I have carried the Zippo butane lighter for years and I lost it. I have looked for a new one and everywhere it is discontinued, or is it? I don't smoke so I don't use it daily and the traditional one drys up or leaks in the pocket. The butane model was ready when (and if) I needed it. Any ideas or information? Thanks, Lateck,
Looks like it's gone. "It’s curtains for the butane lighter formerly known as the Zippo Blu. On Thursday, Zippo Manufacturing Co. confirmed that as of Jan. 1, 2016, Zippo “will discontinue the manufacturing, distribution and sales of the Zippo branded butane pocket lighter, formerly branded ‘Blu.’" http://www.bradfordera.com/news/zippo-to-discontinue-its-butane-pocket-lighters/article_ab3c348c-842d-11e5-aad4-b7765c12b7c9.html
That mirrors the advice I was given, growing up. If it's a great product, better buy two, 'cause they're gonna stop makin' it.
You can still get butane inserts for Zippos. I have three, one that has a single flame and two that have a double flame.
The Blu was plagued with problems from the get go including being taken to court over the name. http://www.bradfordera.com/news/zippo-to-discontinue-its-butane-pocket-lighters/article_ab3c348c-842d-11e5-aad4-b7765c12b7c9.html I have one on the shelf but I'm a zippo collector so it is not for sale.
If it's so, can you tell me why i see pics of Zippos with butane inserts almost everywhere, here and in other forums ...?
Correct, growing up I was taught that part of being an adult man is being prepared. Being prepared starts with having a knife and way to make a fire. Everyone above the age of 12 carried a knife. Today very few women have a knife on them and only about half of the men
I quite like the inserts but you have to use a proper butane refil. The "Generic" lighter gas refills won't work in my experience
Do you often see companies remove a product from their line when it's selling off of the shelves faster than they can manufacture it? Just curious.
Search Amazon for Thunderbird or Z-Plus lighter inserts.... And the Triple filtered butane does quite a bit better in these and, imho, are worth the xtra cost
@bnate: totally agree! I run a Thunderbird soft flame pipe insert in my Zippo. Burn the triple-filtered butane. Totally trouble free and worth it! L'chaim! Moshe ben David
The actual butane lighter made by Zippo - the Zippo Blu and Blu 2 - were awful lighters. Super heavy ignition button, unreliable first strike ignition, and the very concept - a flint ignited jet lighter - was terrible. Jet lighters require that their valves be kept as clean as possible. A flint ignition source would rapidly coat the valve in carbon fouling. What they should have done - which was subsequently done by Vector - was to create a butane, soft flame insert.
