In which I wiggle my probe
Peterson
I have two lighters.
Or, to be precise, I have one and Herself has the other.
My choice of lighters was determined by a few simple factors – they had to be gas, flint, reasonably priced and in Herself’s case hadn’t to involve any flicking. She doesn’t do flicking.
I chose a Peterson pipe lighter which was grand.
The first one I got fell apart after a while. I would have returned it but I had attempted a few repairs myself which somewhat invalidated any guarantee. I bought another.
That broke too, but had lasted just long enough to be out of guarantee. I bought yet another one. Surely you must admire my dogged persistence? Anyhows, that one has been working perfectly ever since [which probably ensures that it will break down tomorrow!].
Pierre Cardin
The other lighter which I got for Herself is a Pierre Cardin. It’s a nice lighter that looks like the old Ronson and it fulfilled her requirements – gas, flint and a pressy button top with no flicking involved.
The fucking thing has given me grief ever since.
The first minor problem is that it doesn’t hold much gas [a bit like Herself]. That’s no bother as I just have to keep filling it.
The second problem is the flint and that is the real fucking headache. The damned thing keeps jamming.
The mechanics are quite simple – a tube runs up through the body and ends just below the flint wheel. Stick the flint into the tube and then push it up to the flint wheel with a spring on a screw. The spring presses the flint against the wheel and all’s well…. Except that it isn’t.
On a frequent basis, the flint jambs. The buttony thing on top just locks solid and I hear my name being shouted by Herself with an unlit cigarette in her mouth. Not a pretty sound. You would think it would be a simple job – just unscrew the spring and the flint will fall out? Hah! Much too simple. Not only does the flint not fall out but even slamming the yoke on a hard surface won’t budge it.
So I start sticking probes and things up the flint hole and wiggling them around in the hopes that I will dislodge the flint. That rarely works. I can’t press the flint out from the other end as the striker wheel is in the way. It may be possible to dismantle the top mechanics but I haven’t discovered how. Yet.
This goes on for a while, slamming the cursed thing off a table and wiggling probes, accompanies by a lot of loud choice words. Usually one of two things happens. Either the flint rights itself, or I stick another flint in behind it and don’t tighten the spring so much.
It really pisses me off.
I think I’ll toddle over to eBay and see if I can pick up a reasonable Ronson…….
May be something you’ve already tried G D but always worked for me :
Loosen screw holding spring and rotate wheel in opposite direction.
Normally rubs irregularity off of flint and allows normal usage or
flint falls down tube which is what you’re attempting to achieve.
Good luck !
I tried that. It’s not so easy because the wheel is embedded into the ratchet system that rotates it. In other words – the wheel is nearly inaccessible and very tricky to rotate manually or clean.
The classic Dunhill lighters don’t seem to have many problems, apart from being a tad on the pricey side. Still, you don’t need a solid gold one, just a base metal one will do. The other disadvantage they have is that they must be the most stolen lighter in the world, but since the other half isn’t a socialite, that shouldn’t be a problem.
I just had a quick look. I can’t see any that work with a press button. A lot are like mine and a lot have a side twiddly thing [i.e. flicky].
Basically she cant use one where she has to flick or slide anything. It has to be press-button in some shape or form. She isn’t easy, you know?
Ah, I forgot about the press button thingy. Perhaps you’d be better off getting a bunch of the piezo disposables. Push button, easy start, no flint to bugger around with, cheap as chips and usually work quite well. No fartarsing around refilling them, either. When they’re done, just bung ’em.
Ronson is owned by Zippo. Just buy a Zippo and be done with all the problems. I’ve been using my current lighter since 2008.
Read the small print! A Zippo has a flicky thing which she can’t use. I know because I have a Zippo which I offered her. The only reason I don’t like it is because it gets through fuel too quickly.
Does the pierre cardin run on linux or windows?
Obviously not Linux. It would work properly then and probably use a lot less gas.
Nottalottapeopleknowthat.
Nottalottapeopleknowwhat?
About lighters, probes and flint jams.
I always found the Ronson Comet a good lighter, the side-lever being a more natural action. The flint-wheel and mechanics are easily exposed by the pivoted top, so accessible for maintenance. Flint-wheels don’t last too long but are very easy to replace.
One tip is to visit your local house-clearance auction house – you’ll find trays/boxes of old lighters that you’ll buy for a few quid a tray, there’s bound to be some good ones in and amongst, keep those and bin the rest.
Damnation!!!!! I had forgotten the Comet. I had one for a long time many many years ago, and I’m sure I have seen it somewhere since. It may even be still around which means I am going to have to tear the entire house asunder looking for it.
My Parents gave me a zippo for my 18th and I remained true to Zippo for many years but I kept losing them or Eldest Useless Object nicked them and then flogged them in the playground. REAL in Belgium give me a handful of plastic lighters every time I go there and my mate at the dry cleaners saves all the disposable one he finds in suits for me.
Every car boot I go to I keep an eye out for a vintage IMCO or decent copy:http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z373/EDCgear/IMCO%20TRIPLEX%20Super%206700/P1010034.jpg
Ah yes. I remember those. I used to have at least one. They flipped open like a stapler?
“My Parents gave me a zippo for my 18th”
Did it hurt?
Cheap two for a quid piezo- electric spark gas ones are perfectly good. A single click and they light, isn’t that the aim? The ones in my local shop are not even throw away they will refil from a can of gas, some are transparent so you can see if they need feeding. They even do pink ones without the higher price pussy premium of some products. As soon as you have smoked a couple of ciggies from the pack the lighter can be put inside the box and they last months before the jet eventually gets blocked and they need throwing away because the flame gets too small. They represent really excellent quality Chinese crap!
Local shop has a horrible habit of never having the same type of disposable lighter twice. They usually go for the extremely cheap where you have to flick the strike wheel. They used to sell an excellent one that was long lasting and refillable. I can’t remember the name but you had to slide one half of the lighter against the other to get the spark. Unfortunately, as with all piezo ones the spark would wear out eventually.
Just do what my Ol Dad used to do back when he smoked outside the kitchen/back door…light them on the electric hob. Saves all that faffing with matches and lighter thingys.
Here’s a useless suggestion (there always has to be one, right?).
Propane torch with a push button piezoelectric igniter, bound to do the trick. Just make sure Herself turns off the gas afterward. Use the 1 Lb tall bottle, not the pony–easier to get her hand around you know?