The different parts of the Zippo

The Zippo lighter is made up of several parts; we are going to break them down here in order to better understand how it works and how to maintain your Zippo.
A Zippo lighter has 22 parts and requires 108 operations for its manufacture.

The composition of the Zippo

The Zippo is made up of 2 main parts, the insert and the case:
The insert is the removable inner body that contains the entire mechanism of the Zippo lighter.
The case being the container for this insert where all the decorations are engraved.

The Zippo case

The Zippo case is made up of several parts:

• The hinge
• The Zippo lid
• The hinge pin

One of the components present here (the lid) is the one that produces the famous "click" when opening the Zippo, a sound recognized and greatly appreciated.

The Zippo insert

The insert itself has a larger number of components:

• The wick
• The wheel
• The wheel rivet
• The eyelet
• The cam spring
• The cam
• Cam rivet
• A Lamella
• The insert

Regarding the insert, there is also an internal mechanism. Here is a list of all the components of this internal system:

• Tube fastening
• Cotton balls
• Felt pad
• The flint
• Brass tip
• The spring
• The part to close everything up

Zoom on the Zippo insert

The insert includes a fuel reservoir, an ignition system, and a closing system.
The reservoir is made of small cotton balls held in place by a felt pad. The wick, which winds through the cotton and comes out through the chimney, is soaked by capillary action.The original shape of the chimney is what made the Zippo so successful because it prevents the flame from going out even in a strong wind. The ignition system consists of a metal wheel and a flint for Zippo lighters. The flint, contained in a tube that runs through the entire insert, is held under pressure thanks to a brass cap located on the spring, which itself is held by a screw in the tube.By friction on the wheel, the stone produces a shower of sparks that ignites the vapors of

Zippo lighter fluid and then the wick.

The cam is the movable part on the side of the insert opposite the wheel that keeps the lighter closed and thus reduces the evaporation of the fluid. It is what produces the so characteristic sound of the Zippo when opening and closing the lighter.