Since 1932, a Zippo has Been a Valuable Friend and Tool for People of all Shapes and Sizes

George G. Blaisdell invented the Zippo lighter in 1932, and got his theme after hearing about a large and bulky Austrian made small lighter. Blaisdell was an oil rig engineer who saw a market for a good looking lighter that would stay lit even in harsh conditions. He manufactured the first Zippo lighter in Bradford, Pennsylvania. It got its zippo identity since Blaisdell liked the sound of the word zipper

A Zippo Lighter is a refillable, brass or stainless steel lighter. They are highly collectible and hundreds of different custom zippo lighter patterns have been made in the seven decades since their launching. From Custom-designed collector Zippo lighters, to an army zippo lighter to a Solid gold Zippo, to a Hand-Carved wood Zippo lighter.

Zippos are usually rectangular in form with a one handed easy open lid . Unlike single use plastic lighters that are used and tossed aside, Zippos are filled again with a Naphtha based liquid zippo lighter fuel. By taking the inside portion out of the outside husk, its user can pour lighter fluid into a cloth packing material that contains a wick. The flint, which gives rise to the spark to light the wick, is also replaceable.

It is cost effective and extremely reliable. Filling a dependable zippo lighter is a good deal more inexpensive than buying disposable ignitors.

Zippos are classified as windproof lighters, and are are able to remain lit up in most any wind situation. They were popular in the United States military, particularly in the second world war zippo Lighter a military zippo lighter was standard issue for 100% of soldiers in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. At that time, all Zippo lighters produced went to the Allied war effort. In fact, at that point in time, because brass was used for arms, the interiors of zippos were chiefly stainless steel. Following the war, Zippo reverted to the regular brass design.

Approximately 200,000 Zippo lighters were carried by U.S. military people in the War in Vietnam. In one instance, a Zippo lighter transported in a shirt pocket intercepted a bullet from entering a soldiers chest.

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

Zippo currently faces two tough challenges. Zippo has wonderful brand recognition, stemming from its role as standard GI issue during World War II, and the Vietnam war, but the generation that transported Zippo lighters into combat is flittering. The second challenge is that cigarette smoking is lessening.

Nevertheless, Zippo has endured the storm, as collectors have been the road to solid growth. After all, smokers could acquire only one or two zippos--each of which carries a lifetime guaranty. Plenty of 1940s-vintage Zippos still appear for repairs at the Zippo repair shop, which has repaired antique zippo lighters found in the bellies of fish and antique zippo lighters pierced by bullets. Collectors, notwithstanding, often buy numbers of at a time, give them away as gifts, and entice their friends and family to become collectors. Many zippo collectors have thousands of lighters in their zippo lighter collection and continue buying.

Collectors can collect 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 Americans recognize the Zippo brand, and 30% of Zippo's clients are collectors. While a basic brushed-chrome Zippo runs $10.95, Collectible Zippos typically range from $35 to $75, and some as much as $3,000.

Since 1933, over 400,000,000 Zippos have been made. After The Second World War the Zippo became more and more utilized in advertizements by companies large and small through the sixties. Although new Zippo lighter designs are always being released, he basic interior mechanism of the Zippo has fundamentally stayed unchanged.

Zippo lighters have reached icon status, which renders the kind of marketing money cannot acquire. Rolling Stone Keith Richards, who smokes cigarettes while performing, keeps a Zippo within an arms reach of his guitar. Movie stars from Bruce Willis to Harrison Ford have utilized Zippos to inflame fuses, burn papers and even to spark cigarettes.

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