The Tuff and Durable Zippo Lighter has Been a Valuable Friend and Tool for User and Collectors Alike

George G. Blaisdell invented the Zippo lighter in 1932, and got his idea after learning a overly large Austrian made portable-pocket lighter. Blaisdell was an oil drilling engineer who saw a audience for a good looking lighter that would light up even in windy and mild conditions alike. He formulated the first Zippo lighter in Bradford, Pennsylvania. It got its logo 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, if not 1000s of varying custom zippo lighter fashions have been made in the 70 plus years since their launching. From Car and truck Zippo lighters, to an army zippo lighter to a Truck Zippo, to a Custom-designed collector Zippo lighter.

Zippos are typically rectangular in form with a hinged flip top lid . Unlike disposable plastic lighters that are used and cast aside, Zippos are filled again with a Naphtha based liquid zippo lighter fuel. By sliding the inner part out of the exterior husk, its owner can pour lighter fluid into a cotton packing material that holds a wick. The flint, which makes the spark of fire to light the wick, is also replaceable.

It is affordable and super reliable. Filling a zippo lighter is much cheaper than purchasing disposable igniters.

Zippos are classified as windproof lighters, and are are capable of staying lit up in nearly any wind or weather condition. They grew to become popular in the United States army and navy, particularly during the second world war standard silver Zippo a military zippo lighter was standard equipment for 100% of gentlemen in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. During that time, all Zippo lighters produced went to the Alied forces war effort. In fact, at that point in time, because brass was needed for arms, the guts of zippo lighters were principally stainless steel. Following the war, Zippo reverted to the previous brass design.

Nearly 200,000 Zippo lighters were possessed by U.S. military people in the Vietman conflict. In one story, a Zippo lighter held in a shirt pocket held back a bullet from getting into a soldiers chest.

Additionally, Zippos are known for the lifetime guaranty they have: if a Zippo goes bad, no matter how old, the company will replace or repair the lighter for free.

Zippo now faces two tough challenges. Zippo has awesome name recognition, originating from its function as standard GI issue during The Second World War, and the Vietnam war, but the generation that possessed Zippo lighters into battle is flittering. The second problem is that cigarette and cigar smoking is falling.

Notwithstanding, Zippo has weathered the storm, as collectors have been the route to substantial growth. After all, cigarette smokers could buy only one or two of the lighters--each of which carries a lifetime warranty. Plenty of 1940s-vintage Zippos still turn up for fixes at the Zippo repair facility, which has mended antique zippo lighters found in the bellies of fish and antique zippo lighters punctured by bullets. Collectors, even so, often buy numbers of at a time, give them away, and lure their family to become collectors. Many zippo collectors have thousands of lighters in their zippo lighter collection and continue buying.

Collectors can amass all of their favorite 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 US Citizens recognize the Zippo brand, and 30% of Zippo's clients are collectors. While a basic brushed-chrome Zippo runs $10.95, Collectible Zippos typically ranges in price from $35 to $75, and some as high as $3,000.

Since 1933, over 400,000,000 Zippos have been ordered. After World War II the Zippo grew to become increasingly utilized in advertizing by companies both large and small through the decade of the 1960's. Although new Zippo lighter styles are always emerging, he basic interior desgin of the Zippo has essentially stayed unchanged.

Zippo lighters have attained icon status, which renders the kind of marketing money cannot purchase. Rolling Stone Keith Richards, who often smokes while on stage, keeps a Zippo within an arms reach of his guitar. Movie celebrities from Bruce Willis to Harrison Ford have used Zippos to inflame fuses, burn documents and papers and even to ignite cigarettes.

Zippo is diversifying in other ways, too, with Zippo pens, belt buckles, and money clips, Zippo watches all with a lifetime warranty.