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Any vintage Zippo lighters collectors ?

guillaumeb

One of the Regulars
Messages
178
Location
France
I got interested into Zippo history and Zippo lighters recently. I personnaly only like just a few of them, mainly the lightly engraved ones. I got a coupe of official Zippo replica from the 1930s.
Here is what the 1935 model looks like for instance :
13092268_362554477201636_763876351_n.jpg

Of course a true 1930 Zippo would certainly look better :)
Any vintage Zippo collectors on FL ?
 

Stanley Doble

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,808
Location
Cobourg
I've still got a couple of Zippos around from years ago when I used to smoke. One is a brass 50th Anniversary job still in the box. So if 1 is a collection I'm a collector lol.
 

foamy

A-List Customer
Messages
364
Location
Eastern Shore of Maryland
I have a few Zippos and Scripto Vu lighters. It started with my friend who served on the U.S.S. Coral Sea, he gave me a brass Coral Sea lighter with the enameled ingraveing. At this moment, I can't for the life of me, remember what else I have.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
Never owned a Zippo, but I'm planning on buying one soon - specifically, the pipe-lighting model. I've tried a fair few lighters in the last few years, and by far the best of all of them for pipe-lighting duties was a friend's Zippo with the pipe-lighter insert.
 

Stanley Doble

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,808
Location
Cobourg
I never liked a Zippo for lighting a pipe, you taste the Benzine. A gas lighter like a Bic is better. I preferred kitchen matches but I don't think you can get them anymore.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
I can get the kitchen matches, but they're a faff, and no match for a lighter given half the time I'm trying to get lit in a breeze. I've used Bic pipe lighters, but I hate throwing away so much plastic....

I never liked a Zippo for lighting a pipe, you taste the Benzine. A gas lighter like a Bic is better. I preferred kitchen matches but I don't think you can get them anymore.
 
Messages
12,970
Location
Germany
I still never want to get a classic, authentic Zippo, because I never liked the shape and size. And that will never change!
BUT, the "Slim-Zippo" was interesting enough for me to get the very basic one, but just for fun, because I simply don't need the obsolete benzine concept. I just wanted to find out, how long a benzine load could last.

My first "testseries" was firing a couple times a day. So the benzine load lasted 2 days. But remember, it's just the Slim-Zippo!

By the way:
The original benzine really doesn't stink.

PS:
I have SMALL hands!!




Tank made April 2022, Case made June 2022.
 

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Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
I'm a little confused. Since my first refillng, it's seem to last longer.

I think they need to bed in to some extent, soak up the fuel from dry on the first run. If regularly used, you'll always be refilling it a little 'wet'.

A zippo lighter has its limitations like anything else, though I've never had a refillable lighter that didn't work.... some years ago, I spent a fair bit on a fancy refillable gas lighter for the pipe, but I've never been able to get the damn thing to do more than one or two light-ups no matter how careful I am on refilling since.
 
Messages
12,970
Location
Germany
I think they need to bed in to some extent, soak up the fuel from dry on the first run. If regularly used, you'll always be refilling it a little 'wet'.

A zippo lighter has its limitations like anything else, though I've never had a refillable lighter that didn't work.... some years ago, I spent a fair bit on a fancy refillable gas lighter for the pipe, but I've never been able to get the damn thing to do more than one or two light-ups no matter how careful I am on refilling since.

Yep, I think, refilling every three days is an optimal way to keep it running.
 
Messages
10,939
Location
My mother's basement
I had Zippos back when I smoked and I may still have one or two in a box somewhere around here.

The problem I had with them was the occasional chemical burn I would get on my upper thigh, seeing how I put the lighter in the right front pants pocket and how I sometimes overfilled it and how I’m kinda susceptible to skin irritation anyway.
 
Messages
12,970
Location
Germany
I had Zippos back when I smoked and I may still have one or two in a box somewhere around here.

The problem I had with them was the occasional chemical burn I would get on my upper thigh, seeing how I put the lighter in the right front pants pocket and how I sometimes overfilled it and how I’m kinda susceptible to skin irritation anyway.

The refilling is the tricky point on my Slim-Zippo.
You have a smaller opening, when putting the floor cotton back and you have to be, where enough (day)light is, so you can see enough. And I'm only dropping the benzine carefully, otherwise it's too unpractically.
 
Messages
12,970
Location
Germany
Yep, Slim-Zippo is fun. :)
If you got really small hands like me, it fits practically perfect. Classic Zippo would be too bulky.
 

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