My Life in Butane Lighters

[cigrmaster]

pianopuffer, keep your box and paperwork for that Lotus. I bought one, died in a couple of weeks. My tobacconist gave me a new one from his display and sent mine back to the factory. The new one he gave me lasted maybe three weeks. I brought it back to tobacconist and he had my original he sent back. He tried lighting it and it was still broken. He then gave me store credit which I used for the IM Corona Pipemaster. I am not sure which lotus I had but it was a pipe lighter with a tamper.

 

[btwes7]

I go back and forth between a Xikar Resource II and a Zippo. Never had any issues with the Xikar - big tank too.

 

[spartan99]

I have a couple of the JetLine angled flame lighters. I think I bought one and got the other in a goodie box. They're the lighters I use the most because they're convenient, reliable, and inexpensive. Their only problem is that they hold very little fuel.
I bought a Xikar Resource II recently and have been using it as well. It has all the design elements from the JetLines that I like, but is smoother and more solid. More importantly, it's larger, with a correspondingly larger fuel tank. The only quibble I have with it is that the actual jet is so deeply recessed within the body of the lighter that it likes to scorch itself during normal use. No big deal.
I also have a Zippo pipe lighter and an Old Boy style lighter from 4th Generation. Neither gets much use, but I don't have anything bad to say about them.

 

[pianopuffer]

Good to know. I’ll keep my Kiribi close at hand and order another!

 

[philairfoil]

Is there a lighter buying syndrome...LAD? Well, it started with a dozen or so Zippos, but found butane better for a pipe. Years of throwaway Bics and the like, nothing that lasted more than a few months as I use a lighter a LOT.
Bought a package of the Clipper refillable plastic jobs that are good for the price, although I haven't tried to refill any (that seems to be the downfall of butane lighters for me) but their cheap, so...I still have a few of those around that aren't lost or friends and family haven't borrowed.
I invested in the zippo gas insert, which actually works pretty well for the price, a thunderbird I believe, but I just don't trust it for long term for some reason.
More recently, I thought I would buy quality and got a Kiribi Kobuto, which I use all the time, it is a well made lighter and has lasted around a year so far...but three are two and one is none, you always need a backup.
I acquired a Dunhill 'Rollagas' which a friend gifted me, which was decades old and needed work. I sent it off to a "doctor of Dunhill" repair guy and found it felt, very assuring. However after $80 in repair costs it started to leak again, and the flame adjustment screw seemed worn out... so that's back in the drawer.
Began looking at a Peterson and Oldboy's and found that they are a bit cheaper buying from England.
At a E-store today, I ended up ordering something called a Pierre Cardin 'Paris', that looks to be a S.T.Dupont knockoff for $40 less shipping, a bargain, sort of...and if you buy a pipe or two as well...(some pipes from Britain are cheaper)...I mitigated the shipping cost. How thrifty!
I'm guessing it's a made in China thing, but it does have a two year warranty, and it's not in the Dupont or Dunhill price ranges...(many hundreds to a few thousands)...so there's that. I'll post results of this experiment.
I was really thinking a Oldboy...but a Oldboy is a knockoff of a Dunhill 'Unique', and noticed that Ronson is making (in Japan) that iconic 'Varaflame' again...in butane...only 60 bucks.
Does anyone know where to buy any of those old time strike anywhere wood matches?

 

[derekflint]

Does anyone know where to buy any of those old time strike anywhere wood matches?

Stores that sell camping and outdoor equipment might have them..........

 

[jpmcwjr]

Phil- I'd say you got that particular AD!
Any pics of the rarer lighters?

 

[balkisobrains]

The only caveat if you are in North America with buying the Petes, is that as far as I know, you have to send it back overseas if you need warranty work.

 

[philairfoil]

My photog skillz are lacking, but above is the Cardin lighter I will receive soon, it's a...let's say redesign...of the Dupont type, I believe...

Above would be a 'original' Dupont...this item runs $3100.
You could put it on your homeowners insurance in case of loss or theft, I suppose.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Heh. And thanks for the photos.

 

[jackets]

I picked up a full size Karibi Kabuto about a year ago and haven’t looked back. I have only gone through one flint and filled it a hand full of times. The usefulness of the Kiribi was driven home to me the other day when I was able to perfectly aim the flame around my MM mini cob. One huge positive is that SP is the authorized American repair and warranty retailer for Karibi, I’m sure if something goes wrong they will handle it quickly and effectively as they do with the rest of their business.

 

[jpmcwjr]

OH, jackets, you did it. You made me look, and I hit Amazon for the little Kiribi - " Mikazuki Short Black Matte Pipe Lighter", pictured below.....

 

[jpmcwjr]

What I was looking for: the full sized lighter without the little spur (see below) for opening the cap. I would like to change the arm on my Kabuto to one where there's no extra material on the arm, i.e., so it's flat and compact like the one on the Mikazuki above.

 

[balkisobrains]

The easiest thing to do would probably be to just sell the Kabuto, since you already bought the IMC. Problem solved!

Otherwise you are chasing parts or a parts lighter to see if something will work or not, or you are grinding and re-plating, or realistically, grinding and not re-plating. ::

 

[jpmcwjr]

Quite right. If the company were to do it, ok. But it's not really a bother as is. There's also a slight area where the leather has pulled back from the body of the lighter.

 

[philairfoil]

I could be mistaken on the time line, but I think this Dunhill is the granddaddy of this type...

Only $400...
I bought a Kubuto.

 

[npod]

Wonderful collection. I love how personal pipe accessories and lighters become over time. Cheers.

 

[philairfoil]

I received the Pierre Cardin pipe lighter, (on the left) Shipping was 3 weeks. Cost before shipping was around 40$ US, and at that price point, I'm satisfied.
It feels solid, lights first time and holds at least as much fuel as a Kiribi, likely more. One Brit retailer described the Cardin line of lighters the most popular in the UK, but I could find little evidence of that claim as there are few online reviews.
With a 2 year warranty I would guess it will be somewhat durable, time will tell. I could find no country of origin on the lighter or package which gives pause, likely Chinese.
Center is a Sarome lighter, a Ebay find who are apparently a Japanese maker of somewhat upscale lighters.

This was bought as a NOS from some liquidator for $30 shipped. I would favorably compare the feel and construction to the Kiribi on the right, and a bit ahead of the Cardin.
I have not found either the Cardin or Sarome online from a US shop...but so far (knock on wood) I'm glad I found both, and actually all three pictured, I use lighters a LOT.

 

[balkisobrains]

I wonder if your Sarome has a brass tank inside of the outer sleeve, which could put it closer in overall weight to the Kiribi with the metal monoblock. The Cardin has a plastic tank in its sleeve, based on pics from the internet, and I see Saromes with brass tanks and plastic tanks. It looks a little older, when it was more common to see brass tanks.

 

[philairfoil]

I'm gonna guess it has a plastic tank, there is a screw on the bottom, which I would think holds the sleeve to a plastic tank but...If it ain't broke I'm not gonna try and fix it.
I looked at the current Sarome website and indeed mine is no longer listed...it is very similar to a Rollagas in it's function, but certainly not in it's weight, being much lighter. This lighter is a lot lighter than that lighter.
Heh, sorry for that but it inspired me to weigh the Rollagas...75 grams... the Saromi, 62.