Contact Us Estimate Form	Marine Lingo Zippo(World War II to present) A cigarette lighter made in Bradford, PA and prized by all military personnel because of their rugged construction and ability to stay lit in a typhoon. Also a derogatory term for a flame-thrower tank. Zippo boats During the Vietnam War, modified LCM-8s were equipped with flamethrowers and nicknamed "Zippo boats". Zippo A Zippo Lighter is a refillable, metal lighter manufactured by the Zippo Manufacturing Company. They are highly collectible and hundreds of different styles and designs have been made in the seven decades since their introduction. 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 liquid naphtha lighter fluid. By sliding the inner component out of the outer shell, its owner can pour lighter fluid into a rayon packing that holds a wick. The flint that produces the spark to ignite the wick, which 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. 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. George G. Blaisdell founded the Zippo Manufacturing Company (located in Bradford, Pennsylvania) in 1932 and produced the first Zippo in early 1933. It got its name because Blaisdell liked the sound of the word "zipper" (according to John Ratzenberger's television show "Made in America"). By 1936 the first patent was granted for the Zippo lighter. Since 1933, over 400,000,000 Zippos have been produced.