All repairs can be sent to:
ARS
3450 Asheville Hwy
Lower Level
Hendersonville, NC 28791
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Q:What is the the Proper Butane for my lighter?
A: You can dramatically extend the useable life of your lighter by using the proper fuel. For butane (gas) lighters,
the manufacturers will put their gas through varying degrees of refinement that result in fewer or greater levels of
impurities. For instance, both Dunhill and S.T. Dupont butane are ultra-refined, resulting in a very high quality gas
with very few impurities. The lower the impurities, the less chance of impurity build-up in the lighter's internal valves,
the lower the chance of damage to the workings of the lighter.
There are several different kinds of butane gas:
- Alfred Dunhill Butane: Very high quality butane with few impurities, but it can be expensive.
- S.T. Dupont Butane: Also high quality, but can only be used with S.T. Dupont lighters. The butane
is sold in cartridges that are categorized by color: Gold (yellow), Red, Green and Blue. Each series of
Dupont lighter use certain colors for refill. Determine what color you need for your Dupont by looking
under the filler cap on the bottom of the lighter; the color you see is the color you need. At $4.00 to
$6.00 a pop, it is the most expensive butane on the market.
You can also use the following as a general reference for ST Dupont (but use the color under the dustcap to tell for sure):
Gold (Yellow): Small Line 1 and Large Line 2 lighters.
Red: Large Line 1 and Perspective lighters.
Blue: Urban lighters & Line D lighters.
Green: Small Line 2 and Gatsby lighters.
Need a great source for S.T. Dupont or any gas and flints?
Visit ElegantLighters.com.
- Colibri Butane: A good quality gas that is relatively inexpensive. Good for filling most gas lighters
other than Dunhill and Dupont.
- Ronson Butane: Similar to Colibri Gas, Ronson butane is also good for filling most gas lighters OTHER than
Dunhill and Dupont.
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Q:What about Petrol (Wick) Lighters
Petrol (lighter fluid) lighters use a wick to deliver lighter fluid to fuel the flame on the lighter.
Any lighter fluid will do the trick, as all lighter fluid is naptha, but Ronsonol fluid is still the
most common. If the wick of your lighter is turning black at the tip then most likely you are not keeping
the lighter filled properly and the wick is starting to burn. Petrol lighters will have to be filled MUCH
more frequently than butane lighters as lighter fluid begins to evaporate the minute you fill your lighter.
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Q:How about flints?
There are 2 ways that flame is created from your lighter. Either from a spark that ignites a tiny stream of
butane or fluid on a wick, or from a little electric coil as in some of the more modern "sport" or "jet" lighters.
The most common way to create a spark in your lighter is through the use of a flint. A flint is a type of stone
that is usually cut into a tiny cylindrical shape. This little stone is usually pressed up tightly against a piece
of metal called a "flint wheel" or "spark wheel". The wheel is usually attached to the fingerpiece, roller, or
whatever mechanism that is used to create the flame. The flint wheel has little grooves cut into it, that when
quickly rubbed against the flint, will shear off a tiny bit of the stone and create enormous friction and heat
which causes the spark and lights the fuel.
Flint sizes are not always standard. You must make sure that you are using the correct size flint for your
lighter. For instance, Dunhill Rollagas lighters only take Dunhill Red flints, whereas Dunhill Unique lighters
only take Dunhill Blue flints.
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Q:What is the difference between Cigarette, Cigar and Pipe burners?
Certain lighters are designed for, or can be converted to, cigar or pipe lighters. The only real difference is that
a cigar lighter has a flame that is slightly wider than a flame used for cigarettes. A pipe lighter is the same as for
a cigarette, but the flame comes out of the lighter sideways, making it easier to ignite the tobacco in the pipe bowl.
That being said, you must remember that no matter what type of lighter you use, you must never let the tobacco touch the
burner (the place where the fire comes out of the lighter). This will leave a residue on the burner that will most
certainly build up over time and destroy the burner.
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Q:Can I use my lighter to light candles?
No! Avoid using your lighter to light candles. Especially votive candles. We're not kidding. No matter how careful you
think you are, it is a simple fact that wax WILL get into your lighter and clog the burner as well as destroy the valves.
Wax has also been known to fill in the grooves of the flint wheel, making it ineffective for creating a spark when striking
the flint. Use a match to light your candles. Don't say we didn't warn you.
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Q:How much will my lighter repair cost?
Lighter repairs are all different depending on the kind of lighter it is. Dunhill lighters generally cost around $90.00,
ST Dupont around $65.00. Most other lighters except for a few exceptions are around $45.00 - $65.00.
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Q:How long does it take to get my estimate?
Estimates for lighter repairs usually go out by email within 24 hours of receiving the lighter. If no email address is
given, 48 hours after reciept is when the written estimate is mailed. Be sure that you carefully check your email SPAM
folder because our estimates come via email with PDF attachments and SPAM blockers hate that. Even better, set your
SPAM blocker to accept emails from REPAIRS(at)authorizedrepairservice.com (obviously the "at" referrs to the "@" symbol,
omitted here to prevent spam of our own).
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Q:Can I give you a credit card over the phone to pay for my repair?
Unfortunately we do not take payments for repairs over the phone. We need to have everything in writing for our records so we only accept payment by credit card via this website (Pay your Invoice)
or by fax (828-693-3213) or by mail. You can also send a check or money order, or pay by Paypal.
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Q:What's my lighter worth?
What your lighter is worth to the general market is completely inconsequential if you want your lighter to ever work again. For those of your
looking to sell your lighter, we do not value lighters due to the ever-changing market value and wildly swinging economy
when it comes to the desirability of such things.
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Q:Do you provide appraisals?
We no longer provide apprasials on lighters.
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Q:What's the warranty on my lighter repair?
All lighter repairs carry a 90-Day warranty except for Dunhill lighters, which carry a 1-year warranty. 90 days is more
than enough time to know that the repair "took" and that the problem the lighter was sent in for has been fixed.
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Q:Do you repair Zippo Lighters?
We do not repair Zippo lighters because Zippo lighters come with a lifetime guarantee. any Zippo related repairs
or repair questions should be directed to the Zippo Company in Bradford, Pennsylvania.
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Q:My Dunhill lighter has a lifetime warrantee, right?
Alfred Dunhill lighters carry a lifetime warrantee FOR ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER DEFECTS ONLY. This does NOT include
normal (or abnormal) wear and tear on the lighter. and yes, a lighter sitting in a drawer unused for seven years
does constitute normal wear and tear. Lighters are meant to be used.
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Q:Do you fix Colibri lighters?
We can only repair petrol (lighter fluid) Colibri lighters. Any Colibri lighters that use butane (gas) are not
repairable by us. And yes, we are well aware that the Colibri Company has gone out of business. Unfortunately
we have no idea as to who is taking over their warranty service--if any.
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