# Zippo lighter question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 17, 2010, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497 "2010-12-17T11:42:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/1 "2010-12-17T11:42:16Z")
My Zippo has been in daily use for thirteen years now and is still equipped with the original wick and wool/cotton. I used to refill it every three days with about the same amount of gas. But for some time now, this amount only lasts for much shorter than before, hardly more than one day, though I use it the same way and with the same frequency as ever. If there was leakage involved, I’m sure I would have noticed, because I carry it in my pocket and have had experienced the effect of contact of leaking gas with the skin before after overfilling the lighter (it burns and you get a rash). What could be the reason for the higher gas comsumption? ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/2 "2010-12-17T12:54:03Z")
Of course naphtha is very volatile and it evaporates quickly. I suspect the sealing of your lighter has deteriorated enough to account for the missing gas. It would take so little for this to occur and leak throughout the day. With regular use, the hinges will wear and the lid will be allowed to swing slightly out of alignment with the body and break the seal. In my opinion, Zippo lighters were never sealed well to start. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/3 "2010-12-17T13:05:28Z")
**Al** , I would have guessed that too, but I just got the lighter back from a repair because the hinges actually were worn out. Now they are as tight as if the lighter was new, but the high gas consumption continues. (Sorry that I forgot to mention that) ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/4 "2010-12-17T15:03:15Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > **Al** , I would have guessed that too, but I just got the lighter back from a repair because the hinges actually were worn out. Now they are as tight as if the lighter was new, but the high gas consumption continues. > > (Sorry that I forgot to mention that) It’s a simple little metal box. The gas has to be escaping from it somewhere. Unless. Unless the fuel is not going in to the same degree. If the cotton is all bunched up it would take less fuel to seem full before being saturated. Since you are not experiencing any rash from leaky gas, the gas must be leaving in vapor form over an extended time, again, unless it’s not getting in there to begin with. It also occurred to me that the content of the gas may have changed over the years. I used to purchase Rosonol lighter fluid for use as 100% naphtha because it stated so on the ingredient list. Last time I checked the label, they had modified it to some generic term and did not list naphtha specifically. People have experimented with everything that could burn in lighters with generally inferior performance. I suppose unscented mineral spirits would work and evaporate slower. Obviously you are a Zippo aficionado or you would not have had that hinge replaced. A purist such as yourself is not about to experiment in this way. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/5 "2010-12-17T15:33:31Z")
> [@Al\_Bundy](#): > > It also occurred to me that the content of the gas may have changed over the years. I used to purchase Rosonol lighter fluid for use as 100% naphtha because it stated so on the ingredient list. Last time I checked the label, they had modified it to some generic term and did not list naphtha specifically. This would be my guess. I’ve also noticed that my Zippo “empties” faster than it once did, though I don’t fill it daily. In fairness, though, I use my Zippo to light my pipe, so it is not used as frequently as a cigarette smoker might use it. Anyway, neither my Zippo nor my use of it has changed, so changing the formulation for Ronsonol would be a sensible explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/6 "2010-12-17T15:33:53Z")
The butane mix you are now using may be different than what you previously bought and that may result in less effecient use or higher evaporation. Similar to the higher vapor content of unleaded gasoline in the winter months. ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/7 "2010-12-17T16:11:57Z")
Another possible cause is that over 13 years of filling and refilling your lighter is that the volume of “available” cotton wadding has been reduced by a build up of plaque/residue from the fuel. Although the lables claim 100% naptha, there are actually resins that can build up- they are a residue of the evaporated fuel- just guessing… Zippo has an outstanding record of customer service, contact them and ask ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/8 "2010-12-17T16:57:41Z")
My Dad had a whole bunch of Zips and when I got my first one I took all the felt top pads from them and switched out all the fluffy stuff. ~2 weeks between refills (pack a day+ smoker) using plain ol’ VP&M naphtha (_Coleman Camp Fuel_ if ya want to buy it by the gallon). This is with the really, really, loose hinge you get from “one-handed snap” closing it too. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/9 "2010-12-17T17:30:17Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > The butane mix… [nitpick] Not in a Zippo. Liquid fuel. Naptha. Not butane. [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/10 "2010-12-17T18:02:09Z")
> [@Al\_Bundy](#): > > Obviously you are a Zippo aficionado or you would not have had that hinge replaced. A purist such as yourself is not about to experiment in this way. The aficionado/purist made me smirk, as actually I’m only a sucker for that special Zippo of mine, being a gift with a personal engraving. But yes, I like my lighter, and I always used the same liquid. I’m in Germany, but it’s labeled in English as “universal lighter gasoline”. I’m not really sure if that is the same as naphtha, but I never used anything different. As for replacing the hinge: like **Full Metal Lotus** stated, Zippo really has excellent customer service, so the repair was for free. Re residues in the cotton: there are visible brown spots in the cotton, so this could be an explanation. But that raises my next question: can I replace only the cotton, or do I have to replace the complete inner part of the lighter? ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/11 "2010-12-17T19:18:16Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > [nitpick] > Not in a Zippo. Liquid fuel. Naptha. Not butane. > [/nitpick] \ HTML codes use \< and not [ ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zippo-lighter-question/564497/12 "2010-12-17T19:23:47Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > \ > HTML codes use \< and not [ [nitpick]VB codes use not \<\>[/nitpick]