How F***ed are Colibri Lighters?

[Shelby07]

» Has ANYONEhad a good one that has lasted more than two years?

»

» Seriously...please let me know. And as for repairing them...could they be

» designed ANY Worse!!!!!!! Crap access.

»

» Who is in charge of Colibri these days....I am assuming Prometheus as it

» is the only other lighter which you pay so much for but which delivers

» sweet bugger nothing.

»

» Just venting

I know this is an old thread, but I have used a Colibri for 3 years now. It is pretty beat up but it still works flawlessly... but it didn't always.

I read somewhere that you should purge these (and most other) lighters every time you refill them. The proper way to do it is to put the lighter to its lowest setting then purge the air and moisture out of it by depressing the valve in the filler hole. When it is completely empty, refill it and let it sit for a minute to allow the butane to warm up, then readjust the flame and give it a try. I have resurrected a few lighters for friends using this technique.

Grab an old lighter and give it a try. I'd be curious to see if others here have the same success.

[habanohal]

You are correct!! Before every fill, purge.

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and if It dont work then, just bend over and take it like Ken would:-D

[KWG116]

Hey Rob,

We carry them in my store and they are terrible. Terrible customer service, slow repairs etc.

We are actually dropping them and picking up Xikar at the RTDA. I cant tell you how many lighters come back for repair.

The worst thing is selling a new one, filling it up for the customer and the lighter doesnt work. I cant tell you how many times that has happened.

Or, you send one back, they replace it with a new one and it still doesnt work.

Total pieces of ****.

Thank You

[Shelby07]

» You are correct!! Before every fill, purge.

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» and if It dont work then, just bend over and take it like Ken would:-D

The trick really seems to put it at it's lowest setting before purging. Not doing so didn't work at all.

[Jakester]

Hello Gents,

The Blazer torch is the original cigar torch. Made in the U.S. and, I believe, originally manufactured as a small, precise soldering tool. They have a reputation for quality and durability. I have a friend who has owned two - one for eight years and the other for over ten years - with no issues whatsoever. Mine is two years old and has never missed a beat. Not the most elegant-looking of tools, but mine has certainly been elegant as far as performance and reliability are concerned.

The only thing I've noticed, and I believe this is universal among small butane torches, is that in cold weather you need to keep it in your pocket or it won't light. I believe the small capacity of gas it holds (relatively speaking) makes it sensitive to decreases in pressure in colder temps. When this happens, I simply hold it in my hand for five seconds and it lights immediately.

I have the orignal model - the "Pocket Micro Torch." The gas reservior looks like a small scuba tank. In my view, a bargain at $40 when I bought mine - not sure what today's prices are or what new models they have - no need as mine works great. Google "Blazer Lighter" and check them out. Good luck!

[havanaclub7]

I have a ST Dupont XTend. I love it! It fires every time I click the trigger. I've gone through at least 3 Colibris over the years and since I've had my XTend I've had no problems. They can be spendy if you buy at full price. But there are many cigar sites in the U.S. that offer them at quite a discount.

[Professor Twain]

I too love my Blazer and have had nothing but trouble with my Colibri.

[badhangover]

I prefer a soft flame lighter. I use a Colibri for such, and it has worked flawlessly for me the past several years - despite taking many a beating. It is the Elite CEO, FTR-267001. A beast of a lighter. It has a fuel reservoir window and an attached double guillotine cutter (flimsily constructed and rarely used by me). This is my daily "go to" lighter.

When I expect windy conditions, I switch over to a Blazer model lighter. That is also a beast of a lighter and has worked flawlessly for me as well.

[El Presidente]

» Hey Rob,

»

» We carry them in my store and they are terrible. Terrible customer

» service, slow repairs etc.

It is exactly what we found.

I had a $300 Colibri come back to me and I thought I might as well and try fixing it myself and if I couldn't then just refund the money. No way I was going to have the client wait 6 months.

I disassembled the lighter to have a serious look. The good news is that I got the lighter working. The bad news is that I had 4 parts left over.

Lisa was in fits of laughter. Client was thrilled .....but I never saw him again

[Claudius]

» I disassembled the lighter to have a serious look. The good news is that I

» got the lighter working. The bad news is that I had 4 parts left over.

Nevermind, they were probably just as useless as all the other parts! :-D

[sandholm]

» Has ANYONEhad a good one that has lasted more than two years?

»

» Seriously...please let me know. And as for repairing them...could they be

» designed ANY Worse!!!!!!! Crap access.

»

» Who is in charge of Colibri these days....I am assuming Prometheus as it

» is the only other lighter which you pay so much for but which delivers

» sweet bugger nothing.

»

» Just venting

Only one lighter you need..

ST Dupont Line 2

If you want a torch, ST Dupont Xtend

there is nothing else

cheers

Anders

[zuma]

» I disassembled the lighter to have a serious look. The good news is that I got the lighter working. The bad news is that I had 4 parts left over.

» Lisa was in fits of laughter. Client was thrilled .....but I never saw him again

The poor bugger has a lighter that will eventually burst into flames (if it hasn't already).

[anacostiakat]

I have a Vortex that performs reasonably well. I try to cycle the use of my lighters.

It is the least one I like of my lighters. I only have three. A Lotus and a Porsche. I love both of those.

[gostgost]

If you all like I can give the name of another piece of CRAP! I switched to a new lighter call wood as wood matches they never fail.

[GoSteelers]

I fix several colibri lighters for customers every week and we dont even carry them.

We carried Solo and they at least back up thier product, they are inexpensive buy built cheaply therefore they can afford to give free lighters when yours Fs up. Not sure whats up with Solo they werent even at last RTDA.

Now sell almost strictly Xikar, very nice quality heavy lighters, they always work and Lifetime warranty same as the cutters! The EX windproof lighters are amazing, not the best for cigars but the best windproof ive seen.

The main trick to fixing a lighter is to open them and remove or reset the little brass slotted washer from your flame adjustment (dont know what to call it maybe a governor). Just be careful not to turn it up to high as without it there is no limit. Almost all lighters will need this done eventually

[harryleech]

» Has ANYONEhad a good one that has lasted more than two years?

»

» Seriously...please let me know. And as for repairing them...could they be

» designed ANY Worse!!!!!!! Crap access.

»

» Who is in charge of Colibri these days....I am assuming Prometheus as it

» is the only other lighter which you pay so much for but which delivers

» sweet bugger nothing.

»

» Just venting

Have owned two and they were both pieces of crap: The Porsche which you sell are brilliant, I got one as a present from the girlfriend (along with a box of RyJ Hermosos No. 2 EL2004, the girls a keeper!) last year and bar the fact that it's a little easy to scratch I can't think of a more perfect and very cool lighter.

The real question is, why are Colibri so popular? Why do people keep buying them?

[phxkev]

I totally agree. I dumped my $80 Colibri triple torch oon ebay and picked up a $30 Blazer Pocket Torch. It's like night and day. My Blazer had NEVER let me down.

[gostgost]

Hey you really want to get pissed off go buy a Zippo Blu now that a piece of crap and a half.

[sandholm]

» I totally agree. I dumped my $80 Colibri triple torch oon ebay and picked

» up a $30 Blazer Pocket Torch. It's like night and day. My Blazer had

» NEVER let me down.

but you cant really say its a beauty... it looks like an industrial tool and its made out of plastic....

but for all palie cutter users, you can match the nice plastic feeling with a blazer lighter

(sorry... but still think that metal is the way to go, hate plastic, its ugly)

cheers

Anders

[Jakester]

Anders - I totally understand your points on the cosmetics of the Blazer Pocket Torch. Remember, it looks like an industrial tool because it IS an industrial tool - that's why they're so incredibly reliable. It's true beauty is that it's a tool that works. And works . . . .

I have no experience with ST. DuPont products, but I've heard fairly good things about their torch. They certainly have great esthetic appeal and seem elegantly made. After Blazer, it's the only other product I would consider. The downside is that for the price of a single DuPont torch, one could buy three or four Blazers and never need to buy a lighter again in one's lifetime. I would guess that, like cigars, there's no wrong choice here - suit your taste and enjoy!

[dblones]

» Gents,

»

» I was going to post this in the previous discussion of lighters, but now

» that this has come up…

»

» I found a GREAT torch lighter at Bed, Bath and Beyond over the weekend. It

» had been surreptitiously placed in a crème brulee kit. With the butane fuel

» the whole lot came to $24US AND you get four free ash trays with it! (They

» called them ramekins, whatever that is!?)

»

» Now the torch might not be the thing for State of Origin dinners, but it

» works great out on the deck!

»

» Cheers!

HAHA Funny you mention that, it has been my back deck lighter for about three years now. They are great. I bought it at the same palce too.

[smokum]

I have had this Colibri a few years. First one wouldn't light. Sent in for repair and they just replaced it. I leave it in the car. Screws kept falling out since I drop it a lot. I used Loctite to keep them in. Doesn't hold enough gas to be worth a ****. Cutter smashes the foot but I use it to just circle the cap .

[Taino]

I've had a Windmill lighter for I don't know how many years, maybe 8 to 10. Every time I light it up I'm scared the thing is going to blow in my face. This thing is undestroyable!

[trumpetchris]

I've had two Colibri lighters. Both are now dead, within two years. I had a blazer that still works to a degree. I now have a Xikar lighter I picked up about 3 months ago. It's been bombproof so far. Plus, it has a lifetime warranty.

[FLitiGator]

I got fed up with fancy lighters awhile back. Purchased a package of 50 bic lighters at costco for around $30. Those things are indestructible and when they run out of juice I can toss 'em. My frustration with lighters is now thankfully at an end.