The Weatherproof Zippo Lighter has Been a Trusted
Friend and Tool for People of all Shapes and Sizes
George G. Blaisdell invented the Zippo
lighter in 1932, and got his thought after learning about a large
Austrian made small
lighter. Blaisdell was an oil field engineer who saw a audience for a
good looking lighter
that would light up consistently even in windy and rough. He made the
first Zippo
lighter in Bradford, Pennsylvania. It got its zippo name because
Blaisdell liked
the sound of the word zipper
A Zippo Lighter is a refillable, brass or stainless steel lighter.
They are highly collectible
and 100s of different custom zippo lighter patterns have been made in
the
70 plus years since their introduction. From Custom-designed
collector Zippo lighters, to an
army
zippo lighter
to a NFL Zippo, to a Solid gold Zippo
lighter.
Zippos are typically
rectangular
in shape with a easy open lid . Unlike one time use cheap plastic
lighters that
are used and discarded, Zippos are refilled with a Naphtha based
liquid zippo
lighter fuel. By taking the inner part out of the exterior casing,
its user
can pour lighter fluid into a gauze wadding that holds a wick. The
flint, which
makes the arc to inflame the cotton wick, can be refilled.
It is cost effective and super reliable. Replenishing a dependable
zippo lighter is tremendously less costly than
purchasing single use igniters.
Zippos are considered windproof lighters, and are are able to remain
ignited in most any weather situation. They grew to become common in
the United States
armed forces, particularly in World War II zippo a military
zippo lighter was standard issue for the majority of military
personnel in the Army, Navy, Air
Force and Marines. During that period, all Zippo lighters
produced went to the
American war effort. In fact, at that point in time, as brass was
utilized for arms,
the bowels of zippos were principally stainless steel. Following the
war,
Zippo reverted to the previous brass
design.
Close to 200,000 Zippo lighters were owned by U.S.
military personnel in the War in Vietnam. There was one story, a
Zippo lighter
carried in a shirt pocket held back a bullet from entering a soldiers
chest.
Additionally, Zippo lighters are known for the lifetime warranty
they posess: if a
Zippo breaks down, no matter how old, the company will replace or
repair the lighter
for free.
Zippo currently faces two
intimidating
challenges. Zippo has outstanding brand recognition, rising from its
role as standard
GI issue during World War II, and the Vietman conflict, but the
generation that transported
Zippo lighters into battle is fluttering. The second challenge is
that smoking
is loosing ground.
However, Zippo has endured the storm, as collectors have been the
missing link to
firm growth. After all, tobacco users may purchase only one or two
zippos--each
of which carries a lifetime guaranty. Plenty of 1940s-vintage Zippos
still
show up for fixes at the Zippo repair facility, which has restored
old zippo lighters
found in the bellies of fish and antique zippo lighters pierced by
bullets from the war.
Collectors, however, often buy numerous at a time, give them away,
and encourage their
friends and family to be collectors. Many zippo
collectors have thousands of lighters in their zippo
lighter collection and keep buying.
Collectors can collect all of their favored sports teams including
the National
football league, Major
league baseball, and the National
basketball association as well as motorsports
and fishing
Zippos.
It's a fact that more than 90% of Americans recognize the Zippo
brand, and 30% of Zippo's customers are collectors. While a basic
brushed-chrome
Zippo runs $10.95, Collectible
Zippos typically ranges from $35 to $75, and some as high as
$3,000.
Since 1933, over 400,000,000 Zippos have been produced. After The
Second World War
the Zippo grew to become increasingly utilized in ads by companies
small and large alike
through the 60's. Though new Zippo lighter styles are always
emerging,
he basic mechanism of the Zippo has in essence remained
unchanged.
Zippo lighters have attained icon status, which gets the kind of
publicity
money cannot acquire. Rolling
Stone Keith Richards, who smokes cigarettes on stage, keeps a
Zippo as close as his
guitar. Movie heroes from Bruce Willis to Harrison Ford have used
Zippos to
light fuses, burn documents and even to ignite cigarettes.
Zippo is growing in other ways, too, with Zippo pens, belt buckles,
and
money clips, Zippo
watches all with a lifetime warrantee.