Can I Use Camp Stove Fuel in a Lighter?

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Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
8,932
37,918
RTP, NC. USA
Camp stove fuel, so called Coleman fuel or white gas. I don't know if I would put that in Zippo. White gas is rather volatile. You should see first year scouts running away from priming white gas stoves. And, they love fires.
 

carlomarx

Can't Leave
Oct 29, 2011
416
601
State College,PA
Thanks for the advice guys. I'm doing some backyard camping with the family tonight and ran out of fuel for my lighter. I will be using this old girl to roast marshmallows ?

@trudger any idea how old she is?

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Classic stove! Beats my fifty year old Coleman that I still use. Can't guess the age, the tank looks like 40's ? But the body of the stove looks like a 50's model. Did the Canadian models use a different style fuel tank than the USA?
 

craig61a

Lifer
Apr 29, 2017
5,767
47,577
Minnesota USA
White gas, or Coleman fuel, is quite volatile. While I don’t know what differences it does have compared to lighter fluid, it would seem it’s probably not the best solution.

Back in the day we used to tape steel pop cans together, cutting the top and bottom out with the exception of the bottom can. Used a can opener to punch openings in the top the bottom can. Squirt lighter fluid in an opening in the bottom opening of the bottom can, shake it around, drop a tennis ball in and ignite the fuel vapor at the bottom opening. Called it a Polish cannon.

Back in the early 1970’s one of my older somewhat inebriated, THC inspired cousins decided it would be a good idea to set alight a large pile of tree branches (slash) on the lakeshore of our summer cabin. In the boathouse was a full can of Coleman lantern fuel. Pretty sure the entire can was dumped. There was a brief delay while somebody fumbled around looking for a source of ignition. The ensuing fireball and blast was impressive.
 
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kschatey

Lifer
Oct 16, 2019
1,118
2,271
Ohio
Camp stove fuel, so called Coleman fuel or white gas. I don't know if I would put that in Zippo. White gas is rather volatile. You should see first year scouts running away from priming white gas stoves. And, they love fires.
Ah yes, the good old Coleman stoves and lanterns. Who hasn't nearly blown themselves up once or twice getting them primed, lit up, and going? Oh, and the knurl burns on the thumb and index finger from touching the knob on the top of the lantern when trying to get the top off to replace the mantle forgetting how damn hot it get up there? Classic. Battery operated LED lanterns just take all the excitement out of now! ;)

And another personal fav is the MSR WhisperLite white gas backpacking stoves. Still have one and use it for crew cooking on various types of treks. Getting it going requires pumping the bottle, let a smidge of fuel into the pan and light it to get the rest of pipe works hot enough to vaporize the gas, and then really light it and get it cranked up. People really freak when they see it for the time. Sure, canister stoves are light and great for boiling water, but really suck for frying fish or doing some gourmet cooking. I like to eat well on the trail!
 

thefishguy

Can't Leave
Jan 17, 2017
499
1,237
I’ve gone through over a quart of 85% Coleman fuel 15% naphtha in my zippo and I’m still on the same wick. Haven’t even pulled it up any. That 15% naphtha really helps to cool the burn temp and decrease volatility.
 

crusader

Can't Leave
Aug 18, 2014
396
357
Nebraska
Back in the day I worked in aviation and we would fill our zippos with 100ll avgas from the test sumps from Cesnas.

Probably took a year off my life from lighting smokes from that.
 
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