I have installed valves in Bic lighters and suggest the following to avoid chipping pieces off the center partition that can increase the chances of clogging the system beyond what might have fallen in during the hole drilling step. Sand the perimeter ridge that extends around the bottom of the lighter until even with the bottom to create the widest smooth surface for the gasket to seat against. Then, mark the hole you will drill off center half way between the exact center and either side of the lighter which will allow a full seating area but prevent drilling into the internal partition. I drill with an 1/8th inch bit first after making a small starting point with an awl or center punch (this risks having more plastic pieces that may not come out when you try to remove them). Then I drill as squarely as possible with my final bit (#15 for my valves) and go slowly to avoid any possible cracking or creating a rough sided hole. Next, I create a small chamfered entry point around the circumference with a countersink in my fingers, to help the valve threads dig into the hole sides under complete control. I install the air soft valve with JB Weld black RTV silicone goo which doesn’t stick to the plastic but is good at sealing against pressurized fuel leaks (allow several hours for it to cure before fueling). I have installed the same valves successfully on the smaller Bic lighters as well. Note that you will wear out the flints eventually but they are available online. Be sure you get a small enough diameter flint. I apologize for not providing links but I had no trouble locating everything online. Best to all.
I use to carve mine with a dremmel and paint them. facebook.com/photo?fbid=10212387649714241&set=a.10212387649474235 facebook.com/photo?fbid=10201606478231692&set=a.10212387649474235 facebook.com/photo?fbid=10201606478471698&set=a.10212387649474235
Don't listen to all the hate in the comments. If you don't want to refill your bic, then why are you watching the video? Maybe you have a bic with a design on it that you like, or maybe it has sentimental value. Whatever reason, you've shown us how to do it. Thumbs up!
Kawasaki 636 just because you don't have one, doesn't mean others don't. It's called an opinion, grow up and realize that others have ones that don't necessarily agree with yours.
I paid $100 once to get my favorite Bic back that was stolen fair and square by a friend....in 1995. Made it refillable last year and use it daily. Best $100 hostage payment ever.
This man is a producer. Not a consumer. He should be a small example of how more Americans should think for themselves and be producers. I also have one of those butane 6 in 1 soldering irons. I was just looking at the valve thinking I could take that out and put it into a bic. I searched UA-cam. Same thing I was thinking. Funny how things work like that sometimes. I dont think I'll be sacrificing my 6 in 1 though so I'll check to see if Bernzomatic sells the valve as a replacement part?
Thanks for the kind words JC. I did post a link below the video where you can purchase the valve by itself, and you will find that any store that deals with paintball guns will also have the nozzle you need ... get the smallest one you can find and you could even skip the step where you have to chip the plastic out of the lighter ... drill the hole, tap it with the nozzle and you're done.
@@JoshuaCussins For sure ... I've used them and they do work ... they are quite a bit smaller, so you have to have a little more patience with them, but they are great!
Y'all need to take a chill pill. If you didn't like the video or it doesn't meet your needs, or whatever, just roll on. It's cool to make observations or contribute to the content with helpful or additional hints or cautions, etc., but you can do it without the attitude and disrespect. We all looked at this video most likely because we were interested in 'how to refill a Bic lighter', right? Well, here's one way to do it. Whether you think it's worth it or not, based on your individual circumstances and needs, is your business. This guy put this out there - if you don't like it - roll on. I personally enjoyed watching it for the many other lessons in it, and, I think he explains things well, I like some of the 'considerations' he pointed out, he has a nice voice, I learned some other 'tricks' that can be applied to other projects, etc. I choose to extract whatever lessons I can from any source - even if it isn't something I can use - I still think it was quite clever. So Mike - I think you were quite clever and did a good job. i enjoyed watching you.
Common sense - what a concept, eh? lol - Thanks for the good words and you nailed it! The beauty of the Internet is that you have many choices for whatever needs you might have. ☺
that's funny because I bought the pencil torch and had to return it because there no valve in it. I think you did a pretty good job of the re-fit into the lighter. Sometimes it is incredibly handy when you are out in area that your experiences," McGiver'n" things to life are a huge score to your situation and those with you. Cool, thanks for posting.
+Will E. Lewis How horrible that you had to return your torch because they left out the nozzle? I'm telling you ... no one builds for quality anymore ... LOL ... ;-)
In short, I find the most compelling factor in this is the way you so admirably handle the mounds of nonsensical remarks along with the unwarranted asinine hater-chat. Ultimately this is tops soley because its 1 in a mil to come across one of these bad boys! I close to never watch UA-cam videos, and you good sir, have made a subscriber out of this girl. 😍
buddy... go find yourself a fill valve for airsofts... i've been doing mine with them for years now. i used to get my valves from cheap lighters that have smaller metal vaves but airsoft valves are best... there you go~ you got your source~
I made my first one back in late 90's. had it for years. eventually the plastic body of the BIC lighter becomes porous and leaks. The only thing i haven't figured out is how to control a steady flame. They always seem to be too low then gets real big and back to low. its all about pressure. If you have this problem i have had luck by holding down the fork (the red lever) while filling it up to push out the air inside the body. I have to say your pretty spot on because this is how i made my first one. That drill bit your using is called a Brad Point Drill Bit, and you were using a dial caliper not micrometer. Ya i know this video is old but hey its good to see that someone actually did it the right way.
Fascinating ... I had actually set out to devise a method that I intended to record on video and post to my UA-cam account, where I thought I would MAYBE get 100 views ... if you scroll through the comments, this thing took off like I never expected. So On the flame consistency ... first is to make sure you're using quality highly refined butane because the cheap stuff will cause carbon deposits in the nozzle and affect flow. And like you said, its always a good, when it's low on fuel, to push in the valve and empty the gas that's in there before filling it back up ... cause then it gets nice and full. I was not aware that the plastic broke down over time like you mentioned ... I don't think Ive ever seen that before. Though ... when you think about it ... a $.99 lighter holding butane under pressure for years - refill after refill ... still some quality engineering in that lighter.
@@MikeSims70 Yep your right, high quality butane works good. I was using Premium Butane by Colibri. You can find it in most cigar shops. Another trick that seemed to help is set your EMPTY lighter next to a heater to get it a bit warm hold down the fork and fill. (away from the heater of course)
Any idea how to prevent the plastic from decomposing?? I got a bunch of BIC lighters from the 70s and 80s the OG bics with the flame adjustment. Love the old ads on them too so wanna try and save the plastic from going to crap.
@@BarrySmoother honestly I don't have an answer. Keep in mind I had my first one for about 4 years before it started to breakdown and I was refilling it on pretty much a weekly basis. I wasn't really worried about it breaking since they are so easily replicable. but since you got vintage BIC'S I would start off with one and see how long it will last ya. if you got a bunch of them they might just last you a long long time. Unless you plan to sell them, then its someone else problem. If I was you I would practice on the newer ones (non adjustable flame) till you get good, then try the vintage ones. Those are hard to come by. If you don't fill them up on a weekly basis like I was they could last even longer.
@@mykeeX13 Thanks for the reply. Guess it's just trial and error. Know they are pretty sturdy so hopefully keeping em out of the sun will keep em going strong.
Yeah if you have the time and money to go buy all these extra parts and execute this major project. I think you are looking more for like an easy simple method this is a bit extensive, if you ask, say, ANYBODY. This is a freaking construction project ding dong
No shit. I think this is brilliant. BBQ lighters never last and I tire of tossing bics with good flint into the bin. Seems pretty easy to do and easier to refill then the pin methods.
@@blondieandinunya9806 Anyone who would be pre-disposed to doing this project would most likely have the tools. The valves aren't all that expensive... Many people find the convenience worth the effort. It's not for everyone - clearly.
This is a great video with enough explanation, so that I won't ruin my lighter when I do this. I've been looking for a way to refill my lighter that I got from a concert and this looks like the way to go
Thank you thank you thank you! You deserve thanks for skipping past the tedious stuff that so many other UA-cam how-to videos needlessly contain, largely because of either ignorance or laziness on the part of the individual who made it. It's so refreshing to see someone who _can_ be bothered to learn the most basic of video editing skills, and I don't mind anyone taking a little bit of pride in doing so. On that note, I even enjoyed your making it clear that you are specifically, intentionally putting the tiny required bit of work in, to avoid wasting my time (and, I presume, to also take advantage of a knock-on bonus effect, and avoid leaving viewers with the impression that you're just another inconsiderate DIY doofus, like so many others on YT). Hell, that doesn't even address that you're displaying what I think is absolutely the best solution for re-using Bic lighters; thank you for sharing!
Yes, I'm not a fan of watching videos where people love hearing themselves talk... I'm always like ... "GET TO THE POINT ALREADY!" - ☺ Thanks for the compliment.
Clippers aren't too bad actually ... I bought and tried some a couple years ago and I will say that I was not disappointed ... other than the fact that they grew legs ... they were a good time before they ran away from home. ☺
@@matthewsalvador9783 sometimes shoving something down right next to the nozzle to slightly restrict flow can work ... but its a hit and miss proposition and it usually requires replacement every so often.
I addapted one of the first disposable plastic lighters I bought when I realised that I could not refill it. I was disgusted that so much time , effortand material would be put into something only to throw it away.How naive I was . This would have been in the late 70s or early 80s.I used heat to make the hole and got the valve from an old Dunhill lighter that was broken and screwed it in as per your vid.From memory I had it for years and was verry proud of my handy work .Thanks for the vidio and keep converting !
+lord cu mopton, I missed this comment somehow. Thank you very much for the nostalgia ... I remember the Bics from the 70's and 80's, back when they had flame adjusters on them. Also, nice to know that you installed a nozzle way back then ... great minds ... as it were ... :-)
Thank you!!! Finally a grown man, this way I'm not getting a half assed thumb tack and duper glue job. I was going to do exactly this but I wanted to see a successful conversion done first. Good job and thank you.
As a former drug addict, I F’ing wish I found this video 3 years ago. Woulda saved me a ton of money. I flew through bics for a little less than 2 years. . 1 year 1 month clean tomorrow.
Congratulations on being clean. What were you using and how did you stop? OH and now that you're more responsible, maybe it's time to buy some stock in Bic ... ;-)
Mike Sims thank you my brother. I fell down the opioid hole. Car accidents (5) only one being my fault. Used that as an excuse to pop pain med long after I was done needing them. Graduated to heroine after 8 years of pills. And I quit with suboxone for 2 months, and a strong family who had my back. And hell yes, i watch the market on Fox every morning actually lol
@@nuggetdoozy7831 Interesting ... I fell into the same trap but ultimately stopped with the help of the local methadone clinic. I hated having my life chained to a drug - I had no freedom... I used for like three years and quit back in 2012 and ill never go back.
Really liked the video, most people wouldn't take the time to refill a Bic but in my experience it always feels better to use something that you've worked on yourself, plus you're recycling so there's less plastic in the trash so there's that too.
Man, you are such a genius, you completely changed my life! And your explaining is so... exact and complete; qialitywise the same level as your craftmanship! Awesommmmmmmme!!
The "why do this" comments are a mystery to me. Why search for and watch a "how to make a bic lighter refillable" tutorial video if you 're not interested in reflilling your bic?... That being said, excellent video sir. I don't know if I could ever do it myself since I'm not that familliar with toolwork, but I love it.
+amfipolos what i actually was searching for, was how to refill a portable BBQ propane tank. The popped up and I had to check out WTF??? Its a 99 cent lighter!
good idea brad point drill bit and i found like 50 sites with those refill valves just by typing lighter refill valve on the search box. i think maybe u couldnt find it cause u call it a nozzel instead of a valve. 3 for 4.99 on one site. good idea im gonna make one as soon as they get here
Aaron, I actually did several searches using all kinds of terms back when I originally posted the video. And back then, I was not getting any hits that were useful. However, in the last couple of years, this thing seems to have taken off and vendors are perhaps catching on. The video has over 200,000 views now and as far as I know, its the first and only video on UA-cam that discusses the installation of a nozzle in a disposable lighter. I can only assume that demand has caused vendors to stock and market these valves as "refill" valves whereas before, they weren't really being sought after for this purpose. But I am assuming and you know what they say about assumptions... None-the-less, I can tell you that I did exhaustive searches on google and a few other engines using every possible term and synonym I could come up with and my results were fruitless back then. I've been in IT for 20 years ... I remember when Yahoo was our ONLY search engine ... I'm no stranger to writing and maintaining SQL databases ... so I consider myself within the 90 percentile of folks who could be considered highly proficient at using search engines. I do lack knowledge and consistency when it comes to employing the unique and special commands that each search engine offers its users. But I do make heavy use of the '-' symbol in my google searches when it becomes necessary. I also occasionally like to use double quotes and more rarely, the "+" symbol. But I digress...
There's an edit at 12:42 in between filling the lighter and lighting it. Then, the just-lit lighter is quickly taken offscreen for a few seconds, before being brought back and placed on the table. This can lead some viewers to think it's a different lighter you're demonstrating, instead of the finished one. Although I don't think that's the case, just keep in mind that the end result --- the part where you prove the whole thing works --- is the most important part of the video, and should never entertain edits.
Yeah, right at that moment, my girlfriend walked into the garage and without even seeing what I was doing before saying anything, she started talking to me. I was caught off guard, and I moved my hand, asked her to hold on a second, then I proceeded to light the lighter ... I simply cut that little blunder out of the video which produced a jump that could not be avoided. Rest assured, the end result was in fact the same lighter from the beginning. No conspiracy going on.
For the center wall, see your dentist about some used dental bits. Some of them are 'grinders'. You get much smaller pieces. Then maybe some wire insulation and blow them out?
When I made this video, I thought MAYBE I would get 100 views ... 16.5k and still going. I had no idea so many people would be interested in this kind of a mod. :-) Thank you for watching!
we've done this before...but not so technical, precise, or accurate ....lol and many more trial and error and other deviations and obstacles.... this was cool tho to find this with all the details and precise information to quit f***ing up a few haha
+Trisha Abbott-Mathews Thank you for the compliment. Apparently I succeeded in making a how to video that lacks all of the yammering from the presenter. :-)
The 1st drill bit is called a " pilot point drill bit " Great for starting a new hole & if using a center punch to mark a hole , It helps prevent slipping off center as well . In the bottom of your lighter there is no need to center punch for marking the start of the hole . By the way GREAT VIDEO :)
Those drill bits are called brad point. They help keep the bit from sliding off the target mark without sliding around. Regular common bits are called jobbers and are generally angled for either metal or wood. Brad points are usually used for wood and plastics. They also tend to tearout less than regular jobbers.
Why hold the lighter in your hand to drill it when you have a bench vice? Save yourself a nasty injury and eliminate a lot of the pitch and roll causing your holes to be off.
Well the brad point bit was used at that time to help the rubber gasket form a tight seal against the lighter... but I suppose that with different shapes of O-rings, it would not always be necessary to have that 90 degree angle flat surface for the O-ring to seal against. With the sheer magnitude of different kinds of valves out there ... a "one size fits all" position would be foolish.
Buy a $1 refillable lighter and use the mini refill valve. You don’t need a giant one. The tiny ones fit perfect in a mini BIC. It has a gasket on top and has an awesome seal with the nozzle. No wasted butane. And with torches use high quality butane only.
@@genkiferal7178 These are smaller valves right here: www.evike.com/products/50149/ store.kwausa.com/product/kwa-universal-gbb-charging-valve/ www.amazon.com/KWA-Magazine-Charging-Airsoft-Magazines/dp/B007BBWP04 www.evike.com/products/27269/
@@MikeSims70 that's awesome. thanks. You said in your video that the flints only last about 2 years. But, it looks like they can be switched out by using a newer flint (is it that wheel - the darker part?) from a non-modified Bic/lighter. Am I wrong on that? Should I be saving those flints from littered/discarded lighters I find on the street side or in a parking lot?
@@genkiferal7178 First of all, I believe it is easier to install the nozzle than it is to change the flint. That being said, if you have a specific Bic that you want to keep for the long haul, then you can put in a newer flint (say from an expired Bic that you can sacrifice), but the flint is under the strike wheel and it is spring loaded so it makes replacement rather tricky as you have to remove the strike wheel without damaging the Bic and as soon as you do that, the flint will want to go flying so you have to make sure its pointed towards a towel or something that can catch it if your fingers slip. Using a hair dryer or something to warm up the plastic that is on either side of the strike wheel will help because it will make the plastic more mallable and easier to bend but the plastic is fairly durable and not prone to breaking in the first place. But getting the flint out isn't nearly as difficult as putting one back in because that spring puts a LOT of tension on the flint and the re-assembly of the flint and the wheel becomes this balancing act of trying to make the flint stay down while you get the strike wheel in place and secured. Once you actually attempt this, you will see why I say it's probably easier to move the nozzle to a newly expired Bic instead of replacing the flint. But the flints are rather large and they do last a long time. Ive gotten in upwards of over 10 refills on a single flint before. It just depends on how often you have to strike it. :-)
That's awesome! Nice work! Now you'll have a custom lighter that can be refilled NUMEROUS times before you have to either replace the flint or move the nozzle to another lighter. I had actually - at one point - started to think about inventing some kind of device that would make this process easy ... something like a small device where you could set the lighter in it, pull a lever and the nozzle would just be installed ... but after giving that much thought ... such a device just didn't seem plausible ... nor practical.
There's a lot of haters but seriously you have no Idea how much this helped me out on a huge prototype project...Thank you! Sometimes the best answers are the simple ones.
Check the comments for updates on valve sources - you can also search the Internet for 'airsoft refill valve' or 'butane gas refill valve' - Amazon sells them as do retailers dealing in paintball supplies.
I have been scouring the internet like crazy and have had the same exact issue you said you had from the video which was not being able to find these pieces anywhere except for the ones that were already within a torch or lighter or whatnot. Even after searching the quoted "butane gas refill valve" & "airsoft refill valve," the only thing that looked comparable were the airsoft valve pieces, so I was curious if you knew any specifics with those because they have limited information on the item, & I obviously don't want to order a bunch of these if they're not going to work. They are both inexpensive and look exactly like what I would need, so I didn't know if you had heard of a piece called a "KWA I-8 Universal GBB Charging Valve." I'm quite the newbie to this so whatever help you can lend would be great... Thanks.
@@TSF-007 They will work ... the airsoft valves are exactly the same thing as the so called butane valves... just some metal with springs and some rubber usually to seal the thing up when you're done filling.
@@MikeSims70 sweet! I actually took a bit of a break from that project so I forgot I even left this comment on here until I looked through my emails tonight & saw a response from you... I'm glad to know they'll work, that was my biggest hangup with the project, that's what got me to stop working on it because the valves I was extracting were so fragile, if you got the tiniest of cracks or even just an infinitesimally small, fractional warp would render it useless, it was maddening. Thanks for the info, good luck with your future endeavors.
@@TSF-007 - ... so there are so many different varieties out there, which I learned when I started buying them from air soft vendors. The last time I bought like a 5 pack and I was pleasantly surprised when I got them because they were actually smaller than the valves I was using which meant that I didn't need to gut the lighter to install them because they weren't long enough to touch the plastic partition inside the lighter and they still accepted a standard fitting from a butane can... which made me wonder if that was common with paint ball guns - to have smaller valves like that or perhaps they have many different sizes and I just got lucky not knowing what I was doing and just ordering a few to have on hand. If you can get dimensions on them, then at least you'll know what size they are before you purchase but in terms of being functional Id say they are of a higher quality than what you typically see in a butane lighter ... but that was my experience with them ... can't say for sure you'rs will be the same. If you're looking to purchase a lot of them, Im sure they would gladly take them back if they don't work for you... but that can be some additional shipping costs - might set you back a couple of $20s if you had to return them - round trip cost that is...
Hand torches that are of the expensive typehave either the standard refill valves or the kind you lmentioned. However I have been in some Indian run stores and especially any stores that sell cigars and cigar equipment. Kroger here where I live in their cig section sells Firebird cigar lighters but I wouldnt gut a perfectly new 7 dollar triple jet for it. I'm a hobbyist / modder I save and gut torches all the time.Off topic slightly. if you ever need replacement fuel hoses on hand torches / cigar lighters best place to get them are by gutting 88 cent wal mart kitchen lighters in the camping section.
The original article I came upon was how to "Refill a Bic Lighter" and as soon as it got to the part where it mentioned to unscrew the flame adjuster, I had to immediately call BS. A Bic Lighter, the disposable wonder made in France hasn't had an adjustable flame since about 1987. You cannot fill a regular, disposable, non adjustable Bic, it isn't possible and that's on purpose. Adding a fill port valve of course would solve this issue, but so will a dollar fifty.
As I was watching, cringing, I was wondering about if u had a vise, THE WHOLE TIME THAT YOU WERE HOLDING IT WHILE DRILLING! Only then, at the end, i see it in action. Christ man, when I see you and others that are trying to teach people something on UA-cam, I really think that the people teaching REALLY NEED to show people the safe way to do something first, NOT the unsafe way. You got to start with being safe and then “graduate” to being unsafe (if one chooses so to do) - you don’t start unsafe, as a beginner/first time doing something.
@@6980869 I like to believe that people aren't stupid enough to see a youtube video and blindly injure themselves ... I tend to have faith in our natural - built in sense of self preservation ... ;-)
G’day I’m Dave or ( Brownie ) for those gas valves you might be able to purchase from a cigar or a tobacconist. I was watching a gentleman fix a xcar lighter & he made mention of the shops but not the cost of parts. Thank you for the clip .
Thank you! At least in my experience, the local cigar / tobacco shops don't cary these valves... but that doesn't mean that other shops in other places would not carry them. Thanks for the info!
Thank you for this video...I have several Bentley butane lighters that have replaceable butane tanks. I am attempting to convert them into refillable butane tanks. This video is the answer. Thanks!!
If you go to the dollar store they have refillable mini torches and they crap out all the time but have the little valves that you are looking for around $2-3$
good idea we been doing this for a few years i usuall find nozzles from the 99 cent store refillable bar b que lighters with the long tip or those cheap metal lighters
My smoke shop gives me a lighter for $1c (yes One Cent) when I buy cigs. They are refillable!! ...but they are hard to light. Takes a lot of effort to push the button. Paiute smoke shop in Las Vegas, NV. I've got about 40 of them! I will use one or two to try your experiment.
John Privitera Use a Bic. I'm sure they aren't selling you a quality lighter for a cent. You couldn't pay me a dollar to use those scrappy see thru crack head lighters.
The whole point is making a bic refillable because of their superiority. Yeah, there's lot's of refillable lighters around $1 or less but they're no where near the same quality as a bic. Most are the "clicker" type that stop working after a couple refills; mainly because the piezo clicker plastic parts break. Also, the nozzle begins to clog up, more so when using cheap 5x butane. Harder to find are refillable flint and roller type lighters but they're even more annoying. They have like a 1 out of every 3 attempts of getting a flame while bics light up almost every time (feels like 19 out of 20). And other than a zippo there's not many lighters that stand a chance in a wind like a bic does. If i was offered a 1 cent cheapo lighter, I would say "Nah, get that cheap shit away from me man. I'll buy a bic though.". Actually, to be honest, I would also take the 1 cent lighter and use it for something else. Maybe make it into a 15 second flame thrower or something along those lines.
Some constructive comments. That is not a micrometer, it's a dial caliper. It probably has a metal rod that comes out of the bottom when opening. That's a depth gauge. Measure how deep the valve needs to be drilled and use that know your depth. Or measure the valve and then mark the drill bit with a marker. It will be faster and that the guessing out. Also have you thought about using the valve from an adjustable lighter? About $.50 a lighter, probably the cheapest option. And I do really like this video and I am going to give it try. I'm all for saving items and repurposing them.
Phillip, do you have a link to the "Adjustable lighter refill valve"? Thanks for the comments ... we settled the calliper issue couple years ago... had I known this video was going to get so much publicity, I would have been more concise and more accurate with my terms etc. Its my first "do-it-yourself" video and I honestly only expected MAyBE 100 views... it is what it is... thanks for the feedback and the compliments. :-)
@@BenWaddington-benwaddi Honestly I don't know but back when I made this video, butane nozzles from other lighters always had a long stem that made it impossible to use in this application. In fact, since I made this video, those butane soldering irons have gone way up in price to where its not even a close call in terms buying one for this purpose as it would be a complete waste of money. It might be that when I bought that soldering iron, Home Depot might have made a mistake in their pricing, though they were set at that price for at least a year or so back then... but now those butane soldering irons are in the $30 range... I have no explanation for it really.
I simply use Clipper lighters xD but this is a really good project, definitely not meant to be done by everybody but a nice funny-to-see video about human ingenuity and reluctance to throw away something towards what you might have a feeling because has been with you for a long time, or through the good times. Thumbs up!
had the same idea using a push down one way fill valve from a broken lighter , the valves on bics where the flame shoots out are of course push up valves with the lever/button
Thanks for the video. I'm going to have to try this. A couple things to add about refilling and capping with a pushpin which is what I currently do. 1. The flint in the Bic lighter will eventually be exhausted also, so with one refill only you don't have to worry about the flint running out, and having to replace it(which can be a pain). 2. In all of the pushpin refill videos I've seen, either the whole, or part of the pushpin is left in the bottom. This is ridiculous, I just bite down on the plastic with a bit of a hefty wire cutter, and it shatters, what is left is a small nail head, which you can just push in. 3. You can purchase flints, they sell them for Zippos, or source them from other Bics I guess..
+Datzfunk My biggest problem with the push pin solution BESIDES the bulk added to the bottom of the lighter, is that there is a high risk that the pin will get ejected from the lighter and inevitably ... you'll reach for your bic in your glove box which is over 120 degrees in the summer, which expanded the butane to enough pressure to kick the pin out and you're left with an unlit cigarette ... it's a GREAT temporary solution when you're in a pinch, but hardly a workable permanent solution ... in my opinion of course. As to the flints, I've gotten over 10 refills on a single flint before.
+Mike Sims That's interesting about the flints. Good to know. I haven't actually tried salvaging any from once refilled lighters, I only assumed Bic would use flints long enough for a single use with some degree of margin(depending on type of use/length of light). As for the " high risk that the pin will get ejected " I believe there is extremely low risk of that actually. I've refilled ~30 lighters and the pin has never even slipped a little. It requires a lot of force to insert, it may be just as good of an option as the pellet used in its manufacture. I would however not trust it's complete removal and reinsertion for a second refill. As for the mass of the pin. it is extremely light weighing 0.2g from my measurement (much lighter than a refill valve surely). And once pushed in, one would never know it was there.(after the plastic has been removed) In any case the refill valve is a great idea. I just wish there were a better (cheaper) source. It is really a waste that these lighters are made for single use.
I agree ... yet Bic produces almost 6.2 MILLION of them every DAY!!! its staggering to think about it. I would LOVE to see the manufacturing process in person. It would be amazing I'm sure. Here is a link to an ebay source for the nozzles. Apparently they are popular in the airsoft community ... so do some searching, I think you might be able to find them a lot cheaper now. goo.gl/YCb1iw
+Mike Sims Thanks for the source. I'll have to grab some. I looked the other day, they were really tough to find other than what was posted already. I have a feeling there could be a good source on alibaba.com or a like site. I'm sure manufacturers get them for a dime or something. They may also be available in large quantities only. If that's the case, maybe we can figure something out between all of us.
I was considering something like that shortly after I posted this video, but a bunch of shit happened ... broke up with my girl ... had some housing issues ... and just dropped the ball, but, I'm down for whatever.
Wow, I haven't been checking in for comments ... apparently there are quite a few. Let me first state - for the record - the entire reason I started developing a method for making Bics refillable in the first place. Exhibits 1 and 2 (these are pics of the same lighter, just different sides): 1) i.imgur.com/x6jtSeK.jpg 2) i.imgur.com/PU00nZZ.jpg As a hobby, I like to carve images onto Bic lighters, then use an epoxy resin to seal the art. When I do this for friends, they quickly become attached to the lighter and they, of course, want to be able to continue using the lighter. even when it runs out of fluid. Walla - this method was developed! Also, let me state that cheap refillable lighters (in the sub $10 range) are CRAP! They have too many moving parts which become loose very quickly, and they ignite MAYBE one in five attempts. And the older the lighter gets, the more clicks it takes to ignite them. Bic lighters are hands down, the absolute best lighter EVER invented: 1) They work at the first strike EVERY SINGLE TIME WITHOUT FAIL (as long as there is fuel)! 2) They are shaped PERFECTLY for human hands. 3) They are SIZED PERFECTLY for storing in any pocket or purse. 4) ZERO sharp edges or awkward shape. 5) The best engineering in a lighter EVER. Even in refillable lighters that cost over $30 or more, I experience more hassles with the lighter than I EVER do with a Bic. Bic lighters are simply THE STANDARD that every other lighter aspires to, but ALWAYS fails. Perhaps this is why Bic produces over SIX MILLION of these lighters every DAY! That's roughly 2.2 BILLION lighters every year! DAMN that's a lot of lighters! If Al Gore ever learned about how many lighters Bic produces in a year, I'm sure he would somehow figure out a way to blame Bic for global warming! (If you think I'm kidding ... then just google 'Al Gore Inconvenient Truth Leaked Email' - and enjoy!) And people SERIOUSLY! ZIPPOS????? For Real? I shouldn't even have to say the obvious here, but since we seem to have a wide range of experience among our viewers ... ZIPPOs are the lowest common denominator for refillable lighters. They are messy, they stink, the flame tastes awful when you light your cigarette or pipe, and they are bulky and clumsy. HARDLY worth using in a survival scenario. YES, there are butane mods for Zippos, but to me, thats like installing a small gasoline engine onto a 10 speed bike ... yeah ... I GUESS it works better ... but ... it's still a ZIPPO! BLEH! Concerning Bic flints ... many of you said that a Bic flint only lasts as long as two or three refills. This is TOTALLY FALSE! I've refilled my Bic more than 10 times without running out of flint. At $1.55 per lighter, that costs more than the refill nozzle. Get your facts straight people! And again, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING!!! ... over 114,000 views so far on a video that I thought would MAYBE get 100 views (literally). You guys ROCK!
Yea i have a few zippos, and i mean like 15, maybe 2 work still because i got tired of replacing flint all the time and putting in fluid everyday because of evaporation thru the wick and canister. and dont even try lighting a pipe with one, haha, unless ur cool with the leopard eyebrows look then go ahead. I have refilled my bics at least 20 times now and flint is still good. i got a hole bunch of reserve bics i take the flint out of for my "forever, flick my bic" lighters. so technically i never have to buy another lighter again. i think 2 bucks vs. 10 to 40 50 bucks depending on the lighter is a hole hell of a lot better. Plus I've had 3 torch lighters blow up in my hand and its never happend with my bic. Remember people safety 1st. haha. And those are really really good. U got yourself a real good tallent there. Dont stop trying to go somewhere with that, i bet you could make a hole money off that one day (if you havent all ready). But these people on here have nothing better to do in a day than try to make someone as miserable as them, so they talk shit. But people love bics more than any lighter out there so if you never had to get rid of one, and you could get it customized, people would buy em out in a heart beat. Im learnin to airbrush so i plan on doing airbrushed bics soon. Once im great at it. haha.
+Datzfunk Yes, what I do, is design them in Photoshop, then I print them in a mirror image. Then I use transfer paper to get them onto the lighter and then with a Dremel and an engraving bit, I carve them CAREFULLY into the Bic. It takes time and patience. You can't UNDO a screw up on plastic when you're carving, and getting a straight line is a lot harder than you might think. ;-)
+SMiLEy BOe I haven't made a dime off of this video, because when I signed up for all that, they said I needed to do something else to finish the process and I haven't done it yet. But I don't think 114k views nets someone very much coin ... but im definitely going to look into what it takes to make that happen because even if it's just $5 ... its MY $5 and I shouldn't just sit on it and let Google keep it ... lol. Thanks for reminding me by the way. :-)
Hey Mike. You inquired where you might be able to find those butane refill valves. Well I got 35 for $13 and there was shipping of like $15 . All together about a buck a piece. Lots better than 10. Allibaba is the name and hopefully that helped bud
try putting in a new flint. such fun. until the spring flies off into another dimension. but it can be done is you have a sentimental bic you just can not part from.
Tysm! I want to sell lighters that I hand paint but I want it to be refillable bcuz they take a while to make. This video solves that weird lump at the bottom & the fact that using the other technique makes it harder to refill a second time or stand the lighter up.
I use to carve and paint lighters ... but I was never able to find a way to put a protection coating on the lighter and over time, the paint, which was acrylic, would wear off of the lighter .... here are some of the lighters I painted facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10212387649714241&set=a.10212387649474235 facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10201606478231692&set=a.10212387649474235 facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10201606478471698&set=a.10212387649474235 facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10212387649754242&set=a.10212387649474235
@@MikeSims70 I use nail products. First I scrape up the lighter and prime the surface. Then I cover the design in clear gel that cures in a uv lamp. I also use gel colors for the designs. They’ve never chipped or peeled or anything w this technique
@@stardustfactory8311 Interesting ... I wonder how they might be an added resource for the way I was carving and painting lighters ... the uv cured clear gel sounds interesting ... I never did mess with any of that stuff though I did mildly score the entire surface of some lighters with a fine grit sand paper then I used an epoxy that I found at a hobby store to coat the lighters, but that stuff ended up chipping off of the surface in a relatively short period of time. Do you have any photos of some of your work?
You can tell whoever shits on this idea is a lazy chump haha a project like this is fun easy takes 5 minutes with bare minimum tools and has saved me $300 in bics over the years
I've 3D printed a molding for the lighter in the past that is shaped for the lighter but ultimately provides flat surfaces to use in the vice. It worked well.
Yeah, I screwed up SOMETHING - I forgot what now its been a while, but I edited it out as best I could cause I didn't wanna re-do the whole thing... the video was done and the method works, so why get all weird about a small mistake and have to re-do everything? ... good catch though, you're only the third person I think who caught it.
My research shows it to be a spear point drill bit, different twist than a standard or brad point drill bit. My other research for sizing info doesn't apply as I had to purchase a Weller ML500MP and the removable valve appears to be smaller at 11/64th at the center shaft measurement. And not worth the purchase price for the smaller valve.
People ask why waste time switching this? I did this with my 15yo WWF HHH lighter. Yea I just don't have the heart to throw it out. I mean come on who has a WWF bic lighter today still flickin'
It's been a hot minute since I've messed around with lighters but I forget. Is that white plastic piece easy to pry off? I'm wondering if it would be possible to skip the drilling and 3D print a new bottom piece altogether that would just fit the valve.
That's an excellent thought. But in my experience the binding of the bottom piece to the body of the lighter is such that it cant be just 'popped out' it has to be drilled out because it is somehow chemically bonded to the body in a way that it becomes part of the body. The other thing to consider is that 3D prints are VERY porous and I don't think they would be suitable for any situation where it is necessary to withstand fluid and pressure as in a lighter situation. Perhaps with those 3D printers that use a basin of liquid material then build objects using light would be more 'solid' ... but I don't know enough about them to say one way or the other. I like the way you think though ... I'm all about custom solutions to problems :-)
I been making my own Bic lighter refillable for years,I just carefully remove valve from another common refillable,seems most people throw them away...but then go buy a bic...I ' also drop them,this sometime screws up the valve...so I just make a small leather,case this protects the lighter from drops,to the floor.i also put a small amount of glitter to the bottom of lighter,so I always see my bic....ahuh..
I just did this with a valve from an old broken butane lighter, there were no threads but leave the hole snug enough and you can tap it in with a hammer. Now I can continue using my favorite bic again
+Gary Chief I would only be concerned if you store the lighter ... say in a car in the summer time and it heats up when its full... it may create enough pressure inside the lighter to eject your nozzle. And I can't see how a non-threaded tapped nozzle would seal well enough to actually work without some VERY precision drilling... let me know how it works please?
@2:20 "We don't want the nozzle to stick out. Otherwise we could not stand the lighter up and it would not be very functional" Who needs to stand their bic lighter up? Furthermore, who says a lighter is not functional when they can't stand it up?? lol. The ultimate bic would also have an adjustable flame. I believe at one point long time ago bic sold such a lighter. If you look hard enough you can still find these god level magical unicorn bics. Maybe even catch yourself a leprechaun that smoke cigs or any drugs for that matter. I bet they would have one of those bics,; at the very least they'd know where you can find one.
it still a good job. and it saves money. I just push the Right tack in it and it takes a second to do. its never came off in my pocket and you get real fast at doing it. that's a better way, but its all good. I have not purchased a bic lighter in 6-7 years now. hated buying them all the time.
shinedown389 I agree ... something about having to drive to the store because you realized that your Bic is outta gas just plain sucks! I’m not a fan of the tac solution for a couple of reasons ... expelled butane every time you fill it, and the tac sticking out ... it may stay in well enough, but no where near as securely as this solution. But this is the beauty of living in 1st world republic ... we can each do whatever the hell we want without needing to care what anyone says about it! I merely presented what I felt was the best solution to the problem ... but your way is definitely simpler and faster, no question about that! :-)
When the flint run's out i just replace it with a my friends lighter flint, once it runs out of fuel there is usually a lot of flint left in the lighter! Just make sure you don't loose your parts cause when you take the little wheel out the flint and a spring will fly out!
Haylee Ford If you're unlucky like my friend was when he was taking his flint out, trying to be careful, the sprint and flint shot out, he let out a nasty scream, and looked up and I saw his right eye start to bleed. long story short, went to the ER and his EYE had been lanced by the flint.
Get a refillable lighter. And the tool is a drill!???? Metal, Wood, Titanium drill doesn't matter. Or use a hot Nail to melt a hole. (After emptying everything)
You can actually buy refillable / disposable lighters. Basically, you can refill them 3 or 4 times before the sparking mechanism gives out. Having said this.. just recycle the filling valve.
I usually buy a refillable torch from a gas station for about $6 and i just twist out the refill part and i use a little dermal drill thing to make a little hole and i put a little super glue and push it in it works perfect every time but i have been trying to fine somewhere to buy the refillable part cheaper i wish you could buy them in bulk ahah!!
Haylee Ford Well Haylee, I'm not sure if you saw the link in the video where I talk about the nozzle, but I have a link in there now for a direct source where you can purchase the refill nozzle. And with this mod, when the flint runs out, you can just unscrew the nozzle and re-use it in another bic. I never had much luck with sealing in a nozzle using super glue or even JB weld, I always managed to get a leak. So I came up with this method and it works perfectly. :-)
Definitely have to try this one. You can get the nozzle from a torch at home depot for $10 I'll buy a few of them. I did the pushpin trick but I find that you waste a lot of butane to refill something that cost maybe $2. I've torn apart dead BiC lighters for the flints for my Zippo but The fluid evaporates too quickly from the zippos so I'll be trying this trick. and when the flint wears out just hack another lighter.
Thanks CoonDog ... I appreciate the compliment. I agree with you on the zippo thing ... I simply don't like them because they are high maintenance ... in my opinion. :-) Good Luck!
I just need to find that torch thingy you mentioned at Home Depot but I don't go there much. Actually I have a broken micro torch that leaks. Maybe I can use that. Foo Fighters, Good band. What's your fav song by them? Mine's learn to fly.
Actually CoonDog, if you look in the video description, I have updated a link where you can purchase the nozzles for $4 plus shipping (the more you buy the cheaper since shipping is just one price no matter how many you order). And they work better than the home depot torch lighter nozzle because these are smaller and you don't need to chip out the inner wall of the lighter. I love these new nozzles. Onward and upward... :-)
coondog, Here's the same one on Amazon but the price is too high in my opinion: goo.gl/evV5LM But if you look to the right side of the auction you will see that they offer it from other sellers through Amazon for $4.99 Here's one for $8.99 goo.gl/FF9jeF Here's a brass one that should work for $3.99: goo.gl/YDFgz7 Here's three of them (little different type but should work) for $17 free shipping: goo.gl/TERU62 Search their sporting goods section for 'AirSoft valve' and see what you can find.
i finally remembered that i need some of these lol. is there anything special for the smaller valve or is it just shorter? Also why not just make the hole on either side of the center so you dont even have to worry about the center divide thats inside?
ok so the way we use to do it back in high school 02-06. is when the torch lighter messed up or you had one just to take apart you take the nozzle out and your BERNZOMATIC would be great but just another torch or butane can ones with torch on the end. you heat up the nozzle and stick it through...........oh we never did it through the hole we usually did it to the side of the whole on the flat part. just the easy way I think. but as I have gotten older now I have tools and I say as with all things best to do them right. good shit man. way to put these grommets up on game.
What you state here seems very plausible to me. However, the scope of this video is to show people how to convert their existing Bic into a device that is as close to the original as possible, getting more mileage for their money. It's not meant as a "life hack" to meet a need in an urgent situation. This is something that is planned and carried out for it's future utility... I do appreciate the scope of your comment though. Knowledge is power, after all. :-)
Great idea but you should NEVER drill into something your holding in your hand. One slip and you're drilling into your hand. Especially considering you had a vice there to hold your lighter the whole time. A vice would allow you to drill evenly into the lighter a lot easier as well.
I just did this with a Scripto Grill lighter. I took apart a broken refillable lighter that I previously modded, the slide on the button broke so it was dead. I tore it down to the little valve on the bottom. With a little luck I was able to extract the valve from the lighter. On the grill lighter. I tore it down to the fuel tank, I heated a screwdriver that was a little smaller than the valve and pressed it through the tank (Tank was empty). I fit the valve on the tank and it fit snugly. I had some of that as seen on TV Lazer Bond UV glue so I glued the outside of the valve heavily to the fuel tank. I had to modify the case of the grill lighter for the valve to stick out. I put a little butane gas in the fuel tank and the lighter fired right up. I'm going to leave it before fully filling it up in case it leaks but it shouldn't since that lazer UV glue seeps into small spaces. Might post a quick video of this showing what I did. I don't normally shoot video on the fly of me doing stuff like this because I don't know if something is going to work or not.
@@coondogtheman Oh Ive got valves, and if you drill the hole properly, then the threads from the valve will seal the butane perfectly ... no need for glue.
I have installed valves in Bic lighters and suggest the following to avoid chipping pieces off the center partition that can increase the chances of clogging the system beyond what might have fallen in during the hole drilling step.
Sand the perimeter ridge that extends around the bottom of the lighter until even with the bottom to create the widest smooth surface for the gasket to seat against. Then, mark the hole you will drill off center half way between the exact center and either side of the lighter which will allow a full seating area but prevent drilling into the internal partition. I drill with an 1/8th inch bit first after making a small starting point with an awl or center punch (this risks having more plastic pieces that may not come out when you try to remove them). Then I drill as squarely as possible with my final bit (#15 for my valves) and go slowly to avoid any possible cracking or creating a rough sided hole. Next, I create a small chamfered entry point around the circumference with a countersink in my fingers, to help the valve threads dig into the hole sides under complete control. I install the air soft valve with JB Weld black RTV silicone goo which doesn’t stick to the plastic but is good at sealing against pressurized fuel leaks (allow several hours for it to cure before fueling). I have installed the same valves successfully on the smaller Bic lighters as well. Note that you will wear out the flints eventually but they are available online. Be sure you get a small enough diameter flint. I apologize for not providing links but I had no trouble locating everything online. Best to all.
This is great! An off-center hole makes good sense.
It's not about saving money it's about keeping my favorite lighter that has my favorite stickers alive
I use to carve mine with a dremmel and paint them.
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You got this exact comment from the original pushpin video
a lighter that i somehow got attached to 😭😭
Amen
Same
Don't listen to all the hate in the comments. If you don't want to refill your bic, then why are you watching the video? Maybe you have a bic with a design on it that you like, or maybe it has sentimental value. Whatever reason, you've shown us how to do it. Thumbs up!
Ryan Moulder Or you just don't want to waste so much plastic
Fuck you're stupid. What the hell is with all these people saying their lighters have sentimental value? Grow up you fool.
Kawasaki 636 just because you don't have one, doesn't mean others don't. It's called an opinion, grow up and realize that others have ones that don't necessarily agree with yours.
Personally, I found this while looking up butane fill valves for another project. That's why I said "for whatever reason." No need to be jerks.
I paid $100 once to get my favorite Bic back that was stolen fair and square by a friend....in 1995. Made it refillable last year and use it daily. Best $100 hostage payment ever.
This man is a producer. Not a consumer. He should be a small example of how more Americans should think for themselves and be producers.
I also have one of those butane 6 in 1 soldering irons. I was just looking at the valve thinking I could take that out and put it into a bic. I searched UA-cam. Same thing I was thinking. Funny how things work like that sometimes. I dont think I'll be sacrificing my 6 in 1 though so I'll check to see if Bernzomatic sells the valve as a replacement part?
Thanks for the kind words JC. I did post a link below the video where you can purchase the valve by itself, and you will find that any store that deals with paintball guns will also have the nozzle you need ... get the smallest one you can find and you could even skip the step where you have to chip the plastic out of the lighter ... drill the hole, tap it with the nozzle and you're done.
@@MikeSims70 looks pretty good for $3-4.
@@JoshuaCussins For sure ... I've used them and they do work ... they are quite a bit smaller, so you have to have a little more patience with them, but they are great!
Y'all need to take a chill pill. If you didn't like the video or it doesn't meet your needs, or whatever, just roll on. It's cool to make observations or contribute to the content with helpful or additional hints or cautions, etc., but you can do it without the attitude and disrespect. We all looked at this video most likely because we were interested in 'how to refill a Bic lighter', right? Well, here's one way to do it. Whether you think it's worth it or not, based on your individual circumstances and needs, is your business. This guy put this out there - if you don't like it - roll on. I personally enjoyed watching it for the many other lessons in it, and, I think he explains things well, I like some of the 'considerations' he pointed out, he has a nice voice, I learned some other 'tricks' that can be applied to other projects, etc. I choose to extract whatever lessons I can from any source - even if it isn't something I can use - I still think it was quite clever. So Mike - I think you were quite clever and did a good job. i enjoyed watching you.
Common sense - what a concept, eh? lol - Thanks for the good words and you nailed it! The beauty of the Internet is that you have many choices for whatever needs you might have. ☺
Well said, I totally agree.
that's funny because I bought the pencil torch and had to return it because there no valve in it. I think you did a pretty good job of the re-fit into the lighter. Sometimes it is incredibly handy when you are out in area that your experiences," McGiver'n" things to life are a huge score to your situation and those with you. Cool, thanks for posting.
+Will E. Lewis How horrible that you had to return your torch because they left out the nozzle? I'm telling you ... no one builds for quality anymore ... LOL ... ;-)
Thanks for the upload! I saw the pushpin method and knew there had to be a better option...
You bet - push pin method is ... well ... kinda ghetto ... but good in a pinch I suppose.
In short, I find the most compelling factor in this is the way you so admirably handle the mounds of nonsensical remarks along with the unwarranted asinine hater-chat.
Ultimately this is tops soley because its 1 in a mil to come across one of these bad boys!
I close to never watch UA-cam videos, and you good sir, have made a subscriber out of this girl.
😍
+Beach Ghetto If you think this is awesome, you should try my pancakes! ;-)
Thanks for the compliment ... truly humbling.
+Mike Sims I think the only thing that could please me more than combining efficiency with a truly mundane act as smoking- is pancakes
+Beach Ghetto: sims.mike@gmail.com
buddy... go find yourself a fill valve for airsofts... i've been doing mine with them for years now. i used to get my valves from cheap lighters that have smaller metal vaves but airsoft valves are best... there you go~ you got your source~
ummmm ... did you see the video description or the note I added to the video where I talk about where to get the nozzles?
I made my first one back in late 90's. had it for years. eventually the plastic body of the BIC lighter becomes porous and leaks. The only thing i haven't figured out is how to control a steady flame. They always seem to be too low then gets real big and back to low. its all about pressure. If you have this problem i have had luck by holding down the fork (the red lever) while filling it up to push out the air inside the body.
I have to say your pretty spot on because this is how i made my first one.
That drill bit your using is called a Brad Point Drill Bit, and you were using a dial caliper not micrometer.
Ya i know this video is old but hey its good to see that someone actually did it the right way.
Fascinating ... I had actually set out to devise a method that I intended to record on video and post to my UA-cam account, where I thought I would MAYBE get 100 views ... if you scroll through the comments, this thing took off like I never expected. So On the flame consistency ... first is to make sure you're using quality highly refined butane because the cheap stuff will cause carbon deposits in the nozzle and affect flow. And like you said, its always a good, when it's low on fuel, to push in the valve and empty the gas that's in there before filling it back up ... cause then it gets nice and full.
I was not aware that the plastic broke down over time like you mentioned ... I don't think Ive ever seen that before. Though ... when you think about it ... a $.99 lighter holding butane under pressure for years - refill after refill ... still some quality engineering in that lighter.
@@MikeSims70 Yep your right, high quality butane works good. I was using Premium Butane by Colibri. You can find it in most cigar shops. Another trick that seemed to help is set your EMPTY lighter next to a heater to get it a bit warm hold down the fork and fill. (away from the heater of course)
Any idea how to prevent the plastic from decomposing??
I got a bunch of BIC lighters from the 70s and 80s the OG bics with the flame adjustment.
Love the old ads on them too so wanna try and save the plastic from going to crap.
@@BarrySmoother honestly I don't have an answer. Keep in mind I had my first one for about 4 years before it started to breakdown and I was refilling it on pretty much a weekly basis. I wasn't really worried about it breaking since they are so easily replicable. but since you got vintage BIC'S I would start off with one and see how long it will last ya. if you got a bunch of them they might just last you a long long time. Unless you plan to sell them, then its someone else problem. If I was you I would practice on the newer ones (non adjustable flame) till you get good, then try the vintage ones. Those are hard to come by. If you don't fill them up on a weekly basis like I was they could last even longer.
@@mykeeX13 Thanks for the reply.
Guess it's just trial and error. Know they are pretty sturdy so hopefully keeping em out of the sun will keep em going strong.
Unreal the amount of negative comments on this video. The video was very well done. Thank you
Yeah if you have the time and money to go buy all these extra parts and execute this major project. I think you are looking more for like an easy simple method this is a bit extensive, if you ask, say, ANYBODY. This is a freaking construction project ding dong
No shit. I think this is brilliant.
BBQ lighters never last and I tire of tossing bics with good flint into the bin. Seems pretty easy to do and easier to refill then the pin methods.
@@blondieandinunya9806 Anyone who would be pre-disposed to doing this project would most likely have the tools. The valves aren't all that expensive... Many people find the convenience worth the effort. It's not for everyone - clearly.
This is a great video with enough explanation, so that I won't ruin my lighter when I do this. I've been looking for a way to refill my lighter that I got from a concert and this looks like the way to go
Let me know if you do it
Thank you thank you thank you! You deserve thanks for skipping past the tedious stuff that so many other UA-cam how-to videos needlessly contain, largely because of either ignorance or laziness on the part of the individual who made it. It's so refreshing to see someone who _can_ be bothered to learn the most basic of video editing skills, and I don't mind anyone taking a little bit of pride in doing so. On that note, I even enjoyed your making it clear that you are specifically, intentionally putting the tiny required bit of work in, to avoid wasting my time (and, I presume, to also take advantage of a knock-on bonus effect, and avoid leaving viewers with the impression that you're just another inconsiderate DIY doofus, like so many others on YT).
Hell, that doesn't even address that you're displaying what I think is absolutely the best solution for re-using Bic lighters; thank you for sharing!
Yes, I'm not a fan of watching videos where people love hearing themselves talk... I'm always like ... "GET TO THE POINT ALREADY!" - ☺ Thanks for the compliment.
I just buy clipper lighters, cheaper already refillable and flint changeable also.
Clippers aren't too bad actually ... I bought and tried some a couple years ago and I will say that I was not disappointed ... other than the fact that they grew legs ... they were a good time before they ran away from home. ☺
My issue on the clipper was the flame was the size of liberty 🗽 I dont know how to fix it lol
@@matthewsalvador9783 sometimes shoving something down right next to the nozzle to slightly restrict flow can work ... but its a hit and miss proposition and it usually requires replacement every so often.
Bics are the best in the world
They don’t light every time like a bic though.
You can tell you put a lot of time and care into your projects. Thanks for the info
The process is where the most fun is in a project. ☺ . Thanks for the positive feedback!
I addapted one of the first disposable plastic lighters I bought when I realised that I could not refill it. I was disgusted that so much time , effortand material would be put into something only to throw it away.How naive I was . This would have been in the late 70s or early 80s.I used heat to make the hole and got the valve from an old Dunhill lighter that was broken and screwed it in as per your vid.From memory I had it for years and was verry proud of my handy work .Thanks for the vidio and keep converting !
+lord cu mopton, I missed this comment somehow. Thank you very much for the nostalgia ... I remember the Bics from the 70's and 80's, back when they had flame adjusters on them. Also, nice to know that you installed a nozzle way back then ... great minds ... as it were ... :-)
Thank you!!! Finally a grown man, this way I'm not getting a half assed thumb tack and duper glue job. I was going to do exactly this but I wanted to see a successful conversion done first. Good job and thank you.
Thank YOU!
This is the best of all the videos on YT on this subject.
Thanks ... I originally thought maybe it would get 100 views when I made it.
As a former drug addict, I F’ing wish I found this video 3 years ago. Woulda saved me a ton of money. I flew through bics for a little less than 2 years. . 1 year 1 month clean tomorrow.
Congratulations on being clean. What were you using and how did you stop? OH and now that you're more responsible, maybe it's time to buy some stock in Bic ... ;-)
Mike Sims thank you my brother. I fell down the opioid hole. Car accidents (5) only one being my fault. Used that as an excuse to pop pain med long after I was done needing them. Graduated to heroine after 8 years of pills. And I quit with suboxone for 2 months, and a strong family who had my back.
And hell yes, i watch the market on Fox every morning actually lol
@@nuggetdoozy7831 Interesting ... I fell into the same trap but ultimately stopped with the help of the local methadone clinic. I hated having my life chained to a drug - I had no freedom... I used for like three years and quit back in 2012 and ill never go back.
Awesome ! Stay strong
Nugget Doozy u tried kratom?
Really liked the video, most people wouldn't take the time to refill a Bic but in my experience it always feels better to use something that you've worked on yourself, plus you're recycling so there's less plastic in the trash so there's that too.
Isaacj589 Excellent point Isaac!
Man, you are such a genius, you completely changed my life!
And your explaining is so... exact and complete; qialitywise the same level as your craftmanship!
Awesommmmmmmme!!
lol - go forth and burn stuff! :-)
The "why do this" comments are a mystery to me. Why search for and watch a "how to make a bic lighter refillable" tutorial video if you 're not interested in reflilling your bic?... That being said, excellent video sir. I don't know if I could ever do it myself since I'm not that familliar with toolwork, but I love it.
+amfipolos what i actually was searching for, was how to refill a portable BBQ propane tank. The popped up and I had to check out WTF??? Its a 99 cent lighter!
+amfipolos I have every confidence that you could perform this lighter mod with ease ... if you simply took the time to do it. :-)
good idea brad point drill bit and i found like 50 sites with those refill valves just by typing lighter refill valve on the search box. i think maybe u couldnt find it cause u call it a nozzel instead of a valve. 3 for 4.99 on one site. good idea im gonna make one as soon as they get here
Aaron, I actually did several searches using all kinds of terms back when I originally posted the video. And back then, I was not getting any hits that were useful. However, in the last couple of years, this thing seems to have taken off and vendors are perhaps catching on. The video has over 200,000 views now and as far as I know, its the first and only video on UA-cam that discusses the installation of a nozzle in a disposable lighter. I can only assume that demand has caused vendors to stock and market these valves as "refill" valves whereas before, they weren't really being sought after for this purpose.
But I am assuming and you know what they say about assumptions...
None-the-less, I can tell you that I did exhaustive searches on google and a few other engines using every possible term and synonym I could come up with and my results were fruitless back then. I've been in IT for 20 years ... I remember when Yahoo was our ONLY search engine ... I'm no stranger to writing and maintaining SQL databases ... so I consider myself within the 90 percentile of folks who could be considered highly proficient at using search engines. I do lack knowledge and consistency when it comes to employing the unique and special commands that each search engine offers its users. But I do make heavy use of the '-' symbol in my google searches when it becomes necessary. I also occasionally like to use double quotes and more rarely, the "+" symbol. But I digress...
There's an edit at 12:42 in between filling the lighter and lighting it. Then, the just-lit lighter is quickly taken offscreen for a few seconds, before being brought back and placed on the table. This can lead some viewers to think it's a different lighter you're demonstrating, instead of the finished one. Although I don't think that's the case, just keep in mind that the end result --- the part where you prove the whole thing works --- is the most important part of the video, and should never entertain edits.
It's a huge conspiracy by the Bic Corp. to maim and burn people trying to refill their lighters. Tell all your friends.
Yeah, right at that moment, my girlfriend walked into the garage and without even seeing what I was doing before saying anything, she started talking to me. I was caught off guard, and I moved my hand, asked her to hold on a second, then I proceeded to light the lighter ... I simply cut that little blunder out of the video which produced a jump that could not be avoided. Rest assured, the end result was in fact the same lighter from the beginning. No conspiracy going on.
For the center wall, see your dentist about some used dental bits. Some of them are 'grinders'. You get much smaller pieces. Then maybe some wire insulation and blow them out?
I stopped at 0:07 when i realized this guy knows what he's about and this project is way to advanced for me.
+TheAndeegail Don’t be so hard on yourself ... you could TOTALLY do this ... ;-)
It’s called a Brad Point drill bit
Let this man monetize his channel he needs 42 more
42 more what?
When I made this video, I thought MAYBE I would get 100 views ... 16.5k and still going. I had no idea so many people would be interested in this kind of a mod. :-)
Thank you for watching!
+Mike Sims Good video but pointless. Just buy a refillable butane lighter for 3 bucks or less.
we've done this before...but not so technical, precise, or accurate ....lol and many more trial and error and other deviations and obstacles.... this was cool tho to find this with all the details and precise information to quit f***ing up a few haha
+MAD HIGHWAY IS A DICK! See the post I just did for a reply to this nonsense.
+Trisha Abbott-Mathews Thank you for the compliment. Apparently I succeeded in making a how to video that lacks all of the yammering from the presenter. :-)
+Mike Sims did you ever figure out where to get the nozzle from
The 1st drill bit is called a " pilot point drill bit " Great for starting a new hole & if using a center punch to mark a hole , It helps prevent slipping off center as well . In the bottom of your lighter there is no need to center punch for marking the start of the hole . By the way GREAT VIDEO :)
See this videos description for a link on where to purchase the nozzles
Those drill bits are called brad point. They help keep the bit from sliding off the target mark without sliding around. Regular common bits are called jobbers and are generally angled for either metal or wood. Brad points are usually used for wood and plastics. They also tend to tearout less than regular jobbers.
+Mike Welch Good information Mike
Why hold the lighter in your hand to drill it when you have a bench vice?
Save yourself a nasty injury and eliminate a lot of the pitch and roll causing your holes to be off.
Sound advice, thank you!
With the KWA valves you need 7/32 and 11/64 drill bits. You don't need brad point. Regular drill bits work.
Well the brad point bit was used at that time to help the rubber gasket form a tight seal against the lighter... but I suppose that with different shapes of O-rings, it would not always be necessary to have that 90 degree angle flat surface for the O-ring to seal against. With the sheer magnitude of different kinds of valves out there ... a "one size fits all" position would be foolish.
Buy a $1 refillable lighter and use the mini refill valve. You don’t need a giant one. The tiny ones fit perfect in a mini BIC. It has a gasket on top and has an awesome seal with the nozzle. No wasted butane. And with torches use high quality butane only.
Yes, I discovered the mini nozzles about a year after I made this video. No need to chip out the center divider with those.
where do i buy one? I thought only the long ones were refillable.
@@genkiferal7178 These are smaller valves right here:
www.evike.com/products/50149/
store.kwausa.com/product/kwa-universal-gbb-charging-valve/
www.amazon.com/KWA-Magazine-Charging-Airsoft-Magazines/dp/B007BBWP04
www.evike.com/products/27269/
@@MikeSims70 that's awesome. thanks. You said in your video that the flints only last about 2 years. But, it looks like they can be switched out by using a newer flint (is it that wheel - the darker part?) from a non-modified Bic/lighter. Am I wrong on that? Should I be saving those flints from littered/discarded lighters I find on the street side or in a parking lot?
@@genkiferal7178 First of all, I believe it is easier to install the nozzle than it is to change the flint. That being said, if you have a specific Bic that you want to keep for the long haul, then you can put in a newer flint (say from an expired Bic that you can sacrifice), but the flint is under the strike wheel and it is spring loaded so it makes replacement rather tricky as you have to remove the strike wheel without damaging the Bic and as soon as you do that, the flint will want to go flying so you have to make sure its pointed towards a towel or something that can catch it if your fingers slip.
Using a hair dryer or something to warm up the plastic that is on either side of the strike wheel will help because it will make the plastic more mallable and easier to bend but the plastic is fairly durable and not prone to breaking in the first place.
But getting the flint out isn't nearly as difficult as putting one back in because that spring puts a LOT of tension on the flint and the re-assembly of the flint and the wheel becomes this balancing act of trying to make the flint stay down while you get the strike wheel in place and secured.
Once you actually attempt this, you will see why I say it's probably easier to move the nozzle to a newly expired Bic instead of replacing the flint.
But the flints are rather large and they do last a long time. Ive gotten in upwards of over 10 refills on a single flint before. It just depends on how often you have to strike it.
:-)
I did this today. I had zero issues with the wall. The drill bit eats it up no problem. The plastic wasn’t a problem either.
That's awesome! Nice work! Now you'll have a custom lighter that can be refilled NUMEROUS times before you have to either replace the flint or move the nozzle to another lighter. I had actually - at one point - started to think about inventing some kind of device that would make this process easy ... something like a small device where you could set the lighter in it, pull a lever and the nozzle would just be installed ... but after giving that much thought ... such a device just didn't seem plausible ... nor practical.
The first drill bit is called a “bradpoint”.
There's a lot of haters but seriously you have no Idea how much this helped me out on a huge prototype project...Thank you! Sometimes the best answers are the simple ones.
Glad this video helped - haters gonna hate - its the way of the world.
Check the comments for updates on valve sources - you can also search the Internet for 'airsoft refill valve' or 'butane gas refill valve' - Amazon sells them as do retailers dealing in paintball supplies.
I have been scouring the internet like crazy and have had the same exact issue you said you had from the video which was not being able to find these pieces anywhere except for the ones that were already within a torch or lighter or whatnot. Even after searching the quoted "butane gas refill valve" & "airsoft refill valve," the only thing that looked comparable were the airsoft valve pieces, so I was curious if you knew any specifics with those because they have limited information on the item, & I obviously don't want to order a bunch of these if they're not going to work. They are both inexpensive and look exactly like what I would need, so I didn't know if you had heard of a piece called a "KWA I-8 Universal GBB Charging Valve." I'm quite the newbie to this so whatever help you can lend would be great... Thanks.
@@TSF-007 I updated the video description area with a good source for nozzles.
@@TSF-007 They will work ... the airsoft valves are exactly the same thing as the so called butane valves... just some metal with springs and some rubber usually to seal the thing up when you're done filling.
@@MikeSims70 sweet! I actually took a bit of a break from that project so I forgot I even left this comment on here until I looked through my emails tonight & saw a response from you... I'm glad to know they'll work, that was my biggest hangup with the project, that's what got me to stop working on it because the valves I was extracting were so fragile, if you got the tiniest of cracks or even just an infinitesimally small, fractional warp would render it useless, it was maddening. Thanks for the info, good luck with your future endeavors.
@@TSF-007 - ... so there are so many different varieties out there, which I learned when I started buying them from air soft vendors. The last time I bought like a 5 pack and I was pleasantly surprised when I got them because they were actually smaller than the valves I was using which meant that I didn't need to gut the lighter to install them because they weren't long enough to touch the plastic partition inside the lighter and they still accepted a standard fitting from a butane can... which made me wonder if that was common with paint ball guns - to have smaller valves like that or perhaps they have many different sizes and I just got lucky not knowing what I was doing and just ordering a few to have on hand.
If you can get dimensions on them, then at least you'll know what size they are before you purchase but in terms of being functional Id say they are of a higher quality than what you typically see in a butane lighter ... but that was my experience with them ... can't say for sure you'rs will be the same. If you're looking to purchase a lot of them, Im sure they would gladly take them back if they don't work for you... but that can be some additional shipping costs - might set you back a couple of $20s if you had to return them - round trip cost that is...
Hand torches that are of the expensive typehave either the standard refill valves or the kind you lmentioned. However I have been in some Indian run stores and especially any stores that sell cigars and cigar equipment. Kroger here where I live in their cig section sells Firebird cigar lighters but I wouldnt gut a perfectly new 7 dollar triple jet for it. I'm a hobbyist / modder I save and gut torches all the time.Off topic slightly. if you ever need replacement fuel hoses on hand torches / cigar lighters best place to get them are by gutting 88 cent wal mart kitchen lighters in the camping section.
Its not called a micrometer. What you have are dial calipers btw. Thanks for the video.
Thank you. And thank you for the compliment. :)
What you have is a dial caliper
Thanks for taking the time to help others from your experience.
John Taveney - Thank you for for the kind and useful comment. ☺
It is called a wood drill as the names suggest its for drilling into wood
The original article I came upon was how to "Refill a Bic Lighter" and as soon as it got to the part where it mentioned to unscrew the flame adjuster, I had to immediately call BS. A Bic Lighter, the disposable wonder made in France hasn't had an adjustable flame since about 1987. You cannot fill a regular, disposable, non adjustable Bic, it isn't possible and that's on purpose. Adding a fill port valve of course would solve this issue, but so will a dollar fifty.
They still make adjustable flame Bics .../ they're just illegal in the United States - thank you Democrats!
Hold the lighter while drilling. And use the vice as a press. Hmmmm.
Thats pretty funny ... no one has mentioned that before.... nice!
As I was watching, cringing, I was wondering about if u had a vise, THE WHOLE TIME THAT YOU WERE HOLDING IT WHILE DRILLING! Only then, at the end, i see it in action. Christ man, when I see you and others that are trying to teach people something on UA-cam, I really think that the people teaching REALLY NEED to show people the safe way to do something first, NOT the unsafe way. You got to start with being safe and then “graduate” to being unsafe (if one chooses so to do) - you don’t start unsafe, as a beginner/first time doing something.
But thanks for sharing that info, regardless, Mike Sims. Aloha
@@6980869 I like to believe that people aren't stupid enough to see a youtube video and blindly injure themselves ... I tend to have faith in our natural - built in sense of self preservation ... ;-)
G’day I’m Dave or ( Brownie ) for those gas valves you might be able to purchase from a cigar or a tobacconist. I was watching a gentleman fix a xcar lighter & he made mention of the shops but not the cost of parts. Thank you for the clip .
Thank you! At least in my experience, the local cigar / tobacco shops don't cary these valves... but that doesn't mean that other shops in other places would not carry them. Thanks for the info!
This is the best Bic lighter hack on the internet. Bic pre-1993 adjustable flame lighters rule! 🔼
They still make them for other countries ... illegal in the states... Thanks for the positive feedback :)
A flat drill bit usually used to drill through like masonry or metal and the other regular ones you were using our for like wood. Great video
Thank you, the drill bit topic has been exhausted down lower in the discussion. And I appreciate you appreciating the video. :)
Thank you for this video...I have several Bentley butane lighters that have replaceable butane tanks. I am attempting to convert them into refillable butane tanks. This video is the answer. Thanks!!
Good Luck!
If you go to the dollar store they have refillable mini torches and they crap out all the time but have the little valves that you are looking for around $2-3$
In my experience, those kinds of lighters have those valves with the long stems attached to them ... which are useless in this application.
Yours is the best video for this
That is a very strong compliment! Thank you very much.
... and to think when I was making it, I literally thought "maybe 100 people will see it ... "
good idea we been doing this for a few years i usuall find nozzles from the 99 cent store refillable bar b que lighters with the long tip or those cheap metal lighters
thats ones i used in the beginning too lol
My smoke shop gives me a lighter for $1c (yes One Cent) when I buy cigs. They are refillable!! ...but they are hard to light. Takes a lot of effort to push the button. Paiute smoke shop in Las Vegas, NV. I've got about 40 of them! I will use one or two to try your experiment.
John Privitera Use a Bic. I'm sure they aren't selling you a quality lighter for a cent. You couldn't pay me a dollar to use those scrappy see thru crack head lighters.
The whole point is making a bic refillable because of their superiority. Yeah, there's lot's of refillable lighters around $1 or less but they're no where near the same quality as a bic. Most are the "clicker" type that stop working after a couple refills; mainly because the piezo clicker plastic parts break. Also, the nozzle begins to clog up, more so when using cheap 5x butane. Harder to find are refillable flint and roller type lighters but they're even more annoying. They have like a 1 out of every 3 attempts of getting a flame while bics light up almost every time (feels like 19 out of 20). And other than a zippo there's not many lighters that stand a chance in a wind like a bic does.
If i was offered a 1 cent cheapo lighter, I would say "Nah, get that cheap shit away from me man. I'll buy a bic though.". Actually, to be honest, I would also take the 1 cent lighter and use it for something else. Maybe make it into a 15 second flame thrower or something along those lines.
@@heatedcr 100% agreed. Well said.
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Some constructive comments. That is not a micrometer, it's a dial caliper. It probably has a metal rod that comes out of the bottom when opening. That's a depth gauge. Measure how deep the valve needs to be drilled and use that know your depth. Or measure the valve and then mark the drill bit with a marker. It will be faster and that the guessing out. Also have you thought about using the valve from an adjustable lighter? About $.50 a lighter, probably the cheapest option. And I do really like this video and I am going to give it try. I'm all for saving items and repurposing them.
Phillip, do you have a link to the "Adjustable lighter refill valve"? Thanks for the comments ... we settled the calliper issue couple years ago... had I known this video was going to get so much publicity, I would have been more concise and more accurate with my terms etc. Its my first "do-it-yourself" video and I honestly only expected MAyBE 100 views... it is what it is... thanks for the feedback and the compliments. :-)
I need you're service for my Bic lighter's
sims.mike@gmail.com
thank you man i was wondering where to get one of those i didn’t know it would be under airsoft
It was a revelation for me too
How to make a bic refillable:
Step 1: buy a clipper
Absolutely one option ... I've used them, I like them ... but I like Bics better.
@@BenWaddington-benwaddi Honestly I don't know but back when I made this video, butane nozzles from other lighters always had a long stem that made it impossible to use in this application. In fact, since I made this video, those butane soldering irons have gone way up in price to where its not even a close call in terms buying one for this purpose as it would be a complete waste of money. It might be that when I bought that soldering iron, Home Depot might have made a mistake in their pricing, though they were set at that price for at least a year or so back then... but now those butane soldering irons are in the $30 range... I have no explanation for it really.
I simply use Clipper lighters xD but this is a really good project, definitely not meant to be done by everybody but a nice funny-to-see video about human ingenuity and reluctance to throw away something towards what you might have a feeling because has been with you for a long time, or through the good times. Thumbs up!
Harbor freight has cheap pen torches with removable valves.
They're too long
had the same idea using a push down one way fill valve from a broken lighter , the valves on bics where the flame shoots out are of course push up valves with the lever/button
Imagine going thru all this then you smoke with someone then lose it. Stinger for sure
The struggle is real ... ;-)
I'm going to do this to my Texas Flag bic lighter when it runs out, and it's almost there now. I've had that lighter for years. Thanks for the info!
I recommend practicing a couple of times using other bics that you don't care about losing. Good luck!
Or you could just swap the printed sleeve onto a new Bic. Voila!
Most smokers are watching this video.
Thanks for the video. I'm going to have to try this. A couple things to add about refilling and capping with a pushpin which is what I currently do.
1. The flint in the Bic lighter will eventually be exhausted also, so with one refill only you don't have to worry about the flint running out, and having to replace it(which can be a pain).
2. In all of the pushpin refill videos I've seen, either the whole, or part of the pushpin is left in the bottom. This is ridiculous, I just bite down on the plastic with a bit of a hefty wire cutter, and it shatters, what is left is a small nail head, which you can just push in.
3. You can purchase flints, they sell them for Zippos, or source them from other Bics I guess..
+Datzfunk My biggest problem with the push pin solution BESIDES the bulk added to the bottom of the lighter, is that there is a high risk that the pin will get ejected from the lighter and inevitably ... you'll reach for your bic in your glove box which is over 120 degrees in the summer, which expanded the butane to enough pressure to kick the pin out and you're left with an unlit cigarette ... it's a GREAT temporary solution when you're in a pinch, but hardly a workable permanent solution ... in my opinion of course.
As to the flints, I've gotten over 10 refills on a single flint before.
+Mike Sims That's interesting about the flints. Good to know. I haven't actually tried salvaging any from once refilled lighters, I only assumed Bic would use flints long enough for a single use with some degree of margin(depending on type of use/length of light). As for the " high risk that the pin will get ejected " I believe there is extremely low risk of that actually. I've refilled ~30 lighters and the pin has never even slipped a little. It requires a lot of force to insert, it may be just as good of an option as the pellet used in its manufacture. I would however not trust it's complete removal and reinsertion for a second refill. As for the mass of the pin. it is extremely light weighing 0.2g from my measurement (much lighter than a refill valve surely). And once pushed in, one would never know it was there.(after the plastic has been removed) In any case the refill valve is a great idea. I just wish there were a better (cheaper) source. It is really a waste that these lighters are made for single use.
I agree ... yet Bic produces almost 6.2 MILLION of them every DAY!!! its staggering to think about it. I would LOVE to see the manufacturing process in person. It would be amazing I'm sure.
Here is a link to an ebay source for the nozzles. Apparently they are popular in the airsoft community ... so do some searching, I think you might be able to find them a lot cheaper now.
goo.gl/YCb1iw
+Mike Sims Thanks for the source. I'll have to grab some. I looked the other day, they were really tough to find other than what was posted already. I have a feeling there could be a good source on alibaba.com or a like site. I'm sure manufacturers get them for a dime or something. They may also be available in large quantities only. If that's the case, maybe we can figure something out between all of us.
I was considering something like that shortly after I posted this video, but a bunch of shit happened ... broke up with my girl ... had some housing issues ... and just dropped the ball, but, I'm down for whatever.
Wow, I haven't been checking in for comments ... apparently there are quite a few.
Let me first state - for the record - the entire reason I started developing a method for making Bics refillable in the first place.
Exhibits 1 and 2 (these are pics of the same lighter, just different sides):
1) i.imgur.com/x6jtSeK.jpg
2) i.imgur.com/PU00nZZ.jpg
As a hobby, I like to carve images onto Bic lighters, then use an epoxy resin to seal the art. When I do this for friends, they quickly become attached to the lighter and they, of course, want to be able to continue using the lighter. even when it runs out of fluid.
Walla - this method was developed!
Also, let me state that cheap refillable lighters (in the sub $10 range) are CRAP! They have too many moving parts which become loose very quickly, and they ignite MAYBE one in five attempts. And the older the lighter gets, the more clicks it takes to ignite them.
Bic lighters are hands down, the absolute best lighter EVER invented:
1) They work at the first strike EVERY SINGLE TIME WITHOUT FAIL (as long as there is fuel)!
2) They are shaped PERFECTLY for human hands.
3) They are SIZED PERFECTLY for storing in any pocket or purse.
4) ZERO sharp edges or awkward shape.
5) The best engineering in a lighter EVER.
Even in refillable lighters that cost over $30 or more, I experience more hassles with the lighter than I EVER do with a Bic.
Bic lighters are simply THE STANDARD that every other lighter aspires to, but ALWAYS fails. Perhaps this is why Bic produces over SIX MILLION of these lighters every DAY! That's roughly 2.2 BILLION lighters every year! DAMN that's a lot of lighters!
If Al Gore ever learned about how many lighters Bic produces in a year, I'm sure he would somehow figure out a way to blame Bic for global warming! (If you think I'm kidding ... then just google 'Al Gore Inconvenient Truth Leaked Email' - and enjoy!)
And people SERIOUSLY! ZIPPOS????? For Real? I shouldn't even have to say the obvious here, but since we seem to have a wide range of experience among our viewers ... ZIPPOs are the lowest common denominator for refillable lighters. They are messy, they stink, the flame tastes awful when you light your cigarette or pipe, and they are bulky and clumsy. HARDLY worth using in a survival scenario. YES, there are butane mods for Zippos, but to me, thats like installing a small gasoline engine onto a 10 speed bike ... yeah ... I GUESS it works better ... but ... it's still a ZIPPO! BLEH!
Concerning Bic flints ... many of you said that a Bic flint only lasts as long as two or three refills. This is TOTALLY FALSE! I've refilled my Bic more than 10 times without running out of flint. At $1.55 per lighter, that costs more than the refill nozzle. Get your facts straight people!
And again, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING!!! ... over 114,000 views so far on a video that I thought would MAYBE get 100 views (literally). You guys ROCK!
Keep em coming!
Yea i have a few zippos, and i mean like 15, maybe 2 work still because i got tired of replacing flint all the time and putting in fluid everyday because of evaporation thru the wick and canister. and dont even try lighting a pipe with one, haha, unless ur cool with the leopard eyebrows look then go ahead.
I have refilled my bics at least 20 times now and flint is still good. i got a hole bunch of reserve bics i take the flint out of for my "forever, flick my bic" lighters. so technically i never have to buy another lighter again. i think 2 bucks vs. 10 to 40 50 bucks depending on the lighter is a hole hell of a lot better.
Plus I've had 3 torch lighters blow up in my hand and its never happend with my bic. Remember people safety 1st. haha.
And those are really really good. U got yourself a real good tallent there. Dont stop trying to go somewhere with that, i bet you could make a hole money off that one day (if you havent all ready). But these people on here have nothing better to do in a day than try to make someone as miserable as them, so they talk shit. But people love bics more than any lighter out there so if you never had to get rid of one, and you could get it customized, people would buy em out in a heart beat. Im learnin to airbrush so i plan on doing airbrushed bics soon. Once im great at it. haha.
+Mike Sims Awesome designs. They are hand carved? That takes some skill.
+Datzfunk Yes, what I do, is design them in Photoshop, then I print them in a mirror image. Then I use transfer paper to get them onto the lighter and then with a Dremel and an engraving bit, I carve them CAREFULLY into the Bic. It takes time and patience. You can't UNDO a screw up on plastic when you're carving, and getting a straight line is a lot harder than you might think. ;-)
+SMiLEy BOe I haven't made a dime off of this video, because when I signed up for all that, they said I needed to do something else to finish the process and I haven't done it yet. But I don't think 114k views nets someone very much coin ... but im definitely going to look into what it takes to make that happen because even if it's just $5 ... its MY $5 and I shouldn't just sit on it and let Google keep it ... lol. Thanks for reminding me by the way. :-)
Hey Mike. You inquired where you might be able to find those butane refill valves. Well I got 35 for $13 and there was shipping of like $15 . All together about a buck a piece. Lots better than 10. Allibaba is the name and hopefully that helped bud
A vise is a handy device
God I love nerds! You guys rock!
try putting in a new flint. such fun. until the spring flies off into another dimension. but it can be done is you have a sentimental bic you just can not part from.
They can be tricky for sure... :-)
That's a brad point drill bit.
Woof!
Tysm! I want to sell lighters that I hand paint but I want it to be refillable bcuz they take a while to make. This video solves that weird lump at the bottom & the fact that using the other technique makes it harder to refill a second time or stand the lighter up.
I use to carve and paint lighters ... but I was never able to find a way to put a protection coating on the lighter and over time, the paint, which was acrylic, would wear off of the lighter .... here are some of the lighters I painted facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10212387649714241&set=a.10212387649474235
facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10201606478231692&set=a.10212387649474235
facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10201606478471698&set=a.10212387649474235
facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10212387649754242&set=a.10212387649474235
@@MikeSims70 I use nail products. First I scrape up the lighter and prime the surface. Then I cover the design in clear gel that cures in a uv lamp. I also use gel colors for the designs. They’ve never chipped or peeled or anything w this technique
@@stardustfactory8311 Interesting ... I wonder how they might be an added resource for the way I was carving and painting lighters ... the uv cured clear gel sounds interesting ... I never did mess with any of that stuff though I did mildly score the entire surface of some lighters with a fine grit sand paper then I used an epoxy that I found at a hobby store to coat the lighters, but that stuff ended up chipping off of the surface in a relatively short period of time. Do you have any photos of some of your work?
You can tell whoever shits on this idea is a lazy chump haha a project like this is fun easy takes 5 minutes with bare minimum tools and has saved me $300 in bics over the years
For all you stoners that was an extra 5 ounces for me for what you considered throw a buck away
If you got the process down to 5 minutes … you’re officially - Bic Guru!
you could also use the vice when drilling so you drill straight and not into your hand.
I've 3D printed a molding for the lighter in the past that is shaped for the lighter but ultimately provides flat surfaces to use in the vice. It worked well.
Sorry to burst the bubble but if im not wrong i could hear the butaine escaping ? Was that why you ended the video so fast
Yeah, I screwed up SOMETHING - I forgot what now its been a while, but I edited it out as best I could cause I didn't wanna re-do the whole thing... the video was done and the method works, so why get all weird about a small mistake and have to re-do everything? ... good catch though, you're only the third person I think who caught it.
My research shows it to be a spear point drill bit, different twist than a standard or brad point drill bit. My other research for sizing info doesn't apply as I had to purchase a Weller ML500MP and the removable valve appears to be smaller at 11/64th at the center shaft measurement. And not worth the purchase price for the smaller valve.
Very thorough information, thank you.
People ask why waste time switching this? I did this with my 15yo WWF HHH lighter. Yea I just don't have the heart to throw it out. I mean come on who has a WWF bic lighter today still flickin'
You really do have a 1 in 100+ billion lighter.
It's been a hot minute since I've messed around with lighters but I forget. Is that white plastic piece easy to pry off? I'm wondering if it would be possible to skip the drilling and 3D print a new bottom piece altogether that would just fit the valve.
That's an excellent thought. But in my experience the binding of the bottom piece to the body of the lighter is such that it cant be just 'popped out' it has to be drilled out because it is somehow chemically bonded to the body in a way that it becomes part of the body. The other thing to consider is that 3D prints are VERY porous and I don't think they would be suitable for any situation where it is necessary to withstand fluid and pressure as in a lighter situation. Perhaps with those 3D printers that use a basin of liquid material then build objects using light would be more 'solid' ... but I don't know enough about them to say one way or the other.
I like the way you think though ... I'm all about custom solutions to problems :-)
In that case 3d print you the whole lighter and a new 🧠.
I just bought a refillable butane lighter for a dollar...lol
+TheBluesJammer Good luck with that!
I been making my own Bic lighter refillable for years,I just carefully remove valve from another common refillable,seems most people throw them away...but then go buy a bic...I ' also drop them,this sometime screws up the valve...so I just make a small leather,case this protects the lighter from drops,to the floor.i also put a small amount of glitter to the bottom of lighter,so I always see my bic....ahuh..
Glitter ... on a Bic ... Do the words, "You Cannot Have the Mango" mean anything to you? LOL
You can buy a 5 or 10 pack on Amazon of Lighters that have those in them
@@Minong_Manitou_Mishepeshu He's saying instead of buying the soldering iron to take that piece out. To buy cheap lighters with the piece to take out
I just did this with a valve from an old broken butane lighter, there were no threads but leave the hole snug enough and you can tap it in with a hammer. Now I can continue using my favorite bic again
+Gary Chief I would only be concerned if you store the lighter ... say in a car in the summer time and it heats up when its full... it may create enough pressure inside the lighter to eject your nozzle. And I can't see how a non-threaded tapped nozzle would seal well enough to actually work without some VERY precision drilling... let me know how it works please?
No issues yet
@2:20 "We don't want the nozzle to stick out. Otherwise we could not stand the lighter up and it would not be very functional" Who needs to stand their bic lighter up? Furthermore, who says a lighter is not functional when they can't stand it up?? lol.
The ultimate bic would also have an adjustable flame. I believe at one point long time ago bic sold such a lighter. If you look hard enough you can still find these god level magical unicorn bics. Maybe even catch yourself a leprechaun that smoke cigs or any drugs for that matter. I bet they would have one of those bics,; at the very least they'd know where you can find one.
MarkMan fuckin A Mark... Fuckin A!!
You want pre 93 Bic adjustable flame Bics, look on EBay. 10 mint black ones sold for $20.
MarkMan - I remember adjustable flame Bics in the '70s and they still make them for other countries ... like Mexico for example.
it still a good job. and it saves money. I just push the Right tack in it and it takes a second to do. its never came off in my pocket and you get real fast at doing it. that's a better way, but its all good. I have not purchased a bic lighter in 6-7 years now. hated buying them all the time.
shinedown389 I agree ... something about having to drive to the store because you realized that your Bic is outta gas just plain sucks! I’m not a fan of the tac solution for a couple of reasons ... expelled butane every time you fill it, and the tac sticking out ... it may stay in well enough, but no where near as securely as this solution.
But this is the beauty of living in 1st world republic ... we can each do whatever the hell we want without needing to care what anyone says about it! I merely presented what I felt was the best solution to the problem ... but your way is definitely simpler and faster, no question about that!
:-)
finally i can use my favorite skinned bic lighter forever!!!!!!!!!!
How do you mean skinned if I may ask?
@@zynifi he likes the design of one of his box lighters.
The E.T- Rex is my favorite👁👄👁😋
psychomaniac189, Or till the non refillable flint wears out, And no a zippo flint wont fit, its too wide.
Exactly! get more life from your go to lighter!
When the flint run's out i just replace it with a my friends lighter flint, once it runs out of fuel there is usually a lot of flint left in the lighter! Just make sure you don't loose your parts cause when you take the little wheel out the flint and a spring will fly out!
Haylee Ford If you're unlucky like my friend was when he was taking his flint out, trying to be careful, the sprint and flint shot out, he let out a nasty scream, and looked up and I saw his right eye start to bleed. long story short, went to the ER and his EYE had been lanced by the flint.
Brent Taylor omg thats crazy, wow!! Is your friend okay now?!!
Haylee Ford He is, but I think he lost a little of his peripheral vision.
There's a Ford dealership in Chester VA called Haley Ford
Haha really!!??
That's funny to bad it's not spelled the same or else I would say post a picture!!😆
i like this idea better but its too much for work for us who’re not familiar with these tools 😃 where can i buy a refillable bic lighter tho? 😭
Its sad they dont sell refillable bic lighters but you can hire someone to do this for you or ask for some help
You could get this stuff at a pawn shop for like 25 bucks
Get a clipper lighter. Refillable. The Flint is changabl e.
Get a refillable lighter. And the tool is a drill!???? Metal, Wood, Titanium drill doesn't matter. Or use a hot Nail to melt a hole. (After emptying everything)
@@SneekyFauker Perfect! Why so many don't get it? It's even better for the Nature..
You can actually buy refillable / disposable lighters. Basically, you can refill them 3 or 4 times before the sparking mechanism gives out. Having said this.. just recycle the filling valve.
Umm I followed your instructions step by step and got my pecker tangled up in the ceiling fan 😒🤦♂️ fml.
R.I.P Collin's Pecker, ???-2020
Some people pay good money for an experience like that … consider yourself blessed! Lol
I usually buy a refillable torch from a gas station for about $6 and i just twist out the refill part and i use a little dermal drill thing to make a little hole and i put a little super glue and push it in it works perfect every time but i have been trying to fine somewhere to buy the refillable part cheaper i wish you could buy them in bulk ahah!!
Haylee Ford Well Haylee, I'm not sure if you saw the link in the video where I talk about the nozzle, but I have a link in there now for a direct source where you can purchase the refill nozzle. And with this mod, when the flint runs out, you can just unscrew the nozzle and re-use it in another bic. I never had much luck with sealing in a nozzle using super glue or even JB weld, I always managed to get a leak. So I came up with this method and it works perfectly. :-)
if send you my lighter and pay you for the supplies can you do this for me?
No, sorry.
Definitely have to try this one. You can get the nozzle from a torch at home depot for $10 I'll buy a few of them. I did the pushpin trick but I find that you waste a lot of butane to refill something that cost maybe $2.
I've torn apart dead BiC lighters for the flints for my Zippo but The fluid evaporates too quickly from the zippos so I'll be trying this trick. and when the flint wears out just hack another lighter.
Thanks CoonDog ... I appreciate the compliment. I agree with you on the zippo thing ... I simply don't like them because they are high maintenance ... in my opinion. :-) Good Luck!
I just need to find that torch thingy you mentioned at Home Depot but I don't go there much.
Actually I have a broken micro torch that leaks. Maybe I can use that.
Foo Fighters, Good band. What's your fav song by them? Mine's learn to fly.
Actually CoonDog, if you look in the video description, I have updated a link where you can purchase the nozzles for $4 plus shipping (the more you buy the cheaper since shipping is just one price no matter how many you order). And they work better than the home depot torch lighter nozzle because these are smaller and you don't need to chip out the inner wall of the lighter. I love these new nozzles. Onward and upward... :-)
+Mike Sims unless they sell them on Amazon I can't get them. cannot buy online unless it's on Amazon.
coondog, Here's the same one on Amazon but the price is too high in my opinion: goo.gl/evV5LM
But if you look to the right side of the auction you will see that they offer it from other sellers through Amazon for $4.99
Here's one for $8.99 goo.gl/FF9jeF
Here's a brass one that should work for $3.99: goo.gl/YDFgz7
Here's three of them (little different type but should work) for $17 free shipping: goo.gl/TERU62
Search their sporting goods section for 'AirSoft valve' and see what you can find.
any airsoft shop has the single buy
+Team Alpha001 I checked the local paint gun shops and none of them have it.
+Mike Sims look up tornado grenade replacements
i finally remembered that i need some of these lol. is there anything special for the smaller valve or is it just shorter? Also why not just make the hole on either side of the center so you dont even have to worry about the center divide thats inside?
I say give it a shot ... then let us know how it turns out. ☺
why not just buy a clipper lighter they are refillable and designed so the flint is easily replaceable
+HeadScape Gallery, I've actually purchased some clippers, and I do like them... just not as much as a Bic.
ok so the way we use to do it back in high school 02-06. is when the torch lighter messed up or you had one just to take apart you take the nozzle out and your BERNZOMATIC would be great but just another torch or butane can ones with torch on the end. you heat up the nozzle and stick it through...........oh we never did it through the hole we usually did it to the side of the whole on the flat part. just the easy way I think. but as I have gotten older now I have tools and I say as with all things best to do them right. good shit man. way to put these grommets up on game.
Yep.
What you state here seems very plausible to me. However, the scope of this video is to show people how to convert their existing Bic into a device that is as close to the original as possible, getting more mileage for their money. It's not meant as a "life hack" to meet a need in an urgent situation. This is something that is planned and carried out for it's future utility... I do appreciate the scope of your comment though. Knowledge is power, after all. :-)
Great idea but you should NEVER drill into something your holding in your hand. One slip and you're drilling into your hand. Especially considering you had a vice there to hold your lighter the whole time. A vice would allow you to drill evenly into the lighter a lot easier as well.
Great point! Hind sight is 20/20
I don’t think people get that they use this for like Vintage bic lighters
I would DEFINITELY practice many times before doing this surgery on something that has sentimental value.
you could have at least sourced them from cheap refillable lighters instead of a 10 dollar cordless soldering iron lol.
The irony of that, is that the same solderin iron kit costs like $50. But the valves can be found online for about $6.
you can use an end mill bit ...it has a flat buttom ..but it has no pilot center
The lighters should come refillable
That would be incredible but “not profitable for bic” which is shit
@@EbolaSquirrel Is it a profit issue or a legal issue?
I just did this with a Scripto Grill lighter. I took apart a broken refillable lighter that I previously modded, the slide on the button broke so it was dead. I tore it down to the little valve on the bottom. With a little luck I was able to extract the valve from the lighter. On the grill lighter. I tore it down to the fuel tank, I heated a screwdriver that was a little smaller than the valve and pressed it through the tank (Tank was empty). I fit the valve on the tank and it fit snugly. I had some of that as seen on TV Lazer Bond UV glue so I glued the outside of the valve heavily to the fuel tank. I had to modify the case of the grill lighter for the valve to stick out. I put a little butane gas in the fuel tank and the lighter fired right up. I'm going to leave it before fully filling it up in case it leaks but it shouldn't since that lazer UV glue seeps into small spaces. Might post a quick video of this showing what I did.
I don't normally shoot video on the fly of me doing stuff like this because I don't know if something is going to work or not.
Curious to know if the UV glue formed a strong enough seal to prevent leakage...
@@MikeSims70 it did last a while but then it started leaking. You can try the commercially available valves if you can find them.
@@coondogtheman Oh Ive got valves, and if you drill the hole properly, then the threads from the valve will seal the butane perfectly ... no need for glue.
@@MikeSims70 I ended up just getting some clipper lighters that have refill valves and refillable flints.