the Zippo lighter.

[vash]

my junk drawer. i was cleaning it out. found an old, silver, boring, Zippo. racked my brain on why i have a zippo..i didnt smoke. never did, really.

and it looks it. it is perfect. no dents, original wick. i had to buy a new broom, and i saw the yellow and blue bottle of lighter fluid. $2.99. i got it, filled the zippo, and click! i got the flame. i got too much flame because i overfilled it. whoops!

i remember the smell, the sound. as far as lighter goes, it is kinda useless no? heavy for backpacking. could leak in the pack. unknown number of uses. there are much cooler lighters. heck, a cheap disposable makes a better camp lighter. a zippo isnt even windproof.

what is the deal with the original zippo? pure romance? any zippo carrying fans?

any zippo tricks you could teach me? hahahha

[Zeke]

Zippos are supposed to be somewhat wind proof. You have to learn to flip it open and light with one hand in one motion. Then you're Steve McQ cool.

[74-911]

This:

Smokers- do you use a Zippo?

The main thing I remember about Zippos (from when I used to smoke many years ago) is overfilling with fluid, putting it in the front pocket of levis and shortly thereafter having a lighter fluid burn on your thigh.

[pwd72s]

Vash, how long are your hunting trips? Like posted earlier, windproof. I've used one to start a campfire when all the bic of my buddy could do was flick. You might run one dry in a week, but not a lot of people live in the brush that long.

[masraum]

My parents were smokers and often used zippos

I have several that my dad bought to commemorate his time aboard various submarines when he was in the Navy

I'll never use them, but they are a reminder of my dad

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I have a Zippo that I used to use whenever I needed to melt off the end of paracord, nylon webbing, etc. Sadly the damned thing gets used so rarely that it's always dried up by the time I need it.

Now I just use a cheap Bic.

[URY914]

I remember we had a Zippo store here in Tampa. Little tiny place. Never went in it.

[widgeon13]

I have a buch of Zippo's and I used one when I smoked.

[Baz]

They are a part of our pop culture.

That in itself is very cool.....

A Zippo lighter is a reusable, metal lighter manufactured by Zippo Manufacturing Company of Bradford, Pennsylvania, U.S., being inspired by an Austrian cigarette lighter of similar design made by IMCO. Thousands of different styles and designs have been made in the eight decades since their introduction including military ones for specific regiments.

George G. Blaisdell founded Zippo Manufacturing Company in 1932, and produced the first Zippo lighter in early 1933, being inspired by an Austrian cigarette lighter of similar design made by IMCO. It got its name because Blaisdell liked the sound of the word "zipper" and "zippo" sounded more modern. On March 3, 1936, patent was granted for the Zippo lighter.

Zippo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[aigel]

I would imagine that they evaporate out rather quickly if you are at high elevation. Definitely not something I'd take on an alpine hunting or hiking trip.

I find them useless - a cool icon from years gone by, yes - but unless you smoke cigs, there is not much use for them.

G

[onlycafe]

good for starting fires on a gasoline soaked pier or warehouse in the movies.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by 74-911

This:

Smokers- do you use a Zippo?

The main thing I remember about Zippos (from when I used to smoke many years ago) is overfilling with fluid, putting it in the front pocket of levis and shortly thereafter having a lighter fluid burn on your thigh.

Good old Naphtha burns!

[allaircooled]

I think they are, or at least some are, still made in the USA if that means anything.

[enzo1]

[enzo1]

[Eric 951]

Originally Posted by allaircooled

I think they are, or at least some are, still made in the USA if that means anything.

Yep--Bradford PA. Zippo also owns Case knives and they have a museum at their mfg headquarters.

Zippos also have a true lifetime warranty--if you ever have an issue--mail it back to Zippo and they will fix it free of charge.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Old school cool, I have my dad's zippo that he carried in Vietnam. I had one that I carried when I smoked years ago, they have a certain appeal that is hard to explain.

[varmint]

i carry a zippo, can do the tricks. they are just cool.


in a survival situation you are far better off having a couple bics stashed under the seat.

[Don Ro]

My brother was a one-handed Zippo guy early-on...about 14 yrs. old.
Lots of them in use in SE Asia in the late '60's...every time I heard one snap open/closed, I thought of him & how lonely & scared I was.

[vash]

well, mine went dry on the coffee table.

no bueno as a backpack lighter..hehe. i do love the sound.