Not the zippo lighters. The HAND warmers. Jone and Zippo make hand warmers that have platinum catalysts.
http://www.zippo.com/product.aspx?id=1025148

Glow plugs go for about $8 You attach a battery to make it how, then the fuel keeps it going inside the engine combustion chamber.

I was (still am, somewhat) a manufacturing jeweler for a lot of years. Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium are the three platinum group metals used in jewelry. Platinum, I believe, is the only one that will act as a catalyst. It is denser than gold, and has double gold's melting point. Unlike gold, it's welded, not soldered. It can be soft, or drawn to work harden, as in the wire you have. It doesn't sound like you got platinum wire. I'd suggest the thinnest wire possible (a glow plug, for example...use the whole plug or steal the wire ) or a platinum salts impregnated mantle, like a hand warmer. To me, a glow plug gives you the option of electrical ignition. I don't know if a piezo sparker is enough to ignite alcohol...never tried it.