corner and dumps the felt pad adds cotton bacon and he gets great fuel economy ! Perhaps add a bike tire tube across the hinge area and get best fuel economy !!!
Thanks for your time. Unfortunately below section of Zippo lighter is NOT the only point which vaporize the fluid. Chimney section and the wick itself is another point of fluid vaporization. Scientifically the larger mass for vaporization IS the chimney section. So if yoy sealed the lower point you did the job for 25 percent, again I'm insisting, IF you can seal it completely. So obviously with those gaskets maybe you would seal the lighter for 20 percent top. So you're loosing the fluid 80 percent chance. I'm agree with you, I won't recommend those gaskets either.
i have my lighter because I sometimes need an open flame for working with synthetic cord. So, yes, it stays lit for a while. Not long enough to get really hot, but long enough to imagine that there are others out there who also use their zippo for more than lighting cigarettes.
my guess would be that since the bottom is sealed off the only way for air to get inside the insert is through the wick, so as the liquid fuel sinks to the bottom of the lighter air is pulled in through the wick and the wick is dried out. this could explain the shorter flame and why the wick itself is burning more as seen by the glowing orange spots. it wouldn't be a super big effect since the negative pressure made would be very small inside the light but its possible. maybe the small gaps between the insert and the case, the flint screw sticking out past the insert shell, and the hole in the felt pad help keep a neutral pressure by stopping the bottom from sealing off completely
Alot of people will leave a zippo lit when tying to start a fire with damp materials. Just saying. Another real world reason to have it lit for more than a few seconds.
Replace the wick so that it lights when you strike it. With some pliers, just pull out the wick from the very top and cut off the charred part. There should be an excess amount of wick within the zippo itself. Like I said, all you have to do is pull it out.
I have collected Zippos for many years and have about 100 of them, many of them being collectors pieces, I would go for one of they gaskets but I have now stopped smoking.
Did u have the issue with the low flame as soon as you got them? Only reason I ask is I just got some of these (they were like 5 bucks for 5) and I saw your video before they arrived and I don't have the issue with the low flame. Maybe it will get worse as the fuel gets low, will have to wait and see about not being able to light them when the fuel gets lower as well.
Disappointing, I'll stick w my Vector Thunderbird butane insert for my Zippos. Perfect flame, looks exactly like a reg Zippo flame. Thanks for the test. I don't have money to waste. Be Blessed Jeff.
@@JS-te4gz exactly. I love the smell cuz it brings memories but butane is just better; easier, cleaner, longer lasting etc. The Vector Thunderbird inserts made me able to use my Zippos again.
@@JS-te4gz no but I use the Thunderbird Vector inserts that have a regular flame, I don't like the jet flame for the Zippo lighters. They fit perfectly, lighters close w no issues. I did buy a jet single flame insert for my ex and that Zippo closed just fine as well. Good luck. I'd send it back cuz its prob a lemon as they are made to fit a Zippo exactly.
There's no airflow in a zippo, the only thing that probably was affecting flame high, could be either one of the wicks was slightly higher up the chimney, or the wick was bent slightly more away from the wheel than the other. I don't think the gasket alone would affect flame height, great videos on the gasket though!
The problem is that these joints are not completely airtight, what I did was reduce the thickness of the felt by half and on top of that I placed the gasket, previously I put automotive silicone around the entire contour of the joint, this way it was perfectly sealed. Now if I can attest that the charge lasts twice as long, I will also try the dental cotton, here I read that it retains better than the original, it would be a matter of trying it.
9:05 If you got enough fluid to spare you can put it on something in the cold, then warm your hands over the open flame for a bit, until the metal body gets nice and warm, and then have it in your hand in your pocket to warm up clammy fingers. 😅
One theory why the flame is way smaller would be that for the amount of fluid which is burned(soaked out of the tank), the same amount of air has to go in just like in a bottle of water. So as you seal this airproof the only way air can get in is trought the top where the flame is.
You seem like you might know the answer to this and ive been wondering.Did people use zippos as hand warmers in ww2 ir something and thats why zippo made a hand warmer?
wait you can put extra flint in the cotton? my instinct is that the flint might absorb the fuel and explode but I guess maybe not. I left a zippo lit for a few min recently and knocked it over trying to close it without burning my hand
I wish Zippo would design and release a evaporate proof lighter thats as close to the original as possible. I love using my zippo but i dont start enough fires for it to make sense to keep it fuelled, and its kind of annoying to fill a zippo for one campfire.
You don't need to fill it crazy full to only use it for a day or two , just put a few seconds worth of fuel in and it'll be sweet for your camping trip .
So one of the other reasons zippo were used in the past is you could light it and set it down and have light at night if you didn’t have a campfire going yet. Or for nowadays, if your power goes out, you can light your zippo while you’re getting your candles rounded up.. On another note, these gaskets would be good for your zippo that you don’t use all the time so the gas doesn’t evaporated in them quick.
Lets be realistic - its a lighter, it sets shit on fire, like the house of the neighbour that you hate or a cigarette for example. You can use it for "eMeRgEnCy" flashlight but its really shit, you can buy a 5$ small powerful flashlight that does the job x10 times better and never feel it in your pocket. Other things you can use it for is a hobby, buy enough so you can call it a "collection" so you can show off to your friends or be happy or whatever. Really the main reason people buy those is to either look more badass when lighting their cigarettes or collect them, if you aren't a smoker I DO NOT recommend you to start smoking over some stupid overpriced lighter. Just carry it around and show it to your friends and say "SeE mY ExPeNsIvE AwEsOmE LiGhTeR" and all that, if they ask what you use it for just say "you know, just...... uhm, for stuff and all". You can learn some lighter tricks but it isnt worth it to buy a 50$ metal container that sparks a flame just to throw it around your fingers, but you can do at least that since you already bought it.
Just out of curiosity I wonder if you took the filling door off which would allow only a small hole in the bottom would it slow down fuel consumption but still not vapor lock
I saw a video where a guy uses a bottom corner of a ziplock sandwich bag and used that as a gasket between the insert and case to seal the insert bottom. Works pretty good. Then I use a ranger band over the lid
I don't think there is a need for air to get into the fuel chamber for better wick absorption. the lighter fuel has high evaporation characteristic anyway, the same like spiritus burner in lab they just have a closed jar of spiritus and a wick, and their flame is steady, other people are putting plastic under their tank or running plumber tape around the insert to perfectly seal the gap, and they have no issue with smaller flame
Its simple physics, the fluid being pulled up through the wick needs to be replaced by air, the seal works too good and there fore starves the flame of fuel
For the vapors to get out, air has to go in. The normal Zippos have a loose design, that makes it work. The seal creates vacuum inside the Zippo, it needs to have a small hole - which ironically will defeat its purpose.
its how they are made and the sealent they use i have a imco and a clipper wick (clipper petrol ) set them down lit and never had that issue its one of the reasons i dont really use zippo anymore
If you want to light your Zippo and leave it running for five minutes, that's up to you - for myself, as a Zippo user for 40 years, I know that's a dumb idea and I would never do it. Zippos are great, but they're not completely idiot-proof - you need to be aware of how they work, what they're made of, and simple physical realities such as the fact that they are made of metal and they will get extremely hot if you leave them burning like that!
Take a Bic lighter and tape the button on. Light it, stand it upright and back away. In 5 minuets you will get a 6 foot high flame shooting out as the top of the lighter fails and melts. Right before that happens the button spring will go flying.
The little Zippo canisters are still available...they hold a refill a piece, aluminum, weigh nothing...so I'd rather just have an extra wick, and two or 3 of those. You can also store an extra wick inside. The best option for fuel conservation is an Exotac Titan...but its not a classic Zippo.
I had two of these and both were GARBAGE!! They would both leak and keep going out. Company would not stand behind them. I ended up modifying them into a water tight match container.
Bought an insert from aliexpress that came with the rubber stopper, as well as a cap that seals the wick when the lid is closed. I will use it for some times and see if it runs longer than a regular zippo.. I smoke, and absolutely love zippo.. but the gas evaporating had troubled me always (butane fuel is expensive in india). Lets see if i can run this clone for a longer period or not.
what about the hand warmer zippo does that have to stay lit or do you warm your hands on the hot case? does that one have the same flaw when lit for too long?
I use the zippo hand warmers every day in the winter.. they do not have that problem and I over fill mine sometimes it will stay hot for 24 hours plus.. they are awsome and very cost effective!!
i would guess the gaskets are impeding the capillary action of the wick and fuel more so than the airflow dynamics. I assume the gasket is creating some kind of slight vacuum, preventing the fuel from being able to freely flow up the wick. IDK though, just a stoned thought lol.
Someone else may have mentioned this, but could the shorter flame be due to the length of wick exposed? Or by one wick being a bit more frayed or fanned out than the other?
Zippo has always known what they are doing and the original design works. For the little cost of fuel and time it takes to refill it’s not worth messing with the gasket
Zippo lighters are an old design clearly there are better lighters out there is terms of longevity and reliability however none of them have the allure a Zippo does, the feel, the look the sound and the smell are why people still buy them and collect them FAR from the most useful lighter design but still my favorite :)
@@cutleryloverwhat’s that old saying, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! 😊 I do fancy getting a zippo hence me watching your vid. Very informative thanks 👍🏻
Zippo's are all different, even 2 brand new ones. I have over 200 Zippo's, half are collectable and never used. The rest I rotate in and out to light my cigarettes. My experience with the gaskets is that I can get more days out of one with a gasket than I can without. Since I'm only lighting cigarettes, I don't let it burn for 5 minutes and have no reason that I could think of to do so. If you're a smoker and have used Zippo lighters for that purpose, you'll be pleasantly surprised with the amount of lights you’ll get. The flame on any Zippo is different but I've never had a little short flame like the one you demonstrated. Again though, I've been using these lighters for 30+ years and have a wide variety to choose from and the gaskets have been great in my opinion.
As a 40+ year smoker, I absolutely agree with your comment! I also use one of these gaskets and have no air-pocket seal. You just need to thumb the flint wheel well enough to produce a grand spark, or it won't always ignite. And Zippo has _always_ professed that there's a natural air-lock when you use a Zippo and that you should fan the lighter in an upwards arc as you zip it for it to light first time every time.
No issues here either, I’m happy with them since they do last longer, at least for me. Never heard of Zippo tricks lol, silly.
any other cool zippo gadgets uve come across? You seem like the guy to ask haha
@@TheGeezzer im having that same problem with a zippo original flints.. have to strike it really strong to get it ignite if it cold.. now after im using imco brand flint, dont have that problem anymore.. imco flint in a zippo produces lot of spark compare to zippo brand flint.. now it will ignite even with the slight rotation to the flint wheel..
Are you using only one insert??or many
Vapor lock. Happens with cars too. Thanks for testing that, saved me a few bucks!
Vapors have to have somewhere to go lol I figured that would be the issue with this gasket just the zippo lid being closed can trap vapors and cause vapor lock until you blow inside the chimney and clear them vapors out so when you seal the whole thing up and vapors are trapped all inside bad performance was bound to happen
so that exist? always troubles me why when I have fuel and everything good just don't wish to strike
Aren't vapors supposed to ignite easier? When I leave my zippo lid closed and then open up and strike before the vapors have a chance to escape they light up in a short little explosion
Vapor lock. Slant Six intensefies...
So Joe Nameth* was right? Vapor lock is a serious issue?
Zippo user for over 15 years
..smoker.. I never use my zippo more than 10 seconds at a time just fyi if that helps.
Thanks for sharing.
@@ZippoFanatic77 bag trick?
I bought the Zippo simply for that sound it makes when you open and close it.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.... same ._.
In my case it was the sound, the look and the wind proof functionality
You guys need to check out Dupont lighters then lol
It’s a fidget toy that is capable of lighting fires
many years ago, when i used to smoke, I put petroleum jelly on the insert to prevent leakage. a little messy but it appeared to work.
And that’s smart
did you apply it to both sides of the felt?
@@romeowhiskeyjuliette8711 put it on the metal sides of the insert.. not the felt.
I got my first Zippo two days ago and I am very excited to get some fluid for it. I mostly bought it because my father used to always carry one on a daily basis during the 60’s-70’s, I will always remember the sound of the lid clicking shut.
What a crazy intense test. I love it.
Zippo lighters are just way cooler than anything else. It's a personal item. I recently bought dental cotton to repack my zippo. It's highly absorbent cotton. Works better than cotton balls.
Where did you buy that
Best way to conserve fluid, without vapor locking that ive found is a ranger band. It wont probably save as much fuel as it only prevents it from leaking when its closed. But it also won't allow moisture to get in if you drop it in water.
AS A PIPE SMOKER IT OCCURS TO ME A CHEAP WAY TO EXTEND THE USABILITY OF MY LIGHTER IS TO ADD MORE COTTON THAT WILL ADSORB MORE FUEL
I'm here using a pipe also. I actually favor the zippo pipe insert
While I have always loved a metal Zippo lighter (naptha lighter), I would NEVER consider having one in any kind of 'bugout', 'survival' or 'get home' bag (mentioned in an earlier video)...they just don't hold fuel for long periods of time, no matter the gadget involved. On a SIMILAR NOTE, I just happened to come across 5-Bic (classic) lighters that I KNOW I purchased and put back in 2009 (10 years ago) while new..I checked them YESTERDAY, and found that not only do all 5 still light on the first-strike, but when I shined a light through their cases, ALL OF THEM were STILL full of butane! They were, in fact, still 'like new'! So, if you want 'survival', 'emergency', 'catastrophe' lighting...look no further than the good old Bic lighter...and don't overfill your Zippos, or suffer the wrath of 'Naptha Burns' on your legs...
Another option, you can buy the Zippo Butane Inserts
i see your point, but i have to disagree that zippos are useless in those survival situations. the beauty of zippo lighters, is that when a butane bic lighter runs out of fuel, thats usually it. zippos, in a SHTF or other sort of situation, you could fill zippos up again with gasoline, charcoal lighter fluid, isopropyl alcohol, or heck, you could even distill your own ethanol and use it. a dry zippo style lighter in a shtf bag is useful because its verstile with fuel, and when it runs out, its not next to worthless
You could use the Zippo Fanatic 77 plastic bag trick
@@clouds_belubahju22 they don’t always work tho… in my experience, they kinda suck
Excellent @@redneckranger2144
It's because the fluid being wicked up and burned away by the flame is creating a vacuum, and there's no way for air to fill that void rapidly enough, so the rate at which fluid is wicked up is decreased massively. It seems counterintuitive, but if you put a pinhole or two on the rubber, it'll fix the issue.
I don't think that's an issue with lighters because of the nature of combustible gas. White gas is very volatile so it's constantly evaporating from liquid to gas form. The gas form can fill a lot more space than the liquid, so any gas that burns away will just be replaced by more gas that evaporates from the liquid. If you compare to butane lighters with a sealed tank, absolutely no air is getting into that tank but the flame doesn't change much until the lighter is nearly empty. My guess is that any change to the flame is probably because the felt pad was removed. The felt is much denser than the cotton, and that probably affects the rate of evaporation or something like that. One way to test my idea would be to shave some thickness off of the felt pad and then put it on top of the gasket.
I don't think that's true, the gasket is not air tight anyways, there is some space between the flint screw on the bottom and the rubber. It's not air tight.
Vapor lock
I'm not a smoker, I just like the idea of having a lighter on-hand, in my bag as well as in my desk, for those times I need it. Out of the box Zippos are the worst for this, because of the evaporation issue. The fix for this, for me, is to switch to a butane insert. Zippo doesn't have a slow flame version, yet. I have a Yellow Thunderbird in one of my Zippo cases and it fits loosely. I have to add two little strips of gaffers tape to keep it in place. I'm going to try a Zippo-branded dual flame butane cigar-type insert in another lighter and see if that's any better. I really think the fuel storage for Zippos is a fundamental design flaw; what good is a lighter if the fuel vanishes? Thanks for the honest video.
Bye a bic and a candle. Or start smoking.
@@professored7169 ha! Thanks. I do a cigar once in a while. The dual-flame insert did the trick. There's a slight fight issue, but Zippo emailed me and offered to check it out.
Do the butane lighters leak too or can I fill it and expect it to work if I don’t use it for a week?
Don't fill it up all the time. I usually only put just a few grams in just to get it to work for around a day or so. Keeping fuel canister and fuel can within means reach
If you know you will be away from being able to refill the fluid in a zippo, cut a piece of bicycle inner-tube and place it around the lighter making sure it covers the opening area. this will significantly lengthen the time before a refill is needed.
zippo fluid solves rubber.
@@emremat33 does it do the same to nitrile?
Exotac makes a lighter that is similar to a zippo, but is sealed with a few O rings. This solves the whole leaking/evaporation issue, as well as making the lighter waterproof. I think I still prefer zippos in some situations, but Exotac's TitanLight is a great alternative, especially for outdoor activities.
The thing is once you get into stuff like that its not a zippo anymore it loses its look and feel completely there are thousands of great lighters that dont leak fluid but none of them are Zippos :)
@@cutlerylover haha very true. I love my exotac lighter, but it sure doesn't have that same fizz, as Wranglerstar would say.
@@willk5413 :) been playing with the thyrm myself its cool but not a zippo...
Good seal, hasn't shrunk, still a large flame, no strike issues. I'm actually very happy with my gasket.
I did notice that on the hinged side there was a tiny gap between insert and case. Tilting the lighter would ignite gas from this gap. The gasket stopped this - but I wonder if it is a design feature 'chimney' to prevent vapour lock.
I'm looking at trying the survival zippo case next - and I've just ordered a Japanese 'douglass' waterproof trench : )
I got a couple gaskets for my Zippos they are working quite well so far didn't notice any shortage and Flame on any of mine so far so good.
Edit: I've had zero trouble filling mine, I actually like it a lot better than having to lift through the felt.
Post vid please. No one else is reviewing them.
@@DamasKriss i can do that, I'll shoot a quick one, they are cool as hell.
Seems like the gasket works fine for me. Refilling takes longer but they definitely hold the fluid longer. No issue on the flame height. Much bigger flame than what this video shows as a picture of the lighter lit with the gasket in. And it lights on it's own.
I'm a jeweller and I have my zippo lit for extended periods of time (10-15min) when I am using my oxyprop torch for fast relights.
why don't you use small candles instead of a zippo?
@@dany_2945 well, it's easier to carry a zippo in my pocket than candles, also I would use my zippo to light the candles, so it cuts out the middleman. I just light my torch off my zippo and then set down my zippo lit, i can then just flick my torch over my zippo if my torch goes out. Also candles create a lot of soot wich will effect the quality of work if I'm using it for waxwork.
I’ve used Zippos for years..Love the click..My main lighters for over five decades is the beautifully designed Dunhill Rollagas..Not cheap..form and function highest level..
Where can one buy these?
Asking from South Africa 🇿🇦
Thank you...
Ali Express
Good test.I've stopped using a Zippo in summer because the fuel evaporates in a very short time and I end up with an empty lighter/So use a gas clipper.Could be that insert would maybe stop that......
5:23 No its not weird because when sometimes i forget to refil my zippo it creates this small flame which means there is not enough fuel feeding the wick , which means the wick gets burned so when you try to strike it, it wont light up because the wick is burned and that carbon around the wick prevents the sparks from going through.
Also i smoke so many ciggaretes that my zippo wont actually lose fuel :( Sad but true.
Thank you for the in depth review! I was going to buy a few of these, but not now, I like a nice, big flame. That vapor lock really killed the flame. I'm a new subscriber 👍
P.s. I’ve used a zippo as a flashlight 🔦 in an emergency situation.. lit 🔥 for a while..
i know right? there was this one time, i was visiting my family in LA, and there was a bit of a kerfuffle at party I was attending. Now I smoke but I'd lost my lighter at some point but borrowed a zippo off a guy. Wound up having to use it as a flashlight in some tight places. anyway everything worked out in the end.
This bothers me because how do you define a while? 5 minutes? Because that's about all your going to get out of a zippo
@@jordank5476 why is that all you're going to get?would it run out of fuel?
Or just carry a led light on your keychain.
@@kelakakku did they not have flashlights on mobile phones 2 years ago?? how many of us are walking around in dark places without our phones?
HELLO JEFF, maybe a better solution to that is a Thyrim case, is like a rubberized case for the zippo or butane lighters, check it out.
He received one of those as a gift not too long ago. Hope to see a review on that one soon too.
Seen all these vids and the Thyrm one. I was wondering if you combine the gasket with the Thyrm.. Could it perhaps be the best overall option? Would be cool to see if that lights and if so, has the flint pocket, am curious, would be cool to see @cutlerylover love your channel
Neat series of videos. You did a great job thanks, very interesting.
BICS will have catastrophic failures pretty quickly from heat. The little spring flys out.
They can blow up if you hold it for long enough
Thanks for the results. Very surprising. I guess I will stick with the Thunderbird Butaine inserts, for my Zippo lighters. Great video.
Zippo came out with their own butane inserts, single & double jet flame. Got me to using my old Zippo's again.
Whether you use the seal or not... if you use crown fuel or coleman fuel which is very inexpensive per fuel there is a need to meter the fuel somehow. The little syringes they sell or give out at pharmacies for kiddie Tylenol are a good solution. 6-7CCs is a good amount.
4:35 I use the gasket all the time and it burns exactly the same. Maybe you did something wrong.
I know this is an old video, and my question is a long shot. But i cant find the video you were mentioning about testing how long several different lighters would burn. I did a search but cant find that video. Any link?
I’ve smeared a light coat of vasoline on the inner body that has extended by fuel and no performance issues with the flame.
Zippo is the post apocalyptic war lighter. Where you do not have anymore cheap plastic lighters to hand. A zippo can use the flint wheels and flint from other lighters and can be dunked into fuel to be reused over and over again. It also was designed to be used as a candle.
Not only as a candle, soldiers in Vietnam apparently cooked whole ass pots of stew on these, lmao. I don't know how the insert fared after such treatment and if this trick could be repeated more than once with the same one (although after cleaning it from soot I really see no big reason as to why not, it's not like the thing would have melted or something) but anyway its hella cool
@@1v966 After around 10 minutes a zippo will catch on full blown fire. Check out the numerous videos of different lighter duration comparisons.
You will notice a small hole in the cotton gasket, I believe that is for a spare flint, well I used to keep spare flints in it I also kept spare flints under it too.
I've used Zippos for several minutes at a time to burn patterns into tomahawk handles. Could I have used a torch of some type? Sure, but I don't own, have never used one to make burn patterns and makes it an outside project instead of a kitchen table top one.
Using the same Zippo I noticed the flame becomes unpredictable if you change the felt pad with the rubber gasket. Airflow inside the insert is restricted thus the flame behaves differently but it still lights though.
It goes on top of the felt pad.
i like the gaskets alot and ive never seen the issue you had with the flame with my gaskets, i think thats not gasket related myself, if this item was made by zippo or made in america would talk so negative about the gaskets?
The biggest reason i picked em up is I wanted to see if you just let it sit will the fuel evaporate slower. So far I filled a pipe zippo and an armor zippo about 3 weeks ago and they both still light. I checked them by striking them every few days. Yes I know not scientific but fuel would never last more than a week in a zippo I would just fill and rarely use before so i call it a win for that reason.
IT's also worth mentioning that not just less fuel but also less air by having the gasket the air flow that helps the draw the fuel from the tank thru the wick is slowed down too which also saves fuel! I purchased a 5 pack of the gaskets from watching your first video, I do not smoke but I have a Zippo Collection and I carry one sometimes and I hate to be out of fuel when I need a flame and I thought I would give this a try so far it is extending the life by double and that is pretty good specially considering I am in Hot Central Florida.
yes I believe it has more to do with suction and lack of air flow that conserves the fuel rather than literally sealing the bottom so it cant evaporate out of the bottom part of the insert...
@@cutlerylover I have been playing with leaving enough of a air bubble to keep it from totally filling so that the flame is so small and that it can be strikes started,
@@af22raptor23503 interesting
Have you tried lighting it with the little rubber gasket flap at the bottom open. Perhaps then you would get more air flow, then seal it again to prevent evaporation
I think it depends on your lighter- I put the gaskets in two Zippos and one Star. With the two plain-cased ones, it didn't seem to make much difference, but my favorite one has a stylized brass and steel plate with a coyote braised on it- it doesn't get as hot nearly as fast... I like it because I don't always remember to refill 'em, and it stretches our the fuel so that once a week is enough instead of every 3-4 days.
I smoked for 37 years and carried a military Zippo around for 35 of those years. A Zippo is what it is. I do, however, think you're using the wrong fuel. Ronson fuel and flints always worked better for me than Zippo.
I don't smoke, but I'm a chef so I need to light gas ring I could be lighting 12+ so I can have my Zippo lit for awhile
The hell with a zippoand buy a 2 dollar bic
Should probably do butane so you can focus the flame over the gas
Just use an empty barbecue lighter. The clicker that sparks is enough to start stove top burners. Last foreverish
Thanks for commenting about leaving a zippo lit I thought its ridiculous to think there's no reason to, Also great for heat shrink for same reason. It's also used as a lantern for camping or cabin living.
Lantern for camping? Lmao. Who, what, when? Tent camper here for 40+ years and former backpacker. 😂😂😂😂
Thanks for the test vid. Saved me money, which is always good. However, it seems as though you were trying to test too many variables in one test. I would like to see a retest for non use fuel retention. Not being a smoker, I had to abandon Zippos because they don't like to work on a periodic schedule. I can live with less flame as long as it was there after two weeks rattling around in my pocket. Love to see you try it without the daily burn step: Fill with 4 grams fuel, weigh every two days.
The $3 jet lighters that I use now do this easily, but refueling is a bit of a pain.
you would not have to change these right? will one work forever?
I just use an old bike inner tube on my two user zippos, a high polish chrome, and black crackle with a pewter zippo logo emblem. The inner tube works pretty well for slowing fluid evaporation, water resistance, scratch resistance, and even grip. At most, I get two weeks worth of fuel on my high polish model, and maybe 10 days on my black crackle with the emblem. It is harder to put the inner tube on emblem zippos, and the seal is better on zippos without emblems. The inner tube hack is probably your best bet for slowing fluid evaporation.
I used a Zippo to light fires without enough kindling. There are plenty of scenarios where you might have it burn for a longer time than a few seconds.
Cotton balls with Vaseline= excellent fire starters. Boom! Camping 101.
I've always used the hole to fill my zippo and have had it over fill only a couple times. Its easier and faster for me to just use the hole instead of lift the pad
I never even thought about doing that! The Zippo fuel can tip is perfect for fitting inside that hole. Thank you!
I saturate the hell outta mine.
Fun fact my man that’s actually a little hole for an extra flint 😁
@@ogstacey9281 i know but its so much easier than lifting the pad and filling it. I usually always keep extra flint in my truck so i never carried one in my zippo
@@ogstacey9281 I’m pretty sure he’s talking about the gasket hole to refill fuel.
Here are my results from making it run out twice in a span of two days. From constantly lighting it on BUT leaving the felt pad on. Though I sliced it in half to make it slimmer...
1) No shrinkage what so ever.
2) The flame is 30% bigger.
3) Fuel is lasting me slightly longer. Even though the flame is bigger.
Bonus: I've lit it up roughly 90 times. Most times keeping it on 5 seconds at a time. Sometimes 10. So far flint os still at 50%. That was the more surprising part to me!
Update: I lit it and let it run out of fuel 3 times. Still no shrinkage. Also the wick still worked. But sometimes it would take 3-4 times to light up. Became black and stiff.
What about installing it and then leaving it in my glove box for a month or two? That’s my main use for a lighter, emergency fire.
Won’t hold it that long get a bic or a clipper will hold fuel forever as long as the gas button is not being pressed
Wrap a small plastic from a reguler sandwich zip bag (cut it small enough to fit buttom half of your inner zippo) then put it back on its case. It will some what seal the bottom part to prevent leaking
found it how to do it on youtube somewhere...
If you have a lighter for emergency get a sealed butane lighter. Zippo do sealed butane inserts on their website.
^that.
Take cotton out From bottom and spark into the cotton for fire
I only use my Zippo during winter because not much fuel vaporizes and it lasts longer, and the way I use it to let it stay lit is I warm my hands with it lit on the table like a mini fire for a minute or so and then it heats up and I also hold it on my hand in my pocket for a minute like a hand warmer.
Yep bic isn't design for prolonged burned they have meltdown videos of over used bic lighters . zippo and peanut lighters have the longer burn . they do have a video of how to get a zippo to burn alchol it took a bigger hole and wick to get the propper amount of fuel to flow up the wick . kinda think the gasketed lighter might have the same issue till the insert shrinks and becomes a moot point anyway
Zippo Fanatic 77 Outdoors he uses a freezer bag corner and dumps the felt pad adds cotton bacon and he gets great fuel economy ! Perhaps add a bike tire tube across the hinge area and get best fuel economy !!!
Thanks for your time. Unfortunately below section of Zippo lighter is NOT the only point which vaporize the fluid. Chimney section and the wick itself is another point of fluid vaporization. Scientifically the larger mass for vaporization IS the chimney section. So if yoy sealed the lower point you did the job for 25 percent, again I'm insisting, IF you can seal it completely. So obviously with those gaskets maybe you would seal the lighter for 20 percent top. So you're loosing the fluid 80 percent chance. I'm agree with you, I won't recommend those gaskets either.
i have my lighter because I sometimes need an open flame for working with synthetic cord. So, yes, it stays lit for a while. Not long enough to get really hot, but long enough to imagine that there are others out there who also use their zippo for more than lighting cigarettes.
my guess would be that since the bottom is sealed off the only way for air to get inside the insert is through the wick, so as the liquid fuel sinks to the bottom of the lighter air is pulled in through the wick and the wick is dried out. this could explain the shorter flame and why the wick itself is burning more as seen by the glowing orange spots. it wouldn't be a super big effect since the negative pressure made would be very small inside the light but its possible. maybe the small gaps between the insert and the case, the flint screw sticking out past the insert shell, and the hole in the felt pad help keep a neutral pressure by stopping the bottom from sealing off completely
Alot of people will leave a zippo lit when tying to start a fire with damp materials. Just saying. Another real world reason to have it lit for more than a few seconds.
Replace the wick so that it lights when you strike it. With some pliers, just pull out the wick from the very top and cut off the charred part. There should be an excess amount of wick within the zippo itself. Like I said, all you have to do is pull it out.
Ive seen metal gaskets before on amazon, wonder how those would work long term
I have collected Zippos for many years and have about 100 of them, many of them being collectors pieces, I would go for one of they gaskets but I have now stopped smoking.
on ur zippo with the low flame how was your wix position on top was it in the middle and how short was it? all these factors will cause low flame
Did u have the issue with the low flame as soon as you got them? Only reason I ask is I just got some of these (they were like 5 bucks for 5) and I saw your video before they arrived and I don't have the issue with the low flame. Maybe it will get worse as the fuel gets low, will have to wait and see about not being able to light them when the fuel gets lower as well.
Disappointing, I'll stick w my Vector Thunderbird butane insert for my Zippos. Perfect flame, looks exactly like a reg Zippo flame. Thanks for the test. I don't have money to waste. Be Blessed Jeff.
Plus no terrible lighter fluid taste
@@JS-te4gz exactly. I love the smell cuz it brings memories but butane is just better; easier, cleaner, longer lasting etc. The Vector Thunderbird inserts made me able to use my Zippos again.
@@WarGrrl3 I bought a dual touch flame Thunderbird and my case won't close all the way ...stays slightly open...have you had this experience?
@@JS-te4gz no but I use the Thunderbird Vector inserts that have a regular flame, I don't like the jet flame for the Zippo lighters. They fit perfectly, lighters close w no issues. I did buy a jet single flame insert for my ex and that Zippo closed just fine as well. Good luck. I'd send it back cuz its prob a lemon as they are made to fit a Zippo exactly.
@@WarGrrl3 Thanks i just got the torch flame to light cigars...
There's no airflow in a zippo, the only thing that probably was affecting flame high, could be either one of the wicks was slightly higher up the chimney, or the wick was bent slightly more away from the wheel than the other. I don't think the gasket alone would affect flame height, great videos on the gasket though!
The problem is that these joints are not completely airtight, what I did was reduce the thickness of the felt by half and on top of that I placed the gasket, previously I put automotive silicone around the entire contour of the joint, this way it was perfectly sealed. Now if I can attest that the charge lasts twice as long, I will also try the dental cotton, here I read that it retains better than the original, it would be a matter of trying it.
9:05 If you got enough fluid to spare you can put it on something in the cold, then warm your hands over the open flame for a bit, until the metal body gets nice and warm, and then have it in your hand in your pocket to warm up clammy fingers. 😅
Seems good in theory, but that’s why we need these tests
One theory why the flame is way smaller would be that for the amount of fluid which is burned(soaked out of the tank), the same amount of air has to go in just like in a bottle of water. So as you seal this airproof the only way air can get in is trought the top where the flame is.
8:25 During the second world war, soldiers used the light of a Zippo to write home to mom and dad
You seem like you might know the answer to this and ive been wondering.Did people use zippos as hand warmers in ww2 ir something and thats why zippo made a hand warmer?
@@jajajdjdjdj6434 Probably. If I leave mine lit for more than 10 or 11 seconds the casing gets really hot. But then again mines from 1970.
@@Zanelander no mine does that too
You sure about that? Regular candles seam way more efficient
@@AshleyBlackwater where do you get candles in the middle of a battlefield?
Di tutte le tipologie di benzina per Zippo Qual è quella che asciuga più lentamente? Grazie
wait you can put extra flint in the cotton? my instinct is that the flint might absorb the fuel and explode but I guess maybe not.
I left a zippo lit for a few min recently and knocked it over trying to close it without burning my hand
Could the orange one have been for a Zippo slim and that's why it's smaller? You may have just not noticed when you first got them.
I wish Zippo would design and release a evaporate proof lighter thats as close to the original as possible. I love using my zippo but i dont start enough fires for it to make sense to keep it fuelled, and its kind of annoying to fill a zippo for one campfire.
You don't need to fill it crazy full to only use it for a day or two , just put a few seconds worth of fuel in and it'll be sweet for your camping trip .
The best time to use your zippo is for a few seconds every day at 4:20pm .
So one of the other reasons zippo were used in the past is you could light it and set it down and have light at night if you didn’t have a campfire going yet. Or for nowadays, if your power goes out, you can light your zippo while you’re getting your candles rounded up..
On another note, these gaskets would be good for your zippo that you don’t use all the time so the gas doesn’t evaporated in them quick.
Thanks for testing. I'm fine with the bag trick
I like the aluminum and stainless steel ones with replaceable o rings that you can get at any hardware store.
Got my first zippo , love it! Any tips for starters?
Lets be realistic - its a lighter, it sets shit on fire, like the house of the neighbour that you hate or a cigarette for example. You can use it for "eMeRgEnCy" flashlight but its really shit, you can buy a 5$ small powerful flashlight that does the job x10 times better and never feel it in your pocket. Other things you can use it for is a hobby, buy enough so you can call it a "collection" so you can show off to your friends or be happy or whatever. Really the main reason people buy those is to either look more badass when lighting their cigarettes or collect them, if you aren't a smoker I DO NOT recommend you to start smoking over some stupid overpriced lighter. Just carry it around and show it to your friends and say "SeE mY ExPeNsIvE AwEsOmE LiGhTeR" and all that, if they ask what you use it for just say "you know, just...... uhm, for stuff and all". You can learn some lighter tricks but it isnt worth it to buy a 50$ metal container that sparks a flame just to throw it around your fingers, but you can do at least that since you already bought it.
Just out of curiosity I wonder if you took the filling door off which would allow only a small hole in the bottom would it slow down fuel consumption but still not vapor lock
I saw a video where a guy uses a bottom corner of a ziplock sandwich bag and used that as a gasket between the insert and case to seal the insert bottom. Works pretty good. Then I use a ranger band over the lid
I don't think there is a need for air to get into the fuel chamber for better wick absorption. the lighter fuel has high evaporation characteristic anyway, the same like spiritus burner in lab they just have a closed jar of spiritus and a wick, and their flame is steady, other people are putting plastic under their tank or running plumber tape around the insert to perfectly seal the gap, and they have no issue with smaller flame
Its simple physics, the fluid being pulled up through the wick needs to be replaced by air, the seal works too good and there fore starves the flame of fuel
For the vapors to get out, air has to go in. The normal Zippos have a loose design, that makes it work. The seal creates vacuum inside the Zippo, it needs to have a small hole - which ironically will defeat its purpose.
And now we know why Zippo doesn't use a plastic gasket😅😅😅
Thanks for the great test and hard work!
its how they are made and the sealent they use i have a imco and a clipper wick (clipper petrol ) set them down lit and never had that issue its one of the reasons i dont really use zippo anymore
i personally use my zippo as hand warmer so i do light it for some minute.... and then i do smoke like 25cigaretes a day... thats 10sec per cigarete
If you want to light your Zippo and leave it running for five minutes, that's up to you - for myself, as a Zippo user for 40 years, I know that's a dumb idea and I would never do it. Zippos are great, but they're not completely idiot-proof - you need to be aware of how they work, what they're made of, and simple physical realities such as the fact that they are made of metal and they will get extremely hot if you leave them burning like that!
Thankyou, I'm real happy I watched your video, I agree it's a big help.
11:48 can someone please tell me where to get one??
Wish.com
My guess is that the felt improves air-flow.
Take a Bic lighter and tape the button on. Light it, stand it upright and back away. In 5 minuets you will get a 6 foot high flame shooting out as the top of the lighter fails and melts. Right before that happens the button spring will go flying.
The little Zippo canisters are still available...they hold a refill a piece, aluminum, weigh nothing...so I'd rather just have an extra wick, and two or 3 of those. You can also store an extra wick inside.
The best option for fuel conservation is an Exotac Titan...but its not a classic Zippo.
I had two of these and both were GARBAGE!! They would both leak and keep going
out. Company would not stand behind them. I ended up modifying them into a water
tight match container.
@@JohnDoe-zb7dz there are a bunch of Chinese fakes...which is a problem with most stuff nowdays
@@tikkidaddy Bought them straight from Exotac.
@@JohnDoe-zb7dz 2 capfulls of Zippo fluid and it still leaked?
@@tikkidaddy Yes. Did every thing I was suppose to do. Watched several videos. Even one of the reps admitted he doesn't like them. JUNK!
Bought an insert from aliexpress that came with the rubber stopper, as well as a cap that seals the wick when the lid is closed. I will use it for some times and see if it runs longer than a regular zippo..
I smoke, and absolutely love zippo.. but the gas evaporating had troubled me always (butane fuel is expensive in india). Lets see if i can run this clone for a longer period or not.
what about the hand warmer zippo does that have to stay lit or do you warm your hands on the hot case? does that one have the same flaw when lit for too long?
I use the zippo hand warmers every day in the winter.. they do not have that problem and I over fill mine sometimes it will stay hot for 24 hours plus.. they are awsome and very cost effective!!
i would guess the gaskets are impeding the capillary action of the wick and fuel more so than the airflow dynamics. I assume the gasket is creating some kind of slight vacuum, preventing the fuel from being able to freely flow up the wick. IDK though, just a stoned thought lol.
Great video, we need more people to do these kinds of tests.
question, does the formerly insert zippo burn short once the insert is removed.
A section of bike inner tube wrapped around the lighter is a great way to keep it from loosing fuel.
Someone else may have mentioned this, but could the shorter flame be due to the length of wick exposed? Or by one wick being a bit more frayed or fanned out than the other?
Zippo has always known what they are doing and the original design works. For the little cost of fuel and time it takes to refill it’s not worth messing with the gasket
Zippo lighters are an old design clearly there are better lighters out there is terms of longevity and reliability however none of them have the allure a Zippo does, the feel, the look the sound and the smell are why people still buy them and collect them FAR from the most useful lighter design but still my favorite :)
@@cutleryloverwhat’s that old saying, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! 😊 I do fancy getting a zippo hence me watching your vid. Very informative thanks 👍🏻