What is the purpose of the hole in Zippo felt?

[jmill208]

"There are three side effects of acid: enhanced long-term memory, decreased short-term memory, and I forget the third."
why IS that hole in that felt? I don't recall.

 

[lucky695]

This poor guy asks a simple question... I use the pick on my Czech tool and the felt hole to lift the felt.
But if I were to guess on a possible Alternate use for the hole, my guess would be to use it to watch a solar eclipse.

 

[woodsroad]

If Zippo was smart, they would run with this as a new ad campaign.
Solar Eclipse....good one.

 

[jimbo69]

I've carried a zippo since the late 70's, used the hole for flints (more efficient to toss a couple under the felt) and filling. Honestly, it's easier to use it as a filling port. The big can of zippo fluid lasts like almost a year, the charge lasts a week... so...

 

[tobacco00owl]

edgreen:
I believe that you absolutely correct. The spout of the fluid container fits inside of this hole, thereby preventing the fluid stream from inadvertently soaking the user's hands, the side of the lighter, the table top, etc.

That's how I will be using the hole after some experience in the amount of fluid will fill the lighter

Can't say for sure what Zippo's original intent was, but I use either the poker from a Czech tool or the tip of my pocketknife blade to insert into the Zippo felt hole and lift up the felt in order to refill the lighter with fluid. I guess you could use it to fill the lighter reservoir but by lifting the felt I can usually make sure I'm not overfilling it.

The "safe" way would be to lift the felt as you can see the lighter being filled. We pipers are in the minority so I don't think Zippo put that hole in there thinking users would use a tool to lift. Then again, sometimes the felt is too far in the insert case and simply using your fingers you aren't able to lift the felt, so I tool would be needed. And the hole would help in using a tool.

So what exactly were you expecting? There are only three geniuses here, and we are busy contemplating Golden Unicorns. Even in Wikipedia Talk there is debate about this--and no straight answer.
Historically, the common wisdom was that one put the nipple (yeah, I said NIPPLE) of the fluid can into the hole.
It's what we did for many years. Nothing bad happened to us. What exactly is the sense of lifting the felt? Any idiot that has ever held a Zippo fills by squirting on the felt until it is saturated. Duh...
Zippo is quiet about this. On some lighters they have eliminated the hole and put a pull on the felt. Whatzat tell you?

Seems the hole is for 1. filling or 2. help in lifting felt. Seems Zippo is quiet about this because of liability. Safer to fill by lifting felt. Can visually see it overfill, but using the hole to fill is much more convenient but the user has to know that about 5 squirts the lighter is full. Zippo kept the hole for experienced users.

This poor guy asks a simple question... I use the pick on my Czech tool and the felt hole to lift the felt.

Thanks for the sympathy!

 

[instymp]

ae1pt.. Didn't Kenny Rogers write a song about that? Something about a Brown paper bag?

virginiacob..that's what I use it for.

 

[woodsroad]

I hate correct answers.

They take all the mystery out of life.

 

[kb7get]

It is a "dipstick" hole. You stick something like a toothpick in it to check fluid level before heading out.

 

[warren]

Oops! Me bad!

 

[dwt63]

I use it for flints. I keep the elephants in an empty matchbox.

 

[purplemotoman]

Wow..did Starcat funnel you guys some special baccy or what.

 

[allan]

My fiancé says I should use my felt hole when she isn't in the mood.

I like Lost's answer best

 

[landon]

My head exploded after read jmill208's post.

 

[toby67]

I agree with Allan, Lost really is lost if he has to dip his wick in a fuel hole when his fiancé simply isn't in the mood.
Besides using it as a fuelling hole only allows you to get full use of half a can of zippo fluid because while half the fluid entering the hole will fill the lighter, the other half gets lost in the time continuum and just floats around between the tomorrows and yesterday's eternally.

 

[foggymountain]

It is for filling the lighter. They can't say that for safety and legal reasons.

 

[pipejunky]

If your a little shaky, putting the tip in the hole helps control the flow. That sounds kinky but its true

 

[sparrowhawk]

The hole is actually a quantum black hole, used for instantaneous travel to pipe store to pipe store, made of neutrinos.