Did anyone else miss out on the butane lighter refilling gene?

**johnmrson** · 12-25-2011, 04:27 AM

For some reason I can't for the life of me refill a butane lighter. No matter what I do, I cannot get more than a few seconds gas in at a time. Does anone else suffer from the same problem? I've got 4 empty butane lighters at home including an ST Dupont that I can't fill. I think I'll have to swap over to a Zippo and run a fluid lighter to light my cigars.

**life2short1971** · 12-25-2011, 05:37 AM

Holding the can upside down give a good press and hold til the count of 5. release then press, hold for 1 second,and release for 1 second each time after until done. about 5 or 6 times should do it John. Remember both upside down while doing doing it. Good luck my friend.

**Champion of Capua** · 12-28-2011, 10:08 AM

I would take them down to your local cigar shop and ask if they could fill them for you. As long as you are buying their butane, they should be more than happy to show you.

**john.bradburne** · 12-30-2011, 03:59 PM

i have 2 butanes and cannot fill them to save my life ready to throw them out

**Walter Sobchak** · 12-30-2011, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by life2short1971

Holding the can upside down give a good press and hold til the count of 5. release then press, hold for 1 second,and release for 1 second each time after until done. about 5 or 6 times should do it John. Remember both upside down while doing doing it. Good luck my friend.

Excellent advice.

I find that giving a strong, downward thrusting motion (with butane and lighter coupled) a few times can also help.

**johnnyxxl** · 12-30-2011, 04:15 PM

Takes a couple tries that and wooden matches are how i light my grill

**life2short1971** · 12-30-2011, 04:35 PM

There is a valve you adjust at the bottom where the filler is on some. It can help to open that up a quarter turn or so as well and then readjust after lighter is filled. Sometimes also they are filled but need a burping to start working.

**life2short1971** · 12-30-2011, 04:36 PM

There are many videos on Youtube if you hadn't thought of instruction from there as well.

**SAPed** · 12-30-2011, 04:43 PM

+1 on the recommendation to bleed it off first. I also seem to have the most luck when my butane refill is the same brand as the lighter (Xikar in my case, previously a Blaze Torch) as I don't have the best luck with those plastic adaptors. I use a very small flat blade screwdriver to depress that inlet tube and bleed off any air from the tank.

Good luck.

**john.bradburne** · 12-30-2011, 06:00 PM

i filled one sucessfully and the other i tried everything and think it is actually the lighter i fill it and i hear the butane leak back out.. it was a cheap pipe lighter i bought off the bay, i wouldnt be suprised if it was defective..

**Legion** · 12-31-2011, 10:57 PM

John, you are not the only one. I had trouble too.

Eventually I used a zippo 100% for ciggies and cigars, and wooden matches for pipes.

**nymtber** · 01-01-2012, 09:29 AM

Not a problem for me usually. I use Ronson Multi-Fill and always have decent luck, even the cheap gorilla (shaped) lighter bought at the closeout/dollar store!

Thinking of a jack daniels Zippo with the pipe insert though, for when my pipe finally arrives :)

**Mako72** · 01-01-2012, 12:20 PM

I am not the best at this but here are some things I have learned....

1) Chill the lighter in the freezer for a few minutes(maybe 5 or so) before you fill.
2) Before you fill turn the lighter upside down and depress it to purge to O2
3) Fill in one long burst, then tip upside down again and purge(without lighting) until you smell gas. Then hit it again.

I have been using the cheapy Ronson Jetlite, with Wing Brand gas station fuel, and this seems to work fine. I am out of crappy fuel and will be moving to at least Ronson Fuel but so far this has resulted in decent fills.

Jay

Edit-Since the Wing Brand is Chinese, maybe this is like running leaded fuel. Time will tell.