Featured Vintage POLO Lift-Arm Lighter!

Isn't this gorgeous!? Nickel-plated brass construction, and it works great!! Just one question: how old is it??

I know that this style dates to the 20s and 30s, but does anyone recognise the actual model and year of production? If you do, that'd be great!!

 

I completely disassembled this lighter and cleaned it about three times, but after a lot of swearing, lighter-fuel, sore fingers and more swearing, I THINK it is finally working properly. For such simple machines, they are surprisingly fiddly...

 

Swearing always helps. I have a whole can of it in my toolbox. Comes in 3 varieties, mild, medium and strong.

 

I've cleaned the entire lighter, inside and out. I've replaced the wick, the flint, I've juiced it up and...it won't light. It sparks...just. But it won't light.

Why!? :'( How do I fix this!? Anybody here collect antique lighters and gimme a pointer? I KNOW the flint is touching the wheel, I can see it. But it won't damn well spark enough to light the fuse!

 

iF Ya got fuel, the wick is wet, then it could be just a crappy flint, try one from a bic lighter, use another lighter to light your new wick to get it started, and make sure the wick is not pushed away from the spark. if you haven't tried a off-the-shelf flint go Ronsen. Many years ago I had a similar lighter, no name 20's, there were many companies making them all taking advantage of the new smoking era circa WWI, the one you have looks quite an early model, I suspect on the cusp of '20's. Find a good sparky flint and I bet it'll work great.

 

And if you took the wheel out, make sure you put it back the right direction, the edges/cuts go forward, if backwards then it won't make good sparks, if any. don't know if this helps, but I love old lighters

 

The lighter's so-designed that the flint-wheel can only go in, and out one way. So I know it's the right way around. The problem is that it just won't work! It sparks sometimes, and sometimes it lights, but that's maybe 1/3, 1/4 of the time?

I've cleaned the flint-tube and the wheel several times. It still won't work...

 

I also have a 30's Polo lift arm lighter that won't spark enough to light the wick. New zippo flint in it. You can light it easily with another lighter but the spark is just so tiny it won't catch the wick. Will have to see if i can find an old Bic somewhere and try the flint from it.

 

I've tried everything, and all I get is a sore thumb!

 

They all have the same problem. WORN wheels.
Take to the wheel with the finest file you can find.
Or order a new wheel from the factory. HA HA.

 

Did you accidentally oil the wheel edge as well, reducing friction. Is the Flint spring pushing enough, you might need a longer one or (horror) stretch it slightly before putting it back in. What fuel are you using, it should be Zippo or Ronson fuel. Ironically, I once got a polo that the previous owner has tried fuelling with Kerosine. It smelt different. Despite adding lots of fuel it wouldn't light unless I heated it up by first lighting it with another lighter. I didn't bother to do it yet but I read the way to remove wrong fuel is to take out wadding and wick and soak in ethanol, then replace and put correct fuel.

 

@Shangas