Lighter Zippo | Zippo Lighters

1/18/2008

Cigarette Lighters

One important accessory for a smoker is a cigarette lighter. With a cigarette case, a holder and a lighter, smoking becomes a more satisfying experience. As is the case with holders and cases, the lighter is once more a predominant accessory which speaks about a personality to the world.

A cigarette lighter is basically a metal or plastic container which contains lighter fluid, like naphtha or liquid butane, under pressure. It also has a means of ignition and provision for extinguishing the flame. Common ways to extinguish the flame are by depriving a lighter of either air or fuel.

Given the simple mechanism of a lighter, there are various types, designs and forms of lighters available in the market. Cigarette lighter designs today range from the stylish and creative to downright bizarre. In fact, the various designs have prompted many smokers to start their own cigarette lighter collections.

A cigarette lighter can be designed in countless ways, like a jukebox, tennis racket, coffee machine, fire extinguisher, fire plug, beer glass, cassette, pewter pot, motorcycle, typewriter and a host of others. One of the most famous is the pistol design. Some cigarette manufacturers have their own line and range of cigarette lighters, which are famous among their smokers.

There are few major cigarette lighter manufacturing companies in the world. Owning a lighter manufactured by these companies is like owning a piece of history itself. Chief among these is the Zippo lighter, a metal lighter manufactured by the Zippo Manufacturing Company. The refillable lighter has been around for around seven decades.

These lighters are highly collectible and come in hundreds of designs. These metal lighters can be refilled with liquid lighter fluid and used indefinitely.

Zippo Lighters - Collecting An American Icon

By Ross Bassette

You do not have to be a smoker to be a collector of Zippo Lighters. The zippos reason for being goes well beyond being used as a cigarette lighter. This lighter is a piece of classic American workmanship that has proved itself as being an ideal object to collect, to use and to be seen with. Zippo Windproof Lighters, first manufactured in the early 1930s, now represent one of the fastest growing categories in the world of collectibles. They have become an American icon. They are James Dean cool, Corvette sleek, and as American as apple pie. Historical, dependable and highly collectible, These icons are bought and by thousands of enthusiastic fans from all over the world.

A Lighter For The Working Class

Back in 1932, George G. Blaisdell, of Bradford, PA, saw a friend fumble with an Austrian made lighter. The lighter was difficult to operate because it required two hands to operate. In addition, the lighter dented, easily. George set his mind to work and created a lighter very similar to those we use today. He called the lighter a Zippo because the name sounded modern.

In 1933, Mr. Blaisdell began to manufacture his new lighter. Friends scoffed at his idea as being impractical given the economy in the middle of the great depression. However, the lighter, priced at $1.95, was offered with an unconditional lifetime guarantee and proved to be a hit .

There’s a Zippo Lighter For Everyone

Today These lighters come in designs which appeal to nearly everyone. From soldiers to business executives to biker girls, there is a Zippo made that will complete an image, a wardrobe or a genuine need. Common designs popular with collectors include Japanese, Joe Camel, Viet Nam, and Vintage Zippo lighters from the World War II era. Lighters are available in all conditions and price ranges. Just remember a sealed, unused lighter loses value once used.

Lighter collecting can provide years of satisfaction for collectors interested in a genuine American icon like that created by George Blaisdell. To start your collection, you can find great deals on both new and used Zippos on eBay where new lighters can be found for less than $10.

1/12/2008

You Don't Need To Be A Smoker To Have Custom Zippo Lighters

Zippo Lighters

There’s no law against collecting custom Zippo lighters. It does not also say that you have to be a smoker to have these quality items. Like beauty, Zippo lighters have an excuse for being. These are delightful things to collect and show off.

Select and collect

All collectors start from scratch. Their collections grew in time with their wallets and their travels. There will always be someone you know who has a collection of coins, stamps, perfume, and custom Zippo lighters.

Collecting Americana like custom Zippo lighters does not require you to be a smoker. You can have hundreds of them and trace its history through the progression of designs and features starting from 1932.

The first Zippo lighter was rectangular shaped with a hinged lid. This had a hood to protect the flame from the wind. Not much has changed since George Blaisdell designed the first Zippo lighter 75 years ago.

The saga of the Zippo lighter

The comical appearance of a well-dressed man struggling to light his cigarette with a bulky lighter gave Blaisdell an idea. A smoker himself, he needed something that would fit in the palm of his hand, not a contraption that required two hands to open and light a cigar.

Ever on the lookout for the opportunity to make money at the time of the Great Depression, Blaisdell got the sole rights from the Austrian manufacturer of the brass lighters. Instead of making a pile, he lost his first round because there were many defects in the Austrian product.

He hit on the idea of developing his own lighter. This was a smaller version that fit in the palm of the hand. He added a hinge to make it easier to open the lighter with just one hand. He designed the wind hood to encircle the wick, making the flame wind resistant; in spite of the new additions, his lighter still used the Austrian hood design.

The first redesigned Zippo came with a lifetime warranty. If you are collecting these, you have the lifetime guarantee for all items including custom Zippo lighters. The warranty and novelty of the lighter catapulted Blaisdell to fame and riches. His business also thrived on the sales of spare parts and services after the expiration of the warranty.

The new breed of Zippos

The new Zippos have taken on added features like key holders, money clips, tape measures, ball pens, and unbelievably- knives. Custom Zippo lighters for different preferences - a Christmas Zippo with a Santa Claus face, dartboard, smiley face, and the Wright Brothers to mention a few, are stunning collectible items.

You can also get these for gift items for friends who are starting their collections. For fun, you can also join collectors clubs in Japan, Italy, Germany, England, Switzerland, and here in the USA.

Check out online sites for custom Zippo lighters. There will be always something new for your collection. You can have your name and the date of your purchase inscribed to help you keep track of the year the model was marketed.

Indeed, you don’t have to be a smoker to have custom Zippo lighters and accessories. Why not start a collection now?

1/07/2008

How Zippo Started

By: Carl Wall

The Zippo company originated in a small Pennsylvania town during the depression, at a time when the United States was indeed struggling. Zippo’s success was created through innovation and a lot of hard work, through the creation of a durable yet still very functional product, a very effective marketing campaign that includes a lifetime warranty. What happened was one night in 1932 there was a dinner held at the country club in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Attending the dance was one George G. Blaisdell. George was currently trying to think of a new way to create a bit of income during this rough time in our Nations history.

Up until this night Mr. Blaisdell had not been able to figure a way of generating more money. During the dinner he took a break to go have a smoke out on the balcony. There he found a friend of his trying to light up a cigarette. His friend had pulled out his lighter to light his cigarette. In doing so Blaisdell noticed his friends lighter was very tattered and looking a bit worse for wear.

Almost in a chuckle, Blaisdell asked his friend why such and horrible looking lighter when he was dressed up so nice. His friends response sparked a great idea. He friend replied, "it works". Those two words sparked on of the greatest ideas of the time. Blaisedell thought about that all night long. He figured that is exactly what people need in this time inexpensive and durable. After more consideration he realized it was just during rough times people would want this. This was something that would always be sought after. He thought to himself this lighter business is sounds promising!

Blaisdell quickly obtained the rights from an Austrian lighter manufacturer to sell their lighters. In an attempt to improve its appearance, Blaisdell chrome-plated the lid of the lighter and raised the price to one dollar. However, he still could not sell any of these lighters. He discovered that there were far too many defects in the lighter. But that did not deter Blaisdell. He was determined to develop a new lighter that would not fail to light.

He Abandoned the defective Austrian lighter and began work on the soon to be zippo lighter. Blaisdell rented an office space that he paid $10 a month in rent, hired three people, and began trying to develop his own lighter. He and his team used an electric hot plate for soldering. As money was tight during this time he could not afford new equipment. The total cost of his equipment was $260 at the time. The first thing Blaisdell did was to make the zippo lighter smaller to be able to fit in the palm of the hand, and he incorporated a hinge to hold the lid to the bottom, making it part of the lighter. This enabled the user to be able to open the lighter with just one hand. Blaisdell then utilized the hood design of the previous Austrian lighter and placed a wind hood around the wick.

This new lighter he had created was named "Zippo".

1/01/2008

Zippo Lighters

Have you got a Zippo lighter? The same windproof lighter that gives you a reliable flame, even in adverse conditions, looks great and feel nice to own? The lighters carry with them, a piece of history, some symbols and ideologies. They are not just lighters that lit up with a characteristic popping sound. In a sense, majority of the owners of these products don’t feel they use it as a cigarette lighter only.

If these lighters were mere cigarette lighters, there would not be this much people willing to shed GBP 50 to 100 for a piece. They know there is something more to it. No one is likely to throw away these lighters, even if he or she has got the item for free from a friend. The lifetime guarantee of Zippo products is not the only reason; it is also because of the class and elegance it brings with it.

The whole lighter, except the outer casing (the finish) is ’guaranteed for life’* for smooth performance. The present owner has to just send the Zippo product to the manufacturer, where it will be repaired and brought back to its original condition. No questions asked when and who made the purchase.

Liighter fluid available in convenient packing allows you to refill your lighters. Though there are different types of lighter fluids available in the market, the best bet is Zippo fluid, as it guarantees better flame and longevity to the wick. Zippo fluid is a colorless, odorless gas, a specific formulation of butane and propane that gives a characteristic steady flame with consistent blue color. Some products used to come out hand painted in the past. Technology has changed the way Zippo’s are manufactured and today, there are mechanized processes of lighters engraving and brining characteristic finish to the surface. Lot of customizations has been brought to Zippo lighter surface and several others are yet to come up.

Since its starting manufacturing in 1932, Zippo lighters have been part of history and have been regarded as the symbol of American ingenuity. During World War II, the company channelled all its resources towards manufacturing for the American military. Several generals and different presents of America have lauded lighters. The lighter has been listed as one of the 100 reliable products of the America. Lots of Americans frown up on cheap, disposable lighters.

Various Lighters are now available in the UK and almost all over the world. Collectors clubs operate from many different countries. Through the collectors’ clubs, news and developments in the hobby are passed through. These lighters prices vary from as low as GBP 10 to as high as GBP 2,500. To mark the 75th year of production, they have also launched special collectors’ edition called blu.

Zippo lighters have now become a symbol of ingenuity and class. There really is not a product like the that has stood the test of time and remains unchanged for more than 75 years. Some age old newspapers may be there, but a utility product to gain this much acceptability is rare. It might be only a utility tool during World War II. Later it has gained acceptability from among people of all kinds and from almost all countries of the world.

Source : EzineArticles.com

Zippo Lighters for Gamblers

By: Bradlley Mckoy

Gamble Rumble

It cannot be denied that one of the most exciting, thrilling and lucrative (well, it depends on how you view it) forms of leisure (or should I say, livelihood) or entertainment for most of people from all over the world is the world of gambling. It all depends on luck, and yes, for some types, mental skill and strategy. If the gambling gods will be at your side and will pour out their tremendous aids upon you, then expect loads and loads of bucks to fill your not-so filled pockets. But if they seem to be favoring the gambling machine or the your opponent at the other side of the gambling table more, then our commiserations as you just lose your money bets. Indeed, it is this very nature of gambling, the luck of chances, that makes it as one of the most addictive habits to do for most.

Ease the Tension

Whether you are a seasoned gambler or not, it should not be so hard for you to surmise that gambling activities are usually full of tensions. These forms of heavy anxieties or worries definitely happen when one is placing a huge amount of money on the line, with one stroke of bad luck or one move or decision causing them to escape away from your hands. The prospect of getting bankrupt is also very imminent because as many would say, this is not a game of certainty but a mere activity of pure chance and luck.

It is for the very reasons stated above that a normal gambler will usually resort to smoking some of his or her favorite brand of cigarettes to at least ease the tension and calm his or her senses. A stick is all you need, as many gamblers would say. You grab one from the sleek box and ignite the tobacco-filled stick. All will be fine temporarily.

Dude, The Lighter!

Cigarette-smoking while gambling might be a very common activity for most but a wonderful lighter is sometimes what one needs to add some style and spice to one’s gambling and smoking habit. So for most gamblers, picking a choice of their own trusty brand of lighters makes all the difference. Now, it’s not a wonder why Zippo lighters are a common choice for most.

Whether you are a regular casino goer, poker player or roulette table better, Zippo lighters is a great brand of lighter for you. It might not really help you on winning the gambling games and bring home truckloads of cash but if it is your lucky day, you might as well consider lighting a stick to commence your well-deserved luck. Zippo lighters just do it with style.

Zippo lighters come in different styles and designs that will totally appeal to one’s senses. Nature-friendly? Then why not try Zippo lighters that have some cool animal or insect designs. Apart from that, there are also Zippo lighters with gold and silver tones, Southwest and Hollywood designs, Skull and Pirate themes, Music designs for the music lovers, liquor crafts for those who liquor and wine lovers and gambling and poker designs especially designed for those frequent gamblers! Multi-purpose Zippo lighters are also available for those that wants to balance the enjoyment of their smoking habit and the successful performance of some daily functions.

Source : EzineArticles.com

1/18/2008

Cigarette Lighters

Zippo Lighters - Collecting An American Icon

1/12/2008

You Don't Need To Be A Smoker To Have Custom Zippo Lighters

1/07/2008

How Zippo Started

1/01/2008

Zippo Lighters

Zippo Lighters for Gamblers

Lighter Zippo | Zippo Lighters

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