Zippo: Removing a Stuck Flint/ Why is my Flintwheel Just Spinning?

We answer the age old question.

[@hsl49scorpion73]

I love the Internet. This was my specific problem....and this was the exact answer. Thank you sir!

[@Speedogg138]

Glad I could help. :)

[@mikebockey4125]

alright alright alright! i wasn’t sure if it would be cool to drill down the flint tube. but this worked great on my old zippo lighter. i had almost resigned myself to buying a new one too. thank you very much for the video. 30 year old zippo works like new.

[@Speedogg138]

Glad I could help. :)

[@goonerNik]

Been searching for something like this for months! Thanks. All the other videos are just people explaining that the wheel won't spark because you need a flint. Erm yh i thought of that already fools... Anyway, this has helped me out so much after buying a used zippo on ebay thats full of dust and flint won't even get anywhere close to the wheel

[@WvlfDarkfire]

Your knowledge and video have helped me bring my grandfather's zippo table lighter back to life. I've wanted to use it since I was a teen. Now I'm 31 and haven't quit smoking yet. But thanks to you. Every light starts with memories of my Opa. You have brought me great joy. Thank you. Thank you! THANK YOU!!! ❤️

[@ktberry8675]

You are awesome. I bought a vintage 1960's zippo for my cousin and just got it up and running. Thank you

[@nakulah]

Thanks a ton, been jammed for years and finally looked it up and now it's working!

[@ja9159]

Just revived my Zippo after 10 years. Thanks for the video.

[@geniekane6381]

Thank you for sharing. Your drill approach enabled me to fix my Mother’s old zippo with stuck flints. I appreciate your expertise!

[@candybeats2253]

Genius!!!! I'm from Brazil and your video was the only one with the best solution, thank you!

[@JackrabbitCrafts]

Awesome thank you for the clear explanation. Got my grandfather's 1950s Zippo working again in minutes.

[@digitaldan8223]

This video helped me get a brand new Zippo that I gave to my Dad back in 1985 working! Thanks!

[@PauleyDucati]

Good idea with the drill. It would have taken me forever to clear the hole with my tiny hex key I ground down into a square to "twist" away the flint remnents. Not sure why 5 people gave your video a thumbs down, it was a Sound method to repair something, free knowledge...how can that be negative or inconvenience someone in any way??? lmao I hate people with a passion. Thanks for posting though, I gave it a thumb up hahaha!

[@binaryglitch64]

Perhaps the people thumbs-downing are people who think they know better and believe that this man is spreading bad practices... to be clear I'm merely speculating, I'm not one of the people who thumbs-downed the video.

[@cameronmoore72]

I agree mate. The use of the drill was a light bulb moment for me. I to was scratching away with a hex key until I found this video.

[@coltonloustalot2318]

Thanks man I had my pawpaw's old navy lighter and I finally restored it thanks to this

[@MarkRowland76]

Brilliant! Fixed my old Zippo. Thanks for the video

[@xTheBeastKingx]

You saved my life today lol. Just did that a few days ago and i just had the the time to look it up. You my man are a helpful person. Thank you.

[@joshb5108]

Thank you for this video!!! I recently bought a 1960's Zippo Moderne Bright Rhodium Table Lighter in near mint condition and unfired. The seller said his grandmother removed the flint so the kids wouldn't play with it and it just needed a flint to work. Reality was it had a corroded stuck flint and didn't accept a new flint. Being in such mint condition, I was afraid to run the drill bit through it, so i made sure to adjust the bit to barely fit the tube without extending too far to hit the wheel when it came out. Took my time and tested my patience...worked like a charm!! Thank you so much!!

[@E-BikingAdventures]

Thanks. i just fixed a free-wheeling zippo I bought at the pond shop using this method. It had a jammed flint. One important thing you should have mentioned in this video is when you inset the drill bit into the chuck, hold it up against the zippo and measure(eye-ball) the amount of drill bit sticking out of the chuck so that the bit will stop right before it goes through and damages or hits the wheel.

[@jajajdjdjdj6434]

Whats a pont shop

[@E-BikingAdventures]

@@jajajdjdjdj6434 . You tell me. I haven't touched that message in three years and it says pond shop.

[@bentleylongaker]

may be an old post but thanx worked great.... we have FIRE again

[@deannazee6368]

Thank you so much for this video. My father who passed away this past June had a zippo that was passed down to me and I couldn’t figure out how to make it work again and now because of you it’s working so thank you so so much☝️💕🙏🏼

[@ianseccafien4339]

Your sir are a bloody legend, you helped me fix my late father in law's present we gave him many years ago and is ours again now. I don't smoke anymore but will use it to light candles and think of him. Thank you

[@johnnyhubert3768]

Thanks! I had to use thicker bit to get mine out. You saved the day.

[@CCjr67]

Thanks!!!! This was exactly my problem! I had found a zippo I had bought back in the early 90’s in a box and it wasn’t working. It is now!! Thanks for the assist 😊👍

[@amandahutkowski3113]

thank you for actually being helpful ❤️

[@kevinolaughlin4278]

Thanks a lot, that was my idea but I wasn’t sure it was a good one. Thanks for the information

[@TheRealAquus]

Awesome video and thank you! This worked for my early 90s camel lighter.

[@bradoly100]

Thanks for this video. Worked like a charm. Appreciate it

[@sethc758]

I was thinking of using a drill bit but was hesitant to use a drill with it bc i was afraid i would cut into the threads. Glad i found this thanks.

[@michaelscaramuzzino9297]

Thank you so much, just fixed my lighter I bought on ebay

[@Speedogg138]

Enjoy! :)

[@lampstanddevotions6330]

Worked beautifully! Thank you.

[@runarja]

Thanks for help man. I didnt needed a drill i just pushed it all the way up and now its working.

[@Justanoldrunner]

Thank you! I recently obtained my fathers mid 1960’s Zippo from the submarine Vallejo SSBN 658 plank owner. It had this problem and thanks to you, it’s fixed. He was a non smoker btw

[@rll1954]

Thank you. Very helpful. My dad's lighter had the same problem. I just used the drill bit by hand and got the old flint out.

[@jstarjay]

Thank You very much. It took a couple of video views of others till I found the correct one. Very intelligible I thank you once more.

[@jonathanbrooks4782]

Worked like a charm. Thank you!

[@davestagner]

Thanks! I recently inherited my grandfather's old Ronson, which hasn't been struck in 40 years, and it's the same construction with the same problem. Now I have a plan for tonight. :) Drill, baby, drill!

[@kingni1st]

Thanks for the info. It's terrific knowledge. Thank you.

[@alexmarieclark4819]

You just saved 7 original inserts from the 70’s from going in the trash! Thank you for this amazingly helpful video!

[@robbiek1999]

Thank you for posting. I was able to restore my late father's Zippo lighter. That meant a lot...

[@ossieclarke6207]

thanks, just got my old zippo making sparks again!!

[@brianellis6906]

If you’re concerned about messing up, I started by just twisting the drill bit with my fingers and it worked like a charm. Thanks for the advice

[@cameronmoore72]

Great video mate. The use of the drill was a light bulb moment - I didn’t think of that. Cheers.

[@kivstahem]

tnx man i tot my flint stuck in my dads zippo and he loves his zippo

[@coltonblood2776]

Thank u so much i just found my old man’s Harley zippo. Thanks again

[@Speedogg138]

Cheers! :)

[@mauriziototo7275]

Thank you! I was able to remove the stuck flint with the drill!!

[@sebastianusami]

Thanks, i have been fighting so much to get mine unjamed. I just wouldn't have thought of drilling it out.

[@xCOBRAx28]

Thank you so much. I was able to restore my father in laws old marines zippo. It was like a gift handed to my wife through the grave.

[@mikecougar3563]

Thank you.. worked perfectly!!

[@nathanjordan1782]

Exactly what I needed

[@lars3001]

thank you, you are a life saver

[@Speedogg138]

I appreciate the comment, and am glad you saved a Zippo! :D

[@TheIronMoose]

Excellent solution my good man, thanks a ton from 2024

[@Paintedbike]

It works great. Thank you very much.

[@carmensanjuan-lorie]

Thank you so much!

[@leemartin5878]

Thank you watched the video now have a perfect working zippo it went from jammed solid too spinning freely till I got the drill out 😊👍

[@Monotonyman2010]

Thanks for the tip!

[@codymosteller4379]

very helpful. thank you.

[@whittgym7215]

Thank you so much this helped me fix an old lighter my grandpa gave to me

[@jimpaddock7745]

Thank you! It worked great.

[@kenny05ify]

thank you so much!

[@michaelbeh8892]

Excellent, need to make the 2nd tool. Old broken screwdriver should do

[@Astro80s]

Fixed my 1995 zippo thank u

[@brandonbollinger393]

thanks man, exactly what i needed to know.

[@jackhenshall1609]

Thanks for the help

[@jonfoulkes3160]

cheers boss, this helped alot 👊

[@saxon_phd]

I used a an Allen/hex wrench and a hammer. I only had one in mine. It corroded from having it in my pocket in the sea kayak.

[@marcelowarkentin4321]

Thank you so much !!!! :D

[@miguelazcona3528]

awesome!! thank you!!

[@dakota9198]

Thankyou so much

[@captainscentsible1811]

I had no drill but that small. I used a needle in my drill and it took forever. But i got it to work.

[@jonasries7163]

Nice Video

[@SensicalOxymoron]

Wow, thanks man.

[@meatsys]

Very cool! Thought at first it was Quentin Tarantino talking.

[@dmjrader19941994]

thank you!

[@tonycostello73]

thanks very helpful

[@anthonysmerdon44]

I just purchased an unopened zippo from the 60's and it wont spark, the flint looks rusted and green so I used a screwdriver to poke at it but nothing happened except a bunch of dust and rust pouring out.

[@dachamplamp]

THANK YOU!!

[@scott4639]

Great vid man. But could you not have told me this last night... you know, before I ordered a new insert from ScAmazon?

[@georgequinnell9506]

Hey man, I have the same problem with a trench lighter I just picked up. The wheel is completely stuck, and you can even see the piece of flint that is jammed in there but it will not come out no matter how hard I try. Since the flint tube is essentially blocked on the top by the striker wheel, and you can't access the bottom due to the un-removable spring, would you happen to have any advice or tips on how to remove the flint? I've been trying to pry it out with a flat head screwdriver, but like I said it won't budge at all. I've been dying to get myself one of these lighters and finally did, but I want to get it working if possible.

[@hansvanloon1062]

Hi, this is my problem as well, though i don't have a drill, is their a way I coud do something apart from buying a drill?

[@InlikeMikeQuinn]

great video, you sound like Captian Kirk (William Shatner)

[@Noel_FGC]

you Saint thank you

[@thecrowrains]

QUESTION for 'Speedogg138' = Does a frozen / stuck Flint Wheel, that appears to have a corroded flint stuck to it mean that my flint in the tube is corroded? I used a magnifying glass and the wheel directly above the flint tube shows "something" stuck to it. Has my flint corroded? The wheel is not moving as of yet. I have not used it since '95 when I quit smoking, but I liked my brass Zippo so much I kept it in a safe, dry place. As for your video = THANKS for an exclamation about a Zippo not working due to the flint corroding to 'dust'. My flint-wheel does not spin freely, it is rust-free but the wheel is not able to rotate. I had no idea flint would corrode and (possibly) freeze my flint-wheel. My flint-wheel is stuck rock-solid: time to try the 1/16th inch drill and hopefully remedy the situation. **Again, question in this at top. Thank You!

[@Speedogg138]

I would give it a try. Just go light on the drill, as to not damage the wheel. Worst comes to worst, send it to ZIppo and they will fix it free of charge.

[@thatwhitecat]

would this work on a a Cartier lighter ??

[@vickiemalone9098]

I found a nice, never used zippo lighter that was given to my now deceased Dad when he retired. It's sentimental to me because his initials & retirement date are engraved on it, so I wanted to start using it. After several attempts, I could never get it to light, so I decided to put in a new flint. ( YES I did put lighter fluid in it 🤣 ) After being unsuccessful at finding flint ( OTHER THAN ORDERING ONLINE ) I called the zippo company for suggestions as to what the problem could be. They said it was very possible the flint was old. They very graciously sent me some flint &&& now I working on it again. I watched your video, but I'm still stumped. When I pulled the spring out the flint was ATTACHED to it... should it have been attached ?? It's not clogged or anything because the flint is visible where it should be. I didn't want to pull the flint off & possibly mess something up. PLEASE HELP !!

[@Speedogg138]

The spring has a flint shaped follower on the end, attached to it. Many people confuse that for a flint.

[@mjozic3785]

How much is the drill in milimeters??

[@Aryan-tz7zk]

I used my iphones sim tool it worked just fine

[@kevmrales]

what if you dont have a drill

[@duartesimoes508]

It happened to me. Fortunately I was able to push the old flint out with a hair needle. Try this first, it may suffice.

[@hounddogg9664]

What if we dont have a drill?

[@rasta6603]

Legend

[@pepasmradlavy279]

Thx

[@golnectr]

I suspected this would be the answer, but I was hoping for something more lazy. Nope. Gotta go grab my drill. Of course, it worked.

[@remington-7008]

thanks

[@WUTANGCLANMOFOS]

I just got one from ebay and had this problem but now it is solved! thank you! I just have one concern. the tone of the flicking seems odd. I dont know if when there is a thick design sodered to it if it changed the tone.. Thanks to anyone who can help me with that.

[@Speedogg138]

Do you mean the click sound?

[@WUTANGCLANMOFOS]

Speedogg138 yeah well when I open it

[@wilhelmhimmel7913]

+Speedogg138: Is that a genuine real Zippo? I have one like you and an 'expert' said mine is fake because of the "Made in ZIPPO USA" writing which should say "ZIPPO Made in USA". Also the writing is 90° tilted on the insert which is not the case on my other Zippos. Thanks a Lot Bill

[@jorgealba9311]

Thanks for the vid I was going to throw it away

[@mythsheep]

thanks i just fixed my zippo! :D

[@michaelgoff9948]

You saved my lighter.👍

[@tylonahambrick2837]

Sooooo I don’t have a damn drill .

[@Heikki_Finland]

Oh man, this is too harsh! I have had that situation many times but i would never go drilling! Poking with a needle has always been enough. Also salt water dissolves the flint quite effectively so in the direst situation you could try dissolving some of it to make it move. You'll end up drilling the tube too big or the threads away if you continue doing this. A tip to take worn flints out is to pull the spring downwards slowly so that the flint would rest on the spring which would keep it leveled as it descends, not turning sideways. Doesn't always work but is worth doing.

[@jaybabcock4557]

Use a drill bit that is the same size as the flint and drill slow. Flints do not drill out easy. You don't want to drill the striker wheel.