He will make parts that are no longer available. ''We specialize in restoring lighters from manufacturers no longer in existence, antique lighters dating back to the early 1900's,'' said Richard Weinstein, whose family started the company 40 years ago. It also stocks a large number of obsolete parts. Authorized Repair Service on West 57th Street in Manhattan repairs most brands of old and new lighters, including Dunhill, Dupont, Evans, Ronson, Christian Dior, Gucci, Colibri and Cartier models. If parts are available, repairs can usually be done the day a lighter is brought in. Repairs on Ronson lighters usually start at $30 for a Dupont, the average repair charge runs between $50 and $70. ''Humidity expands the flint, which can crack the flint channel,'' Mr. He also advised against leaving the flint in when a lighter is not used for a long period. ''If that doesn't function, the wheel doesn't strike the flint, there'll be no spark, and you won't be able to light the wick.'' ''It dries and becomes like cement, and when they go to ignite the lighter, it's stuck,'' he said. Fideli recommends, people often use silver polish, which gets stuck in the wheel and the ratchet. Instead of polishing silver-plated Ronson lighters with a special cloth treated with polishing fluid, as Mr. But sometimes the caring owners are the lighters's worst enemies. Like any heirloom, they require proper maintenance. Fideli repairs have been passed down from generation to generation. The owners continue to add to their inventory by buying old lighters at flea markets.Īntique lighters have become collectibles in recent years, and many of the lighters Mr. It came with thousands of lighter parts: tiny wheels, ratchets, valves and springs. Signore started repairing lighters in Italy and bought the 30-year-old business in 1985.

Some people come in saying they have been ''everywhere,'' said Giuseppe Fideli, who owns the shop with Gino Signore. Those who treasure old lighters are thrilled when they find Goldfield's Jewelers and Repair Center in midtown Manhattan. But since many of these shops have been in business for years, they usually have extensive lighter collections and can cannibalize the unfixable for parts. Luckily, there are a few independent repair shops that specialize in the task.įinding parts is the biggest obstacle. Many cigarette lighter companies have gone out of business, and some who are still around do not fix old models, encouraging customers to buy new ones instead.

REPAIRING old Ronsons, Dunhills, Duponts and Zippos is a dying art.

Old ronson lighters