Everybody knows the Zippo lighter. That piece of rudimentary engineering has written history. However, even if the company offers a lifetime warranty, that doesn't mean it will function properly until the end of time without any maintenance. And regardless of that, the costs of shipping it to Zippo and having a new one shipped back in case of default often costs more than going to the nearest shop and buying a new one.
What you need is a Zippo wick, flint and gas. So far we're talking very low cash, as they are cheap and last a lot. The gas is apt to drain quickly, but the wick can last a year and the flint as well. It also depends on how often do you use it.
Open your Zippo and take out the main body from the cover. On the bottom you will notice a cap. You can use the edges of the Zippo metal cover to unscrew that cap. There's an arc attached to the cap, because the metal tube that it covered is the housing of the flint. Put one piece of flint inside. You can put two, but chances are the friction will be too strong for the stone to actually spark it. Screw the cap back on. You're done with the flint. It's as easy as that.
Next, take out the wadding. It fills the entire body of the Zippo lighter. Its role is that it imbues with gas and stays wet for a long time. Be careful when you take it out, you will notice the wick is wrapped all around it.
Try to remember its shape as you will have to reconstruct it later on. If there's a lot of wick in there you don't have to replace it. If you try to pry the wick out from the top of the lighter you will notice it won't budge. That's because of the wrapping around the cotton wool. You will have to gently disentangle it as you continue to remove the wadding. Once the entire wadding is out you can pry out the wick from the top of the lighter, right next to the flint. Take out the burned out part and then use a very sharp scissor to cut it away. You will notice a few copper wires wrapped inside, hence you need something sharp. If you had no good wick left at all, insert the new one inside. Next put the cotton wool back in, all the while wrapping the wick around it so it will get maximum of moisture all the time After you're done, fill the wadding with gas, put the cover back on and your Zippo is as good as new.
Oana is an active user of Lacartes.com - a business network for people looking to connect with friends and meet people with similar interests and share photos, updates, reviews, jobs and more.
Some people prefer using disposable lighters nowadays because it's cheaper. However, some of us proud owners of a Zippo lighter have a special relationship with this things because they have, in most cases, a sentimental value for us. So when it breaks, we must know how to repair it. This article can only be reproduced in its entirety when the link to lacartes.com is live at all times.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Oana_Coroian
