I usually wrap a few feet of inch wide Gorilla tape around my Bic. I also wrap a rubber band around the top of the Bic instead of a zip tie. After I discovered how well rubber bands burn, I’ve got the cheap little buggers all over stuff now. They do degrade after a few months in my pocket, but that just prompts me to check my gear.
One other thing if I may. Get an old or empty Bic and practice starting fires with just the sparks. Just search RU-vid for fire starting with a spent Bic. You’ll learn a lot.
You can make the rubberbands out of old tires. They`re called "rangerbands" then. You can even repair certain waterproof clothing and ponchos when you burn/melt the rubberband and close holes in the waterproof fabrics with it. Edit: If you use the lighter in public/lend it to people get a pink one... They tend not to get stolen.
Wow. Not bad ideas except for the zip tie. Not necessary because the button on Bic lighters take a pretty decent amount of pressure to hold down. I can't imagine them being pushed down while in your pocket but It doesn't hurt if you think it may help. The Bic lighter is hands down the most quality disposable lighter ever invented. It just always works. I found one in lake Michigan one time. Pulled it out, let it dry off for a day, Sanitized it and after that it worked like new. Lasted a while because I think it was half full on fluid when I found it. Lol. Anyways cool video.👍🤘.
You might want to add the bic lighter to a foot or so of non-gutted paracord vertically connected to a roll of chapstick with two feet of hi-visibility gaffers or gorilla tape wrapped several times around each leaving a little room above the chapstick adjusting wheel to prevent losing either. Then you can take petroleum jelly to a cotton ball and store it in the cap of the chapstick. Plus if left on the adhesive sticker is also flammable, once you have a empty lighter if the sparking wheel and valve button are removed slowly the springs underneath them can be made into a snare & fishing hook with some bending and sharpening and the childproof metal safety device can be removed with leatherman pliers can also be made into a improvised fishing hook and sharpened.
I agree with the comment below about removing the “child safety guard” over the striker wheel, & I prefer a #12 rubber o-ring to the zip tie. Zip ties are hard to remove & near to impossible to put back on. When you NEED fire it’s likely that your hands will be numb from the cold, so removing & replacing an o-ring is much easier. Plus you don’t want to mess around with that safety guard.
@Cousin Eddie ~ who wants to be trying to take off a zip tie like that especially if someone is in a scenario where it’s cold & dexterity is limited? Are you going to choose to naw that off or try to cut it off risking possible injury?
Yep, the rubber o-ring is the way to go! # 12 I think. All my buckeyes lighters now have them. So much easier to remove and put back on! Awesome video! Thanks!
My EDC pouch has a perfect pocket for a Bic. No worry about opening the valve button inadvertently when in its pocket. Tinderstix go in the kit easily too. If I carried a lighter in my pants pocket, the O-Ring idea is a lot easier to remove and reuse.
I put a small bic lighter into a large bic lighter. It's a good way to keep your tinder dry. When you cut off the top part of the lighter, there will be a divider in the middle that you have to cut off. Its awkward to do but a hacksaw blade will work.
Hello, nice idea. I use a rubberband tu secure that little red button instead for two reasons. It is easyer to remouve and it can be usen as tinder as well. Greetings from Germany Chris
Instead of using a zip tie, you can use several wraps of floral wire or tripwire. That way if your fingers are cold and a bit Numb you're not trying to cut a zip tie off. You can just unwrap it.
one I just saw is pulling the spring out from under the trigger in order to keep flame lit without holding but someone commented that the fuel will be prone to evaporating or spilling out possibly so that isn't too good, something to keep in mind if are carrying it in your pocket with that modification
Nice video. I don't use a key chain for other EDC than keys, so I carry the mini BIC it in a small EDC kit pouch instead. Anyway: Make sure that zip tie is broad enough. You want the width that barely fit. I tried one size smaller, and then it actually didn't block the button completely.
People make fun of the signaling thing but I tell you what. If I'm lost in the middle of nowhere and I set a whole tree on fire I'm definitely going to get someone's attention.
Waxed Hemp, mine is about as thick as a candle wick. Wrap it around the lighter or anything else. Thanks to the wax it will stick to a lot of surfaces when wrapped tight. I have even put it on glass
Thank you for your video. Could you think more about bevity please. More than 1:20 of a 6 minute video until you actually got to the mods. How long does it take to say: It's handy to carry a lighter. Fire is useful for heat, light, and water purification. Here's my mods.
So the reason for tinder tabs and tape makes sense but why would you burn all at the same time unless it’s unfavorable conditions?? Tape as a fire extender Tender tabs Why not use as little resources as needed?
Add a small 380 automatic pistol to your list of things that are always there. Preferably a Ruger, or anything you know works........You can use a thin pocket holster, can fit a few survival items in there, or modify it...
I use duct tape to wrap the bottom half of the lighter. Then wrap the top half with hemp wick/beeswax cord, finally putting a ranger band over the hemp cord to make it look cleanly wrapped.
You don't smoke so you might not realize just how long a lighter will last. Unless you plan on being lost for months you don't need to worry about tinder and tape. I really like the zip tie hack.
Very cool tip ! Just a question : how do you easily remove the zip tie in a survival situation, where you potentially have lost everything else and are freezing cold ?
First you need to take off the safety ring on the striker wheel. Then get the correct size O-ring 7/8 x 11/16 x 3/32 to block the lever, you can just roll it down for use. Wrapping the body with tape is OK but with cold fingers your not going to want to struggle getting the tinder, just keep it in an easy open small container.
Nice mod! I'll be doing this today! I would like to see a personal water container and purification mod the size of a metal water bottle or Nalgene wide mouth. See what you can come up with.
Great vid, thanks for the idea. Curious why you wouldn't you have wrapped the four tinder end to end with the tape so that you have a long cylindrical tinder so that each individual tinder burns more interdependently? In the form you made it, when the first tinder starts to burn the other 3 tinder those three light-up simultaneously creating a larger fire like you mentioned but shorter burn time in my opinion. Just curious as I'm assuming that you may have tried it.
I never understood the point of buying fire tabs, since they're so easy to make yourself anyway. Cotton and wax/vaseline. Easy and probably free, since you'd likely have that stuff just lying around anyway. I mean, I guess if you have little time and a lot more money. But also, wouldn't it be simpler to just burn the duct tape? That stuff is plenty flammable, and it's simpler to just wrap a lot more duct tape around the lighter. You can pack more duct tape than you can fire tabs, and you can use them as you go without unraveling the whole thing, and they can also be used for repairs. Multipurpose. I also wrap some waxed hemp cord around mine, but that's more or less just because I like it. I don't think it's actually worth it compared to just wrapping more tape. I think messing around with store-bought fire tabs is just trying to be way too fancy. The whole point of bic lighter mods is to be super cheap, simple, and nothing fancy, but at the same time super efficient and useful. I think even my waxed hemp is being too fancy with it, but fire tabs are definitely too fancy, especially if you just bought them from the store (especially overpriced exotac brand).
Hey Jon. I really enjoy your videos, but I'm wondering if you can identify which videos feature Sooch? He may be affiliated with you, but I want to watch YOUR videos, not his. Unfortunately many of his videos are disguised as yours. Thanks. Also, I'm not sure why you still produce videos on Bic lighters using zip-ties when you have featured Exotac waterproof lighter cases that prevent accidental discharge. It just seems like you guys are taking a step back. Thanks for all your videos. Keep up the good work.
Great mod, with the tabs - thank you! I have used the zip tie mod, installed tightly - but the Bic still lights like normal. Doesn't seem to stop a gas leak at all. What might I be doing wrong?
You're not doing anything wrong, the ties are just a tad too thin. Take and run a wrap or two of duct tape around just the area of the zip tie that's blocking the valve from being depressed and increase its tickness. That usually works and keeps it from depressing the valve.
I was confused, not knowing what Tender tabs are, wondering if perhaps some sort of first aid swabs. Now i'm thinking you meant to say Tinder, and they are wicks. correct?
THIS IS IMPORTANT: Saw this in an online forum post and it seems the "community" is mostly unaware of this option. USE A # 10 O RING instead of a zip tie. For me the zip ties do not always work - to keep the gas \ fluid switch from being pressed. (one must get must the right tension) Whereas the O ring works flawlessly # 11 O ring works too but is not as tight. Not sure how long the O rings will last "stretched" across the Bic but they easily are reusable. They are black so may be easily lost in the woods. They only cost about 2.50 for 10 of them. The work 100% of time to keep the gas from escaping inadvertently - get the word out seems many do not know about this. For the D Jeep lighters is the # 15 O Ring. When using an O ring press it into and under the - in between the area to keep the switch from being depressed then man handle it over the lighter just king of slide it on as you do with the zip tie. If you find the O rings wear out in 6 months or a year from being stretched then simply use them when you venture out into the woods I have not test them for longevity. They can be easily lost so thread them on a peace of para cord when you get to someplace where you just leave your lighter laying around.
Every Day Carry, items that we carry with us on a daily basis. A wallet and phone are the most common. There are an endless amount of items we could carry to be more prepared for “just in case”
Too long and drawn out. The gaffer tape alone should suffice, torn off in thin strips, which will easily take a spark, saving on time and bulk. Also, remove the child safety lock that sits _over_ the wheel, which makes it more difficult to operate the lighter if your fingers are cold, cut or numb. Just hoick it off with a fitting from a victorinox or multitool. You're welcome.
