In this guide
The short version
- Lift the felt pad, wet the cotton, stop before it drips.
- No spark: the flint. Sparks, no flame: the fluid. Small yellow flame: the wick.
- A fill lasts a week to ten days of normal use.
- Empty it before flying; the lighter is fine, the fluid is not.
A Zippo that will not light is almost never broken. It is dry, or the flint is gone, or the wick has burned down to the stub. All three take two minutes to fix at a kitchen table. Here is the routine, the mistakes that waste fluid, and what to do before you fly.
What you need
Zippo lighter fluid (the yellow and black can), a pack of flints, and once a year or so a wick. All three are in Fuel & accessories. Butane does not go in a classic Zippo; it needs the butane insert, which is a different product.
Refilling, step by step
- Pull the insert out of the case. It lifts straight up.
- Turn it over. Lift the felt pad at the bottom; there is a small notch for a fingernail.
- Point the fluid can's spout at the cotton and squeeze slowly. Stop as soon as the cotton looks wet at the top, about five seconds for an empty lighter.
- Press the felt back down, slide the insert into the case, and wait a minute before you strike it.
- Wipe the case and your hands. Fluid on the case is what makes the "whoosh" people complain about.
Overfilling is the most common mistake. If fluid leaks out of the insert or you can smell it on your hands after a wipe, you put too much in. It evaporates in an hour; just leave the lid open.
Changing the flint
When the wheel spins and throws no spark, the flint is gone. Under the felt pad is a brass screw with a spring behind it. Unscrew it, tip the old stub out, drop a new flint down the tube, and screw the spring back in. Push the wheel backwards a few times to seat the new flint before you strike it properly.
The wick
The wick lives for years, but it chars at the top. When the flame goes small and yellow with a fresh fill and a fresh flint, pull the wick up a few millimeters with pliers, trim the black part with scissors, and tuck the cotton back around it. When there is no wick left to pull, replace it; the new one threads down through the cotton.
Why it still will not light
- A fresh fill and no flame: the flint. Spin the wheel and watch for sparks.
- Sparks but no flame: the fluid. Refill and wait a minute.
- Lights, then dies in a few seconds: the chimney holes are clogged or the wick is too short.
- Lights, flame too big: too much wick exposed. Trim it.
How long a fill lasts
A week to ten days with everyday use, longer in a drawer, shorter in a hot car. Fluid evaporates whether you use it or not, which is why a Zippo you have not touched since spring lights for one strike and then gives up.
Flying with it
Empty it before the airport; the fluid is the problem, not the lighter. A dry Zippo in a pocket is fine on most US flights, and the inserts come out easily if a screener asks. Check the TSA page the week you travel, the rules change.
Every Zippo pocket lighter carries the lifetime guarantee: it works or Zippo fixes it free. Send it to Zippo, not to us, and keep the insert; they will often return it in the original case.
Questions people ask
Can I use butane in a Zippo?
Not in the classic insert. Zippo sells butane inserts (single and double torch, and a soft flame) that drop into any regular case.
Why does my Zippo smell of fluid in my pocket?
It is overfilled, or the felt pad is not pressed down. Leave the lid open for an hour and press the pad flat the next time you fill it.
Does the lifetime guarantee cover the finish?
No. It covers the mechanism: hinge, wheel, cam, insert. Scratches and wear on the finish are not included, and neither is the butane insert's electronics.
