How do you change the flint on an Old Boy?

[GregNJ]

Funny story. Years ago, my wife came home from San Francisco with a new cigar lighter for me. Nice lighter. She told me at the time, "it wasn't cheap". However, I eventually stopped using traditional flame lighters in favor of torches. When I started poking around here for pipe lighter advice, I saw two recommendations; Zippos and Old Boys. I bought a Zippo. Out of curiosity, I went online to see what the Old Boys look like, and it turns out I already own one. However, it doesn't light. I suspect it's the flint. It's got to be ten years old. I Googled instructions on repairing an Old Boy, but all they said was to pull the screw and the spring from the top back. The flint is still in there and I'm not sure how it's suppose to come out. There doesn't look to be any other moving parts.

Help.

Thanks.

Greg

[dmkerr]

Wow - how to explain this without showing it? I'll give it a go.

The screw in question is at the top rear of the lighter. If you're holding the lighter getting ready to fire it up, the screw will be approximately next to your index finger knuckle. Unscrew it (it can be turned with the fingers) and put in a new flint.

Originally Posted by GregNJ

Funny story. Years ago, my wife came home from San Francisco with a new cigar lighter for me. Nice lighter. She told me at the time, "it wasn't cheap". However, I eventually stopped using traditional flame lighters in favor of torches. When I started poking around here for pipe lighter advice, I saw two recommendations; Zippos and Old Boys. I bought a Zippo. Out of curiosity, I went online to see what the Old Boys look like, and it turns out I already own one. However, it doesn't light. I suspect it's the flint. It's got to be ten years old. I Googled instructions on repairing an Old Boy, but all they said was to pull the screw and the spring from the top back. The flint is still in there and I'm not sure how it's suppose to come out. There doesn't look to be any other moving parts.

Help.

Thanks.

Greg

[GregNJ]

Originally Posted by dmkerr

The screw in question is at the top rear of the lighter. If you're holding the lighter getting ready to fire it up, the screw will be approximately next to your index finger knuckle. Unscrew it (it can be turned with the fingers) and put in a new flint.

Thanks for trying. I've unscrewed every screw in that lighter and nothing is releasing the flint.

Greg

[IHT]

the flint may be gone, used up, no longer exists.
that happens to mine.

i have a post somewhere on here with a scanned copy of the old boy directions.

jackpot!! hard to search for "old boy" since both words are 3 letters. took me a while searching for "corona" on a cigar board, even with my posts only.
Corona Old Boy Help

[IHT]

oh... you want the flint to come out??? why? it won't light without a flint.

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by GregNJ

Thanks for trying. I've unscrewed every screw in that lighter and nothing is releasing the flint.

Greg

As IHT mentioned, the flint has been used up, so nothing will come out. But if you add a new flint to the place I stated, you'll have fire!

[GregNJ]

Originally Posted by dmkerr

As IHT mentioned, the flint has been used up, so nothing will come out. But if you add a new flint to the place I stated, you'll have fire!

Interesting. I think there's still a flint. Regardless, even after looking at the diagrams IHT was kind enough to post, I'm still unclear. I think I'll try bringing it my brother-in-law's house. He's way handier than I.

Thanks everyone.

Greg

[JohnnyFlake]

I hope this photo helps!

Just remove the screw, a spring is attached to the screw and will come out as well. At the end of the spring is a metal cap that pushes the flint. Don't worry about getting the flint out. Just place a new piece of flint in the feeder tube and replace the screw/spring. As you do so, it will push the new flint into place. If there is any of the original left, it will be pushed in front of the new piece of flint and it will be used up as you use the lighter.

[IHT]

same Old Boy i have, john. only yours is much cleaner.

[JohnnyFlake]

Originally Posted by IHT

same Old Boy i have, john. only yours is much cleaner.

Actually that one is still brand new. I bought two identical Old Boys about six, maybe seven years ago, at a deal of a price. I put that one away, figuring I'll have a new one when the one I started with was lost, broken beyond repair or whatever. Thankfully, the one I started with is still going like a champ. It's all carboned up right now, so I need to take a tooth brush and brush it down with Everclear as I have many times in the past.