Old Flintlock Pistol lighter.

[tybomb]

I have a few boxes of odds and ends from antique auctions and there are a lot of old pipes and lighters etc. I started going through some of it but I don't have a lot of knowledge about this old stuff.
This old gun lighter is cool but does anyone know how it's supposed to work? It sparks but doesn't light. The wick was in place sticking out that little hole originally. I unscrewed the screw on the end of the barrel and found the other end of the wick (plus it was packed with cotton batting) and I was trying to adjust the length and accidentally pulled it through.
I think I can use some fishing line and get it back in place but I still don't understand how it works.
Is that a reservoir for lighter fluid? Why is the barrel packed with batting? Am I supposed to pour lighter fluid in that hole?
I've found similar lighters on the internet but no one explains how to refill them.

 

[Bbailey324]

Are you familiar with how liquid fuel Zippo lighters work? Looks to me like a similar setup. The cotton batting with a wick running through it holds and conveys fuel to the point of ignition by the sparking wheel. So put it back like it was, dump in some fuel and see if it lights.

 

[tybomb]

I just looked up zippo liquid fuel lighters. It's starting to make more sense now. Do you mean I should pour the fluid into the barrel and let the cotton batting absorb it?

 

[Bbailey324]

Yes, soak the cotton batting with fuel. The wick will absorb it and move the fuel up to where it can be ignited.