phughes

Ah yes, thanks for catching that.

Carbonfiberboy 

And then there was the time, running from the cops in Morocco when I had to to dump the stove fuel into the BMW so I didn't have to fuel before I caught the ferry. Good thing it was pump gas. Ah for those crazy days. Turned out the kef was no good anyway. Still have the beamer.

djb

When I got into bikes, my dream bike was the R100RS, made for long fast rides and sexy as hell. Never had one of course but did put an aftermarket handlebar fairing on my 450 Honda that had similar styling and I could dream...
did ride an older R90 once, neat engine torque.

staehpj1

Not sure if I should have started a new thread for this, but...
What do you light your white gas (or other) stoves with?

I have usually carried a mini Bic butane lighter or sometimes two, but there are a lot of options. I guess options might include a flint and striker, matches, a zippo, and so on. I figure that whatever I carry it ought to be convenient for starting a campfire as well.

I have recently seen little white gas lighters that operate similarly to an old zippo, but are smaller, cylindrical, and sealed with o-rings so the fuel doesn't escape or dry up. It sounds kind of nice that they would be using the same fuel as the stove. The EDC Peanut is one inexpensive example . REI sells a Exotac titanium one for around $50 that looks like a $$$ version on the same theme. Some reviews actually liked the cheap models better. Out of curiosity I ordered a pair of the Peanut model ($12 for the pair including shipping). I figure if they don't work out I am not out much.

Truth be told I am still likely to use alcohol and probably a mini bic on my bike tours and the white gas and peanut (if it works out) are more likely to be used on canoe trips where I am a bit less weight conscious, but there may be tours where I just might decide to carry the SVEA 123 or the Whisperlite especially if going off road for longish periods without resupply where fuel weight becomes more of an issue and white gas starts to have enough weight advantage over alcohol to offset the extra weight of the heavier stove.

Carbonfiberboy 

^2 Bics + plastic bag with book matches.

Tourist in MSN

I have several old zippos with a variety of navy insignia, usually use one of those fueled with Coleman fuel.

For butane stoves I use disposable butane lighters since I often use those stoves when I do not have any liquid fuel.

Sometimes for a longer trip I might carry a couple books of paper matches as a backup in case there is a problem with the lighter.

I have had bad experiences with a couple stoves with piezo lighters that dysfunction, never rely on them.

Colder weather, I often use paper matches for liquid fuel stoves because it is easier to put the match into the priming cup than to ignite cold liquid fuel with a lighter that is not giving off much ignitable vapor.

djb

bic and matches, although the lighter is a bit of a pain to use with my trangia, too hard to hold at an angle.

staehpj1

Yeah, with some stoves it helps to light something like a stick, a piece of paper, or something with the lighter and use that to light the stove.

Tamiya

downunder we call Coleman gas "shellite" or zippo lighter fluid, depending on size of bottle

i run my toys with small 23/26cc 2-strokes on shellite + 2T oil, they start & run fine.
Lot less stinky than unleaded as they're stored indoors between plays.
Bottled Shellite costs about 5X price of pump petro though.

djb

which I often do, which always makes me laugh as its kinda a goofy route, but it works, especially when I just heat up water for coffee so there isnt that much alcohol in the trangia, so way down at the bottom.

staehpj1

My pop can stoves are pretty similar to the trangia in that respect and many stoves are also not that easy to get a lighter to the right spot. My SVEA is also that way but my Pocket Rocket and Whisperlite are not. The latter two are real easy to get to with a bic.

I guess the Bic Multipurpose Lighters with the long neck would be an easy option that would work easily for all stove types, but they are bigger, more expensive, and more awkward to carry. I considered carrying them, but balked at it.

djb

I still just use a lighter I bought in Mexico years ago, still hasn’t dried out, never use it except for camp stove, but always like to have some strike anywhere matches in a ziplock as backup.

djb

Pretty certain it has luiquid in it. It's squirreled away with the trangia....
Canoe camping habits of well wrapped matches to stop them being damp are still there.

staehpj1

OOPS. I wasn't quick enough on the delete button I deleted the post you are replying to since I decided it was probably confusing. I am guessing your lighter is butane like the bics. It is in liquid form in the lighter and comes out as a gas. I don't think of it as drying up and thought of something with lighter fluid, but yeah butane is liquid in the "tank" so why not?

Tourist in MSN

My butane stoves are all really easy to get the flame from a disposable butane lighter close to the burner head, that is not a problem for me.

I mentioned above I often use paper book matches in cold weather for situations like that where you have to get the flame really close to the fuel in the priming cup. But sometimes I use a stick, I dip the stick in the liquid fuel (in the priming cup), then light the stick and use the stick to light the fuel in the priming cup on a liquid fuel stove.

It can be pretty hard to find strike anywhere matches, I have not seen them for sale for years. If you find some, I have seen people dip the tips in molten wax to waterproof the matches.

I did not do the wax thing, but I have some of the old strike anywhere matches in a waterproof container.

staehpj1

We used to do that, but it has been decades. I haven't seen them in a long time. If I'd run across them I'd buy them for old time sake.

Tourist in MSN

I have some of the old strike anywhere matches in a storage box. Have had them for over a decade, I should melt up some wax and do that on all of them. After I posted above that they are getting hard to find, I did a quick google search and found that someone ordered them on line and half the matches in a box that they received were burned, looked like the tips rubbing against each other in the box caused one to ignite, and of course all the others that had the tips on that side of the box ignited too. Wax should prevent that.

djb

I'll have to check mine. Up until last year we could still buy them, Eagle brand or something.
You know, my experiences back in the day with the wax covered matches were that they were always a real pain in the arse to light.
I certainly remember my folks telling stories of cottages burnt down because mice chewing on "strike anywhere matches" and igniting the box...might be old wives tales.
I do remember lighting matches for fun with friends on our pants zippers, or flicking your thumb nail on them (sometimes some of the sulpher stuff would get stuff under your nail and ignite also, which hurt like hell, THAT I remember well)

maybe the ones we get now arent true strike anywhere....

djb

As bought, this brand used to be around, have bought them for years. Never noticed that they are from Chile

staehpj1

A quick google search shows them as available locally and with free shipping as well. Ace Hardware, Lowes, Home Depot, and target showed them as in stock. There was some mention of states where they were not legal. They were mostly the brand I remember, Diamond.

Tourist in MSN

I think most of the ones you buy now are strike on box, not strike anywhere.

I used to buy Diamond brand and Ohio Blue Tip brand strike anywhere matches. Your Redbird ones look like the Diamond brand with a dark red and beige tip.

Winter camping many years ago, temp was minus 36 degrees (F) on the thermometer, my Ohio Blue Tips would not light, the tips fell apart. The Diamond brand did, but when you put the match in the gas in the priming cup, the match went out. The only way I could light the stove was paper matches, slowly put the paper match in the priming cup so that the paper would act like a wick of a candle, burning coleman fuel like a candle and that slowly warmed up the gas in the priming cup to warm enough to ignite. Since then I always bring a couple books of paper matches as my backup, even in hot weather, just because I know they work as long as they are dry.

staehpj1

Depending on where you live strike anywhere may be illegal in some states or so I read. But there are still strike anywhere being sold. I was surprised to see diamond brand ones that were green where they used to be red.

They are apparently in stock at quite a few places locally here. I think I'll buy a couple boxes just for old time sake.

Update: Since I am not getting out much during the pandemic I ordered three boxes from Amazon (Diamond Greenlight Strike Anywhere Kitchen Matches (3pk = 900 Total)) for $18.25 including free delivery. That seems expensive, but I figured they'd last me a long time. If I decide to use them on a trip I'll carry then in either a small waterproof pill bottle or a ziploc bag. If they are just an emergency back up I may put them in heat sealed plastic bag material. Individual matches could even be sealed separately.

imi

I like Clipper lighters, though I usually have a BIC mini as a backup. Bright yellow or orange ones to see them on the ground.

staehpj1

I wasn't familiar with those. It sounds good to have a butane lighter that is refillable and re-flint-able. Is the striking mechanism robust enough to last for multiple refills and flints? Bics always annoyed me with an anemic flame for much of their life due to what I assumed was being low on butane. Also the striking gets less effective as the flint wears down. being able to freshen up with a refill and a fresh flint sounds nice.

imi

To be honest I have never refilled Clipper lighters or replaced the flint as I only use lighters on the road and they last for a long time. I’m more likely to lose them or give them away

That said I don’t recall a Clipper failing on me (as Bic piezos often have (hate them!) or Bic flint striking mechanisms breaking).

Just my experience, but I find them simpler more reliable. I believe they are made in Barcelona, so maybe not so available in the USA?