Zippo facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1932 |
| Founder | George Grant Blaisdell |
| Headquarters | Bradford, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Products | Lighters and accessories |
A Zippo lighter is a special metal lighter made by the Zippo Manufacturing Company. This company is located in Bradford, Pennsylvania, United States. For over 90 years, Zippo has created thousands of different styles and designs. These include special versions for the military.
Zippo lighters are sold all over the world. Many people see them as a "legendary symbol of America." In 2012, the company made its 500-millionth lighter. Zippo lighters have mostly been made in the United States. However, there was also a factory in Niagara Falls, Canada, from 1949 to 2002.
Contents
Zippo's Story: How It Began
An American inventor named George Grant Blaisdell started the Zippo Manufacturing Company in 1932. He made the very first Zippo lighter in early 1933. He got the idea from a similar lighter made in Austria. Blaisdell liked the sound of the word "zipper." He thought "zippo" sounded even more modern. On March 3, 1936, the U.S. Patent Office gave Zippo a patent for its lighter.
Zippo and the Military
Zippo lighters became very popular with the U.S. military. This was especially true during World War II. During the war, Zippo stopped making lighters for regular customers. Instead, they made them only for the U.S. military. A war reporter named Ernie Pyle even wrote to Zippo's founder. He said Zippo was "probably the most important element on the front."
During the war, Zippos were usually made of brass. But because metals were scarce, Zippo used steel with a black crackle finish. The Zippo company never had an official military contract. However, soldiers often asked for Zippos at military stores. It was common to see Zippos with military badges or unit symbols. During the Vietnam War, American soldiers often engraved their Zippos with personal messages. Today, these lighters are popular items for collectors.
Zippo's Design and Growth
After World War II, Zippo lighters were often used in advertising. Many companies, big and small, used them through the 1960s. Early Zippo ads were often hand-painted artworks. As technology changed, so did the look of Zippo lighters. The basic way a Zippo works has stayed the same. But they became a popular fashion item with many artistic designs.
In 2002, Zippo started making other products. They introduced multi-purpose lighters called Zippo MPLs. In 2005, they launched the Outdoor Utility Lighter (OUL). These lighters used butane fuel. In 2007, Zippo released the Zippo BLU, another butane lighter. This line was stopped on January 1, 2016.
The Zippo Museum
There is a museum called the "Zippo/Case visitors center" in Bradford, Pennsylvania. It is located at 1932 Zippo Drive. This building is about 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) in size. It shows rare and special Zippo lighters. It also sells all kinds of Zippo products. The museum was featured on a radio show in 2009. It also has a huge collection of Case knives. Since Zippo's 60th anniversary in 1992, they have made special lighters for collectors each year.
Expanding the Zippo Family
In 2009, Zippo announced plans to buy Ronson Consumer Products Corporation. Ronson had been a competitor in the lighter market for a long time. The deal was completed on February 3, 2010.
By 2011, Zippo's lighter sales had gone down. They sold 18 million lighters a year in the mid-1990s, but only about 12 million recently. Also, fewer people were smoking. So, Zippo started offering more products with the Zippo name. These included watches, clothes, and even cologne. This plan is similar to how Victorinox Swiss Army Brands Inc. sells watches, luggage, and fragrances.
On June 5, 2012, Zippo made its 500,000,000th lighter. They also celebrated their 80th anniversary that year. In 2018, Zippo made the sound of its windproof lighter a special trademark. This means the Zippo "click" is now one of the most famous sounds in the world.
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Zippo's flint-wheel Ignition
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A lit 1968 slim model Zippo
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An open full-size Navy Zippo
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Brass-based case design with matched insert coloring
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Zippo point of sale display
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Two Zippo lighters, one open, one closed
How Zippo Lighters Work
Zippo lighters are known as "windproof" lighters. They can stay lit even in bad weather. This is because of their special design. The windscreen protects the flame, and the fuel flows steadily.
It is hard to blow out a Zippo flame from the side. But if you blow down on the flame from the top, it will go out easily. The right way to put out a Zippo is to close the top lid. This cuts off the air to the flame. Unlike other lighters, this does not stop the fuel flow. A Zippo burns with a wick, which is a special string that soaks up fuel.
When you open the top lid, you hear a clear "clink" sound. When you close it, you hear a different "clunk." These sounds are famous for Zippo lighters. A small lever inside, called a toggling cam, makes these sounds. It also keeps the lid securely open or closed.
When you buy a new Zippo, it does not have fuel in it. Instructions for how to safely fill it are in the package. Zippo also sells its own brand of lighter fluid.
Zippos in the Vietnam War
During the Vietnam War, Zippo lighters were sometimes used in a different way. Soldiers would use them to burn down villages during "search and destroy" missions. One soldier said, "You went in there with your Zippos. Everybody. That's why people bought Zippos. Everybody had a Zippo." The term "Zippo squad" became military slang for a group assigned to burn a village. Even a special armored flamethrower was called a "Zippo."
Zippo Price and Guarantee
As of March 2022, Zippo lighters cost between US$17.95 and US$25,000. The most expensive one is the Armor 18k solid gold model. In 2001, a 1933 model was bought for $18,000 in Tokyo. In 2002, the company bought one for its own collection for $12,000. For its 75th anniversary in 2007, Zippo sold a nearly new 1933 model for $37,000.
All Zippo windproof lighters come with a lifetime guarantee. Their famous saying is: "It works or we fix it free." The company says that in almost 75 years, no one has ever paid to fix a Zippo lighter. This is true no matter how old or what condition the lighter is in.
How Zippos Are Dated
Since mid-1955, Zippo has added codes to its lighters to show the year they were made.
- From 1955 to 1965, they used dots.
- From 1966 to 1973, they used vertical lines.
- From 1974 to 1981, they used forward slashes.
- From 1982 to June 1986, they used backslashes.
After July 1986, Zippo started using a code for both the month and year. On the left side of the bottom, there was a letter from A to L. This letter showed the month (A for January, B for February, and so on). On the right side, there was a Roman numeral for the year. This started with II in 1986.
In 2001, Zippo changed this system. They started using regular numbers instead of Roman numerals for the year. So, a Zippo made in August 2004 would be stamped H 04.
How Zippos Are Built
Zippo lighter cases are usually made of brass. They are shaped like a rectangle with a top that opens on a hinge. On most Zippos, the top part of the case is slightly curved.
Inside the case are all the working parts of the lighter. This inner part holds the spring lever that keeps the top closed. It also has the wick, the windscreen chimney, the flintwheel, and the flint. All these parts are on a metal box that fits snugly inside the outer case.
The inside of this metal box has five rayon balls. These are like cotton balls and touch the wick. The bottom of this box is covered by a thick piece of felt. On modern Zippos, the felt says "LIFT TO FILL." This tells you to lift the felt to add fuel. The fuel is a light oil, often called lighter fluid or naphtha. It soaks into the rayon balls.
There is also a tube inside that holds a small, round flint. A spring and a screw cap keep the flint pushed against the outside flint-wheel. When you spin this rough wheel against the flint, it makes a spark. This spark lights the fuel in the wick.
Every part of a Zippo lighter can be replaced. It takes 108 steps to make one Zippo lighter.
Zippo BLU and Zippo BLU 2
Zippo launched the Zippo BLU in 2007. These were butane torch lighters. Zippo worked hard to make sure they still felt like a "Zippo." For example, the lid and cam were made to still create the famous "Zippo click." Also, it was one of the few butane lighters to use a flint and striker wheel. The company also sold the BLU2. This version had a squarer shape and did not have the fuel gauge.
On January 1, 2016, Zippo stopped making the BLU line of lighters. They sold the BLU trademark to another company. However, Zippo still repairs all Zippo BLU lighters.
Other Companies Zippo Owns
Besides buying the Ronson brand in 2010, Zippo owns other companies. These include W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. in Bradford, Pennsylvania. They also own Zippo UK, Ltd. in London, England, and Zippo Fashion Italia in Vicenza, Italy.
See also
In Spanish: Zippo para niños
- Zippo Mfg. Co. v. Zippo Dot Com, Inc.
