Poor-Man's 'Old-Boy'...

[FlakedOut]

Just bought one of these...



...anyone else have any experiences with one?


Frank.

[BladeBoy]

If that's a poor man's Old Boy (isn't that about a $50-60 lighter?) this just arrived today, must be a poorer man's Old boy ($20), seem pretty hefty and well made, I haven't had a chance to use it yet so I can't speak on it's performance.

[FlakedOut]

...isn't that about a $50-60 lighter?

'Twas a mere £39.99 - or $61.69 in 'funny-money'...


Frank.

[BladeBoy]

Oh something I just thought of, use only premium grade butane, triple refined or better, Xikar has it's own brand of butane which is quadruple refined, I was watching a video about their lighters and they said the majority of lighter sent back for repair were due to poor quality butane, Ronson is not a good one to use.

[FlakedOut]

Oh something I just thought of, use only premium grade butane, triple refined or better, Xikar has it's own brand of butane which is quadruple refined, I was watching a video about their lighters and they said the majority of lighter sent back for repair were due to poor quality butane, Ronson is not a good one to use.

Well that's a bit of a downer... I've got to use special fuel for the bugger now?
Thanks for the info, Blade - I shall look into it...





Frank.

[SmokinFool]

I have heard good things about Xikar lighters. Let us know your impressions after you've been using it a while.

[FlakedOut]

I have heard good things about Xikar lighters. Let us know your impressions after you've been using it a while.

...Will do, 'Smokin'!


Frank.

[ChuckMac]

Stay away from NIBO lighters that are made like the OldBoy, Xikar and the Yibao. Many of the NIBO's had to be sent back due to bad fill valves that can dump gas so fast that they turn into fire balls in the users hand. My first one did exactly that so I'm speaking from experience, not from rumor. The replacement for that one is failing now too due to the actual valve leaking very, very slowly after filling. I bought my OldBoy and put the NIBO away after using it until the problems started. The Xikar is much better than a NIBO but I know nothing about the YIBAO.

I had heard that Ronson fuel was bad but I've got a torch lighter that I've been using Ronson in for almost five years as an experiment and have had no problems at all with it. I use the lighter daily to light my cigs. So far I'm pleased with Ronson. I only use Ronson in it and it's the only lighter I use Ronson in. I think you'd call that a "control"? So far so good. No clogged valves or flame orifices and no sputtering or spitting. It lights easily and seems to burn cleanly.

I use triple refined Zippo butane in four other lighters and I always have since I bought them. No problems after six years with four of them and seven years with one of them. Some are soft flame pipe lighters and some are torch lighters.

I've had no problems with the Lucienne gas either but that is quad refined. I use it in my OldBoy and will until I'm satisfied regarding the other two fuels. I may be satisfied in a couple more years

I don't know where the stories come from about some of the fuels being bad. So far I can vouch for Zippo, Ronson and Clipper, all three are triple refined. Maybe after 7 or 8 years...who knows...but so far after five and six years no problems.
I think some people report problems because they don't purge their lighters. I know that the KGM insert for the Zippo needs a drop of oil now and then on the lever that releases the fuel or you get funny results, not rumor it's fact, mine does it.
I think some fuels get a bad rep because people read what others write and accept it as truth without finding out for themselves. Not accusing anyone...just sayin'. I also think people have problems with gas lighters and put it down to fuel when fuel isn't the problem at all. A good, complete purging between fillings (continue to purge until you hear absolutely nothing from the valve...no hissing, no short puffs of air...nothing), routine cleaning with a q-tip and alcohol and if it's flint ignition use a small wire to clean the flint tube now and then. I like gas lighters and have used them for years. I've seen some strange problems with them but oddly enough only ONE got clogged.

Use whichever gas you feel safe with. I'm not trying to tell anyone which to use. I just like finding things out for myself.

[ScotsJim]

Well that's a bit of a downer... I've got to use special fuel for the bugger now?
Frank.

You're a man after my own heart Frank

[RompinDonkey]

I have been using an Old Boy and a Ronson for many years now. I have only ever used the cheapest available butane (and I mean cheap). I've never had a problem.

Yes I have seen that I should be using best quality, double refined, triple refined .... gas is gas. I'm not going to pay the price of an Old Boy and then pay again to use expensive butane. It's all a marketing ploy - you buy the lighter, then they say that you can only use "their" special, extra good, extra refined, super duppa ,,,, etc ... gas.

It's a bit like these digital data cables ... they either work or they don't. They send data, 1's and 0's. They can't work better or worse, they either do or they don't. So why pay £75 for a lead, when a £5 lead works exactly the same? You want gold connections? Why? The expensive ones are more DURABLE ... ok so you are going to use it as a skipping rope as well?

Did you know that Sun Cream doesn't work after the sell buy date? What a load of twaddle! So every year you have to throw away all of your sun cream? Rubbish. We go to very hot countries most years, and use stuff bought three years ago. It still works as good as it ever did. If it didn't, we would have been in hospital before now with serious burns. We go on walking (hiking) holidays and are out in the sun for eight hours at a time - sometimes more.

I have never in all my life believed the guff that marketing people put on labels or adverts.

[FlakedOut]

...I have only ever used the cheapest available butane (and I mean cheap)

Good to know, Alan... I'm sure 'regular' butane has been refined anyway, and short of containing grit, sand or dirt it should - as you attest - be perfectly fine!

[kats]

First pic looks like a Xikar Pipeline???? on another thread Stavs had good things to say about it... as a old boy look alike with just a bit 'lighter' fuel load than the old boy and sells for less than 1/2 the cost. I've been thinking about purchase of this one also.

As to references to fuel.... My experience is YES, quality (more refining the better) does make a difference. I HAD (past tense) what I thought was a pretty nice Colibri butane pipe lighter... and butane is butane right?.! just fill it up and go. WRONG. The thing got less and less reliable, harder to start, more and more and more clicks to fire... silly me I didn't think butane and just kept clicking the thing until it broke in my hands

Now I've got a can of Vector 5X refined in the cellar - just waiting for the next lighter purchase... and a partially used can of Ronson Multi-Fill that makes a not-so-good paper weight and reminder of the lighter that was.

[RompinDonkey]

Colibri lighters simply don't work.

[ChuckMac]

First pic looks like a Xikar Pipeline???? on another thread Stavs had good things to say about it... as a old boy look alike with just a bit 'lighter' fuel load than the old boy and sells for less than 1/2 the cost. I've been thinking about purchase of this one also.

As to references to fuel.... My experience is YES, quality (more refining the better) does make a difference. I HAD (past tense) what I thought was a pretty nice Colibri butane pipe lighter... and butane is butane right?.! just fill it up and go. WRONG. The thing got less and less reliable, harder to start, more and more and more clicks to fire... silly me I didn't think butane and just kept clicking the thing until it broke in my hands

Now I've got a can of Vector 5X refined in the cellar - just waiting for the next lighter purchase... and a partially used can of Ronson Multi-Fill that makes a not-so-good paper weight and reminder of the lighter that was.

I've had two Colibris and both were trash. The ignition was the problem. Nothing wrong with the flame orifice or the gas. A friend went through one as well. I know another guy who had a Colibri firebird that crapped out on him the second day he had it. My firebird lasted less than a month. The problem is Colibri. Period. Their piezo's don't work. Every one of the 4 lighters would ignite if you held a match to the flame orifice indicating the gas was flowing. Had nothing to do with the fuel. Even with the so called "quadruple refined" fuel they quit working.

[kats]

I HAD (past tense) what I thought was a pretty nice Colibri butane pipe lighter... a

Damn, I'm wrong again. So maybe I'll bite on one of the Xikar Pipeline lighters... I've already got 2 gas cans for an experiment.

[ChuckMac]

I HAD (past tense) what I thought was a pretty nice Colibri butane pipe lighter... a

Damn, I'm wrong again. So maybe I'll bite on one of the Xikar Pipeline lighters... I've already got 2 gas cans for an experiment.

I've heard good things about them (the pipeline) but they only hold about 50-60% as much gas as the OldBoy but that should be no thang. The NIBO holds about 40% of what the
OldBoy holds and it was giving me 2-3 days between fillings.

[FlakedOut]

Well, got the Xikar today... filled up with 'Newport Extra purified' and let 'er rip! Apart from the flint-assembly-arm wobble, its a solid lighter. Worth £40...? Maybe not.

[RompinDonkey]

I like the look of those Peterson lighters .....

[Wez]

Sounds like its up to the job Frank. Nice one pal

[aquaholic]

I like the look of those Peterson lighters .....

I just saw those recently too Alan. They look nice (in that ol' boy kinda way), I'd like to know how they preform