My Zippo Lighter Won't Light

Check the fuel. If you have just purchased a Zippo lighter or received it in the mail, you will have to add fuel to the chamber before it will light. For the Windproof lighter, separate the inner and outer cases. Lift the felt flap and saturate the cotton balls with Zippo lighter fluid. Reassemble the case. For a BLU Lighter, invert the lighter and place the butane lighter fluid nozzle in the fill valve on the bottom of the lighter. Depress the nozzle two or three times, until at least 1/8 inch of fuel is visible through the viewing window.

Replace flint. If the lighter does not throw a spark, the flint may need replacing. Separate the inner and outer case. Unscrew the flint spring screw and remove the felt pad, screw and spring. Invert the case and tap lightly on a hard surface to allow any flint pieces to fall out of the flint tube. Place a new flint in the tube and reassemble the lighter.

Freshen or replace wick. If the wick appears black and charred, freshen the wick by using a pair of tweezers to gently the wick out. Cut the wick off even with the top of the casing. If the wick is used up, disassemble the lighter, remove the cotton balls from inside the casing and pull out what is left of the wick. Thread the new wick through the eye hole and weave the internal wick through the cotton balls as they are replaced. Reassemble the lighter.

If none of these troubleshooting tips solve your problem, send the Zippo lighter into the Zippo Repair Center. Separate the inner and outer casings and allow the lighter fluid to evaporate for three days. Place the lighter in an oversized padded box or envelop. Include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address on a note inside the packaging. You will have to pay shipping charges.