Totally Random

don't those fill with butane? (makes the lighter REALLY cold). It might take a while for it to warm up, or if you filled it wrong, that might have messed it up.

 

Did it start dripping out the wick while you had it upsidown? You only have to fill it up that much only once, but soaking everything that will take fuel helps get it going.

Not very reliable, but its all about style. Did you get the Strong Bad edition?

 

Where'd you get the fuel? I haven't been able to figure out where to buy it. I love Zippo's and normally they work a lot better than that. I've got a nice one from Japan that I'd love to fill up (actually had to leave everything but the case behind to bring it on the plane, then buy a cheap one here to pull the case off and use my shiny Fuji one).

jW

 

Zippos generally fill with a fluid fuel, not a gas.

One tip- if it is new, spill a little fluid on the wick (near the flint) and that will help it get started. BE CAREFUL not to light your hand on fire (it burns any hair on your hand / arm... )

Don't forget, you're playing with fire.

 

If it's 'soon to be Chiba' you can get Zippo brand lighter fluid at most grocery stores. I don't know about the cheap stuff here though.

Edit: Sorry a little off topic.

 

Empty whatever fluid is in there now, fill it up with gasoline, and then shoot it with a flare gun- it will "light up" nicely for you then......

 

I used to have a Zippo, before the girlfriend bought me one of those butane torch afterburner-looking lighters .

Is the wheel catching on the flint? Did you screw it in all the way? (You did only put in one flint, right? I know someone who put as many as he could in the tube.)

Saturate the cotton, then pull the wick up ever so slightly and trim it down back to the original level.

 

Zippo newbie

 

Was it a real Zippo™ or one of the knockoffs? Zippo is usually really good about quality control, and they have a lifetime guarantee.