How to Use a Lighter

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It can be hard to use a lighter until you figure out the knack. Don't worry: many people have shared your struggle, and many of these people have grown into expert fire-starters. Be patient, be safe, and keep experimenting until you get it! Frequent practice will serve you well here.

Lighting a Lighter

• The spark wheel is made of serrated, hardened steel wire. When it is rotated with sufficient speed and force, it will strike a bar of flint within the lighter, creating a spark.
• The ignition button, when pressed, releases the gas valve to the fuel tank. In order to light the lighter, you'll need to strike the sparkwheel and hold the ignition button at the exact same time. Don't worry--the process is much simpler than it may sound.
• On Bic lighters, the ignition button is made of red plastic, and it sits on the fork of the lighter next to the sparkwheel. On Zippo lighters, the ignition button is round and metallic, and it is embedded into the lighter directly below the sparkwheel.

• Find a grip that feels comfortable. You may need to experiment with your thumb at several angles before you get it right.
• Apply light pressure to the sparkwheel, such that the sparkwheel presses into the ignition button and releases the gas valve. Now, you just need to make a spark.

• If it works, the sparkwheel will strike a spark, which will ignite the gas that is released by the ignition button. You will know immediately: either the lighter will make a steady flame, or nothing will happen.
• If you roll the sparkwheel with sufficient speed and force, but the lighter sparks and does not ignite--try again. If the lighter continues to spark but not ignite, the gas reserves may be low or empty. Try using another lighter.

• Make sure that you're rolling the sparkwheel fast enough. Grip the rest of the lighter with your other four fingers, as if clenching a fist around a stress ball, and only move your thumb. Keep your hand steady.
• Try pressing the ignition button once or twice without using the sparkwheel, just to make sure that you are pressing it down all the way. If you aren't applying enough force, you may not be releasing enough gas.

Safely Using a Lighter

• Keep your hand away from the flame, and from the thing that you are lighting. Be careful not to burn yourself.

• Avoid lighting fires in flammable settings, at least until you are more confident in your ability.
• Only strike your lighter in a well-ventilated area. If you smell gas in the air, or if you know that there has been a leak, don't risk igniting it. Avoid using your lighter while filling up gas, or while handling containers that have held flammable gas.
• Be especially cautious when lighting fires in dry woodlands or grasslands, particularly in the summer. Wildfires can burn thousands of acres from only a spark, and the wind can take a fire out of your control in an instant. [3] X Trustworthy Source US National Park Service Agency responsible for the maintenance and promotion of national parks and monuments Go to source

• Lighters are made from metal and plastic, both of which conduct heat rather well. Be careful not to burn yourself.
• If a lighter grows too hot to handle, let it cool down for a few minutes before you resume using it.

• If you want to conserve gas, keep the switch toward the - side. Adjust as necessary.
• If you want a large, impressive flame, or if you want to keep your hand far away from the thing that you are lighting, keep the switch toward the + side. Be aware that this will guzzle the fuel reserves much more quickly: larger flame means more gas.

Be aware that butane lighters do not work well above 10,000 feet. If you're venturing to high altitudes, consider bringing matches. [4] X Research source

• Turn the sparkwheel until you find the gap in the safety band: a point where the metal does not quite meet. Stick a narrow but sturdy object, like a key or a screwdriver, through the flame hole of the lighter, and use the rim of the hole as leverage to pry the safety band apart. Work slowly, and protect your eyes--the safety band has been known to fly off suddenly.
• Be aware that the safety band is there to keep children from using the lighter. [5] X Trustworthy Source State of Massachusetts Official website for the State of Massachusetts Go to source Your sparkwheel will turn more easily with the band gone, but make sure that you store it properly.

Expert Q&A

Tips

In order to avoid the dangers of overheating, don't allow your lighter to burn continuously for more than two minutes. Let the lighter cool down before resuming use.

Don't play with fire. Do not hold the flame near anything flammable. Do not hold the flame near your face or clothing, nor the face or clothing of anyone else.

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1. ↑https://sciencing.com/butane-lighters-work-4962894.html
2. ↑https://www.phoenix.gov/fire/safety-information/fire-safety/matches
3. ↑https://www.nps.gov/articles/campfires.htm
4. ↑https://www.police1.com/off-duty/articles/going-the-distance-8-lighters-take-the-high-altitude-challenge-pGnYBlWJ2TI4CAv5/
5. ↑https://www.mass.gov/info-details/prevent-children-from-playing-with-lighters-and-matches

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 15 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 737,993 times.

To use a lighter, hold it in your dominant hand with your thumb on the serrated sparkwheel at the top. Then, make a quick, powerful motion with your thumb that rolls the sparkwheel down into the ignition button. If it works, the lighter will produce a steady flame. However, it may take you multiple tries to apply the right amount of speed and force to the sparkwheel. Try pressing harder on the sparkwheel or putting your thumb closer to the ignition button, if you are really struggling to get the lighter to spark. Unless the lighter is broken or low on gas, it should eventually light. For more advice, like how to adjust the gas flow on your lighter, read on!

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Reader Success Stories

"I bought my first lighter this afternoon to use on the candles in my bedroom. I couldn't figure out how to use it and make a flame until I read this guide. I had to use my non-dominant hand in order to turn the wheel with enough force to make a spark, so if you're having trouble, try that instead." . " more