Since 1932, the Tuff and Durable Zippo Lighter has Been a Trusted Friend and Tool for Smokers and Non-Smokers Alike

George G. Blaisdell invented the Zippo lighter in 1932, and got his idea after examining a gaudy Austrian made small lighter. Blaisdell was an oil engineer who saw a audience for a good looking lighter that would work even in windy and rough. He invented the first Zippo lighter in Bradford, Pennsylvania. It got its zippo name for 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 years since their first roll-out. From Custom-designed collector Zippo lighters, to an army zippo lighter to a NFL Zippo, to a Truck Zippo lighter.

Zippos are often rectangular in shape with a flip top lid with a hinge . Unlike one time use polymer lighters that are used and cast aside, Zippos are replenished with a Naphtha based liquid zippo lighter fuel. By taking out the interior part out of the outer casing, its user can pour lighter fluid into a cotton packing material that incorporates a wick. The flint, which creates the fire to ignite the cotton wick, can also be replaced.

It is low-priced and incredibly reliable. Refilling a zippo is a good deal less costly than buying single use igniters.

Zippos are classified as windproof lighters, and are will remain lit up in just about any weather situation. They became very popular in the United States military, especially in the second world war standard silver Zippo lighter a military zippo lighter was standard gear for 100% military personnel in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. At that time, all Zippo lighters produced went to the Alied forces war effort. In fact, during the war, because brass was utilized for arms, the insides of zippos were principally stainless steel. After the war was over, Zippo reverted to the traditional brass design.

Close to 200,000 Zippo lighters were carried by U.S. military personnel in the Conflict in Vietnam. There is a story told where, a Zippo lighter held in a shirt pocket blocked a bullet from entering a soldiers heart.

In addition, Zippo lighters are known for the lifetime guarantee they posess: if a Zippo breaks, no matter how old, the company will replace or fix the lighter for free.

Zippo currently faces two intimidating challenges. Zippo has wonderful brand recognition, coming from its part as standard GI issue during World War II, and the War in Vietnam, but the generation that possessed Zippo lighters into combat is wavering. The second challenge is that cigarette smoking is lessening.

All the same, Zippo has endured the storm, as collectors have been the key to strong growth. After all, cigarette smokers could buy only one or two of the lighters--each of which carries a lifetime guaranty. Plenty of 1940s-vintage Zippos still show up for repairs at the Zippo central office, which has restored old zippo lighters retrieved from the stomachs of fish and old zippo lighters pierced by lead bullets. Collectors, still, often buy many at a time, give them away as gifts, and encourage their friends to be collectors. Many zippo collectors have thousands of lighters in their zippo lighter collection and continue 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 fabricated. After The Second World War the Zippo grew to become increasingly utilized in ads by companies large and small through the 1960's. Even though new Zippo lighter designs are always being released, he basic mechanics of the Zippo has basically stayed unaltered.

Zippo lighters have risen to icon status, which generates the kind of marketing money can't buy. Rolling Stone Keith Richards, who often smokes while on stage, keeps a Zippo as close as his guitar. Movie celebrities from Bruce Willis to Harrison Ford have used Zippos to ignite fuses, burn documents and papers and even to spark cigarettes.

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