I have an old Ronson pencil lighter that i had to drill the flint out of. It probably hasn't been used in many years. I put a new flint in it but the spark wheel wont spin to create the spark. Any tips to get it to work? I don't want to over tighten the pin holding the wheel in place, the threads are unbelievably small and I am sure they would strip easily.
Lighter repair?
- Thread starter razorector
- Start date
simon1
Self Ignored by Vista
Does the wheel spin with no flint or spring in it? If it does, try putting the flint in and only tightening the flint spring screw about a half to one turn, then strike it a few times to get the sharp edge off of the flint and establish the angle on the flint that it works at. Then tighten the spring screw up a few turns at a time and if it gets to a point where the wheel locks up back the screw out a bit until it works.
That's what I have to do with my vintage Ronson pocket lighter; I usually leave the spring screw about halfway out , then as the flint wears down I tighten it up a bit. If that doesn't work you might try taking it to a jeweler to see if he could do anything with it...they are not complicated. If you would rather send it to a regular repair man here's a link. I have not used him or know anything about his business except what he has on his site.
http://ronsonrepair.com/index.html
Also, when I first got my pocket lighter it would spark some, but not enough to light the wick. I tried cleaning the build-up between the wheel's teeth with a toothbrush but it still didn't work well (I had to put pressure on the cap with my thumb then let it slip out from under my thumb when lighting it). I finally took the wheel completely out, soaked it in scrubbing bubbles for awhile, then gave it a good scrubbing with a toothbrush style brush that has stainless steel bristles. I put it back together and it works like a charm now. The parts on your pencil lighter are probably much smaller than a pocket lighter and I don't know if you'd want to go that route or not.
Let us know how it turns out.
That's what I have to do with my vintage Ronson pocket lighter; I usually leave the spring screw about halfway out , then as the flint wears down I tighten it up a bit. If that doesn't work you might try taking it to a jeweler to see if he could do anything with it...they are not complicated. If you would rather send it to a regular repair man here's a link. I have not used him or know anything about his business except what he has on his site.
http://ronsonrepair.com/index.html
Also, when I first got my pocket lighter it would spark some, but not enough to light the wick. I tried cleaning the build-up between the wheel's teeth with a toothbrush but it still didn't work well (I had to put pressure on the cap with my thumb then let it slip out from under my thumb when lighting it). I finally took the wheel completely out, soaked it in scrubbing bubbles for awhile, then gave it a good scrubbing with a toothbrush style brush that has stainless steel bristles. I put it back together and it works like a charm now. The parts on your pencil lighter are probably much smaller than a pocket lighter and I don't know if you'd want to go that route or not.
Let us know how it turns out.
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A loose, new flint can actually prevent the flint wheel from turning.
If the flint wheel turns freely with no flint installed, then go ahead and install the flint, and run the flint wheel backwards to "eat off" the sharp edges of the flint. You can then run it forward in the "normal" direction and get the spark you need.
If the flint wheel turns freely with no flint installed, then go ahead and install the flint, and run the flint wheel backwards to "eat off" the sharp edges of the flint. You can then run it forward in the "normal" direction and get the spark you need.
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks for the advice guys. The flint is slightly smaller diameter than the tube so i suppose that doesn't help. Even without the flint The wheel only turns sometimes. On ether side of the wheel there are gears pressed into the cap and they are supposed to hold the wheel tightly in place. One is loose now so I'm afraid i wont be able to do it myself. It is a simple design but it is just too small. Taking it to a jeweler is a great idea.
simon1
Self Ignored by Vista
It's been two or three years since I had mine apart, but I believe the gears on my model fell out when I took the flint wheel screws out and when I put them back in they locked to each side of the wheel and the little levers engaged them to turn the wheel. I imagine it could be a nightmare with something as small as your pencil lighter, especially if you don't have precision equipment to work on it with.
Without looking at yours I can't tell how or if your wheel design is different than the pocket model, but I did pull up some pictures on the bay...they look really neat!
Zippos were more popular back in the day but I did have a Ronson or two, and I remember seeing a lot of very decorative Ronson table lighters on living room coffee tables when I was a kid, but I don't believe I ever saw a pencil lighter. They seem to be going for quite a bit more on the bay than the regular plain jane pocket lighters.
Without looking at yours I can't tell how or if your wheel design is different than the pocket model, but I did pull up some pictures on the bay...they look really neat!
Zippos were more popular back in the day but I did have a Ronson or two, and I remember seeing a lot of very decorative Ronson table lighters on living room coffee tables when I was a kid, but I don't believe I ever saw a pencil lighter. They seem to be going for quite a bit more on the bay than the regular plain jane pocket lighters.
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- Thread starter
- #6
I took a short break from thinking about this lighter. I exchanged a few emails with the gentleman from the ronson repair website and he was quite helpful and quick to reply. It turns out that a small spring type peice that engages the spark wheel is missing. So I'm kind of out of luck unless i find another snuffer cap. I may be able to rig something up somehow though. The flint tube had a crack from the seized flint but it seems to hold lighter fluid. It works when i use another lighter to light it. Mine is similar to the one pictured above.
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