How exposed is the wick in the “basket”. It could just be that it’s sitting too far from the spark. It could be old fuel as well. Shipping to the US is bound to be expensive & you need to be sure to dry the cotton insert for a few days before packing it. I’ve sent several lighters to them(I live in the US) & it takes a while to get them fixed & returned. The don’t repair cosmetic damages, just mechanical