A Zippo Lighter is a refillable, metal lighter manufactured by Zippo
Manufacturing Company. They are highly collectible and hundreds of different
styles and designs have been made in the seven decades since their
introduction.
History
George G. Blaisdell founded Zippo Manufacturing Company
(located in Bradford, Pennsylvania) in 1932 and produced the first Zippo in
early 1933, being inspired by an Austrian cigarette lighter of similar design.
It got its name because Blaisdell liked the sound of the word "zipper"
(according to John Ratzenberger's television show "Made in America" and Zippo
Manufacturing Company's website).
On March 3, 1936, patent no. 2032695 was granted for the Zippo lighter.
Since 1933, over 400,000,000 Zippos have been produced. After World War
II the Zippo became increasingly used in advertising by companies large and
small through the 1960's. Many of the early advertising Zippos are works of
art painted by hand, and as technology has evolved, so has the design and
finish of the Zippo. The basic mechanism of the Zippo has basically remained
unchanged.
Zippo lighters have become staples in the movie business, often seen
being used by characters of different movies (e.g. Reservoir Dogs). Zippo has
recently expanded its product line to include a variety of utility-style
multi-purpose lighters, known as the Zippo MPL. These lighters are fueled with
butane. Zippo Dates In 1986, Zippo began including a lot code on all lighters
showing the month and year of production. On the left of the underside was
stamped a letter A-L, denoting the month. On the right was a Roman Numeral
which denoted the year, beginning with II in 1986. Thus a Zippo stamped H XI
was made in August, 1995. However in 2000, Zippo altered this system, changing
the Roman Numerals to more conventional Arabic Numerals. Thus a Zippo made in
August 04 will be stamped H 04. Zippos are typically rectangular in design
with a hinged flip-top lid. Unlike plastic lighters (such as those made by the
BIC Corporation) that are used and thrown away, Zippos are refilled with a
Naphtha based liquid lighter fluid. By sliding the inner component out of the
outer shell, its owner can pour lighter fluid into a cotton packing that holds
a wick. The flint, which produces the spark to ignite the wick, is also
replaceable. Zippos gained popularity as “windproof” lighters—able to stay lit
in harsh weather.
They became popular in the United States military, especially during
World War II when all Zippo lighters produced went to the Allied war effort
and during the Vietnam War (Vietnam Zippos). Additionally, Zippos are known
for the lifetime guarantee they carry: if a Zippo breaks, no matter how old,
the company will replace or fix the lighter for free.
The way a Zippo lighter is constructed makes it very hard to extinguish
by trying to blow out or wink out the flame. The proper way to extinguish the
lighter is to close the top half, putting out the flame by strangling it of
oxygen. Closing the top lid rapidly produces a loud and easily recognizable
clicking sound that Zippo lighters are known for.
Zippo Maintanance
Remove
the inside unit from the case. Unscrew the flint spring from the bottom of the
inside unit. Remove screw and attached spring. Be sure the remainder of the
old flint has been removed from the flint tube. Place new flint in tube,
replace spring and screw lightly. Make sure screw is turned as far as it will
go, otherwise the cover will not close completely.
Remove
the inside unit from the case. Unscrew the flint spring from the bottom of the
inside unit. Remove screw and attached spring. Remove felt pad. Use tweezers
to remove all packing from fuel chamber. Insert new wick downward through
chimney, pulling through with tweezers. Replace packing in small pieces,
interweaving the wick between the padding pieces. Replace felt pad. Be sure
the remainder of the old flint has been removed from the flint tube. Place new
flint in tube, replace flint spring and screw lightly. Make sure screw is
turned as far as it will go, otherwise the cover will not close completely. Be
sure to trim wick even with chimney height.
Remove
the inside unit from the case. Lift the corner of the felt pad on the bottom
of the insert to reveal the packing material in the fuel chamber. Saturate the
packing with Zippo lighter fluid. Fill slowly, taking care to never overfill.
Avoid getting the lighter fluid on your skin as it can be a skin irritant. If
contact with skin does occur, wash the effected area with mild soap and water.
Insert the inside unit back into the case, making sure to wipe the lighter and
your hands dry before igniting. Be sure the fuel can is closed and there is no
spilled fuel in the vicinity before igniting. This is a flammable fluid. If
the Zippo lighter is kept in your pocket, Zippo suggests that it be placed
bottom down, especially when first re-fueled.
Zippo
lighter fluid, by its very nature, will evaporate, even when the Zippo lighter
is not used. We recommend you fill your Zippo lighter before you leave on a
trip or outdoor excursion. Infrequently lit Zippo lighters should be filled
before using.
We
suggest that you use only genuine Zippo fluid and flints for optimal
performance, since they are specially formulated to work in our lighters. The
softer material used in some non-Zippo flints could clog the striking wheel,
making the lighter difficult to light. Also, please be sure the wick is
properly wound among the cotton packing located in the inside unit.