FAQ: Ronson Penciliter (lighter + pencil), 1935


If you possess the first generation of the Ronson Penciliter manufactured between 1935 and 1948 and do not have the instruction booklet this post might be helpful to maintain your lighter in good shape.

How to fuel

Refer to the diagram below for location of fuel chamber. Fill carefully with Ronsonol until wick shows signs of saturation. Shake out excess fuel. With cloth wipe working parts and body of lighter absolutely dry. Fill your lighter regularly. Do not wait until it runs dry. This causes wick to char.

Always see that washer is in good condition.

How to replace flint

Refer to diagram below for location of flint screw. Remove screw and spring and drop out fragment of worn Flint. Insert new Flint into tube. Replace spring with screw but do not tighten till you have operated lighter several times to smooth rough edges of Flint. This ensures easier operation and relieves strain on working parts.

Care and replacement of wick

Always keep wick extended 1/8 inch above the holder so that flame will burn easily. Trim off charred or frayed edges regularly.

When flame dies quickly, your Ronson needs re-fueling. When wick fails to burn properly after re-fueling it should be replaced. Pull out old wick - do not attempt to unscrew wick-holder - remove old cotton wool. Insert new wick by pushing it through wick-holder, pull end of wick out at base, pack cotton wool tightly inside lighter and insert end of wick.

Wick must be mingled with cotton wool or it will not be properly supplied with fuel. For best results change wick every few months.

Care of Flint Wheel

Clean flint wheel regularly, removing clogged accumulation on wheel with accompanying (or similar) stiff brush. (raise snuffer to expose flint wheel) Also regularly remove dust and dirt gathered under lighter mechanism around wick holder and inside snuffer cap.



TO FUEL: Unscrew at point "A" and be sure that flint screw cap "C" is tight before filling.
FOR EXTRA LEADS: Unscrew at "B" and remove ereaser disclosing magazine holding six spare leads.
TO INSERT NEW LEAD: Turn tip as far as it will go to eject old lead. Turn tip back as far it will go. Insert new lead and press in gently till clutch engages.

8 comments :

Anonymous said...

I have a penciliter, just acquired, it looks like the top is broken, the section that connects to the clip. Is there a place to repair a lighter this old?
thx,
caro

Unknown said...

i have a penciliter i have had from a while ago and when i replace the flint it doesnt come through the top, it doesnt look like there is anything obstructing it , the spring mechanism wont go all the way back in either, any help?
thanks
ash

jjdelv said...

Yep - I'm having the same issue as Ashley. And it doesn't look like the flint wheel rotates properly.

Anonymous said...

I am having the same problem as jjdelv and Ashley. I got the spring mechanism to go back, but the flint wheel won't move at all and the flint does not make contact with the wheel, although it seems to fit in the flint spring tube OK. There is no way I can see of taking these apart to try and fix these issues, unlike standard Ronson lighters like the Whirlwind. Nick

Anonymous said...

I've drilled out the old flint to insure that the flint tube is clean of old flint, of course taking precaution to not drill the wheel. The lighter now lights like a champ! I've bought 0.9 mm lead as per what I've been reading and what was in the pencilter, the old lead was so old that it didn't want to write more than a barely legible scratch. Checking sizes, they appear to be identical, I have 2 of these pencils by the way and for the life of me I cannot get new lead in them! The mechanizems work fine and act the same. However no matter how I try to follow these instructions listed above, I cannot get the new lead to feed! On the first try it actually shot the lead back out and across the room. I know I'm doing something wrong, anyone know how to load these things!?

Unknown said...

I've managed to refill the lead, but it was from the bottom at the tip, rather than the top where the leads are stored. The flint although replaced is still not close enough to the wheel.. any hints as to how this could be fixed?

Unknown said...

I've managed to refill the lead, but it was from the bottom at the tip, rather than the top where the leads are stored. The flint although replaced is still not close enough to the wheel.. any hints as to how this could be fixed?

Anonymous said...

Hi Sheena, the problem lies most probably in the fused flint. Try to clean the flint tube.

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