Buy a can of Zippo lighter fluid. Make sure its liquid and not an aerosol. Remove the lighter and cotton by holding the lighter casing and pulling out by the chimney. On the bottom is a piece of felt that you will lift up to pour the fluid into. Once you see the top of the cotton is damp, stop filling. Let the cotton soak for a minute, then replace the chimney back in its casing.
It’s best to hold the Zippo toward the top of your hand and not in your palm. Try holding your lighter in your forefinger and middle finger while you curl your ring finger slightly, resting the bottom of the Zippo on your ring finger.
To make it easier to open the lid of your Zippo, pull your forefinger away so its not blocking the lid and preventing it from opening.
Depending on how windy it is, or how full your lighter is, you may have to strike down a couple of times before the flame catches
Use your forefinger to knock the lid back down. Hold the base of Zippo between your thumb and forefinger and flick it towards the back of your hand with your wrist to force the lid closed.
Hold your Zippo in your off hand so that the hand that can snap the best is free. Hold your Zippo between your index finger and thumb and position it so that the lid is unobstructed.
Think of it like you’re about to flick a quarter to spin it. Or, like you’re flicking a paper football.
Rest the edge of your middle finger on the very top of the wheel. Simply snap your fingers normally, don’t try to do anything special. If you snap correctly, the momentum will have enough force to spin the flint wheel and ignite the wick. It may take a few snaps before you successfully light your Zippo, especially if you’re new to the trick.
You can snap your lid closed by flicking your wrist forward and downward toward the ground. Just make sure you have a tight grip so you don’t drop it.
If your wick is too wet or your Zippo is leaking, the fluid could spill onto your pants and when you light your Zippo, the extra fluid could catch fire, and be extremely dangerous.
You want to hold your Zippo between your thumb and forefinger with the lid sitting enough above your hand so that it can open the lid fully without being blocked.
You want to strike the lid on the edge of your thigh so you can get the lid open without causing so much force that you snap the hinge. The presser of the lid on your thigh is actually causing it to stay in place, while the momentum of your hand keeps the part of the Zippo in your hand moving, causing the lighter to open.
Think of it like rolling a toy car across your thigh, and then quickly flicking your wrist upward as if the car has suddenly taken flight.
