Most cheap torch lighters stop working after a few weeks/months of use. At least thats been my experience. What do you guys do with yours when they crap out? Toss 'em, keep 'em around.
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Make Christmas ornaments out of them! Oh look! Shiney!:-)
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In most cases torches can be rehabbed if they still spark. Purge them completely, then look at the top and see where the spark is arching. Try moving the little rod so it sparks closer to the center of the jet. Take your can of fuel and instead of filling from the bottom, push it into the jet and blow out the jet a few times. Check the spark again and then fill halfway with fuel. If it still doesnt light turn the flame adjustment all the way down and then all the way up. After some adjustment to the screw you should be able to find a sweet spot that lights and provides a good flame. :-)

If they dont spark, they are dead and I dont know any way of fixing those.:-)

If you want, since you live so close, drop a few of your lighters in padded first class envelope and I will give them a shot at repairing. Drop me a PM. :-)
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I've found that most cheap lighters last a lot longer than the spensive ones. I still have the $2 Guang Da that Bob gave me two years ago and it still works like a champ. Both my Colibris crapped out in the first few months.

Oh, and check the herf section, I'm having one a week from Sunday, feel free to come on out and will see what we can do about your lighters. :-)
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I love the Guang Da's. :-)
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I have used Bob's method on a dead lighter and it worked like a charm. :-)
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$hit Canned them for several years before buying a Ronson for $3 and never had one quit since. Lost a few but never quit.
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I had a pretty new lighter take a dump on me recently. I took it apart and it seems that the piezo-electric ignitor case broke. The plastic holding the ignitor/trigger mechanism is cracked so it doesn't make the clicking sound when you press the trigger. Other than that, the lighter is new.

I can save the lighter if I replace that piece. Do any of you guys have the piezo-electric ignitor/trigger laying around from a dead torch that you don't need? Thanks.


The image is just for illustration purposes. My ignitor is the standard black color that comes on most torches from China.

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Do matches go bad?

Actually, I've got a cheapo flint lighter that I love. It's a knockoff of a Dunhill design.
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Deep six'em
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I have one of the cheap ronsons, which here in canada are about 10-15 $ a pop. It just quit on me the other day and I can't get it back properly. It will now light, for a second, then go back to just spitting gas out with no flame. I'm about to toss it and buy a new one.
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That tends to happen on my Ronson right after I refill it. Make sure the flame is set to the lowest setting, and you might need to bleed some pressure off. Also, try all that stuff Bob posted. :-)
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Cheap = throw out...and buy more.:-)
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:-) Mine also does that if the flame is set too high, or if it's cold.
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I switched to buying Xikar lighters. Most of them look GREAT and they have a lifetime guarantee. If one of mine stops working I just walk into a store that sells them and they give me a brand new one. I haven't had one stop working on me yet though and my oldest one I've had a few years. My only complaint about these lighters is that the fuel tank could stand to be a bit bigger.

You can get Xikar lighters pretty cheap on C-bid. Usually they go for $15-$40 depending on the model and if any crazy people are bidding.
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