A high-quality cigar lighter is one of those little luxuries that make life a lot more fun. The elegant finishes, environmentally-friendly nature of a reusable device and the reliable service make them as practical as they are indulgent. They will have trouble, however, from time to time. A lighter is such an inherently simple device that it's generally very easy to figure out what is causing the difficulty.
The first part in determining what's causing the failure is taking note of the symptoms. Is the flint wheel resistant to turning? Is the igniter functioning but failing to light up the jet or wick? Most often, there will be one or two things which will be revealed to be the problem.
Start by looking into the fuel jets. This is a particularly easy problem to troubleshoot on multi-jet lighters. If two out of three jets ignite, it's almost certain that the third is obstructed. To remove any obstructions, tap the lighter, very gently, on a hard surface while keeping the jets inverted. Most often, whatever is clogging them will fall out. If this doesn't work, simply use a wire or toothpick to gently free the obstruction.
If the lighter has an electronic igniter, there may be other issues at hand. Make certain that the igniter is producing spark. Don't stick one's face directly over the lighter when doing this, however! Simply cup a hand over the lighter to block out light, hold it away from the face and trip the ignition. It should give off a nice, visible spark. If not, check for obstructions. If there are no obstructions and there still is no spark, the lighter may need servicing.
On an electronic lighter with no spark, the affair is a bit more complex. If any obstructions have been removed and there is still no spark, there may be a problem with the igniter itself. Most often, this will require the intervention of a qualified service person to fix. The lighter may either be brought to a shop or sent back to the company. Most companies warranty their products for quite a while and there is usually little or no difficulty in securing a repair. Don't attempt to remove the igniter one's self. Doing so incorrectly can damage the lighter permanently and will almost certainly void the warranty. These problems need to be fixed by someone with the right tools and knowledge.
Dave Sabot is the owner of an online specialty lighters store. With expert knowledge of cigar accessories, including zippo lighters, Dave also authors a premier cigar reviews blog.
