FAQ: How to Make Light of Lighter Repair, 1957

Below an interesting article on wick lighter repair from October 1957. It was initially issued in the Science and Mechanics Magazine.

FAQ: Wick Lighter Care, Troubleshooting Guide & Hints

Following, are listed some of the common problems that you may encounter with your cigarette wick lighter. This guide includes also measures which will help to solve them.

1. Lighter won't hold fluid for a reasonable period of time. This is caused by defective washer on the fuel screw or by a short wick or loose packing. In the case of a short wick, regardless of how much fluid is in the lighter tank, it cannot be delivered to the chimney unless the wick reaches those parts of the packing containing the fluid. What you have to do is re-wick, repack and check washer, replacing if necessary.


2. Lighter when lit burns temporarily with excessive smoking. This is caused when the lighter is filled with inappropriate petrol or oil instead of proper grade of lighter fluid. Oil may also prevent sparking action as it spreads over the working parts of the wick lighter. Disassemble every part of lighter, throw away the old packing, and soak the lighter tank and parts in good lighter fluid bath. Wipe dry, making sure that all traces of oil are removed. 


3. The lighter won't spark even though new piece of flint is installed. If lack of flint is not the trouble here the problem might lye in:
• defective wheel which might worn excessively smooth,
• lack of proper tension or strength in the flint spring,
• defective clutch spring as it sometimes felt apart,
• fused old flint which often is the case when the lighter was not used a longer period.
To get the lighter to work you will have to find spare parts in case the first two problems appeared. When an old flint is stuck in the flint tube you might want to use a tool (a screwdriver or a very fine-gauge drill bit). Remove the flint screw and spring and break up the old flint in the spring tube. Be careful to not damage the flint wheel, but also be thorough about getting all the old flint out. In some of the cases the lighter has to be dissembled to get the job done.

Hint 1: Keep clean the wheel. Do not allow it to clog up with dirt, lint, tobacco or powder dust, powdered flint, etc. The remedy for this is an occasional brushing with a stiff brush, or light wire wheel if powder tools are available. A good idea is also to blow a burst of air into the lighter mechanism.
Hint 2: If you do not intend to use the lighter for a longer period remove the flint otherwise it might get stuck like cement in the flint tube. This is because of moisture, spring pressure, time and ferrocerium - the material which the flint is made of.
Hint 3: Never use the lighter until fluid and flint are completely exhausted. This results in charred wick, and necessitates re-wicking and repacking. When flint is gone, the wheel continues to turn against the flint spring tip which, being often brass, will damage or destroy the cutting surfaces of the wheel, and make replacement necessary.
Hint 4: To disassemble a lighter with a standard movement, a few tools are necessary like small screwdrivers, tweeters and alignment tools.

In addition to what was written above an interesting article published in Popular Mechanics on February 1947 on "Getting the Most of Your Cigarette Lighter".

 

Types of lighter wicks

As the purpose of this blog is to enhance the knowledge on cigarette lighters and it accessories I decided to share with you some of the most interesting stories coming from a small booklet called the Lighter Repair Manual which was written by Gilbert J. Gaugler for Lighter Parts Inc. in 1954.

Back to the 1950s when almost every person owned and used petrol lighters wicks where widely available. These days the range of wicks for lighters are limited most often to one or two types and obtainably rather only in tobacco shops. Listed below are the different types of wicks (with illustrations) and the lighters in which they should be used:

Standard Scotch Braid Wick

This is a standard wick that will work in most any popular lighter. It is chemically treated to keep it from burning.

Average diameter: .101

Average length: 6 inches

The Gold Seal Wick 

for Ronson and other lighters

This is a special modification of the standard wick. It has two notable improvements.

1. It is equipped with a wire inserter, attached to the bottom end by means of a plastic tip.
2. At the top of the wick is a small gold colored ferrule which fits the wick hole of most popular lighters. This small ferrule acts as a seal and reduces the size of the wick hole; cutting down on evaporation, preventing leakage, and prolonging the fuel's lasting qualities.

Average diameter of ferrule: .091
Average diameter of wick: 6 inches
Average length of wire: 3 inches

The Red Wick 

and seal for Evans lighters

This is another wick (red in color) equipped with the wire inserter and a special ferrule that fits the wick hole on most Evans lighters.

Average diameter of ferrule: .106
Average length of wick: 6 inches
Average length of wire: 3 inches

Wick for Giant

This is an exceptionally large diameter wick and can be used only in the Galter Giant lighter.

Average diameter: .156
Average length: 6 inches

Asbestos wick for Zippo 

and other windproof lighters

This wick is made of non inflammable material (asbestos). It is woven of several strands and the exposed portion in the top of the lighter can be frayed so that several ends are exposed to the sparks from the flint. This helps the lighter to light even in a wind. 

 Average diameter: .092
Average length: 6 inches

12 inch Wicks with Wire

This is a repairman's wick. It can be pulled through the lighter and a six inch wick cut of. Te the remaining six inches portion, with its wire inserter, can be used in another lighter.

 

Average diameter: .101
Average length of wick: 12 inches
Average length of wire: 3 inches

Wick for Dunhill

This wick is slightly smaller in diameter than average, due to small wick hole in Dunhill lighters. Has a flat metal inserter that reduces wick to correct size and guides it through the lighter.

Average diameter of guide: .070
Average diameter of wick: 0.89
Average length of wick: 10 inches
Average length of inserter: 2 inches

Wick Glassine

This wick is in same diameter as standard, but woven of spun glass. It is very stiff and hard to work with. It does not burn, but chars away until there is nothing left to get hold of to pull it up.

Average diameter: 0.75
Average length: 4 1/2 inches

Where to buy a wick nowadays? You may take a look at THIS POST.