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George G. Blaisdell invented the Zippo lighter in 1932, and got his idea after seeing a overly large Austrian made portable-pocket lighter. Blaisdell was an oil rig engineer who saw a audience for a good looking lighter that would function even in windy and mild conditions alike. He formulated the first Zippo lighter in Bradford, Pennsylvania. It got its logo because Blaisdell liked the sound of the word zipper
A Zippo Lighter is a refillable, brass lighter. They are highly collectible and hundreds of different custom zippo lighter designs have been made in the seven plus decades since their launch. From Military Zippo lighters, to an army zippo lighter to a Engraved Zippo, to a Truck Zippo lighter.
Zippos are typically rectangular in configuration with a easy open lid . Unlike disposable polymer lighters that are used and cast aside, Zippos are refilled with a Naphtha based liquid zippo lighter fuel. By taking the inside portion out of the outside shell, its owner can pour lighter fluid into a cloth packing that incorporates a wick. The flint, which brings on the trigger to light the cotton wick, is refillable.
It is low cost and really reliable. Filling a zippo lighter is a good deal less expensive than purchasing throw away flame sources.
Zippos are considered windproof lighters, and are usually stay lighted in just about any wind or weather condition. They were common in the United States military, particularly during the second world war when a military zippo lighter was standard equipment for all of gentlemen in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. During that time, all Zippo lighters produced went to the Alied forces war effort. In fact, at that time, because brass was utilized for weapon systems, the insides of zippos were created in stainless steel. Following the war, Zippo reverted to the standard brass design.
Approx. 200,000 Zippo lighters were used by U.S. military people in the Vietman conflict. In one instance, a Zippo lighter held in a shirt pocket blocked a bullet from going into a soldiers body.
In addition, Zippo lighters are known for the lifetime guarantee they carry: if a Zippo goes bad, no matter how old, the company will replace or fix the lighter for free.
Zippo now faces two hard challenges. Zippo has awesome name recognition, coming from its function as standard GI issue during World War II, and the Vietman conflict, but the generation that possessed Zippo lighters into combat is rapidly decreasing. The second problem is that cigarette and cigar smoking is loosing ground.
But, Zippo has weathered the storm, as collectors have been the missing link to solid growth. After all, cigarette smokers may purchase only one or two zippos--each of which carries a lifetime guaranty. Plenty of 1940s-vintage Zippos still surface for fixes at the Zippo headquarters, which has mended antique zippo lighters discovered inside the stomachs of fish and old zippo lighters punctured by bullets. Collectors, notwithstanding, often buy numerous at a time, give them as gifts, and lure their friends to be collectors. Many zippo collectors have thousands of lighters in their zippo lighter collection and keep on buying.
Collectors can gather up all of their preferred 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 US Citizens 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 high as $3,000.
Since 1933, over 400,000,000 Zippos have been ordered. After World War II the Zippo became increasingly utilized in ads by companies large as well as small through the 1960's. Although new Zippo lighter designs are always appearing, he basic interior desgin of the Zippo has essentially remained unchanged.
Zippo lighters have attained icon status, which renders the kind of positive public image money cannot purchase. Rolling Stone Keith Richards, who smokes during his act, keeps a Zippo right by guitar. Movie celebrities from Bruce Willis to Harrison Ford have used Zippos to light fuses, burn papers and even to spark cigarettes.
Zippo is growing in other ways, too, with Zippo pens, belt buckles, and money clips, Zippo watches all with a lifetime guaranty.