BIC Lighters - Full size or minis to use for barter?

[erice1984]

What do you think? full size or minis to use for barter?

 

[NathanJefferson]

I'd go full size - in bulk packs I find them to be cheaper than the mini's - negating any real reason to get the mini's!

 

[Bunnykid68]

My lighters are not for barter. Even out of fluid they can start fires.

 

[bwframe]

Personally, I am leery of bartering with anything that could blow back on me. Butane is fuel, thus explosive. It makes you a target.
I'd much rather trade with convenience items, ie;
hotel soaps/shampoo
TP/wipes
tampons
bandaids
rice/noodle packets
water bottles
laundered used clothing

 

[erice1984]

Personally, I am leery of bartering with anything that could blow back on me. Butane is fuel, thus explosive. It makes you a target.
I'd much rather trade with convenience items, ie;
hotel soaps/shampoo
TP/wipes
tampons
bandaids
rice/noodle packets
water bottles
laundered used clothing

I can think of much better things to use for that than butane lighters. Neat thing about lighters is they can deliver controlled fire. Go to the home depot or Lowes or Menard's and walk out with stuff to make some neat things.

Also, fire heats, cooks food, etc.

 

[NathanJefferson]

I am not worried about trading off butane lighters in the least, making something dangerous from it would be possible but not probable. The only real problem I find with storing lighters is that im my experience they like to slowly empty out over time, especially the generic ones. Buy name brand and then rotate them every couple of years and you should be ok.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I am not worried about trading off butane lighters in the least, making something dangerous from it would be possible but not probable. The only real problem I find with storing lighters is that im my experience they like to slowly empty out over time, especially the generic ones. Buy name brand and then rotate them every couple of years and you should be ok.

I store numerous cans of butane. Even disposable lighters can be refilled to some degree, especially if the completely empty lighter is put in the freezer for a few minutes and the can of fuel is warmed by your hands for a few minutes. I almost always lose a lighter before the flint wears out.

As to the original question, I store full size lighters. The minis go in my various packs because I can have 3-4 of them for the same weight as 1 full size and I like the redundancy.

 

[ClydeB]

If its barter, then get both sizes. Along with flints and extra butane (Disposable lighters are refillable if you are handy). Repair, refurb, and resell.

 

[erice1984]

Picked up 50+5 "free" package of full size BICs from Sam's club for 38.54 + 0.0875 tax = $41.91

Beats all the internet deals...

 

[Enkrypter]

I'd go mini.

They are smaller which means you can store more of them.

They work better, IMO...

They aren't as prone to expunging gas in your pocket like the big ones do.

Same amount of flint as the big ones.

Lighter weight.

If someone is desperate enough, any lighter size is better than no lighter. So, why not just stay small?

 

[Double T]

I like my zippos. Bunch of flints, and you can use all sorts of fuel to light them (though not recommended). Flints are super cheap, and you can store quite a bit of lighter fluid. The lighter fluid ALSO has other uses as well

 

[shibumiseeker]

I like my zippos. Bunch of flints, and you can use all sorts of fuel to light them (though not recommended). Flints are super cheap, and you can store quite a bit of lighter fluid. The lighter fluid ALSO has other uses as well

In principle I agree with this, and I have a few zippos stored, but the reality for me is that for the price of a decent zippo I can buy 10 disposables. Price though isn't the only consideration either. I lose the suckers all of the time. Zippos too, in an environs like a pack that is stored tend to dry out quickly, weigh more, and if it is a "use any fuel" situation, I can soak a bit of lint, cloth, weed fluff (not the illegal weed, just assorted weeds), whatever, in the fuel and spark it from the disposable lighter as well. As I posted before too, you can rebuild and refill even the disposable lighters as well.

So while I LOVE Zippos, they are not my first choice for a survival situation. If I were a smoker they would be my choice for an EDC cigarette lighter.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

Full size for me but I keep them and use the Scripto cheapies for barter.

 

[NathanJefferson]

Full size for me but I keep them and use the Scripto cheapies for barter.

I won't buy any more of those - you may have different experiences, but I bought a few big packages of them and they were all 'dry' and empty withing a year.5-2. About 3-4 years after the cheapies went dry the BICs I bought at the same time still are mostly full.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

I won't buy any more of those - you may have different experiences, but I bought a few big packages of them and they were all 'dry' and empty withing a year.5-2. About 3-4 years after the cheapies went dry the BICs I bought at the same time still are mostly full.

Mine are keeping full so I can't answer your point.

 

[tom1025]

Char Cloth

Make and barter Char Cloth instead of wasting money on lighters.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Serious question, what's the point of specifically having a small/big lighter as opposed to other types of fire sources? Starting a fire in a collapsed, yet industrial, society should be ridiculously easy. And if a person can't do that, they probably won't be bartering during a protracted crisis because they will have already been killed by some other lack of knowledge.