About zippo lightersOne night in 1933 above a garage in Bradford, Pennsylvania, George Blaisdell
pushed the first insert into the first case of what would be the first Zippo
lighter. That was nearly 400 million Zippo lighters ago. Mr. Blaisdell would
be amazed to know that today there are thousands of Zippo lighter collectors
all over the world, communicating through newsletters and faxes, email
and web pages, as well as getting together at shows, conventions, and
the biennial Zippo/Case International Swap Meet.
First Zippo LighterThe first "Zippo lighters" were square-cornered and formed from rectangular brass
tubing. The top and bottom pieces were soldered to the hollow tubing to form the
lid and bottom of the case. The hinge was soldered on the outside and the lighter
was chrome-plated. It would go through many more design changes and become
available in many more styles over the years.
Zippo lighters tricks
Many people have mastered the art of flipping open a Zippo lighters.
The most popular method is to hold the lighter in the right hand with the
index finger and middle finger on top, and the thumb on
bottom (hinge facing towards the pinky). Pressure is applied to the
Zippo from the top fingers, which slide to the back, throwing the Zippo open.
Another common zippo trick, with the lid open, is to snap one's fingers, glancing the wheel
with the middle finger and igniting the wick. Easily as common is the trick of running
the wheel quickly over one's pant leg in order to ignite the wick. Many practice these
tricks until one can 'pop' the lid and ignite the wick in one seamless motion.
It is not nearly as difficult as it looks, and can be an impressive display of casual dexterity.
(also check out article about Zippo lighter tricks,
easy Zippo tricks,
medium Zippo tricks and
hard Zippo tricks)
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Zippo lighters todayZippo has produced over 325 million lighters since its founding in 1932. Except
for improvements in the flint wheel and modifications in case finishes, Blaisdell's
original design remains virtually unchanged today.
Zippo has expanded its sales operations nationally and internationally through
a wide network of sales representatives. In more than 120 countries throughout
the world, Zippo is synonymous with American made quality and
craftsmanship. Zippo windproof lighters enjoy a widespread and enviable
reputation as valuable collectibles. The company produces the Zippo Lighter
Collectors' Guide containing illustrations of the lighters and descriptions of the
series, as well as an explanation of the date code found on the bottom of every Zippo lighter.
Our Zippo ArticlesZippo lighter history
Zippo lighter tricks
Zippo Lighters Accessories
Zippo Style
Zippo Benefits
Zippo pictures
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