24 January 2018

Zippo: Lighter Reliability

There is no doubt, smoker or not, that you will have heard of Zippo lighters at some point during your life. The brand dates all the way back to The Great Depression, where George G. Blaisdell from Bradford founded Zippo, and has only increased in popularity as an accessory over its many years of production. The function of the lighter was originally found on a similar Australian lighter, but was designed to be far simpler to operate. The wind-proof chimney was still included in the Zippo; however, the ease of use came from the simple spin of the flint wheel.

The word “Zippo” is incredibly intriguing and you certainly expect there to be an even more intriguing story behind it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get any more complicated than George G. Blaisdell thoroughly enjoying the word “zipper” and finding a way to incorporate the word into his new product. Despite the slightly disappointing story behind its name, Zippo lighters have never disappointed; renowned for their dependability and durability, Zippo’s are given a lifetime guarantee that does not often need to be used to acquire a refund or replacement.

During World War II, Zippo made the courageous move to cease the mass production of their lighters and only supply U.S soldiers fighting in the military with their product. It is fortunate that a large majority of people who use Zippo lighters today are not in the dire straits of war and can use their reliable lighter for far more domesticated purposes. As the plain steel design produced for military purposes was no longer needed on a large scale, Zippo’s began to feature a variety of designs, logos and colours.

Despite their reliability there is a certain level of maintenance required, just like a car or a musical instrument; they need to be looked after to maintain their reliability. Zippo lighters can almost certainly be found in your local tobacconists who will be more than happy to provide you with as much information as possible.