worst consumer product

Ethanol ignites (catalyzes) immediately upon contact with Platinum (in the presence of oxygen, of course).

So, instead of nasty petrol based lighter fluid, one fills these lighters with ethanol, and the cap seals. When you flip the lid, the platinum wire mesh (the size of a cigarette) immediately glows a bright orange as the fumes rising from below it hit the wires.

Ethanol is far less poisonous than petrol based lighter fluids.

These lighters most certainly did /do exist, and if I still had my antique model, it is likely worth a couple thousand dollars easily.

I checked the two handheld butane/piezo fire starter things we have in the house. The BIC model requires less than 1.5 lb thumb pressure on the gas valve button on top, and the piezo sparker consistently sparks at 2.3 lb. trigger force. As long as you open the gas valve first, it lights every time. The "NPO" marked unit with a single trigger mechanism required between 25 and 30 pounds trigger pull, somewhat erratic. While I would consider that a problem on a firearm, the lighter does not require accurate aim and neither my wife nor I have any trouble getting it to light every time without any pain involved, or even any thought that it might be overly stiff, but we probably do have stronger than average hands from gardening and wood splitting. Next time buy a BIC.

I've always done that, whatever the engine ;-)

I've done that, also... but you risk engine failure when doing that.

Clear back in the late '60's my designs (Ford) simply skipped ignition firings at a critical RPM... smoggy but safe.

Now it's done both with ignition timing and injector control. ...Jim Thompson

I use a Rothenberger quick-fire brazing torch. Works great first time every time!