Quick answer: To replace a Zippo wick, pull the insert out of the case and remove everything from the bottom: the flint spring screw, the felt pad, the packing material and the old wick. Thread a new Zippo wick down through the chimney and bend the top over the chimney to hold it. Put the packing back in small pieces, in the order it came out, weaving the wick through it in an S pattern. Refit the felt pad and the flint spring, put the insert back in the case and trim the wick level with the chimney. That’s Zippo’s own wick procedure.

It takes about ten minutes the first time, and you won’t do it often: most of the time a tired wick only needs trimming.

Signs Your Zippo Wick Needs Replacing

Zippo says a new wick starts out white and turns black from carbon buildup over time, which reduces performance. A black tip on its own means trim, not replace. These are the signs the wick itself is done:

• It takes several strikes to light, even with fuel and a good spark. Zippo says the wick should be changed if the lighter doesn’t light properly or the ignition has to be repeated multiple times.
• You’ve already trimmed it two or three times. Each wick is almost four inches long, and after two or three trims there isn’t enough left inside the insert.
• The lighter has sat unused for years. An old wick is often dry and charred. A fresh wick and a full fill usually bring a vintage Zippo back, as our Zippo refill guide explains.

No spark at all? That’s the flint, not the wick; see our Zippo flint replacement guide. If the lighter lit fine last week and now won’t, check the fuel first. Zippo fluid evaporates even when the lighter isn’t used.

Trim or Replace? Start by Trimming

Trimming is the routine job. Zippo’s steps:

1. Grip the wick with tweezers or needle-nose pliers and gently pull it up until clean wick appears, about 1 cm. Grab it as far down as you can so it doesn’t rip.
2. Cut it off level with the top of the chimney with scissors or wire cutters.

Zippo suggests doing this once or twice a year. When you’ve trimmed it two or three times, it’s time for a new wick. Zippo Australia’s FAQ puts it even more simply: change the wick when the lighter doesn’t light properly or after you’ve pulled up and trimmed it twice.

If a trim brings back a steady flame, you’re done. If not, or there’s no wick left to pull, replace it.

What You Need

• A new wick. Genuine Zippo wicks are 100 mm (4 inches) long and fit every Zippo windproof lighter. A 5-wick pack covers years of replacements. If the flint is low as well, Zippo’s flint and wick co-pack has three flint cards and three wick cards.
• Tweezers or needle-nose pliers to pull out the packing and the old wick, and to feed the new one.
• Scissors or wire cutters for the final trim.
• A coin or a small flathead screwdriver for the flint spring screw.
• A tray or paper towel to keep the packing in the order it came out.
• Lighter fluid to refill once you’re done, such as Zippo lighter fluid.

It’s easiest with a nearly empty lighter. Work away from any flame and keep fluid off your hands; Zippo notes that lighter fluid is a skin irritant.

How to Replace a Zippo Wick, Step by Step

1. Let it cool, then pull the insert out of the case and turn it upside down over your tray.
2. Unscrew the flint spring counterclockwise with a coin. It’s under tension, so keep a finger over it as it comes out. Set the spring aside and note whether the flint stays in its tube.
3. Lift out the felt pad. An unfolded paper clip helps if it’s snug.
4. Pull out the packing. Use tweezers and take it out in pieces, laying them on the tray in the order they came out. Zippo says the pieces fit together better if you put them back in the same order.
5. Remove the old wick. Once the packing is out, pull the wick free from the bottom of the insert.
6. Thread the new wick through the chimney. Push it down through the chimney hole from the top, then pull it through from the bottom with tweezers. Zippo says you can also feed it up from the bottom of the insert. Leave a short tail sticking out above the chimney.
7. Bend the top of the wick over the chimney. This holds it in place while you repack. Zippo recommends it for both regular and slim models.
8. Repack in an S pattern. Put the packing back one small piece at a time, laying the wick back and forth between the pieces in a serpentine or “S” pattern. The goal, Zippo says, is to give the wick as much contact with the packing as possible.
9. Refit the felt pad and the flint spring. The pad goes over the flint tube, and the flint spring screw holds it down. Zippo’s reminder: make sure the flint didn’t fall out. Screw the spring in until it stops.
10. Put the insert back in the case and trim the wick level with the chimney.
11. Refill and test. Lift the felt pad and saturate the packing slowly until the fluid reaches the top of it. Wipe the lighter and your hands dry, then strike. A new wick may take a few strikes to draw up fuel the first time.

Pipe lighter? On a Zippo pipe lighter the chimney cap is removable. Slip your thumbnail under either end and lift it off before threading the wick.

How Often Should You Replace a Zippo Wick?

Zippo doesn’t give a fixed interval. Its Australian FAQ says it depends on your usage pattern. The guidance comes down to two rules:

• Trim once or twice a year when the tip turns black.
• Replace after two or three trims, or sooner if the lighter needs several strikes to catch.

At that trimming rate, an average user replaces a wick roughly every one to three years. Heavy users replace sooner. Flints wear much faster: Zippo says an average user needs a new flint every few weeks. That’s why the co-packs bundle more flints than wicks.

Check the wick each time you refill. If the tip is black and the flame is small, trim it while the insert is out.

Genuine Zippo Wicks vs Generic Wicks

Zippo tells you to use genuine Zippo wicks for replacement. Its FAQ says Zippo fluid, flints and wicks are all specially manufactured for optimum performance in its lighters. Zippo doesn’t publish specs for third-party wicks, so we can’t tell you how a given generic one will behave. Genuine wicks are inexpensive and last for years. Since a lighter only needs one every year or two, we’d stick with genuine: the 5-wick pack, a smaller genuine wick set if you maintain one lighter, or the flint and wick co-pack if you want to do both jobs.

Where to Buy Zippo Wicks Near Me

Wicks are easy to order online, but you can usually find them locally too:

• Zippo authorized dealers. Zippo’s store locator lists participating retailers. Its higher-tier Sterling and Copper retailers carry lighters along with fuel and other accessories. Look for the Zippo Authorized Dealer sticker.
• Tobacco and smoke shops. They’re the most likely to have Zippo wicks and flints on the counter, since they sell the lighters.
• Hardware and big-box stores. Ace Hardware says it stocks genuine Zippo replacement parts, from flints to wicks. Walmart lists Zippo wicks on its site. In-store stock varies, so check the store’s app or call ahead.
• Zippo.com. Zippo sells a single genuine wick directly.
• Amazon. The 5-wick pack is the easiest way to keep spares at home.

Butane Inserts and Hand Warmers Don’t Have Wicks

This guide is only for the classic fluid insert. Zippo’s butane torch inserts have no wick and no flint. They light with an ignition wire and burn butane, not lighter fluid. Our butane vs lighter fluid insert guide explains the difference.

Zippo hand warmer wick replacement? Zippo’s refillable hand warmers don’t have a wick either. They heat through a catalytic burner with no flame, and the part that wears out is the burner. Zippo sells a replacement burner that lasts about 70 uses and fits only the refillable models, not the rechargeable ones. Zippo says the burner must be replaced periodically and isn’t covered by the warranty.

Troubleshooting After a Wick Change

Still not lighting with fuel, a spark and a fresh wick? Zippo’s not-lighting checklist runs through the same suspects in order. If something is broken, every Zippo windproof lighter is covered by the lifetime “It works or we fix it free” guarantee. Our Zippo repair guide explains how to send one in.

FAQ

How do you replace the wick in a Zippo lighter? Remove the flint spring, felt pad, packing and old wick from the bottom of the insert. Thread the new wick down through the chimney, repack in small pieces with the wick in an S pattern, refit the pad and spring, then trim the wick level with the chimney.

Can you replace the wick in a Zippo? Yes. Zippo’s knowledge base has the full home procedure. You need a genuine wick, tweezers and scissors.

When should you replace a Zippo wick? After it has been trimmed two or three times, or when the lighter needs several strikes to light even though it has fuel and a good spark.

How often should you replace a Zippo wick? Zippo says it depends on how you use it. With trimming once or twice a year and a replacement after two or three trims, most users replace it every one to three years.

How long is a Zippo wick? Zippo’s genuine wick is 100 mm, about 4 inches long.

Why does my new Zippo wick not light? Usually the packing isn’t saturated with fuel yet, or the wick runs straight down instead of weaving through the packing. Refill it, and if that doesn’t help, repack with the wick in an S pattern.

Can I reuse the old packing? Yes. Zippo’s instructions have you put the same packing back in the order it came out, so the pieces fit together properly.

Can I use a generic wick in a Zippo? Zippo recommends only genuine Zippo wicks, and since one lasts a year or more, the savings from a generic wick are small.

Does a Zippo hand warmer have a wick? No. Zippo’s refillable hand warmers use a flameless catalytic burner, and the burner is the part you replace.

Does a Zippo butane insert have a wick? No. Butane inserts light with an ignition wire and burn butane, so there’s no wick or flint to replace.

Looking for a Zippo that will need wicks for decades? See our Zippo gift guide and the best-selling Zippos on Amazon.