How to Refill a Zippo, Replace a Wick, and Change a Flint

Filling a Zippo with Lighter Fluid

Open the lid of the Zippo and remove the inside unit from the case. Firmly grip both sides of the flint wheel with your thumb and index finger. Hold the bottom of the Zippo lighter with your other hand and pull up on the metal to remove the unit from its case. The flint wheel is the grooved circle that you turn with your thumb to create a flame. The metal box should come out fairly easily, but if it’s never been removed before, you may have to pull a bit harder the first time to get it out. If it’s stuck, put a piece of wire through a hole in the chimney and pull it up.Warning: Be careful not to crush the flint wheel or chimney when pulling the lighter from its case. Use a firm but gentle grip to remove it.

Turn the inside unit over and remove the felt bottom. The bottom of the unit has a small hole in the middle and the words “Lift to Fuel” written across it. Lift up the bottom by putting something small into the hole and prying it open. If you’re using Zippo lighter fluid, you can use the nozzle to open the felt pad. There will also be a small flathead screw on the side of the pad, which you don’t need to remove. You can open the bottom with a small screwdriver or an unbent paperclip.

Insert the lighter fluid can nozzle and slowly fill the cotton. Put the nozzle in the “Open” position and rest it on the cotton. Squeeze the fluid in for 3 to 5 seconds, then take out the nozzle and wait 10 seconds to let it soak in. If you have a large lighter fluid canister, you may want to transfer some to a smaller squirt bottle to control how much fluid you release into the lighter. You can buy lighter fluid at most drug stores and home improvement stores. Use high-quality lighter fluid to protect your lighter—methylated spirits and F-gasoline can damage it. Generally, using Zippo brand lighter fluid is recommended. Fill your Zippo over a sink for easy cleanup. Don’t refill your Zippo lighter over finished wood surfaces or other surfaces that could be damaged by contact with lighter fluid.Warning: Avoid getting the lighter fluid on your skin. If you do get some on your skin, use mild soap and water to wash it off.

Stop filling the lighter when the fluid reaches the top of the material. Once the top of the cotton packing material starts getting darker, stop adding lighter fluid to the unit. The longer you’ve gone without refilling your Zippo lighter, the more fuel you’ll need to add before it’s full. Never use running water to clean off your Zippo, or you could flood the cotton and damage the moving parts. Zippo lighters can hold about 5 ml of fuel.

Close the felt bottom and place the unit back inside the case. Put the unit into the top of the metal case, then push down on it to completely insert it. Continue applying gentle pressure to the top of the insert until it’s secure.

Wait 1-2 minutes, then strike the flint wheel to light the zippo. Let the Zippo sit and absorb the lighter fluid for 1 to 2 minutes. Then, try lighting the Zippo to see if it’s completely refilled. If it doesn’t light on the first three tries, go back and add more lighter fluid. Wash your hands and put away your lighter fluid before trying to light the Zippo.

Changing the Flint

Take the lighter insert out of the metal casing. Open the lid, gently grab the flint wheel, and pull the lighter out of the casing. If it doesn’t come up easily, try threading an unbent paperclip through the holes on the chimney and pulling from there. The flint wheel is the wheel you use to light the lighter, the chimney is where the flame comes out.

Remove the old flint by unscrewing the flint spring. Turn the lighter over and remove the screw with a flathead screwdriver or coin. The screw is under tension, so be careful that it doesn’t shoot away when you unscrew it. Take out the screw, then turn the lighter over again and gently tap it to get the old flint out. The flint is a small cylinder that’s unattached from the flint spring. The top of the flint spring has a small brass section that can easily be confused with the flint. If something gets stuck, clean out the inside of the flint tube with an unbent paper clip.

Put a new flint into the tube and screw the spring back in. Drop a new flint into the tube, then put in the flint spring. Screw it in entirely—if you don’t the lighter won’t fit into the casing. If the cap of the lighter doesn’t close, check if your flint spring is totally screwed in.

Check if you can move the flint wheel and store your leftover flint. Sometimes the flint wheel can get stuck to a new flint. If you can’t move it forward, use your thumb to circle it backward a few cycles. If you have extra flint, consider storing them under the felt pad for future use.

Replacing the Wick

Pull the wick up with tweezers until the white part is as tall as the chimney. If your wick isn’t lighting anymore, use tweezers or needle nose pliers to grasp the base of the wick, then pull it up until the white part reaches the top of the chimney. Cut off the black part with wire cutters. Grab the wick gently and as close to the base as possible to prevent it from breaking.

Take everything out of the lighter to replace the entire wick. To put in a new wick, take the lighter out of its casing, unscrew the flathead screw at the bottom of the felt pad, then take out the spring, flint, felt pad, cotton, and old wick. Zippo wicks are roughly 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long, so they need to be replaced after about 3 trimmings. Use tweezers or pliers to take out the cotton.

Thread the new wick through the chimney hole. Push the new wick through the hole in the chimney into the internal casing. Bend a little bit of the wick over the side of the chimney to hold it in place.

Put the cotton back in while zigzagging the wick. Use your tweezer to put bits of the cotton back into the casing. After you put a layer of cotton in, push the wick down and to the side so it crosses the inside of the lighter. Put down more cotton and then push the wick in the other direction, until all the cotton is replaced and the wick is woven through it. Think of it as making an “S” shape with the wick through the lighter.

Put the lighter back together and trim the wick. Put the felt pad back onto the cotton, then put the flint and spring into the flint tube and screw them back into place. Put the lighter insert back into the casing, then trim the excess wick so it’s as tall as the chimney.