You’re hoarding lighters and none of them work? There’s nothing worse for a cigar lover. Over the years, Terry Pomerantz has been able to find a few tricks to repair a lighter and a cigar lighter. He tells us everything here below.
Why do we have too many lighters?
Most good cigar lovers always have several lighters. Terry Pomerantz is no exception to this rule. “I have at least four lighters. I always carry a cheap lighter with me that I can forget without too much regret in a cigar bar or on the golf course. If cigar lovers like me have so many lighters, it’s because to enjoy a good cigar, you have to light it with an open flame and not with an ‘artificial fire’ like the heating elements of a stove or a car cigarette lighter.”
The main elements of a lighter
Some of the main components that make up most torch-type lighters include the reservoir, cap, cap hinge, wick, roller, stone, cotton ball, spring, felt pad and screw.
These are the most stressed parts of the lighter. Over time, their use can damage them, move them, or loosen them. If you are skilled, you can repair some of these issues with simple tools.
Maintenance of a torch-type lighter (Zippo)
Terry favours the maintenance of his lighters. “Having to repair a quality lighter is pretty rare. Especially if you take a few minutes every now and then to clean it by removing the tobacco twigs and dust that may be lodged in it with a small brush, or simply by blowing away the residue.”
Also check the wear of the stone. A spring pushes the stone in your lighter. After several dozen, even several hundred uses, this stone wears and fades. It must be changed. Don’t forget to check the condition of the wick. If the wick is too consumed, pull it upwards with small technical pliers or eyelash pliers.
“Sometimes a little air goes in when you fill a lighter with gas. Then it will not light properly. To avoid this, before filling it with gas, turn your lighter upside down and light it. The flame will consume the accumulated air. Then extinguish your lighter and fill it up! It will ignite without a problem.”
The manufacturer’s warranty
“When one of my quality lighters breaks, I take it to the tobacco shop where I bought it. Most quality lighters are guaranteed for life. The clerk will return my broken lighter to the company that made it and the company will send me a new one in the mail.”
How to operate a nearly empty lighter
Tilt your lighter diagonally when you operate it. The remaining gas will accumulate near the nozzle.
You can also rub your lighter between the palms of your hands until it is warm. The heat will expand the remaining gas and you can light your lighter by tilting it slightly. “But hurry up and fill it with butane as soon as possible,” adds Terry.
Your vehicle’s cigar lighter
Nowadays, we don’t light many cigarettes, let alone quality cigars with the car’s cigar lighter.
That said, the cigarette lighter in the car is still very useful! We plug all kinds of equipment into it, from GPS to bottle warmers, USB jacks, inverter converters, heating lunch boxes and portable DVD players.
Now more than ever, it is important that this cigar lighter works properly. If it fails, here’s what you can do to fix it, provided you’re a somewhat mechanically handy.
Step 1 – Check the cigar lighter fuse
For the location of the cigarette lighter fuse, consult your vehicle’s manual or refer to the drawing in the fuse box cover. The location of the fuse box varies by make and model of vehicle. It can be placed near the driver’s seat, in the glove compartment, on the passenger side, near the engine or in the trunk. If the fuse in the cigarette lighter socket is blown, replace it.
Step 2 – Check the cigarette lighter power supply
If the fuse is in good condition, remove the cigarette lighter and check the power cables. Check the power supply with a multimeter. The electrical voltage should be close to 12 volts. If it is not, the problem is in the power cables. It could be a cut or bent cable. The faulty cable will need to be repaired or replaced or the connection will need to be made again.
Step 3 – Replace the cigarette lighter
If the voltage is correct and the power supply cables are in good condition, your cigarette lighter is defective. You can get a new one at an auto parts store, at your dealer or at a recycler.
While you repair your vehicle’s cigar lighter, Terry takes a Cohiba from his humidor and grabs his favourite lighter. He has a glass of scotch on hand and his sound system plays Leonard Cohen music. A long flame lights up his smile.
Scrolls of blue smoke rise gently. Terry is thinking about the next projects he will propose to the Pomerantz Foundation to help those in need.
A cigar enthusiast, Terry Pomerantz shares his expert advice on the different brands, types of cigars, and essential accessories to have. Immerse yourself in his recommendations to magnify your experience with each cigar, which you can enjoy in good company, an invitation to take the time to live each moment to the full.