The Zippo Lighter Experience

asingh

asingh

Super Mod
zippo.jpg


A Zippo lighter is a refillable, metal lighter manufactured by Zippo Manufacturing Company of Bradford, Pennsylvania, U.S. Thousands of different styles and designs have been made in the seven decades since their introduction.*
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Starting a discussion on the legendary wind-proof lighter, that comes with a "life-time" guarantee. Want to read about others experiences specially regarding:

  • How they discovered the lighter.
  • How they got their 'first' lighter.
  • Maintenance methods.
  • What type of fuel people use.
  • General use and appeal.
  • Comments on cult status.
  • Used for something 'else' apart from lighting a cigarette.

I personally own seven of these lighters. None were purchased in India (high probability of knock-offs/fakes). Saw them mostly in Hollywood flicks, with the 'cliiinkk" sound. First Bollywood movie which probably show cased the Zippo lighter (could be wrong here) was Aatish (Sanju baba and Panscholi blow up the warehouse). Love to use it -- 'classic style, rolling the striker on a denim surface, and flicking it shut with a firm wrist action'.

Here is the Wikipedia link.

*Wikipedia
 
I had 2, 1 conked off (you give one to a person and he is Akshay Kumar) and 2nd is a prized possession of a friend now. End of story never lend your Zippo to anyone, light their ciggys instead.
 
^Bah! Even if I give one to you, you would turn into Akshay kumar trying all tricks with the Zippo. Leaving a conked Zippo.
 
Roxtin said:
^Bah! Even if I give one to you, you would turn into Akshay kumar trying all tricks with the Zippo. Leaving a conked Zippo.
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That is hardly a trick(strike against a denim surface). Its one of the standard ways to use them...! Does not conk it out, unless you force the striker opposite to the grain.

Though what you mentioned above. I never hand my lighter over to anyone. Just give them a light. Put it back in the pocket.

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Roxtin:
How did your Zippo conk off. Nothing can go wrong, unless the striker is worn out..?
 
I had one my x gifted me on my bday and after 4-5 days i was caught & screwed by my mom ... when she saw the zippo @ ma jeans pocket .... No more Zippo now !!
 
asingh said:
Does not conk it out, unless you force the striker opposite to the grain.
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Roxtin:
How did your Zippo conk off. Nothing can go wrong, unless the striker is worn out..?
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Eggjactly and he bent the holder too god knows what he did to it, he came from break and just said sorry :(
 
^^
I bet you he was trying that "strike against jeans" trick. Noobs do that, and ruin the striker. This is the weakest link in the lighter, and the hinge pin. Rest is rock solid. Flint, wick, cotton, flint spring is 'hard to destroy'. I remember once a friend of mine, dropped my matte finish lighter in a glass of whiskey. I let it dry for 20 minutes -- it ran...! Another time a drunk friend, extinguished his cigarette on my chrome platted one...groan was I pissed...!
 
Never owned one. I dont smoke and will never do.

But saw one at the Luxor Signature store. Damn! I was tempted to buy one, just for the sake of owning one. Some how restrained myself, next time I am there to buy refill for my Parker, I'll buy one, wondering what will I say when I get it back home.:ashamed:

Is the one available in Luxor store original? It was starting from 1k and upto 2k.
 
Buying Zippo in Indian high chances of getting a fake one. You need to look for the markings and code at the base and inner body to ensure that it is legit. Though I have seen an exact replica of my original Zippo being sold in Delhi :p
 
I had one too, and it too conked off. It was when around 8 of my frens met up, and dunno who messed with it... end result was my zippo ended up to be useless.

i still have the fuel with me. dunno what it is, smells much different from petrol/diesel/alc/acetone etc.

can it be used for TIM removal ? :D
 
A friend of mine had 9 Zippos.... from different eras.... imo better to keep a Rs. 10 lighter or matchbox lol... the zippo is a never ending saga.... fuel, zippo flint... waste of money/time.
 
Roxtin said:
Buying Zippo in Indian high chances of getting a fake one. You need to look for the markings and code at the base and inner body to ensure that it is legit. Though I have seen an exact replica of my original Zippo being sold in Delhi :p
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Highly probable that the Indian ones being sold are fake. Unless the shop is sporting the genuine Zippo 'flame' logo. Even fuel at times is fake. It will mess up the inner cotton, and cause it to harden. The back code system can be replicated. Though the collectors items have a system of "../../../.." to signify the month/year. These are ones issued during WW2. And most went to the US forces. Are really collector items.

dOm1naTOr said:
I had one too, and it too conked off. It was when around 8 of my frens met up, and dunno who messed with it... end result was my zippo ended up to be useless.

i still have the fuel with me. dunno what it is, smells much different from petrol/diesel/alc/acetone etc.

can it be used for TIM removal ? :D
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The fuel is Synthetic Isoparaffinic Hydrocarbon. Highly flammable, but evaporates really quick. Of course manufactured by Zippo. Probably not a good idea for TIM cleansing. (Only a techie could think of this).

Rockfella said:
A friend of mine had 9 Zippos.... from different eras.... imo better to keep a Rs. 10 lighter or matchbox lol... the zippo is a never ending saga.... fuel, zippo flint... waste of money/time.
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Its just the passion of an enthusiast. Similar to our gaming machines. That is why I opened this thread. I hoard all of mine like gold. Though for some trivia, this lighter was inspired by the 'zipper'. The inventor wanted something which works forever, and is simple.
 
actually i found the fuel less volatile than 99% isopropyl that i got from a chemist. Will do a comparison b/w those with other contenders like petrol, diesel and kerosene :D
 
^^

Well it does ignite on a straight spark from the flint/striker. Would isopropyl...? How will you compare the rest of the compounds..?
 
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