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George G. Blaisdell invented the Zippo lighter in 1932, and got his thought after hearing a large and bulky Austrian made small lighter. Blaisdell was an oil drilling engineer who saw a market for a good looking lighter that would function even in tough weather conditions. He forged the first Zippo lighter in Bradford, Pennsylvania. It got its zippo name since 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 styles have been made in the seven decades since their launching. From Solid gold Zippo lighters, to an army zippo lighter to a Military Zippo, to a Hand-Carved wood Zippo lighter.
Zippos are occasionally rectangular in shape with a hinged flip top lid . Unlike disposable plastic lighters that are used and tossed out, Zippos are replenished with a Naphtha based liquid zippo lighter fuel. By taking out the inner element out of the outer husk, its owner can pour lighter fluid into a cotton gauze wadding that contains a wick. The flint, which gives rise to the spark to ignite the cotton wick, is replaceable.
It is cost-efficient and incredibly reliable. Filling a dependable zippo lighter is tremendously more inexpensive than buying throw away ignitors.
Zippos are considered windproof lighters, and are will stay lit up in virtually any wind situation. They grew to become extremely popular in the United States military, particularly in World War II zippo a military zippo lighter was standard issue for all gentlemen in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. During that time, all Zippo lighters produced went to the American war effort. In fact, at that time, since brass was utilized for weapon systems, the interiors of zippo lighters were primarily stainless steel. After the war had ended, Zippo reverted to the traditional brass design.
An estimated 200,000 Zippo lighters were owned by U.S. military personnel in the Vietnam War. There was one story, a Zippo lighter held in a shirt pocket halted a bullet from entering a soldiers body.
In addition, Zippo lighters are known for the lifetime warranty they posess: if a Zippo falls apart, no matter how old, the company will replace or fix the lighter for free.
Zippo currently faces two daunting challenges. Zippo has wonderful name recognition, stemming from its function as standard GI issue during World War II, and the Conflict in Vietnam, but the generation that possessed Zippo lighters into combat is rapidly decreasing. The second challenge is that cigarette smoking is diminishing.
Nonetheless, Zippo has weathered the storm, as collectors have been the road to strong growth. After all, cigarette or cigar smokers may choose only one or two zippo lighters--each of which carries a lifetime warranty. Plenty of 1940s-vintage Zippos still turn up for repairs at the Zippo repair shop, which has repaired antique zippo lighters retrieved from the stomachs of fish and antique zippo lighters pierced by bullets from the war. Collectors, still, often buy several at a time, give them away, and lure their family to become collectors. Many zippo collectors have thousands of lighters in their zippo lighter collection and continue purchasing.
Collectors can gather up all of their favourite 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 ranges from $35 to $75, and some as high as $3,000.
Since 1933, over 400,000,000 Zippos have been produced. After World War II the Zippo became more and more used in advertizements by companies small and large alike through the 60's. Although new Zippo lighter designs are always being released, he basic mechanics of the Zippo has in essence stayed unaltered.
Zippo lighters have reached icon status, which brings forth the kind of free publicity money can't acquire. Rolling Stone Keith Richards, who often smokes during his act, keeps a Zippo right by guitar. Movie stars from Bruce Willis to Harrison Ford have used Zippos to ignite fuses, burn documents and papers and even to light cigarettes.
Zippo is diversifying in other ways, too, with Zippo pens, belt buckles, and money clips, Zippo watches all with a lifetime warrantee.