I usually keep two or three flints and some wick in the bottom of every zippo I own. As long as one has some liquid capable of burning, one always has a usable lighter.
I'm also partial to keeping one of these on my keychain: http://www.countycomm.com/sslight.htm
It used to be you could find Zippo flints almost everywhere they sold cigarettes. Last time I went looking, I had to go to three or 4 stores before I found some at a drug store.
I eventually replaced the guts of my 20+ year old Zippo with an insert that has a refillable butane blowtorch gizmo, since it only lights cigars and fireworks these days.
Hey, I have a flint in my Zippo. I have butane lighters. I have matches. I was looking for my extra flints because I was going to put them in my Bugout Bag along with a couple MRE's I got for Christmas.
I was looking for strike-anywhere matches last week. I could not find them at Wal-mart, Kroger or any of my regular haunts. I ended up going to Ace Hardware and I had to buy a case, since they do not normally stock them. A case of the little boxes was $33.13 for 240 boxes of 32 matches each. I guess that I am set for a long time.
Maybe John Ross bought 'em all up? He writes that he likes to stick them in the holes in .22hp bullets, so that he can see where they hit. And make pretty, fun sparks.
I don't use my zippo enough to keep it stocked with lighter fluid, let alone find flints and wicks. So, instead I stuck a Z-Plus butane torch insert in my case. It's sealed and works all the time when I pick it up. Only down side is I can't do as many cool Zippo tricks with it.
the Butane zippo inserts are way cool, but you can't take the bottom off and squeeze a little napthalene out to disinfect a wound.
I used to pull the felt out of the bottom of my zippo and remove enough wool packing that the whole package of flints would fit in there. The flints usually outlasted the lighter.
If you like old style lighters check this out http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3734 I have one and it works as advertised - the fuel doesn't evaporate.
This web site also sells little LED keychain lights for about 40 cents a pop. I end up giving them away to kids in my youth group when they do good things, etc. The only problem is shipping takes about a month.
I tried it with a Beretta 21A, which was all I hand handy at the time. The target was an old, cratered steel pendulum, angled slightly from the perpendicular in an effort to produce better sparks.
One hit at 20 or so yards, nothing impressive. Moved in a little closer...
Something slapped me hard in the face with the next round. Cleared and safed the little gat, wondering why the world suddenly looked blurry.
You can't see well when the left (polycarbonate) lens of your glasses is lying on the ground in pieces. The trickle of blood didn't help much either, nor did the recognition that I either had the world's fastest growing hematoma under my left brow or something embedded there.
A quick walk back to the house confirmed that I had a small gash in my brow and a foreign body stuck underneath it. That wasn't nearly as concerning to me as the recognition that my left pupil was considerably larger than my right.
I could remember (and pronounce) the word "anisocoria", recite "Peter Piper" and move all my extremities. I didn't have a headache so I called my wife to take me to the ER instead of calling an ambulance.
The ER doc removed a sharp .22 fragment from my brow. It apparently struck the lens of my eyeglasses, shattered it and deflected upward with sufficient force to bury itself just under the skin.
The head CT was normal. The fragment came out with ease under local anesthesia and a little skin glue took care of closure.
Lessons learned:
1) Lighter flints belong in lighters.
2) Never shoot anything without wearing eye protection. Ever.
3) Once a steel target gets cratered, it goes away.
4) ER docs tend to think things like this are horribly funny when they know you personally.
5) Radiologists also find it highly amusing when they report that you have a "normal brain" and your spouse begins to argue with them.
Flints! You can disassemble the BIC lighter after it's kaput. The resulting flint works well in most Zippo lighters. I carry a dozen between two pieces of tape in my change pouch. I'm the local McGyver.
Get out your flaking antler and a flint from one of your muskets and go to work.
ReplyDeleteI usually keep two or three flints and some wick in the bottom of every zippo I own. As long as one has some liquid capable of burning, one always has a usable lighter.
ReplyDeleteI'm also partial to keeping one of these on my keychain: http://www.countycomm.com/sslight.htm
Another class of victim. If only we had someone in office who would make those with flints share with those without. Oh, wait!
ReplyDeleteIt used to be you could find Zippo flints almost everywhere they sold cigarettes. Last time I went looking, I had to go to three or 4 stores before I found some at a drug store.
ReplyDeleteI eventually replaced the guts of my 20+ year old Zippo with an insert that has a refillable butane blowtorch gizmo, since it only lights cigars and fireworks these days.
Oh, just go out and buy some Chantix and get it over with already. :)
ReplyDeleteTrust me, the stuff works.
"Trust me, the stuff works."
ReplyDeleteYou can use it to light fires?
Hey, I have a flint in my Zippo. I have butane lighters. I have matches. I was looking for my extra flints because I was going to put them in my Bugout Bag along with a couple MRE's I got for Christmas.
Go to Hardwicks in Broad Ripple, they'll have 'em.
ReplyDeleteI was looking for strike-anywhere matches last week. I could not find them at Wal-mart, Kroger or any of my regular haunts. I ended up going to Ace Hardware and I had to buy a case, since they do not normally stock them. A case of the little boxes was $33.13 for 240 boxes of 32 matches each. I guess that I am set for a long time.
ReplyDeleteI bought a box of 144 from Amazon so that as long as I remember where I left the thing, I'll never run out.
ReplyDeleteStrike anywhere matches! That's what I forgot. I will have to put them in the 0% humidity box, with the emergency ammo.
ReplyDeleteStranger
"You can use it to light fires?"
ReplyDeleteNo, but not constantly flicking your Bic to spark up another fag will make your Zippo flints last one hell of a lot longer. :)
Ditto matches, your actual Bic, etc.
Talk about your hubris; the demon weed will wear you down too one day, young missy!
"Talk about your hubris; the demon weed will wear you down too one day, young missy!"
ReplyDeleteNuh-uh! The .gov will save me! Health care is my right! :D
Maybe John Ross bought 'em all up? He writes that he likes to stick them in the holes in .22hp bullets, so that he can see where they hit. And make pretty, fun sparks.
ReplyDeleteWalmart...
ReplyDeleteI quit smoking nine months ago (when the tax went up).
ReplyDeleteIf you want, I can send you the dozen or so that I had left.
You don't have a cigar shop in town? Any specialist tobacco shop would carry them.
ReplyDeleteWe've all read Unintended Consequences, silly. We know what those flints are for -- .22 hollowpoints!
ReplyDeleteWalgreens...where they keep the tobacco products up front but make you walk to the back of the store for your meds.
ReplyDeleteI don't use my zippo enough to keep it stocked with lighter fluid, let alone find flints and wicks. So, instead I stuck a Z-Plus butane torch insert in my case. It's sealed and works all the time when I pick it up. Only down side is I can't do as many cool Zippo tricks with it.
ReplyDelete-Rob
the Butane zippo inserts are way cool, but you can't take the bottom off and squeeze a little napthalene out to disinfect a wound.
ReplyDeleteI used to pull the felt out of the bottom of my zippo and remove enough wool packing that the whole package of flints would fit in there. The flints usually outlasted the lighter.
I never throw away a disposable lighter without taking out the remaining flint, most times they are longer than the ones you buy.
ReplyDeleteThe only evel weed is cannabis and that stuff is for those who cann't handle reality. But realy Tam it is your RIGHT!?
ReplyDeleteWalt
If you like old style lighters check this out
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3734
I have one and it works as advertised - the fuel doesn't evaporate.
This web site also sells little LED keychain lights for about 40 cents a pop. I end up giving them away to kids in my youth group when they do good things, etc.
The only problem is shipping takes about a month.
Phil
I get the flints out of used up Bic lighters. There better than the ones sold for a Zippo.
ReplyDeleteTam
ReplyDeleteCheck your email:
Tracking Number
You could always go to the source
ReplyDeletehttp://www.zippocasemuseum.com/index.aspx?tabindex=0&tabid=1&directoryid=-1&ctrl=productdetails&productid=392
Out of Badford, PA.
Ah, yes. The John Ross trick...
ReplyDeleteI tried it with a Beretta 21A, which was all I hand handy at the time. The target was an old, cratered steel pendulum, angled slightly from the perpendicular in an effort to produce better sparks.
One hit at 20 or so yards, nothing impressive. Moved in a little closer...
Something slapped me hard in the face with the next round. Cleared and safed the little gat, wondering why the world suddenly looked blurry.
You can't see well when the left (polycarbonate) lens of your glasses is lying on the ground in pieces. The trickle of blood didn't help much either, nor did the recognition that I either had the world's fastest growing hematoma under my left brow or something embedded there.
A quick walk back to the house confirmed that I had a small gash in my brow and a foreign body stuck underneath it. That wasn't nearly as concerning to me as the recognition that my left pupil was considerably larger than my right.
I could remember (and pronounce) the word "anisocoria", recite "Peter Piper" and move all my extremities. I didn't have a headache so I called my wife to take me to the ER instead of calling an ambulance.
The ER doc removed a sharp .22 fragment from my brow. It apparently struck the lens of my eyeglasses, shattered it and deflected upward with sufficient force to bury itself just under the skin.
The head CT was normal. The fragment came out with ease under local anesthesia and a little skin glue took care of closure.
Lessons learned:
1) Lighter flints belong in lighters.
2) Never shoot anything without wearing eye protection. Ever.
3) Once a steel target gets cratered, it goes away.
4) ER docs tend to think things like this are horribly funny when they know you personally.
5) Radiologists also find it highly amusing when they report that you have a "normal brain" and your spouse begins to argue with them.
Flints! You can disassemble the BIC lighter after it's kaput. The resulting flint works well in most Zippo lighters. I carry a dozen between two pieces of tape in my change pouch. I'm the local McGyver.
ReplyDeleteI hate to rain on your parade, but if you got MREs on 12/21 they were in fact Solstice presents, not Christmas gifts.
ReplyDeleteIo Saturnalia!
(Or if you prefer to wait til the 25th... Happy Mithras.
Heh. Whenever someone asks me why I carry a lighter when I don't smoke, I always fix them with my best eeeevil stare and say, "I like to burn things."
ReplyDeleteWV: scones. buttered, for tea.