A Lighter Overhaul – What Does That Mean?
99.9% of all repairable lighters that come in for service require what we call a lighter “overhaul”. But what does that consist of and what’s the process? Not to mention–what’s the difference between overhauling a butane lighter vs a petrol lighter?
Overhaul Butane
An overhaul of your butane lighter means that the cigarette, cigar or pipe lighter will be completely disassembled and thoroughly inspected for worn or broken parts. Those damaged parts will be replaced with factory original parts. New seals will be put in place. The valve system will be carefully rebuilt. The tank will be tested for leaks and any leaks found will be repaired. Then a thorough cleaning is done to both the inside and outside of your lighter. Once complete, the outside is polished and then the lighter passes onto testing.
Overhaul Petrol
An overhaul of your petrol lighter, which is any lighter that uses lighter fluid instead of butane gas (like a Zippo and many older and vintage lighters), means that the lighter is completely disassembled. Then, all the cotton packing is removed from the tank of the lighter as well as the cotton wick. Any worn springs are replaced and cut to custom length for that particular lighter. The flint tube is then drilled out to remove any “frozen” flints or flint residue. Any worn or broken parts are replaced from the lighter mechanism with factory original parts. The lighter is thoroughly cleaned inside and out. A new wick and new cotton packing are replaced to hold the lighter fluid. The outside is polished and then the lighter passes onto testing.
Testy, Testy
Testing your lighter is essential prior to shipping in order to make sure that the repair was done correctly. We also want to ensure that the lighter is free of leaks. The lighter is filled, tested, adjusted, re-tested, adjusted again and then left to sit for 2-3 days. After sitting untouched, the lighter is tested again to ensure that no leaks are present and all is functioning.
After testing, your lighter passes to the shipping department where it is tested again prior to shipping label creation. All butane or fluid is then emptied from the lighter before shipment. We cannot ship butane in a device that can cause combustion.
Save Your Eyebrows
Once you receive your lighter, be sure to fill it up with either butane or lighter fluid and give it a test. Please point it AWAY from your face… just in case. Note that butane lighters that have adjustable flame heights will be set to around a half an inch by the technician. Remember to keep your lighter clean and for heaven’s sake… don’t light candles with it. We HATE cleaning candle wax out of your lighters.
Sam