Clipper Lighters - if it ain't broke...

[Burnt Ash]

I do get mightily hacked off when a perfectly good product design is tinkered with by the manufacturers.
I was at our local market today and bought a few of my favourite 'Clipper' butane lighters: a couple in 'bushcraft orange' and two in hi-vis pale blue. Upon my return home, and on closer inspection, I was intensely annoyed to discover that the striker wheels on the Clipper have been changed from a milled circumference to a sort of faceted thing. It works (after a fashion), but nothing like as well or as smoothly as the milled thumb wheel. Why do they change these things? I can't understand it. Surely, it has nothing to do with manufacturing economics?
I would stoutly defend the Clipper as one of the finest fire-lighting devices that mankind has devised. It is cheap, effective, reliable and long-lasting. Frankly, should anyone venture into the wilderness without several Clippers about their person and appurtenances, I would deem them foolish.
I shall be contacting the Royal Geographical Society and the Spanish manufacturers of 'Clippers' with my objection to this ill-conceived change to their erstwhile excellent product. Sadly, despite my being this product's most loyal fan, I fear my protestations will fall on deaf ears.

Burnt Ash

 

[sharp88]

Its a 'child safe' feature isn't it? A kind of loose wheel that you have to press down n flick really hard or a sought of hexagonal thing that is really uncomftorble and also had to be flicked really hard and breaks easily.

Your not the only one whos not pleased with it.

 

[deepcmonkey]

I found when I have been abroad that all dispossable type lighters have these child safe devices and they are a complete pain, would make it very difficult to light the dam thing with cold hands, not good I feel your pain

 

[SOAR]

I got one the other day in silver, the wheel on mine is no longer a wheel more of a fifty pence shape, I find it ok.

 

[gregorach]

Oooh, I've been moaning about the declining standard of Clippers for years... Time was when you could keep the same one running perfectly fine for several years (I think my record was 3). These days the valves seem to give up after a few months. And the striking wheel falls apart... Haven't seen these new ones, but it sounds like one more nail in the coffin of what was once an excellent product.

 

[dandan]

Here in France , we also have these for sale in shops. EU legislation from March 07 says they should all be child safe ??? Why ???