Zippo Lighter Fuel

BaconTheoryBaconTheory Join Date: 2003-09-06 Member: 20615Members
edited July 2004 in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">please read first</div> Now before you say anythung I DONT SMOKE.

I use Zippo lighters when I go camping becasue they're windproof. They're pretty much good for lighting everything from stoves to campfires to propane lanterns.

My question: Is there an alternative fuel for Zippos? I have a hard time getting a hold of the official Zippo stuff and I was wondering if there is anything thats better/cheaper. I've heard that rubbing alcohol works as well as gasoline.
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Comments

  • falloutx2falloutx2 Join Date: 2003-05-01 Member: 15979Members, Constellation
    I would just line up a few different types of fuels, gasoline probably wouldn't be very efficient as its a "heavier" fuel and a zippo could burn something like rubbing alcohol, liquid butane. I'd look in a hardware store and an outdoor store and see what kind of low cost fuels they have and give them a shot.
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  • BaconTheoryBaconTheory Join Date: 2003-09-06 Member: 20615Members
    edited July 2004
    Well, like I said, I heard that Isopropyl (rubbing alcohol) works great but smells bad and burns slow.
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  • douchebagatrondouchebagatron Custom member title Join Date: 2003-12-20 Member: 24581Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    i thought you could just find some lighter fluid and use that. its usually easy to find around here, alot easier than zippo fuel.
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  • EEKEEK Join Date: 2004-02-25 Member: 26898Banned
    Yeah... just buy a can of butane... it doesn't work any different.
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  • XythXyth Avatar Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22312Members
    I use charcoal lighter fluid. It's supposed to be used for when you are doing a charcoal fire to help get the things to burn. It works fine and gives a pretty nice flame, plus it costs like nothing.
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  • MedHeadMedHead Join Date: 2002-12-19 Member: 11115Members, Constellation
    edited July 2004
    <!--QuoteBegin-EEK+Jul 17 2004, 04:04 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (EEK @ Jul 17 2004, 04:04 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Yeah... just buy a can of butane... it doesn't work any different. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I would avoid that... Zippo lighter fluid is <b>not</b> butane. The only thing I've seen butane used in is <i>torches</i>, so I don't think it's suitable for a slow burn.

    <a href='http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=zippo+lighter+fluid+alternative&spell=1' target='_blank'>http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-...rnative&spell=1</a>

    As for cheaper, good grief, it's what, $1.50. $2.00 for a can? That's expensive?!
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  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    I do smoke, and the owner of the shop i buy my cigs from keeps the zip fuel behind the counter. It's about $2.50 a bottle/can, which lasts me around two to four months of daily use.

    Read: That's cheap. Go into a smoke shop and buy some, if your local supermarket doesn't carry it. There's at least ONE tobacco store in your city/town. If you're underage, usually you can stand at the door and ask the clerk to come over (if they don't allow under-18 in the store, and you are) and explain the situation.. that it's a pain to get your hands on zippo fluid, and that you use it for camping, and that it'd be great if he could sell you a bottle, given that it's not a tobacco product, which are the only things in the store not for sale to under-18 customers.
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  • BaconTheoryBaconTheory Join Date: 2003-09-06 Member: 20615Members
    edited July 2004
    Thanks guys. If I cant get my hands on some Zippo fluid I'll try the lighter fluid/charcoal fluid.

    All of your suggestions are good thanks. Just out of curiosity, do you think that rubbing alcohol would work?
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  • ZigZig ...I am Captain Planet&#33; Join Date: 2002-10-23 Member: 1576Members
    any smoke shop that considers itself worth a damn will sell zippo fuel. maybe you're looking in the wrong places (camping supplies or something). just go to a smoke shop.
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  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    You wouldn't want to use lighter fluid or alcohol, if you were using it to smoke. Lighter fluid has dangerous afterproducts, and makes a cig taste like crap.

    Alcohol (pure alcohol) burns clear to a very, very faint light blue. As in, almost invisible. You can't SEE it burning. This is the big problem with alcohol-fuelled race cars.. when they get into a crash, the only way they can tell if there's a fire is the heat waves rising up, by which point it may be too late.

    Also, alcohol SUCKS UP moisture from the air. If you live/camp in a damp location, you may try to light the lighter, only to find out that it's sucked up too much water from the air to really burn.


    Short version, find a smoke shop and buy zippo fluid, for best operation.

    I've heard tell of some people putting lamp oil in their Zip, but I'm not sure if I'd do it myself. One of the reasons zippos were used in the World Wars was because you could put pretty much anything burnable in one, and it'd work in a pinch. Gasoline? Okay. Vodka? All right. Kerosene? Don't hold it too close to your face. Nitroglycerine? You're a moron, but it should work. Way over there. Far away from me.
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  • BeastBeast Armonkyi Join Date: 2003-04-21 Member: 15731Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Gasoline? Okay. Vodka? All right. Kerosene? Don't hold it too close to your face. Nitroglycerine? You're a moron, but it should work. Way over there. Far away from me.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    XD
    Excellent description talesin <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • BaconTheoryBaconTheory Join Date: 2003-09-06 Member: 20615Members
    OK Thanks guys. I picked up some small bic lighters at acme today so that should hold me over for my upcoming camping trip.
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