Sunday, October 3, 2010

Keeping Your Lighter Clean

By Ryder Sabot

A refillable lighter represents an investment. These devices can offer many years of reliable service but, like any product designed to last, they must be maintained and, of course, cleaned from time to time. This process is quite easy and, depending on what type of lighter one has opted to buy, it usually takes no more than a few minutes.

Liquid fuel lighters require more maintenance and cleaning that other types of refillables. While liquid fuel is reliable, will ignite in very high winds and is very inexpensive, even for the highest-end fuels, it does not burn as efficiently as butane. Therefore, it tends to leave behind traces of carbon and other impurities left behind when the lighter is lit. Cleaning this, conveniently enough, is best done with lighter fluid which is an excellent solvent. Lighter fluid may be added to the tip of a cotton swap and used to remove the black patches that tend to develop around the windscreen. Also pass the swab near the areas where the flint wheel and flint are set to ensure that these function correctly.

A butane torch lighter is one of the most popular accessories among cigar aficionados. They offer a clean-burning, hot flame, reliable lighting and the fuel is inexpensive. These lighters are also available in very highly-stylized designs. Some of them have two and even three flame jets which makes for a very striking visual display when they're employed. These lighters are generally very clean-burning and will produce little residue when used. However, one must still endeavor to keep the flame jets clean and, most importantly, one must ensure that they're free of any obstruction when the lighter is sparked.

The flame jets are generally recessed a bit into the lighter. To clean them if they become obstructed, it's preferable to first attempt to tap out the obstruction by rapping the inverted lighter very softly on a hard surface. Make certain not to do this so hard that the finish becomes damaged. Chrome finishes and plastic finishes are very durable but tapping them too hard can result in dents and nicks. If the obstruction is still present after doing this, one may attempt to remove it"very carefully"with a bit of wire or a wooden toothpick. If something becomes deeply-lodged in the jet, it may be possible to blow it out by opening the fuel valve a bit without actually tripping the igniter device.

On an electric lighter, the obstruction can usually be removed by tapping or by pulling the obstruction out with a pair of tweezers or a straightened-out paperclip or other pick type device.

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