FAQ: Favorit How to Fill and Replace Flint, 1940s

This instruction leaflet was added to all "Favorit" pocket lighters made by Adolf Kinzinger and Ferdinand Wagner (Pat. Ang.) in Pforzheim, Germany in the 1940s and 1950s.

The leaflet was available in three languages: French, German and English.

FAQ: Evans How to Fill and Replace Flint, ca 1945

This small instruction leaflet was added to all new Evans lighters in the mid 1940s.

How are St. Dupont Lighters made? Watch this video!

FAQ: Instruction for the ANGLIA Table Lighter, 1947

To remove Mechanical Unit, hold body in right hand and Mechanical Unit in left and unsrew.

To recharge with flint, unscrew Knurled Cap, insert flint and spring and replace.

To refuel, hold body in left hand and basein right hand, unscrew, pour fuel in aperature and replace. Use good quality Lighter Fuel only.

Notes

The Anglia Lighter is fitted with special glass wick which cannot burn.

When replacing flint, use good quality only. The size fitted should be standard 2.8 mm diameter.

A PRODUCT OF
STEWART ENGINEERING CO LTD
ANGLIA WORKS, STAINES RD. SUNBURY-ON-THAMES

More about the Anglia Table Lighter can be found here.

Book review: Smoking Antiques by Amoret and Christopher Scott

This post starts a series of book reviews on cigarette lighters and other smoking accessories.

• Full title: Smoking Antiques (Shire Album No. 66)
• Authors: Amoret Scott, Christopher Scott
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32
• Publisher: Shire Publications Ltd.
• Publishing date: 1981
• Language: English

• Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 inches
• ISBN 10: 0852635400    
• ISBN 13: 9780852635407
• Status: Out of Print
• Availability: used and new at Amazon
• Price range: $2-$10

 

Description of the book provided by the publisher:

Since tobacco was brought to Europe from America, where it was widely used by native Indians, its consumption has formed a significant aspect of social life. Different methods of taking tobacco have come into and gone out of fashion and as a result of an enormous range of objects connected with smoking and snuff taking has been produced, much of it of great potential appeal to the present-day collector. For the pipe smoker there were clay pipes and racks for holding them, pipes of meerschaum (sepiolit), porcelain and briar (wood), and tobacco jars and boxes. The vogue for taking snuff led to the production of many beautiful snuff boxes and accessories. When cigars ousted snuff in the early nineteenth century the cigar case took over from the snuffbox as the subject of elaborate decoration and smokers also needed cigar cutters and holders. Primitive lighters, early matches and their containers are an interesting sideline. In this book the authors examine these and other smoking antique, including printed ephemera, from the collector's point of view and provide the historical background of smoking. 

Amoret and Christopher Scott have written many books, including Discovering Stately Homes and Staffordshire Figures for Shire, but most of them are about antiques and they have made several television appearances with their collections. Amoret Scott is a founder member of the Ephemera Society and items from her collection have been shown in exhibitions and displays throughout Britain and the United States. She is a travel consultant for visitors to Britain.

 

Contents:

The tobacco story 3
Foreign pipes 7
Clay pipes 8
Meerschaum pipes 10
Porcelain pipes 10
Briar pipes and others 11
Tobacco jars 12
Tobacco boxes 14
Pipe racks 15
Smoker's tongs 16
Stoppers 18
Matches and match containers 19
Lighters 22
Snuff and snuffboxes 22
Cigars 29
Cigarettes 30
Ephemera 30
Clothes 32

 

Sample pages:

Information on lighters are limited to minimum although many other subjects 

are covered as you would expect from this small publication

Review:

 

This little book makes an overall good impression. It is not a reference book but rather a brief story of the world of tobacciana collectibles like: pipes, tobacco jars, tobacco boxes, pipe racks, smokers; tongs, stoppers, matches and match containers, lighters, snuff and snuffboxes, cigars, ephemera and even clothes. The approachable writing style as well as the selection of facts make it a light and quick read. The booklet lacks an index and bibliography which can be excused taking into account its moderate content. A lighter collector won't find much information on lighters but may find interesting to read and see the variety of clay and porcelain pipes or decorative meerschaum cigar holders.

The 36 black and white photographs are high quality - they are clear, optimal sized, well organized and what is even more important, all of them are equipped with comprehensive captions.

I recommend this low priced (used) booklet for beginners and those beyond lighter collectors who would like to get a broader view of the world of smoking antiques without getting too much involved in details. It is short enough to read it conveniently anywhere including a bathtub.

Rating: Good (3/6)

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.

How to maintain table wick lighters?

Owing a table wick lighter is connected with maintaining it. This post will answer the most common questions like:

1. How to fuel?
2. How to replace flint?
3. How to replace wick?

Below a scan of the Ronson Tempo instruction on "How to use and care for your Ronson table lighter" from the year 1955. Click on it to see the details. This instruction applies not only for Ronson lighters but for most table lighters available on the market whatever the brand is.

Hint: When you try to replace flint in your lighter which was not used for a longer time - this often implies vintage cigarette lighters - you will probably need to find out if the earlier flint did not got frozen (stuck). When you noticed that the flint dissolved it is vital to crush it carefully with (for instance) a small screwdriver. Sometimes you will need to take off the top in order to have a better access to the flint.

Below another instruction "How to Assure Long Life for your Ronson Table & Desk Lighter" from 1949 (United Kingdom):

This "Important Instructions. How to insure long life for your Ronson Table and Desk Lighter" dates the year 1952 (United States):