Your gas lighter has run out of fuel. While you may intend to throw it away and buy a new one at the store, you can save money and expenses by refilling it. Yes, this also applies to “disposable” gas lighters. There's no need to spend more money on new lighters if you can refill the ones you have.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Recharging Bic Matches
Step 1. Gather the required materials
You can refill your Bic lighter quite easily with a pressure pin. If you want to save money by not buying new matches, you can use this method and use one Bic lighter in the long run. To refill your Bic lighter, you'll need butane, a pressure pin and three rubber grommets. You can buy butane and gromets at almost any material store. You may need tweezers and a file to smooth the pressure pin after filling the match.
Step 2. Insert the pressure pin into the valve at the bottom of the lighter
If you reverse the position of the match, there will be a small circular bump at the bottom. This is a match valve that must be opened with a safety pin to refill the match. Insert a safety pin into the hole and place the base of the pin on a firm surface such as a tabletop. Press down. This method will open the base of the match. You can now remove the pin.
Step 3. Make sure the match is completely empty
Some of the liquid may gush out when you remove the safety pin. You must ensure that the remaining fuel fluid is drained before adding new butane.
Step 4. Prepare the nozzle of the butane container
When you remove the cover of the butane container, there will be a small spout on it. You must prepare the butane container spout for use. Gromet rubber is a small round rubber with a hole in the middle. The shape is like a donut. Take a gromet and attach all three to the spout of the butane container. The rubber should protrude slightly from the tip of the muzzle. The gromet will prevent any residual butane from spilling out during the refueling process.
Step 5. Fill the match with butane
Hold the lighter in an upright position. Place the spout of the butane container into the hole in the base of the match. After that, gently press the butane container.
- The rubber will muffle the sound so you may not know if the lighter was filled successfully, but this is normal.
- Wait about 5 seconds. This is the time it takes to refill the lighter.
Step 6. Remove the butane container and immediately close the valve with your thumb
After filling the matches, you will need to remove the butane container so it doesn't spill. The liquid will gush out if you don't close the hole. So, place your thumb over the hole as soon as possible after removing the muzzle.
Step 7. Insert the pressure pin back into the hole in the valve
Do this as quickly as possible to avoid spilling the butane. The safety pin will remain in the valve to seal it. You cannot reuse the factory default valve so you will need to use a pressure pin to seal it.
Step 8. Cut the top of the pressure pin with iron scissors, if desired
This completely only affects the appearance of the lighter as the appearance of the protruding pressure pin will look a bit odd. You'll also have a hard time keeping the lighter if the safety pin is still sticking out. You can also file the edges of the pressure pins.
Method 2 of 3: Refilling Zippo Matches
Step 1. Gather the necessary materials
Zippo lighters can usually be used more than once. To fill Zippo lighters, you'll need Zippo lighter fluid, a safety pin or small flat-blade screwdriver, and a Zippo lighter. You can buy lighter fuel online or at a store that sells Zippo lighters.
Step 2. Remove the lighter from the metal cover
Open the lid of your Zippo lighter. Grasp the rim of the match and pull it out of the lid. Matches will be a little difficult to remove if they are new.
Step 3. Lift the lever that says “Lift to Fill”
Zippo lighters are designed to make refilling easier. There is a small lever at the base of the lighter that says "lift to refill". Use your fingers to lift the lever. If you can't open it with your fingers, you'll need to use a pressure pin or a flat-blade screwdriver to lift it.
Step 4. Spray Zippo Premium fuel into the lighter
Now, prepare a bottle of lighter fuel. Insert the bottle spout into the compartment under the lever. Spray some fuel into the lighter. Do this until the base inside the match is damp. When finished, close the lever.
Step 5. Put the lighter back in the lid
When you're done, put the lighter back in the lid. The match is not ready to use. You must not light a Zippo lighter when it is being removed from the lid. Liquid fuel may drip during the filling process. Your hand may catch fire or the match may explode.
Method 3 of 3: Refilling Long Lighters or Matchsticks
Step 1. Prepare the necessary materials
A long lighter, also known as a matchstick, is used to light a fire in hard-to-reach places, such as a guide light in an oven. The fuel reservoir inside this lighter is very similar to a regular Bic lighter. You can modify a regular Bic lighter and use it as a replacement container for stick matches. This may be cheaper than buying a new lighter every time the matchstick runs out of fuel. For starters, gather the necessary materials. You will need the following:
- New Bic Match
- Screwdriver head and minus screwdriver
Step 2. Use a screwdriver to remove the match safety screw
A screw is used to secure the matchstick. Remove this screw. This method allows you to open matches. If the screw doesn't come off immediately, gently tap the match on a flat surface to let the screw fall off. Keep the screws in a safe place because you will have to put them back in later.
Step 3. Slide a flat-head screwdriver along the gap in the frame
This will remove the seal holding the frame. After removing the seal, you can slightly open the matchstick and remove the fuel reservoir.
Step 4. Remove the fuel reservoir
Reach inside of the matchstick. Remove the small device that looks like a regular Bic lighter. This is the fuel reservoir.
Step 5. Take out a new match
You need to modify the Bic match first before inserting it into the stick match. You can disassemble the lighter by hand.
- Remove the windshield. This is the metal cover that surrounds the top of the lighter.
- Remove the ignition wheel. This is a toothed wheel that your thumb presses to light a match. You will also need to remove the end of the spring and lighter attached to the wheel. After removing the wheel from the match, the parts will also come off.
- Remove the fork, the plastic piece, usually red, that attaches to the end of the match. You will press the tip of the fork when you light the match. You will also need to remove the spring and jet from the lighter. Both are long devices, one metallic and the other with a spring, which attaches to the two holes in the lighter's fuel reservoir. You should be able to see the spring and jet clearly after removing the match fork.
Step 6. Disassemble the fuel reservoir
Just like disassembling a new lighter, you can disassemble the fuel reservoir. The reservoir also comes with a fork spring, although it's a paler color, with a spring and jet underneath. You'll notice that they both look similar, but the jets on lighter sticks are usually longer.
Step 7. Replace the forks, springs, and jets of the new lighter with equal parts of the fuel reservoir
Now, you can modify the new match. Insert the fork and spring into the two holes at the top of the old match. After that, break the fork at the top of the new match.
Step 8. Insert the new match into the matchstick frame
Make sure the button is aligned with the lighter on the chassis cover. In other words, draw an imaginary line from the lighter of the stick to the button on the new match, which can be found on the edge of the fork.
Step 9. Close the frame with screws
Reinsert the screw that was removed earlier back into the outside of the match cover. You may need to apply acrylic glue or superglue to the rim of the match to make the frame more secure.
Tips
- Use premium butane when filling matches. Over time, additives in low-quality fuel will build up and clog your lighter.
- Wash your hands after refilling the lighter to make sure no liquid fuel remains.
Warning
- All types of fuel are highly flammable. Be careful when wearing it.
- Using matches and playing with fire is dangerous.
