dcmac214 wrote:
(Assuming a butane lighter would be "best")
What brand & model lighter will retain virtually all its fuel and stay immediately-useable for years & years?
About 5-6 years ago, no longer able to get what I consider decent strike-anywhere kitchen matches, I got a couple of Bic butane lighters for the trailer. Doing my occasional winter check for signs of vermin I happened to look at the lighter on the stove (essentially new, maybe used 10-12 times) and saw that it was less than half full. So I dug out the other (still-in-package) lighter and it also had lost at least half its fuel.
What's the "Prepper" answer for a lighter or matches (not just a spark-maker)?
I can not be sure that 1/2 full or empty is not normal. I have found the BIC lighters some half buried in the ground cleaned them up a little and threw them in the Jeep I check them sometimes and they still work even after a couple years. Can not really hang on to them for too long because I usually run across some camper or smoker that lost or forgot his lighter and will give them the one I found. Some of the survival stores or REI, Cabelas, Bass Pro will have fire starters and some of the old style hardware stores, ACE and True Value will have the good matches.
JimR
