Question Cleaning Cigarette Lighter

atomicbrh

Elite Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
761
Location
Central MS
Dug up a crusty, heavy cigarette lighter. The landowner found a Minie ball 25 years ago but had turned that area into a shooting range which was full of 22 rimfire brass making detecting impossible. Mrs. atomicbrh found what looks like some kind of silver dental crown off of a human tooth. I took off into the adjacent woods and found the lighter buried about 10 inches deep. After spraying with WD40, I was able to get it open. It looks old. It still has a wick in it, but the internals are rusty. I have a bead blast cabinet and a vibratory cleaner with both walnut, corn and polisher.
How do you clean lighters in this condition?
 
Not sure how you would clean up one but if it's a Zippo they are warrantied forever and you may be able to send it in to get refurbed if there is enough left. I'm sure they would clean it up and replace the guts or replace it.
 
Not sure how you would clean up one but if it's a Zippo they are warrantied forever and you may be able to send it in to get refurbed if there is enough left. I'm sure they would clean it up and replace the guts or replace it.

Cannot determine a brand name even under magnification.
There is some writing on the bottom, but we cannot determine what it is.
 
You guys are geniuses.
Put some brass polish on a soft paper towel and cleaned it until legible.
"Zippo"
Debating on whether to send it off or not for a rebuild.
It appears to be one of the cheaper non-chrome models.
Still, it is a cool find from the middle of nowhere and we may just keep it as it is.
 
They all have a date code on the bottom. That may help with your decision. If you can get the case all cleaned up and the insert out, I’ll send you the inside. I have several spares lying around.
 
They all have a date code on the bottom. That may help with your decision. If you can get the case all cleaned up and the insert out, I’ll send you the inside. I have several spares lying around.
It is in bad shape. The lid and hinge are thin and fragile. I doubt the date code could ever be made visible because it is so corroded inside and out. I cannot find a photo of this particular lighter. It is smooth on one side but the other side has horizontal ridges with a narrow smooth band at the top of the bottom half. The lighter was probably in the ground for decades. I am guessing it belonged to the WW 2 veteran who lived on the property most of his adult life. We may ship it off to Zippo to see if they can work a miracle on it.
 
It is in bad shape. The lid and hinge are thin and fragile. I doubt the date code could ever be made visible because it is so corroded inside and out. I cannot find a photo of this particular lighter. It is smooth on one side but the other side has horizontal ridges with a narrow smooth band at the top of the bottom half. The lighter was probably in the ground for decades. I am guessing it belonged to the WW 2 veteran who lived on the property most of his adult life. We may ship it off to Zippo to see if they can work a miracle on it.

These videos are pretty awesome for lighter restorations, might want to check it out!
https://youtu.be/i53uuCAu17U
 
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