Articles

Vintage Lighter Repair and Service: Wick/Flint Basics

A basic understanding of flint/wick lighters.

This article was prompted by an EBay customer who wanted a refund on the 1930s era brass/glass lighter they purchased because they didn’t believe it was in “working order” when they unwrapped it and it would not light. They hadn’t considered you had to put fuel in it.)

Flip-Top Petrol “Zippo” Type Lighters19502 General Electric Zippo

I’m writing this article from the standpoint of service on and repair of your basic flip-top Zippo/Ronsonol fuel(naphtha) petrol type lighters. I don’t have any complaint with Zippo, I love them. I am however, currently infatuated with Champ Austria, mainly because of the flip-up wind cage design. The same elementary mechanics are employed in most vintage lighter repair and service projects. If you can manage to work a screwdriver and Continue reading “Vintage Lighter Repair and Service: Wick/Flint Basics”

Selling Vintage Lighters on Ebay: The Coolest I’ve Ever Seen

My first Beattie Jet Lighter will not be my last.

Back in the Day

Beattie Jet Lighter

I remember when I was a kid my dad telling me stories about the things he did during his time in the U.S. Army. These stories always had elements of difficulty: drinking ones own piss out of a boot, cross-country skiing , field stripping your service weapon blindfolded.

Now, he didn’t do all those things himself but if he didn’t do it he saw someone do it and while these things are all challenging, he told the stories with so much fondness and detail that I knew these Continue reading “Selling Vintage Lighters on Ebay: The Coolest I’ve Ever Seen”

What is Huntington’s Disease? Everything I Knew & Some of What I Know

Once a minor curiosity, Huntington’s Disease has consumed my life for the last seven yrs.

Ignorance Is Bliss, I Suppose

I remember learning about Woody Guthrie when I was a child in school. He wrote “This Land is Your Land” and he died due to complications from Huntington’s Disease. That was about all I really knew about him or Huntington’s Disease(HD) for the longest time.

I am also a Bob Dylan fan, have been my whole life. When I was a young man, once I’d heard all his music, I read every Dylan biography I could get my hands on. Woody Guthrie was a huge influence on Bob Dylan. Continue reading “What is Huntington’s Disease? Everything I Knew & Some of What I Know”

In Search of the Best Online Head Shop: One Man’s Quest

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a place you could go online to get most, if not all your smoking needs?

First Off, the Important Stuff

Back in the day, like a whole ten yrs ago, people had to go to the store to buy rolling papers, flint and other articles necessary for combusting their favorite foliage. I don’t know about you but where I grew up we would have called that a head shop.

When I started smoking, I asked myself, “what is the best online head shop?” I might be a tad slow but I know how to perform an Continue reading “In Search of the Best Online Head Shop: One Man’s Quest”

Best Vaporizer Pens for Weed? A Lighter Mechanic’s Perspective

(As an Atmos Affiliate, DependableFlame.com earns from qualifying purchases.)

First thing you need to know: buy a vaporizer with a 510 thread.

What Will You Be Vaping?

I sometimes wonder if people realize how much about themselves they reveal when responding to a question they’ve been asked directly. But the main thing is it’s nobody’s business what you intend to vape. We may be asked, “Where to buy vapes for marijuana?” or “What are the best vaporizer pens for weed?” but if we just have a basic idea about the vaporizers available then we have a better grasp on the questions we’re asked. Continue reading “Best Vaporizer Pens for Weed? A Lighter Mechanic’s Perspective”

Can You Buy Marijuana Paraphernalia Online? The Short and Long of It

In today’s ever-changing social climate, what is it legal to buy and where?

What is Paraphernalia?

 

I grabbed this definition from Google’s dictionary. So, it seems to me that in order to be considered paraphernalia it has to be integral, necessary or at least useful in regard to the activity undertaken. So, that brings us back to the original question, “can you buy marijuana paraphernalia online?” and the answer is complicated. I think to fully answer the question we need to first understand exactly what makes a particular tool paraphernalia. Continue reading “Can You Buy Marijuana Paraphernalia Online? The Short and Long of It”

New Torch Lighter Review: Ronson, Ultimate Survival Technologies, Premium Spark

(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

ReviewActual 5 Lighters Being Reviewed

In the last year, I have purchased no less than five new butane torch lighters. This article will review the pros and cons of these five lighters along with the price I paid and the place I bought each lighter. The links provided will take you to that product’s page on Amazon.com. By you clicking these links and purchasing, we will earn a commission. Your price will be the same whether you click our link or navigate to Amazon some other way. Continue reading “New Torch Lighter Review: Ronson, Ultimate Survival Technologies, Premium Spark”

What To Do With Old Cigarette Lighters: Can They Be Repaired?

With just a little attention, many of these old relics would be as useful as ever.

The Wheat from the Chaff

I recently purchased several large lots of old cigarette lighters. There are always certain attributes of a lot that pique my interest. If the lighters were purchased online then ordinarily I don’t really know much about them until I get them in my hands but once I do, there are a myriad of vintage lighter repair projects that could be necessary.

For instance, I may purchase a lot containing 40 lighters that I have to judge off

Champ Austria
Champ Austria Lighter

Continue reading “What To Do With Old Cigarette Lighters: Can They Be Repaired?”