The Zippo Owners Club

[Poncho65]

A Zippo I have had since the late 90s





         

[FolderBeholder]

I have a few and one of my latest is this brass 1941 replica, 4 barrel hinge with brass insert.  If someone were to ask me which Zippo to buy, I would recommend this one.

[VICMAN]

I have a few and one of my latest is this brass 1941 replica, 4 barrel hinge with brass insert.  If someone were to ask me which Zippo to buy, I would recommend this one.

 

[variable]

Just finished assembling this Zippo Arc insert kit. Bronze top and TPU case with a decision coin.

[nakken]

[VASILIS M]

Hi! I have a 50 years and glowing stronger zippo lighter but i am nlot sure if it's real or not...
On the bottom stamp it has the zippo brand name and the bradford p. a. it also has the seriak number J V . But it has not the made in usa...
So I would like to know if it's real or not and if it's real is it worthy?
Thanks for your time!!!

[edc yes]

Picture Please

[Sos24]

Here is one of my favorite Zippos with a Zippo soft flame butane insert.

My Zippos never saw much carry until I discovered the Butane inserts.  I just recently discovered the actual Zippo brand soft flame and really like it.

[Valkie]

Is it just me or do the Zippo lighters need constant refilling.
I don't use mine often, as I don't smoke.
But I carry it for camping and within a week, only lighting a few fires and it's dry again.
I have to carry fuel with me and that seems to be rather pointless.

[gregozedobe]

Is it just me or do the Zippo lighters need constant refilling.
I don't use mine often, as I don't smoke.
But I carry it for camping and within a week, only lighting a few fires and it's dry again.
I have to carry fuel with me and that seems to be rather pointless.

Would the Zippo butane insert suit your usage better ? 

[nate j]

Is it just me or do the Zippo lighters need constant refilling.
I don't use mine often, as I don't smoke.
But I carry it for camping and within a week, only lighting a few fires and it's dry again.
I have to carry fuel with me and that seems to be rather pointless.

It’s pretty normal for all the fuel to evaporate out of a Zippo within a week or two, give or take depending on environmental conditions.  This evaporation may be somewhat slowed by sealing the lighter in a ziploc bag, purpose-made case, or even using a simple rubber band.

Ultimately, though, as cool as Zippos are, they just aren’t the optimal choice for hiking, camping, or survival kits.  My recommendation is to toss three full-size Bics in your pocket or pack for about the same weight as one Zippo, at a total cost of about $3.  Replace any that fail to light or otherwise give you any trouble at the next opportunity, and you should be good to go.

[Sos24]

Is it just me or do the Zippo lighters need constant refilling.
I don't use mine often, as I don't smoke.
But I carry it for camping and within a week, only lighting a few fires and it's dry again.
I have to carry fuel with me and that seems to be rather pointless.

The drying out is from fuel evaporation and is the reason I like butane inserts, no evaporation. 

As nate j said, a few Bics will last longer and be less weight for camping.  This is why as much as I love my Zippos, for camping and emergency bags I use Bics or Clipper lighters.

If wanting to carry a Zippo specifically, for nostalgia or have favorite, then recommend getting a butane insert.  You won’t experience the evaporation and will last longer.

[m47mu74nt]

I have a few Zippos that I like but don't use (I even already lost  [somewhere in my stuff] the lastet Zippo Slim I found at a flea market last week), and at least a Bic in every bag (and I don't smoke)

[Aloha]

Zippos are cool and fun if you collect different ones.  I had one but sent it down the road and while I could have got a insert I'm really just to lazy to refill when needed  .  Mini and full size Bic for me. 

I do enjoy seeing all the really neat ones folks have.  I even like the "tricks" some do with them. 

[edc yes]

Ha yeah zippo's are cool.
We were barbecueing with neighbors in the driveway one cool winter's evening, and one of the neighbor brothers asked me why I didn't inhale the first pull after lighting my rolly (Pronounced 'role-ee' duh j/k). I told him it was because the burnt fuel from a zippo could affect the taste of that drag and the rest of the smoke, too.
He thought I was cool, and that that was a really cool thing to know. I didn't know he was a connesieur (sp?), and I didn't know he thought I was cool. haha

Zippos for cool and context, bics for everything else!

[Sos24]

Ha yeah zippo's are cool.
We were barbecueing with neighbors in the driveway one cool winter's evening, and one of the neighbor brothers asked me why I didn't inhale the first pull after lighting my rolly (Pronounced 'role-ee' duh j/k). I told him it was because the burnt fuel from a zippo could affect the taste of that drag and the rest of the smoke, too.
He thought I was cool, and that that was a really cool thing to know. I didn't know he was a connesieur (sp?), and I didn't know he thought I was cool. haha

Zippos for cool and context, bics for everything else!

The taste factor is another thing you don’t have to worry about with the Butane insert.  Now if you want to be really cool, the next time you light your rolly in front of him, you should have a Zippo with the butane cigar/pipe insert.

[edc yes]

 
IINNNteresting!

[Aloha]

   Level up.  Now if you want a different old school cool find yourself a Beatie Jet Lighter  . 

 

[MadPlumbarian]

That looks like a pipe lighter,,
JR

[Aloha]

Its really neat thats for sure.  I picked one up and did some cleaning and it fired right up.  I wont use it but it was sure neat to see work. 

Sos got me thinking with her Zippo insert post.  I'm not sure I'd have kept my Zippo even with an insert.  Maybe I'll pick one up again at the flea market and have a go again. 

[Sos24]

Its really neat thats for sure.  I picked one up and did some cleaning and it fired right up.  I wont use it but it was sure neat to see work. 

Sos got me thinking with her Zippo insert post.  I'm not sure I'd have kept my Zippo even with an insert.  Maybe I'll pick one up again at the flea market and have a go again.

The main reason I carry a Zippo is the nostalgia and fidget factors.  I have a few from Navy ships and it is more fun to carry and play with than just leaving on a shelf or in a box.  They are also safer to fidget with than a knife.

The sad thing is I had more but Customs/TSA confiscated several.  They all had the stickers still on them showing that they never had fuel in them, but they were taken anyway. 

[zdec68]

I have always liked Zippos.  When he smoked it was the lighter he always used.  When I quit smoking I stopped using them, by not using them regularly the gasoline ended up evaporating and I couldn't use them, so I went to the Bic, Clipper... I would like to use them again with a butane insert, but I have doubts.  I'm looking for the normal butane one, with a normal flame, or better a jet type, I don't trust piezoelectric systems much.  are they reliable?

When I get home I'll see if I can post a picture

[nate j]

Welcome zdec!

I carried a Zippo with the single torch insert for a while.

The piezo ignitions are highly reliable in my experience, though like pretty much anything else they will eventually (rated for 10,000 cycles) wear out and have to be replaced.  Note that the Zippo single and double torch inserts have piezo ignitions, while the soft flame insert has a more traditional flint ignition with replaceable flints.

Like most other torch/jet lighters, it isn’t the ignition that usually ends up having problems, it is the gas nozzle/system.  This seems to get plugged up or otherwise stop working after a while.  It’s one of the reasons I don’t carry one anymore.

The other problem was that I felt like I was having to refill them very frequently.  Zippo rates the single torch insert at 100 five-second lights per fill (500 seconds total burn time).  I’m not sure I was getting even this out of mine, but I wasn’t actually keeping records.  For comparison, the Zippo double torch insert is rated at 60 five-second lights (300 seconds total), and the Zippo soft flame insert is rated at 125 five-second lights (625 seconds total).  A full size Bic is rated at 3000 (probably one-second) lights, and independent testing generally puts them at more than 3000 seconds of total burn time.

[Aloha]

Glad this got bumped again.  Next time out the the flea market I'll have to pick up a Zippo and try an insert.  The fidget factor is fun thats for sure.  I'll use for my grill and candles or whatever around the house.  I did like flicking open and close. My partner not so much  . 

[zdec68]

Welcome zdec!

I carried a Zippo with the single torch insert for a while.

The piezo ignitions are highly reliable in my experience, though like pretty much anything else they will eventually (rated for 10,000 cycles) wear out and have to be replaced.  Note that the Zippo single and double torch inserts have piezo ignitions, while the soft flame insert has a more traditional flint ignition with replaceable flints.

Like most other torch/jet lighters, it isn’t the ignition that usually ends up having problems, it is the gas nozzle/system.  This seems to get plugged up or otherwise stop working after a while.  It’s one of the reasons I don’t carry one anymore.

The other problem was that I felt like I was having to refill them very frequently.  Zippo rates the single torch insert at 100 five-second lights per fill (500 seconds total burn time).  I’m not sure I was getting even this out of mine, but I wasn’t actually keeping records.  For comparison, the Zippo double torch insert is rated at 60 five-second lights (300 seconds total), and the Zippo soft flame insert is rated at 125 five-second lights (625 seconds total).  A full size Bic is rated at 3000 (probably one-second) lights, and independent testing generally puts them at more than 3000 seconds of total burn time.

I think then I'll stick with a Clipper, even if it's not that cool

[zdec68]

Some photos:

















I need a ligth-box 

Regards!

[Aloha]

 

[nate j]

Some very cool Zippos for sure!

[Sos24]

I think then I'll stick with a Clipper, even if it's not that cool

Zippo introduced a new soft flame butane insert which seems really nice and uses a flint wheel.  Also the Thunderbird soft/yellow flame inserts use a flint wheel.

As compared to the Clipper, I think reliability may be a draw with the soft flame inserts, especially with the new non-round wheels of the Clipper.