A lighter has a housing formed with a flame opening, a fuel supply for feeding fuel to a point at which a flame is formed in the opening, a friction wheel mounted on the housing, and a first guide formed in the housing along a radius of the wheel, a flint being provided in the first guide and being displaceable therein for engagement with the wheel adjacent the point. A second guide is formed in the housing parallel to the first guide and offset therefrom, the second guide being provided with a flint spring. A displaceable offset pushrod is provided between the flint and the spring, the pushrod having a first portion extending into the first guide and engaging the flint and a second portion extending into the second guide and engaging the spring, the first and second portions being joined by a third portion lying substantially perpendicular to the first and second portions.