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Quick story about my little mishap last night.

Been using the same DealeXtreme lighter for about a year now, bought around 10, gifted some, have some others new in bags. No need to bust one out because these things last forever.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps3b0b8138.jpg

It was just about empty, and I was heading out so I got out my Vector and filled it up. Purged the excess air and filled it the rest of the way...usuallly there is a little bubble of air, but this time it looked like I got close to 100% capacity. Threw it in my jeans pocket, and sat down to answer some e-mail.

If you've ever spilled a little butane out of the can, you know it feels ice cold. Didn't think much about quick heat expansion and such until about 5 minutes later, when I heard a loud cussion and felt a burst in my pocket. The lighter "blew up" in my pocket...Thank goodness these are made of plastic and not glass. The liquid butane fooled me into thinking perhaps I was bleeding, but a quick check revealed no injuries at all. Lucky. The reservoir just ended up in two big pieces.

So from now on I will:

Only fill my lighters to 95% capacity or less.
Leave my lighter to warm up somewhere other than my clothing after a refill.

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Geez Tom, dodged a bullet. Glad you're got lucky.

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Holy crap Tom. I don't think that's how a vasectomy is done.....

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Are you sure the lighter exploded?
Part of me thinks it was crushed to death between your thigh and a pair of skinny jeans. :D

Glad you're alright, Tom!

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Crazy, be careful...you'll shoot your eye out!

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Tom, it's been my experience that these larger "Power" lighters from DX seem to have more brittle plastic than the "GuanDa". I can't say if they are physically thinner, since I haven't bothered to cut one in half and mic it, but they certainly do seem to crack and separate more easily.

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Glad it wasn't worse Tom. Allowing for expansion is a good idea.

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Kinda like cutting off shirt sleeves :r

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It's always a good idea to wear pants that allow for some expansion.
Just sayin'.

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Wow!

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Thanks for sharing this. I will be more cautious from now on

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I think you're right, Adam. I purchased 6 of each about a year ago and all 6 of the bigger ones broke. 5 out of the 6 broke while pulling off the cap. The entire part under the cap just snapped off. The other one shattered when i dropped it from my chair (2 foot drop). I had been using them for years but somehow they managed to make them of even cheaper material and are garbage now. The Guanda ones on the other hand still work great.

Tom, I'm glad you weren't walking around the house in your thong with the lighter tucked inside like you usually do. That would have been bad.;)

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I have had more laughs from your responses already than I got from all of The Hangover Parts 2 & 3. :lr

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Thanks for sharing, Tom! Glad that you are OK.

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Thanks for the warning, Tom. Glad your junk made out OK.

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:r

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lucky man real lucky

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:r :r :r glad you're ok

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Is that a lighter in your pocket or....

Holy Cow - you really were glad to see me.