Replacing The Flint Wheel On A Lighter
October 12th, 2009 by Drew Sabot, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
While your lighter is likely of high quality, use and wear can reduce its functionality to a considerable degree. Some smokers find that they need to replace the flint wheel on their lighters. If you have a Zippo lighter, then you do not have to worry about this. Zippos come with lifetime warranties, so you’ll simply need to ship the lighter off to the manufacturer, where the wheel will be replaced before being sent back to you. However, if you do not have a Zippo, you will need to know how to go about replacing the flint wheel.
Other manufacturers offer warranties as well, but not all of them do. If your lighter does not have a warranty, you need to know how to proceed with repairs and replacement. First, you should locate the lighter’s serial number. Usually, this is found stamped on the bottom of the outer case. However, you might find it located on the inside of the outer case, or even on the insert somewhere. Once you have the serial number, you will need to order replacement parts from the manufacturer. This can usually be done online, though not always.
Sometimes, you can find a similar lighter and use it for spare parts. Look at the mounting method used to affix the flint wheel on both lighters. If they are the same and the wheels are of the same dimensions, you should have no problem fitting the wheel from the donor lighter to your own.
However, you will find that the process of flint wheel removal and installation vary considerably throughout the industry. Some common types of mounting include plastic bars, metal bars and rivets, though other methods do exist, as well. You will need to find out if you have the required tools to remove and mount the flint wheel before beginning the job.
Rivets are the most commonly used method to mount the flint wheel. To remove the rivet from the donor lighter, you only need a pair of needle-nose pliers. However, to install the new rivet, along with the replacement flint wheel, you’ll need a pop rivet tool, as well as a replacement rivet. Do not attempt the installation if you do not have the correct tools, as this can result in damage to your lighter.
