How Do You Refill Clippers So That They Light Well?

[rakovsky]

A friend gave me a classic-style blue Clipper, and a long-tailed yellow button-switch Clipper. I bought a "King" brand Butane fuel canister.

I like to use the Clippers' bottoms as tampers, and this doesn't look like it affects the refill holes.

When the Clippers' flames got low or stopped lighting, I turned the Clippers upside-down, turned the refill canister upside down, and put the bare refill nozzle into the Clippers refill hole. The nozzle fit well and snugly. I held the refill nozzle in the hole and counted to 12, since the fuel bottle says to fill it for 5-6 seconds. Then I took the nozzle out.

But the standard Clipper wouldn't light after I refilled it, and the long tailed Clipper's flame is extremely small. I tried refilling the bottles again with the same method, and I also tried using the smallest of the clear plastic adapter nozzles that came with the canister. This didn't fix the problem.

My friend told me to use something to prop open the Clipper refill hole to let the air out and then to refill the Clipper again. I did that, and the Clipper still doesn't relight well.

Am I doing something wrong? Are Clippers just often defective for refilling?

 

[daveinlax]

I thought the clipper lighters were junk and gave up on them long ago. If I travel with a lighter it’s usually a Bic with a chimney.

I don’t like the king brand or any butane that has the metal filler. I think the plastic filler mates better with the lighter and adapters.

 

[Briarcutter]

I wouldn't use it as a tamper, you could be getting all kind of krud contamination in the fill valve. Are you sure that butane has the right adaptor?

 

[khiddy]

Not sure what's happening for you, as I refill my Clipper lighter (appears to be the same model as in your picture) all the time. I usually give it a 7-8 count when refilling straight from the butane can, and it lights right up.

 

[rakovsky]

I thought the clipper lighters were junk and gave up on them long ago. If I travel with a lighter it’s usually a Bic with a chimney.

Dave,

The reasons why I like Clippers are that they are refillable, the lighter button doesn't hurt my thumb, and the circle bottom doubles as a tamper.

I like BICs with chimneys, but I run through them quickly because they aren't refillable.

Zippo lighter wheels sometimes scrape or welt my thumb.

I run through a lot of Kitchen matches on blends that are hard to light or keep lit.

I don’t like the king brand or any butane that has the metal filler. I think the plastic filler mates better with the lighter and adapters.

(1) The Butane canister with its metal nozzle and adapters, (2) the Clippers, or (3) the way that I deal with them could be the source of the problem.

(1) The bare unadapted metal filler / nozzle fit deep and snugly enough that it seemed to be a good mate.

The butane canister lid comes with 6 clear adapter nozzles stuck in the lid. You can push any of them out of the lid and then put them on the nozzle. After failing to fill the lighter with the bare default metal filler nozzle, I stuck the smallest adapter plastic nozzle on the metal filler nozzle. Then when I put the small adapter in the lighter, gas and liquid flowed out of the spot. So the smallest adapter could be too small.

The adapters look like this, but are clear:

(2) My friend gave me the Clippers from his own collection that he refills successfully.

(3) I watched a Youtube video on refilling Clippers, and did the same thing that the video showed.

 

[rakovsky]

Are you sure that butane has the right adaptor?

No, but I want to ask you about this.

The Discount Tobacco store sold the "King" butane canisters for refilling lighters.

Would either standard Clippers and Butane refill canisters normally be made to fit with the other? I would expect so.

Are you normally supposed to use an adapter to fill a lighter? I would imagine that the right sized bare metal nozzle wouldn't require an adapter. The bare metal nozzle seemed to fit so well that I would imagine that even the best sized adapter would only fit as well.

 

[rakovsky]

Not sure what's happening for you, as I refill my Clipper lighter (appears to be the same model as in your picture) all the time. I usually give it a 7-8 count when refilling straight from the butane can, and it lights right up.

That's good to know.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Mine work fine.

It could be the gas you used.

I've never had to use an adapter.

 

[prairiedruid]

I use Xikar High Altitude Butane to refill my lighters. Costs a bit more but definitely a better quality butane.

 

[Waning Embers]

Are you bleeding the lighter before filling?

Edit : I see that you are.

 

[Briarcutter]

It all depends on the lighter and fuel canister. Some canisters have just one nozzle for a variety of lighters but not all lighters, some canisters have a straight nozzle with several adapters which fit on the straight nozzle for different lighters. Xikar butane is like this with the adapters, I use it for my Duponts. I am not familiar with your lighter so I have no idea what nozzle/adaptor it uses. If you check with the butane manufacturer they should be able to tell you all the lighters their product is compatible with.

 

[Briarcutter]

 

[rakovsky]

If you check with the butane manufacturer they should be able to tell you all the lighters their product is compatible with.

That's a good idea.

 

[rakovsky]

I'm thinking of waiting until the now-tiny flame left on the longtail Clipper stops working. If I drain the air and refuel, it might not work again at all, based on my experience with the standard Clipper.

My big box of Diamond kitchen matches works as a backup, but Diamond brand matches often leave a weird flavor that reminds me of a kitchen's gas stove.

 

[Sig]

Ive had a lot of refillable lighters over the years, but I only use Bic now.
I have noticed that some individual lighters of the same model have different refill requirements that may be contrary to the instructions.
The usual fix for me was to first purge all the fuel from the lighter.
Then give a 1 second blast of fuel, wait a few seconds, even shake the lighter sometimes, then continue the 1 second burst and wait a few seconds routine. About ten 1 second bursts with a few seconds in-between has worked on several of my refillables.
My only thought is maybe there is too much psi coming from the can causing the fluid to go back in the can...who knows.

 

[daveinlax]

Another thing is that I’ve found that the pressure equalizes between the can and the lighter so you need to “pump” the can a few times to give it a boost. Freeze the lighter and warm the can to get the max fill.

 

[rakovsky]

Another thing is that I’ve found that the pressure equalizes between the can and the lighter so you need to “pump” the can a few times to give it a boost. Freeze the lighter and warm the can to get the max fill.

How do you pump or warm the can?
Put it in the oven at 150 degrees?

 

[rakovsky]

Then give a 1 second blast of fuel, wait a few seconds, even shake the lighter sometimes, then continue the 1 second burst and wait a few seconds routine. About ten 1 second bursts with a few seconds in-between has worked on several of my refillables.

Thanks, Sig.

 

[daveinlax]

How do you pump or warm the can?
Put it in the oven at 150 degrees?

I put the can under my arm while I wait for the lighter to cool down. I think “blast” is the better word to use. Get a cheap triple cigar torch with a transparent tank and you’ll see what we mean.

 

[Waning Embers]

How do you pump or warm the can?
Put it in the oven at 150 degrees?

Just put the lighter in a freezer for 10-15 minutes. When the butane enters the cold lighter it will instantly liquefy.