What brand of butane do you use?

[BesstR]

I use vector seems to work fine in all of my lighters.

"Life's journey is not to arrive in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, "Shouting....Holy Shit....what a ride!"

 

[Greg]

I use King, triple refined, which is the only thing I can find locally. The problem with King is the universal adapters they put in the lid all suck. I am still using an old Ronson adapter for my two Xikars and my Lotus, but the adapter does not fit the King nozzle worth a damn. Anyone else have this problem? Short version: none of the King adapters fit the filler tube of the lighters, and the Ronson adapter does not fit the can. I can get the lighters filled, but do waste some butane.

Maybe try fitting the Ronson adaptor on top of an adaptor that fits the King nozzle?

 

[ky70]

Perfect timing. I recently poseted elsewhere about my with experience with xikar and vector fuel. Here is that post:

Hello Folks,

I'm a lighter nut so I have a ton of lighters and I have used/trusted vector fuel for many years but when I ran out about 6 months ago I tried the xikar fuel because it was cheaper and based on the reviews I saw, it was of equivalent quality to the vector. I've been using the xikar for the past 6 months and have noticed a decline in the performance of many of my lighters. I probably still have a half a can of xikar left but I ordered more vector as I suspected the xikar wasn't getting the job done.

I emptied out the xikar fuel from some of my lighters and replaced it with vector fuel and sure enough, all of the flames returned to their previous higher heights and powerful flames.

So I now know that vector is the fuel for me and will stick with that going forward. In the pics below, you will see the lighters with both fuels all set at the same high setting with noticeably higher/stonger flames with lighters filled with vector fuel. Hopefully this post will help some when deciding what fuel to buy.

 

[hemlock]

I have used LOTUS brand butane for about two years with no problems.

 

[Cigary43]

Fuels are refined when it comes to quality butane and people tend to buy what is on sale to save money...just like tires or brakes or any other product out there. I've used the cheap brands and they tend to work fine but the first time you have your $100 lighters start spitting and misfiring and you want to get pissed...remember that you chose a cheap brand. I like using a 5X butane like some that are shown here...they work great and for an extra $1 or 2 you get something that will treat your lighters like they should be treated....refined means what it says as you don't want that crap clogging up your lighter. If you paid less than $15 for a lighter then use Ronson or some other cheaper brand as that will probably be ok ...until that lighter craps out on you and then you can toss it. I love the Ronson lighters...it seems to run on anything and if it does crap on you...you toss it into the bushes.

 

[Fox]

Good idea, Greg. I will give it a try.

 

[Heath]

I use a bic or matches so I'll continue to just read his and not add my two cents. Pretty good info tho.

 

[funkejj]

After reading a few posts here, I want to clarify something: The idea of using a better quality fluid is that it will not impart a bad flavor into the cigar. Simply using "good" fluid for good lighters and cheap fluid for cheaper lighters defeats the whole idea of using quality fluid.

...Just sayin'

The idea of using better fluid is so that guys don't have to send lighters out to the manufacture. The lines that carry the fluid to the jets get clogged with a tar oil substance. I know, I've taken almost a dozen of my fellow botls lighters apart over the years and cleaned the lines that go to the jets. They work immediately after the cleaning..... And if you can taste the difference bewtween 5x and 2x refined Clint. Ill buy you a fiver of your favorite cigar.........

Yes, the better fluid does keep the lighter's internal system cleaner, thus less clogging etc. (Kinda like using higher quality gas for your car keeps the carb happy)
Although I cannot in good conscience take you up on that premium fiver, I will say that low quality, bottom of the barrel fluid does impart a metallic, chemical taste into the cigars I used to smoke before switching.
Could easily be mind over matter, but all things considered, I'd rather pony up the small price difference than risk a great cigar

Could it have just been the chemical metallic taste from the Rocky Patel you were smoking?

 

[Clint]

Perfect timing. I recently poseted elsewhere about my with experience with xikar and vector fuel. Here is that post:

Hello Folks,

I'm a lighter nut so I have a ton of lighters and I have used/trusted vector fuel for many years but when I ran out about 6 months ago I tried the xikar fuel because it was cheaper and based on the reviews I saw, it was of equivalent quality to the vector. I've been using the xikar for the past 6 months and have noticed a decline in the performance of many of my lighters. I probably still have a half a can of xikar left but I ordered more vector as I suspected the xikar wasn't getting the job done.

I emptied out the xikar fuel from some of my lighters and replaced it with vector fuel and sure enough, all of the flames returned to their previous higher heights and powerful flames.

So I now know that vector is the fuel for me and will stick with that going forward. In the pics below, you will see the lighters with both fuels all set at the same high setting with noticeably higher/stonger flames with lighters filled with vector fuel. Hopefully this post will help some when deciding what fuel to buy.

Thanks for posting this...Very cool that you took the time to create (and post!) your own findings

 

[sofc]

DuPont cause I'm fancy like that.

 

[Hoshneer]

I have to say I've had troubles with all my lighters lately. They will light but won't stay lit. I am wondering if it's my Xikar fuel now... I've never used anything else. Thanks for the great post.

 

[ky70]

You're welcome guys. I was a bit surprised with the instant results. I started out by taking a single pic of a lighter with xikar fuel just in case there was an improvement after I switched that lighter to vector. After the pic, I purged all the xikar fuel and refilled with the vector fuel and saw an immediate improvement in the flame. So I then took the vector pic and decided to continue this test with several lighters.

I first suspected the xikar fuel may be not be perfroming as it should when my trusty Blazer CG-001 (not pictured) started misfiring and when lit the flame was lower than usual and would only stay up for a few seconds with xikar fuel. I switched in the vector fuel and that lighter went back to lighting every time and the flame is stronger and stays lit as long as I hold the pusher.

 

[sitruc_btb]

I use Xikar fuel for my torches. Guess I will have to try Vector fuel now. Perhaps that is why my Vector triple jet engine lighter doesn't like to light the first time around. Haha.

 

[Smoqman]

I think this review of the Vector Quintuple fuel says it all:

 

[SurpriseMVP]

Ordered 3 cans of Vector today after reading this and always thinking the xikar was hit or miss. Also not a fan of xikar anyway. Good thing they have the warranty because I've never had one last more than 2 years.

 

[Incognito_T]

Vector is my choice.
I live in an area where tons of people use Butane for extraction of certain "herbs" and the general consensus is the the Vector 5x is the best readily available

 

[Jfire]

I have to say I've had troubles with all my lighters lately. They will light but won't stay lit. I am wondering if it's my Xikar fuel now... I've never used anything else. Thanks for the great post.

Get a hold of me if you need help dissecting the lighters if they are out of warranty. Cleaning the lines aren't that hard. You
Just have to watch not tearing the tubing when taking it off the ports.

 

[Hoshneer]

I have to say I've had troubles with all my lighters lately. They will light but won't stay lit. I am wondering if it's my Xikar fuel now... I've never used anything else. Thanks for the great post.

Get a hold of me if you need help dissecting the lighters if they are out of warranty. Cleaning the lines aren't that hard. You
Just have to watch not tearing the tubing when taking it off the ports.

Thanks man, I may do that.

 

[fireman mike]

I have 6 cases of Jet Line at the shop and it performs excellent as well as having metal tips. I've carried just about every brand in the past and those brands that try and save an extra cent that have the damn plastic tips are junk IMO

 

[Mr.Maduro]

Vector and xikar

Same here, no issues or clogging.

Update: Now using only Vector. Through many lighter reviews the difference became obvious to me.