[Julie]

How should butane lighter be stored. Should the wick be taken out or the fluid emptied?

[Jen Hunt Johnson]

Hi Julie,

Thanks for your question. Let me gather a little more information for you, and I will get back to you shortly.

Best,
Jen

[Jen Hunt Johnson]

Hi Julie,

I have reached out to one of our experts to get as much information for you as I can. So far the consensus has been to empty the fluid. Can you tell me a bit more about the context of the item, and how you plan to house it longterm? Will it be stored adjacent to other collections? Also does your institution have any safety policies that might pertain to storing an item like this? I am continuing to research and plan to get back to you with some further detail.

Thanks,
Jen

[Jen Hunt Johnson]

Hi Julie,

I just heard back from one of our experts and they recommend the following:

If the lighter still has butane fluid in it then it needs to safely be removed and disposed of. So not around any sources of ignition. A fume hood would be preferable if being done in a museum. If it is difficult to do, you can look into taking it to a cigar shop and asking them to drain the butane and remove the wick. You should let both the wick and the lighter continue to evaporate off any residual butane for a few days in a fume hood. Then when the odor is completely gone you can put the wick back in and store the lighter with the rest of the collections.

I hope this answers your question.

Best,
Jen

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