Since 1932, the Weatherproof Zippo lighter has Been a Trusted Friend and Tool for Military Men and Women

George G. Blaisdell invented the Zippo lighter in 1932, and got his idea after discovering a bulky Austrian made portable-pocket lighter. Blaisdell was an oil drilling engineer who saw a audience for a good looking lighter that would stay lit even in windy weather. He invented the first Zippo lighter in Bradford, Pennsylvania. It got its name because Blaisdell liked the sound of the word zipper

A Zippo Lighter is a refillable, metal lighter. They are highly collectible and many of varying custom zippo lighter styles have been made in the 70 years since their first roll-out. From Truck Zippo lighters, to an army zippo lighter to a Solid gold Zippo, to a Custom-designed collector Zippo lighter.

Zippos are usually rectangular in shape with a easy open hinged flip top lid . Unlike one time use colored plastic lighters that are used and thrown away, Zippos are filled again with a Naphtha based liquid zippo lighter fuel. By taking the internal component out of the outside housing, its user can pour lighter fluid into a cotton cloth wadding that incorporates a wick. The flint, which brings about the small spark to inflame the wick, is replaceable.

It is affordable and very dependable. Filling a zippo lighter is a good deal less costly than purchasing one time use lighters.

Zippos are classified as windproof lighters, and are will stay lit in virtually any wind condition. They grew to become very popular in the United States military, particularly during the second world war zippo a military zippo lighter was standard equipment for all of men in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. During that time, all Zippo lighters produced went to the Allied war effort. In fact, during that war, because brass was used for weapons, the bowels of zippos were principally stainless steel. After the war was over, Zippo reverted to the typical brass design.

About 200,000 Zippo lighters were held by U.S. military personnel in the Vietman conflict. In one instance, a Zippo lighter transported in a shirt pocket stopped a bullet from getting into a soldiers chest.

Additionally, Zippos are known for the lifetime warranty they have: if a Zippo busts, no matter how old, the company will replace or fix the lighter for free.

Zippo now faces two daunting challenges. Zippo has wonderful name recognition, coming from its part as standard GI issue during The Second World War, and the Vietnam war, but the generation that held Zippo lighters into combat is fluttering. The second problem is that cigarette smoking is trending downward.

All the same, Zippo has weathered the storm, as collectors have been the route to steady growth. After all, cigarette smokers may acquire only one or two of the lighters--each of which carries a lifetime warrantee. Plenty of 1940s-vintage Zippos still appear for fixes at the Zippo headquarters, which has reconditioned antique zippo lighters found inside the stomachs of fish and antique zippo lighters punctured by bullets from a gun. Collectors, nonetheless, often buy several at a time, give them away as gifts, and appeal to their friends and family to turn into collectors. Many zippo collectors have thousands of lighters in their zippo lighter collection and keep purchasing.

Collectors can accumulate all of their preferred 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 Residents 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 created. After The Second World War the Zippo grew to become more and more utilized in ads by companies small and large alike through the 1960's. Even though new Zippo lighter designs are always being released, he basic mechanism of the Zippo has fundamentally stayed the same.

Zippo lighters have achieved icon status, which gets the kind of publicity money cannot purchase. Rolling Stone Keith Richards, who smokes cigarettes on stage, keeps a Zippo as close as his guitar. Movie actors from Bruce Willis to Harrison Ford have used Zippos to light fuses, burn papers and even to light cigarettes.

Zippo is branching out in other ways, too, with Zippo pens, belt buckles, and money clips, Zippo watches all with a lifetime warrantee.