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How to Fix Zippo Lighter Wicks

The Zippo lighter company prides itself on quality, and says that they will always fix one of their lighters for free, no matter what the problem. While this policy is very useful for many major Zippo problems, there are times when you'd rather fix a small issue than spend the time to pack and ship your lighter to the company, only to have to wait for it to return. Zippo lighter wicks get worn out sometimes and have to be repaired or replaced. One of the simplest fixes on a Zippo, this is a prime example of something that you can do yourself instead of sending it in for a repair.

Things You'll Need

Tweezers
Small scissors
New Zippo wick

Instructions

- 1
  Open your Zippo lighter and stand it upright on a table. Grasp the top of the wick with a pair of tweezers. Pull the wick until the black portion of the wick is above the metal chimney and the remaining wick below the chimney surface is all white.
- 2
  Snip the wick off at the level of the metal chimney top, removing all of the old burnt wick. Use the tweezers to position the wick so that it is in the center of the chimney. Light your lighter to make sure that the flame is centered correctly.
- 3
  Replace the wick completely if you have burnt through all of the old wick. Open the bottom of your lighter by slipping the insides out of the case. Pull the cotton packing out of the bottom of the lighter. Pull the remaining bits of wick from the top of the chimney from the top.
- 4
  Insert a new wick from the top down. Place the wick into the wick hole until you see it come through into the insides of the lighter. Slip the tweezers up inside the lighter and grasp the end of the wick. Pull the wick into the inside of the lighter until there is a scant 1/4 inch of wick sticking up into the chimney.
- 5
  Replace the cotton packing into the insides of the lighter, fitting the cotton pieces all around the wick. Fill your lighter with fresh fluid, slip the insides of the lighter back into the case, and light your Zippo.

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