Refilling lighters question...help needed!
Gortman
I'm a newbie lighter collector and have only ever used a Zippo lighter
so when I bumped into troubles refilling these two older lighters I
bought perhaps you'll understand why I need help.
I have a 60s Crown lighter and a 50s Zaima Cupid lighter and they both
load differently than my Zippo. Rather then being turned upside down
and filled like a Zippo, these lighters have a valve system that
requires them being filled while they are upright stuck on the fueling
canister. The Zaima documentation even calls it a "Jet Fill" system.
Everytime I attempt to fill them by forcing the valve open and pouring
liquid into them, the stuff just runs through to the other end and
out...result, no fuel in lighter.
If anyone can help me fill these lighters, I'd be very much
appreciative.
Cordially,
Steve
ChrisRomero <chris_romero
I'm a big collector of Zaima lighters and can give you some information
regarding the refill.
First, you must remember that Zaima lighters were produced in the mid-
60's to mid-70's. Vintage butanes have a nasty habit of deteriorating
gaskets over time. The net result is not only a leaky lighter, but
sometimes a dangerous runaway flame when it's lit. That being said, if
the top release "flicks" with no problem and the flint barrel is not
gummed up with oxidized flint powder, you're probably good to go.
The Zaima line did have a refill adapter, but I mostly just use a Ronson
refill. There used to be a butane refill with about a dozen adapters
build into the top, but I haven't seen these in a while. Open the
refill cap and you'll find a needle-looking thingie in the middle of the
refill valve. Turn the lighter upside, center the butane canister
dispenser on the needle, and press down. The fuel will most probably
leak out, sometimes spray in little droplets of liquid butane. Try to
avoid getting these on your skin. The lighter will become cold with the
fill. After you're reasonbly sure the tank is full (or close to it),
stop, screw back the fill cover, and let the lighter come back to room
temperature. The first few lights will not likely catch. The butane
has to settle a bit. In some cases, this is when you see or hear the
butane leaking out of a bad gasket. If this happens to you, don't light
the thing. I still haven't figured a cure for bad gaskets, and I have
some two hundred vintage butanes, including my thirty or so Zaima's.
Anyway, try that out and let me know how it goes. I'll help you with
more if I can.
Chris
In article <3d22614...@news1.on.sympatico.ca>, go...@hotmail.com
says...
mikewil...@gmail.com
Just picked up a vintage Zaima lighter and it is leaking like a sieve from the flame adjustment screw. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to disassemble the external housing from the internal components...
The lighter looks like this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zaima-Electronic-lighter-in-box-/302151064808?hash=item46599b5ce8:g:d84AAOSwImRYO8mQ
Thanks,
Mike
poop...@gmail.com
hos...@gmail.com
> The flame adjustment skrew can be fixed by a liberal amount of teflone tape worked for me
hotph...@gmail.com
just ran across your post... I have a Zaima Cord Lighter and when I unscrew the screw on the Bottom I see a Cord / Wick, but opening the Top Lid I see a fitting that looks like Butane would come out of it ?
I can't find any instructions on how to fill this Lighter at all anywhere. I'm DAZED AND CONFUSED at this point.
Hope you can help me
Shawn
I got this Lighter while in the Airforce and has a Vietnam VIPER NCO Club Logo on it.
Thank you for any help you can offer.
shawn
