George G. Blaisdell invented the Zippo lighter in 1932, and got his theme after learning a gaudy Austrian made pocket lighter. Blaisdell was an oil drilling engineer who saw a potential market for a good looking lighter that would light up consistently even in windy weather. He formulated the first Zippo lighter in Bradford, Pennsylvania. It got its zippo name as Blaisdell liked the sound of the word zipper

A Zippo Lighter is a refillable, metallic lighter. They are highly collectible and 100s, if not 1000s of different custom zippo lighter styles have been made in the seven decades since their introduction. From Engraved Zippo lighters, to an army zippo lighter to a Truck Zippo, to a Military Zippo lighter.

Zippos are often rectangular in design with a lid that flips open . Unlike throw away cheap plastic lighters that are used and chucked out, Zippos are replenished with a Naphtha based liquid zippo lighter fluid. By taking out the inside component out of the exterior husk, its owner can pour lighter fluid into a cotton cloth packing that holds a wick. The flint, which brings on the small spark to ignite the cotton wick, is refillable.

It is affordable and very dependable. Replenishing a zippo lighter is a good deal less costly than buying one time use lighters.

Zippos are classified as windproof lighters, and are are capable of staying lighted in about any wind situation. They became popular in the United States armed forces, especially during the second world war zippo a military zippo lighter was standard equipment for all of soldiers in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. During that period, all Zippo lighters produced went to the Alied forces war effort. In fact, during that war, as brass was utilized for weapon systems, the guts of zippo lighters were manufactured in stainless steel. Following the war, Zippo reverted to the typical brass design.

Nearly 200,000 Zippo lighters were used by U.S. military personnel in the Vietman conflict. One time, a Zippo lighter carried in a shirt pocket halted a bullet from getting into a soldiers body.

Additionally, Zippos are known for the lifetime warranty they carry: if a Zippo falls apart, no matter how old, the company will replace or repair the lighter for free.

Zippo currently faces two hard challenges. Zippo has smashing brand recognition, originating from its function as standard GI issue during The Second World War, and the Vietman conflict, but the generation that possessed Zippo lighters into combat is fluttering. The second problem is that smoking is trending downward.

But, Zippo has weathered the storm, as collectors have been the missing link to strong growth. After all, cigarette smokers could buy only one or two of the lighters--each of which carries a lifetime guarantee. Plenty of 1940s-vintage Zippos still show up for fixes at the Zippo main office, which has restored old zippo lighters discovered inside the stomachs of fish and antique zippo lighters punctured by bullets from a gun. Collectors, all the same, often buy several at a time, give them away as gifts, and lure their friends and family to turn into collectors. Many zippo collectors have thousands of lighters in their zippo lighter collection and keep purchasing.

Collectors can gather up all of their preferred 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 American 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 in price from $35 to $75, and some as much as $3,000.

Since 1933, over 400,000,000 Zippos have been produced. After The Second World War the Zippo became increasingly used in ads by companies both small and large through the decade of the 1960's. Although new Zippo lighter styles are always surfacing, he basic mechanism of the Zippo has in essence stayed unaltered.

Zippo lighters have achieved icon status, which generates the kind of marketing money can't purchase. Rolling Stone Keith Richards, who often smokes on stage, keeps a Zippo right by guitar. Movie heroes from Bruce Willis to Harrison Ford have used Zippos to ignite fuses, burn documents and even to light cigarettes.

Zippo is broadening in other ways, too, with Zippo pens, belt buckles, and money clips, Zippo watches all with a lifetime warrantee.