Tools for the future?

[Laurentius]

Having failed to light my trusty trangia with my ferrocium rod, never mind the number of sparks, and having on the same day lost my zippo, I was beginning to feel like the guy in that Jack London story, thank goodness I had a match. Anyway the upshot of losing my zippo, is that I have replaced it with a USB rechargable arc lighter, and I have to say on first impressions it is rather good. You may say, it will run out of juice at the worst possible moment, but then don't zippo's run out of fuel at a rather alarming rate and have to be refilled all the time. I figure it could be charged easily from a back up battery, or hand cranked charger. It is not cheating anymore than using a match, and you still have to have those skills with tinder and fire setting to get a good fire going.

 

[Broch]

The best way to light a fire IMO is the way that leads to the kettle boiling earliest; no such thing as cheating

 

[TLM]

Have never tried on of those plasma lighters but I wonder if somebody made it with a hand squeeze generator like the old German army hand torch. Hmmm ....

 

[Erbswurst]

Why don't you simply use a Bic?
In my opinion they are the best lighters on the market.

 

[Kadushu]

I've had one of those plasma lighters for a few years. I use it to light my woodburner every day and get hundreds of ignitions between charges. There wasn't a great variety available when I bought mine but if I bought one again I'd definitely go for a waterproof one.

 

[billycoen]

I wonder if a welders spark lighter would work?

 

[Broch]

Why don't you simply use a Bic?
In my opinion they are the best lighters on the market.

The trouble with a Bic is your thumb is too close to the flame if you have to hold it down at an angle to light the tinder/kindling - a good, practical, fall-back but not a lighter that I'd use as my first choice TBH

 

[Erbswurst]

You should hold your thumb under, not over the flame. It's less painful.

 

[Broch]

It's not that it's in the flame - just too damn close for comfort

 

[Erbswurst]

I obviously need to come along and show you the right technique.

I just have to fully waterproof my large rucksack before.

 

[Nice65]

Get an Honest jet lighter, like these. I bought 10 from AliExpress years ago and have given 8 away because the first one is still going strong. This particular model has a great rep on the EDC type forums. It pumps out the jams and keeps your hand well out of the way.

￡1.14 51％ Off | HONEST New Large-capacity Straight Jet Torch Lighter Windproof Straight Blue Flame Cigar Lighter Portable Outdoor Fire Tool

￡1.14 51％ Off | HONEST New Large-capacity Straight Jet Torch Lighter Windproof Straight Blue Flame Cigar Lighter Portable Outdoor Fire Tool

star.aliexpress.com

If you’re UK based, I’ll send you my spare, I’m confident I’m not likely to need it. It’s one of those lighters you could pretty well win the 10 strikes/flame bet every time.

Plasma lighters are useless gimmicks.

 

[BigMonster]

I have been through fire kits and EDCs for years. Went full circle few times and ended up with a turboflame lighter in my belt pouch next to my multitool as my main source of heat, and a peanut lighter+micro firerod on my keyring as backup.
Turboflame have a window to see the butane level but it's heavy so for camping I only carry two mini BIC lighters for redundancy.

In my experience firesteels are a great way to practice firelighting and a good backup as they are indestructible but impractical for regular fire starting. Zippos need maintenance on weekly basis which also applies to plasma lighters which are also prone to cold and wet.

Cheapest, lightest, most reliable, most amount of uses, most hassle free, easiest to use is a good old butane lighter with some sort of old school backup.

 

[MikeLA]

It's not that it's in the flame - just too damn close for comfort

Just done that today on my finger just very slightly by burning the end of paracord. So easy to do with a bic or a clipper. Your right too close and fiddly.

Probably the turbo lighter would have been safer. Finger lower down to the flame.

 

[Erbswurst]

If that continues here I'll change the profession, move to England and start to teach Brits in payed courses how to use French cigarette lighters properly.

 

[Laurentius]

I am not and never have been a fan of bic lighters, nasty environmentally unfriendly throwaway plastic things that burn your fingers if you hold a flame for too long. I am willing to give the plasma lighter a chance, I will see how it fares in the long term.

 

[Laurentius]

It's not that it's in the flame - just too damn close for comfort

Not only that you can't get it into awkward places.