Lighting a match can be confusing if you're not used to it. Do not worry. Many people have had difficulty lighting matches, but eventually managed to develop into great firefighters. The key is to be patient and careful, and keep trying until you can! With a lot of practice, you definitely can.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Lighting the Match
Step 1. Hold the match in your dominant hand
Locate the position of the ignition wheel and gas button.
- The ignition wheel is made of serrated hard steel. If rotated vigorously and fast enough, this wheel will hit the chert (flame) attached to the match and create sparks.
- The gas button will open a hole to the gas tank when pressed. To light a match, you need to turn the ignition wheel and the gas button at the same time. Don't worry, it's actually not that hard.
- On Bic lighters, the gas button is red and is at one end of the lighter, right next to the ignition wheel. On Zippo lighters, the gas button is round, made of metal, and mounted just below the ignition wheel.
Step 2. Place your thumb on the lighter wheel
You can use either the tip or the side of the thumb, but make sure that you can turn the wheel toward the gas button. Place your thumb near the top of the wheel, slightly down, near the gas button.
- Find a comfortable grip. You will need to experiment a bit to find a comfortable angle.
- Put a little pressure on the lighter wheel, so that the lighter wheel presses on the gas button and opens the gas hole. Now, all you have to do is make a spark.
Step 3. With a quick, firm thumb motion, turn the ignition wheel toward the gas button
Don't move anything other than your thumb, and keep pressing the gas button to keep the gas flowing. If you don't see any fire yet, try again.
- When successful, the ignition wheel will cause a spark that will burn the gas vapor that comes out of the gasoline container. If it works, you'll know right away, because there are only two possibilities: either the fire keeps flowing, or nothing happens.
- If you have turned the ignition wheel with sufficient force and speed, but the lighter only sparks and fails to ignite, you should try again. If the match continues to only produce sparks but fails to ignite, it may be that the fuel is low or has run out. Try using another lighter.
Step 4. Keep trying until you manage to light the match
If you're having trouble, press the ignition wheel harder and place your thumb a little closer to the gas button. You'll get a little extra leverage.
- When turning the wheel, make sure it is tight enough. Grasp the body of the match with your other four fingers as if you were gripping the handle of a dipper. Just move your thumb. Make sure your hands don't wobble.
- Try pressing the gas button without dragging the lighter. This is a way to make sure that you press the gas button hard enough, all the way to the end. If you are not strong enough to press it, the gas vapor released will not be enough.
Method 2 of 2: Using Matches Safely
Step 1. Hold the match in your hand vertically
Position the lighter under the object you want to burn. The flame will remain in a vertical position, unaffected by the angle of the match. You risk burning your hand if you hold the match horizontally.
Keep your hands and the object you want to burn away from the fire. Be careful! Don't let yourself burn yourself
Step 2. Be careful with fire
Fire has high power and can develop by itself. Never light a fire that you are not ready to put out.
- Avoid starting fires in flammable areas, at least until you are confident in your ability to handle fire.
- Never light a fire in a place with poor air circulation. If you can smell gas, or you know there is gas leaking, do not start the fire. Do not start a fire when refueling a car or when handling containers that have been filled with flammable gases.
- Be careful when starting a fire in a forest or dry meadow, especially in summer. Acres of wildfires can start from one small spark, and the wind can create huge fires beyond your control.
Step 3. Do not light the match for more than two minutes
If the lighter stays on for too long, it will overheat, harming your hands and flammable objects around you.
- Matches are made of metal and plastic. Both of these materials can transmit heat well. Be careful not to burn yourself.
- If the lighter is too hot to hold, let it cool for a few minutes before using it again.
Step 4. Consider whether you need to adjust the amount of gas flow
On some matches, there will be a button on the side. You can slide this black plastic button, from + to -. The + side will produce the largest fire, and the - side will produce the smallest fire. Usually, you will be able to set this button to a point in the middle.
- If you want to save gas, slide this switch to the side - and adjust it as needed.
- If you want to create a large and impressive fire, or if you want to keep your hand away from the object you are burning, slide this switch to the + side. Keep in mind, this way, you'll run out of gas in the lighter faster; Bigger fire means bigger fuel consumption.
Step 5. Know that butane lighters cannot ignite at an altitude of more than 3,048 meters
If you want to go to high places, bring a wooden match.
Step 6. Consider whether you need to remove the safety cap of a Bic lighter to make it easier to ignite
The cap is a semicircular metal that holds both sides of the center of the ignition wheel. If your thumb isn't strong or flexible enough to pull the lighter, this trick can help you.
- Turn the ignition wheel until you find a gap in the safety ring. At this point, the two metals don't bite into each other snugly. Insert a flat but strong object (such as a screwdriver or wrench) into the fire pit, then use the edges of the hole to pry the safety cap off. Be careful, take it slow, and protect your eyes -- this safety cap can come off suddenly.
- This safety cap serves to prevent children from using matches. Without a safety cap, your lighter can spin more easily, but make sure you store it in a safe place.
Warning
- To avoid overheating, do not leave your lighter on for more than two minutes. Let the lighter cool before reusing it.
- Don't play with fire. Do not hold the flame near flammable objects. Do not hold fire near your face and clothes or anyone else's.
