Recently, I picked up a cool lighter on the side of the street that somebody apparently dropped. There was fuel left in it, but if it ever runs out, I wouldn’t know what kind to refuel it with.
It works differently from a 25 cent Bic lighter or a Zippo with a wick. The flame is small, triangular, and all blue. When it’s on, it makes a low blowtorch-type sound, and it reminds me of high school Bunsen burners.
I don’t smoke (much) and I use it mostly for melting wax onto yo-yo string, so I dont’ think I’ll be running out any time soon. When I do, what type of fuel am I going to need, and how much will it cost me?
Yep, sounds like butane. The fill valve should be on the bottom, in the middle of that dial you use to change the height of the flame. Instructions for refilling it will be on the butane canister you buy.
I bought one of those for $8 and after the first time I refilled it, it was never the same. The flame was originally as you described, a windproof little triangular torch. Eventually the flame drifted up until it was about 1/8" above the lighter’s opening, and then it stopped being windproof.
be sure not to take your torch with you while flying. it is now illegal to carry them (the torch lighters, to be clear for non-american dopers who may think that ‘torch’ simply means lighter) on your person, in your carry-ons, and in your checked baggage.
I got a butane lighter from Marlboro back when I was collecting Marlboro Miles. It was the best lighter I’ve ever owned. Then the electric spark making thingy stopped working. It was un-replaceable. So I sent in more saved up Miles and got 2 more butane Marlboro Lighters. They sucked royally. They went through fuel in about 2 days and it took several “clicks” to get them to light. I still have them and they still work AFAIK but I won’t use them as they are to expensive.
[sub]which always bothers me, because I care if my flame costs me a few extra cents a week but I don’t seem to care about the 20 bucks or so I blow on smokes in the same period[/sub]
dead0man