Lighter Maintenance

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.

Any of these lighters will require a bit of basic maintenance and care in order to provide their full potential lifetime of service.

A butane lighter requires little cleaning. Butane burns very efficiently and leaves hardly any traces behind. Particularly where the torch lighters are concerned, there is almost never an occasion where one will find a black spot on their lighter. If there is, it can usually be removed by simply wiping it away with dry cotton or a cloth. If the jet area becomes obstructed, simply tap the lighter gently on a hard surface to dislodge the debris.

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.

Cleaning the exterior of the lighter should be done with great care. Generally, a bit of warm water and a rag is the safest way to clean off the case and it should serve to remove most smudges and stains. If something stubborn is found on the surface, one should consult with the manufacturer to see what solvent is the best for removing the material. In many cases, lighter fluid will serve as an excellent solvent on metal lighters.

Brian is a business consultant of an online specialty lighters store and has expert knowledge of cigar accessories, including Colibri lighters.

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