Many moons ago I worked in a store that sold refillable butane lighters. They can be a bit tricky to maintain. I'm not sure if there's a propellant mixed in with the butane in the refill canisters, but sometimes it seemed to help if any gas left in the lighter is vented before refilling.
Careful adjustment of the flow of butane is also recommended. I have an old butane lighter that I had to partially disassemble in order to increase the maximum flow.
Honestly, I'd rather just use the original innards. But then, Zippos tend to work just fine every time here in south-eastern Virginia. YMMV.
If anyone needs any advice on how to keep a butane lighter working, I'm here for you!
