Flash your Zippo lighter here

[Mr. Rover]

This design originates from WWII. Zippo ceased consumer production of their lighters and supplied them only to the military. To conserve bronze resources for other military uses, Zippo made their lighters from steel. Steel wouldn't take the chrome or nickel finish, so to keep it from rusting, they applied the baked black paint which resulted in the crackled finish. The design is pretty much the same as the early 40's models with the 4-barrel hinge and squarish body. A benefit/side effect was that that the lighters didn't reflect light when they were being used at the front lines.

 

[Feraud]

Very interesting, thanks!

 

[fortworthgal]

Here in the US, Zippo sells a reintroduction of the black crackle WWII lighter. Most any place that sells Zippos, such as a cigar shop, will carry it. I picked one up for my husband last year for around $18. Zippos are very durable and you can fill it with darn near anything - camp fuel, gasoline, etc. - and it'll still work. They are also easy to maintain, and Zippo really stands by the product.

It is pretty easy to date Zippos by the typeface used in "Zippo" on the bottom, and in the number listed on the bottom. My husband has several original 1930s and 40s Zippos, but not any with the black crackle finish. Originals of that are very collectable and can be quite expensive.

 

[Mr. Rover]

No, that looks like it's a flat finish with the flecks. The finish on the black crackle is actually all wrinkly/crackled.This is the modern black crackle Zippo. The specks in the pictures are just the light hitting the rough surface, not flecks in the fiinish. I'm not sure if the 1941 replica comes in it, too, although it should.

 

[Dinerman]

I've seen a lot of old camera developing equipment done in that kind of finish.

 

[flat-top]

No, that looks like it's a flat finish with the flecks. The finish on the black crackle is actually all wrinkly/crackled.This is the modern black crackle Zippo. The specks in the pictures are just the light hitting the rough surface, not flecks in the fiinish. I'm not sure if the 1941 replica comes in it, too, although it should.

But where did you get your replica?

 

[Dinerman]

eBay, of course! I'm quite excited because the seller is in Japan, which means the shipping to Taiwan should take less than week :eusa_clap

he got it off ebay

 

[Mr. Rover]

But where did you get your replica?

Yes- mine is a Japanese-made replica that I found on eBay.

 

[The Wingnut]

Sheesh...I thought, 'Heck, the '41 replica can't be that expensive...why not just buy the genuine '41 replica Zippo and use up that can of wrinkle black paint I've got?' I've painted entire air cleaners with the stuff, it turns out great.

...$175 smackers!? GEEZ...it's solid sterling. Why can't they make one in steel or brass?

Whoops...and re-reading further up, evidently they make a dead-level repro and would save me the work of painting. DUH.

 

[Mojave Jack]

That's a really good repro, Ray!

Since I'm a complete nerd, I visited the Zippo/Case museum in Bradford, Pennsylvania, in August. My wife's family lives in neighboring Warren, so it was a nice thing to do on a rainy day. In the museum, though, they have a whole display on the Zippos that went to war, including the actual letters written back to Zippo about how great their zippos were. There is even one of a Zippo that deflected a bullet, and possibly saved the guy's life! The lighter is right there in the museum, with a photo of the guy the day it happened. Very cool museum.

They offer repros of all of the lighters issued to the military in WWII in the gift shop. The only one they didn't have, and the only one I wanted, was an Army Air Corps repro! Bummer.

 

[The Wingnut]

That's a really good repro, Ray!

Since I'm a complete dork, I visited the Zippo/Case museum
They offer repros of all of the lighters issued to the military in WWII in the gift shop. The only one they didn't have, and the only one I wanted, was an Army Air Corps repro! Bummer.

...indeed! Here's a better idea, anyway: Find a place that still does hand engraving, instead of machined stuff. Take them a plain '41 black crackle zippo and some AAF related artwork (nose art, Hap Arnold logo, propwings, unit DI) and have them engrave it onto the side. It'll be unique and far more likely to replicate what a AAF member would have had done to theirs at the time.

Now that I've got the wheels turning, if I get a little extra dough I think I'll try the 56th FG DI on the side of one, if I can find a good engraver.

 

[fortworthgal]

Most of the originals I have seen have the enameled DI glued or soldered onto the side. That would be pretty easy to replicate. The engraved ones I have seen are not fancy or neat, more like "field made" with a name or dates scratched on.

I've also seen an original black crackle finish that had a 1944 nickel glued to the side.

 

[The Wingnut]

Hah! If I could find a 56th FG DI, it wouldn't be going on the side of a Zippo. They're akin to hen's teeth.

I've got this for now.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Yes- mine is a Japanese-made replica that I found on eBay.

Thanks Ghos7a55assin , there goes more of my hard earned cash for something too cool to pass up.

There are several of those for sale "you know where" by one person, and I just bought one.

Actually-thanks for the Tip!!

 

[Rene]

....you could take a look at www.belgianbuyer.com. They sell the repro crackle zippos for EUR 42.

 

[jeep44]

I was lucky to grab an original WW2 black crackle Zippo at a militaria show years ago before they were so sought after. I also have a black crackle "clone" made by some other company of the period. The name on it escapes me now (the stuff is stored away now), but I seem to remember "new York" on it.
My Dad was a tailgunner in the AAF,and he has a plain metal lighter(not a Zippo) that he punched the outline of a B17 on with something pointed. He did it well, and it is very recognizable. For use back in his barracks, he had a .50 cal cartridge,and a 20mm cannon shell that the machinists had cut in half,and made lighters that fit inside. They also have aluminum bases with the "8th" insignia etched on them.

 

[Jay]

I was lucky to grab an original WW2 black crackle Zippo at a militaria show years ago before they were so sought after. I also have a black crackle "clone" made by some other company of the period. The name on it escapes me now (the stuff is stored away now), but I seem to remember "new York" on it.
My Dad was a tailgunner in the AAF,and he has a plain metal lighter(not a Zippo) that he punched the outline of a B17 on with something pointed. He did it well, and it is very recognizable. For use back in his barracks, he had a .50 cal cartridge,and a 20mm cannon shell that the machinists had cut in half,and made lighters that fit inside. They also have aluminum bases with the "8th" insignia etched on them.

That's damn cool. Those lighters and ashtrays and such, trench art if you please, is fascinating. I don't know why I like it so much. One of the coolest things I've seen is a P-38 made from .50 cal shells.

 

[scotrace]

Go ahead and link to a closed auction for this lighter, if you like.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

This is a closed auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270047812687

 

[RedPop4]

There are butane inserts for the Zippo, as well.
I have an old Zippo pipe lighter that I use when I smoke a pipe.