Zippo Lighters

Zippo Lighters

Springfields Army Stores of 76 Cross St, Burton-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire have sold several items by Zippo for numerous years. A Zippo lighter is a refillable, metal lighter manufactured by Zippo Manufacturing Company. Thousands of different styles and designs have been made in the seven decades since their introduction. They are frequently collected.

History and Warranty

They became popular in the United States military, especially during World War II - when, as the company's website says, Zippo "ceased production of lighters for consumer markets and dedicated all manufacturing to the U.S. military.".

Additionally, Zippo lighters are known for offering a lifetime guarantee: if a Zippo lighter breaks, no matter how old or how many owners it has had, the company will replace or fix the lighter for free. The only part of a Zippo lighter that carries no warranty is the finish on the outside of the outer case and lid.

Zippo Lighters

Zippo lighters gained popularity as "windproof" lighters, able to stay lit in harsh weather, due to the design of the windscreen and adequate rate of fuel delivery. A consequence is that it is hard to extinguish by blowing out the flame. The proper way to extinguish the lighter is to close the top half, which starves the flame of oxygen, but, unlike other lighters, an action like this does not cut the fuel.

One of the recognizable features of Zippo is the fact that it burns with a wick. Rapidly opening the top lid produces a loud and easily recognizable clicking sound for which Zippo lighters are known. This noise can be attributed to the spring-toggle lever which is primarily intended to keep the lid closed when the lighter is not in use.