>>1744948The wick can hold pretty well if there's always enough fuel in my experience, if you let it run on too little fuel (the flame is too small, it goes out), then the wick itself will start to burn, which will shorten its lifespan.
You only have to change the wick if you fill your zippo, but the flame still remains small. Also, the accumulating soot can block the fuel flow on the really long term.
I only had to change my wick once. I used unsuitable fuel which corroded the copper wire in the wick and blocked the fuel flow.
Once half of the wick is used up, it's recommended to change the entire thing, since it won't be able to suck up enough fuel anymore.
For me, the flint can last half a year. You'll notice when a change is needed, because a short flint will out and the flintwheel will get stuck/won't spark. My cigs never tasted like fuel, not even when I used gasoline.
