I have a few zippo around here. There plant is about a half hour from me. They also got a small museum on site. They have some on display that shows where a bullet hit and just dented from WWII. They used to allow you to mail in your lighter and then would fix it and return to you for free.
I like to hoard their hand warmers. I actually like them better than the joney warmers, or however you spell it. the zippos stay lit and seem to last longer without stinking you up.
Humm I haven't seen one of them on years. I can remember my dad had one and always used it during Deer hunting.
I like the zippo lighters. Quit smoking about 20 years ago though. My BIL WoodTurnerinPA has a nice collection.
I just inherited about 200 from my brother in law. Some are collections of various genre in frames. Not sure if there are any real old ones or not but haven't gone through them all. The coolest I have found are about 10 or 12 with different Harley Davidson bikes on them.
I had a couple engraved for me years ago. A large number of military installations use to have little shops around to do that kind of thing. I remember tossing them both away about twenty years ago. The only problem with zippo lighters is they are not real reliable for the back pack, or pack basket. They tended to dry out if not used. I pack about four bics on my person in doubled zip lock bags now while trapping. I've gone down in the water one too many times while after beaver. I typically have a dry flint that way if I leave the pack basket on shore, or in the sled.
My dad carried one and my paternal grandfather carried one all the time I knew him. Dad quit smoking in the '80's so don't know what happened to his. I can see why the "Bic" type lighters took over, they are so much more dependable for a non smoker like me when needing to light a fire. It is always in need of lighter fluid. One of those things you just fiddle with and will work but can't carry it and depend on it just once in a while. I show it to my welding students and tell them if they are going to make a career out of welding, this is the lighter you carry if you smoke.
I had a zippo when i was in viet nam, in fact i took my kbar and scratched the name of the Hill we were on during that time, Hill 881 South. Its kind of crud looking, but, its a time i'll never forget.
I use my zippo everyday. Much cheaper to use than a bic, not as convenient but not a big deal to refill every 5 days either. I keep a bic as a backup in my vehicles.
we have one nothing fancy all brass. It's been next to the woodstove for as long as i can remember. A quart of Ronsonol (spelling?) Lasts for several years. Sure sometimes you get aggravated cause it is empty and you are in a hurry but a little squirt and off you go. Try doing that with a bic.
well if you rub a bic vigorously in between your palms, you're almost guaranteed to get a light out of it. You can't do that with a zippo. I actually use naptha in mine, gallon jug has lasted years for me.
Heres most of them. I keep a few through out the house. If you are talking just Zippos the bottom row are onlye zippos. The rest are antique non zippos.
