Do we have a Zippo expert here?

[StephenFord]

I have just had my late dad's Zippo lighter returned to me from Zippo after repair. Works fine, but the lid hinge is very stiff. I must have opened/closed it over 100 times but it's still stiff. 3 in 1 oil also made no difference. Zippo lids are usually very free moving allowing a nice 'flick' action to extinguish the flame, I can't do that on this one now. I'm loathed to fettle with it as I don't know what to do to loosen it, and am afraid of breaking it. Any suggestions?

[Turvey]

I presume it was sent back to Zippo for repair? If so get back in touch with them and see if they can suggest anything.

 

https://www.thelightershop.co.uk/repairs.html

[Stoney871]

Usually it's just that the hinge parts have been pinched too tight.

Remove the insides and put an old plastic card (nectar card etc) between the upper and lower case near the hinge then close the case onto the card just enough to slightly put tension on the hinge parts.

This should loosen the hinge a bit.

[StephenFord]

11 hours ago, Stoney871 said:

Usually it's just that the hinge parts have been pinched too tight.

Remove the insides and put an old plastic card (nectar card etc) between the upper and lower case near the hinge then close the case onto the card just enough to slightly put tension on the hinge parts.

This should loosen the hinge a bit.

**** it!! Hinge just broke  🤬 🤬 🤬 LOL It's back off to Zippo again 😐

[Marineboy]

So sorry I didn't get to this sooner because there's a trick my dad showed me (bit of an engineer).  I had an old bike and one of the throttle control lever pivots above the carbs was sticky.  I was at a loss as to how it had become too tight and was not at all happy.  I was on the edge of hitting it with a hammer (anywhere on the bike would have done - I was quite young).  What he suggested was a bloo** miracle as I'd also already done the working it backwards and forwards thing to no avail.  He said drop a tiny bit of metal polish into the pivot (effectively a hinge) as you would if it was WD40, and you were trying to free it up.  So I did and bug** me it worked.  So, the tiny bit of abrasiveness in the polish reduced the size of frictional surfaces enough to do the trick and Voilà it was sorted.  I think I blasted the hinge with WD to remove any remaining polish so it wouldn't continue to cause wear after freeing it up, then I greased it of course.  This is probably deemed to be a workaround but it's something I've never forgotten as it was a real saver at the time.  If Zippo don't get it right again, maybe worth a shot?

[StephenFord]

3 hours ago, Marineboy said:

So sorry I didn't get to this sooner ....

Yes, me too, that would have been handy LOL When I get my Zippo back (again!), if it's too tight, I'll try that. I've had Zippos repaired before and they have always come back 100%, the tech working on my dad's lighter must have just had an off day!

[Turvey]

@MarineboyI presume you mean something like Brasso? Or something else that's easily available 🤔

[StephenFord]

7 minutes ago, Turvey said:

@MarineboyI presume you mean something like Brasso? Or something else that's easily available 🤔

Peek, Brasso, Silvo, Autosol, Meguiars metal polish, I have them all! LOL

[Marineboy]

17 hours ago, Turvey said:

I presume you mean something like Brasso?

Yes well quessed.  If memory serves, I think it was Brasso.  Maybe start with the finest you can find and see how it goes.

[kmoore04uk]

Hey even toothpaste would do it. Probably even less abrasive than Brasso

[StephenFord]

4 minutes ago, kmoore04uk said:

Hey even toothpaste would do it. Probably even less abrasive than Brasso

From experience, I have found toothpaste to be useless for anything other than cleaning teeth. It's mooted as a solution to restore car headlights, and even removing minor scratches from watch glass, all it does is makes things minty fresh LOL

[kmoore04uk]

Well I did say it was probably the least abrasive!

[TomsFocus]

Don't forget toothpaste isn't all the same, they do vary in abrasiveness.

Also wondering how much use your Zippo gets if you don't smoke...?  Birthday cake candles?  Incense sticks?  

[StephenFord]

5 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Also wondering how much use your Zippo gets if you don't smoke...?  Birthday cake candles?  Incense sticks?  

LOL, I'm a fiddler! I'm like a child whose mum always shouts at them for playing with matches, I always have one to hand. There is something very tactile about a Zippo, the cool feel of the metal, the distinctive sound it make when the lid is opened, the firmness of the striking wheel as you flick it, the smell of the petrol as it ignites, the ritual of refilling it with fuel, or replacing the flint, or even knowing the heritage of the lighter., Yes, I do know I'm sad and should probably seek help 🤣

[Turvey]

I'm an ex-smoker with a Zippo and I know exactly what you mean. I could sit and open, light and close my Zippo for ages if it didn't annoy everyone else! 😄

Very tactile indeed.

[StephenFord]

Yet another Zippo use - I have a cat who loses her collar regularly, so on putting a new one on her I have to trim the collar for length., I use my Zippo to melt the edge of it so it doesn't fray LOL

[BigLen]

5 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Yet another Zippo use - I have a cat who loses her collar regularly, so on putting a new one on her I have to trim the collar for length., I use my Zippo to melt the edge of it so it doesn't fray LOL

safety suggestion; take it off the cat before melting the end or the cat might go woof 😅

[TomsFocus]

I recently bought a Rubiks cube to fiddle with...sounds like I should have bought a Zippo instead!

 

[StephenFord]

Look what I got back today! Lighter hinge is now just perfect, and to compensate for me having to post it back so soon after initial repair, got some nice complimentary bits sent with it! Also, I only sent the case back, and it's been returned to me with a brand new insert.

Now, if only Zippo made cars!