# Where can I get one lighter engraved and painted? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 8, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861 "2016-06-08T20:27:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/1 "2016-06-08T20:27:34Z")
In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=726454) I said I was looking for two Zippo lighters with different USN squadron patches on them. One place that looked promising can’t do the engraving and painting on brushed chrome (which is what I want) because their ‘ink won’t stick’. Zippo has a minimum order of 30 for engraving, otherwise they use printed applications. (They also said I need to get permission from the now-defunct squadrons.) So where can I have [this](http://www.military-graphics.com/VF-2.png) and [this](http://www.military-graphics.com/VA-196.png) engraved – and painted – on a couple of brushed chrome Zippo lighters? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/2 "2016-06-08T21:42:31Z")
I’d search for an independent artist/engraver type. I know they’re out there. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2016, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/3 "2016-06-08T21:49:03Z")
ISTM there are people who do this sort of thing in Asia (Japan and Hong Kong come to mind). No idea how to find them though. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/4 "2016-06-09T02:06:29Z")
Contact the particular USN squadrons. They might already have some of the Zippos you want in their ships store/BX. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/5 "2016-06-09T02:12:45Z")
Engraving? Sears? ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/6 "2016-06-09T02:30:58Z")
Try the [del]maul[/del] [mall](https://www.thingsremembered.com/). I know they engrave but don’t know if it’s letters/numbers only or anything more extensive, like logos. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/7 "2016-06-09T03:29:49Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Contact the particular USN squadrons. They might already have some of the Zippos you want in their ships store/BX. VF-2 was redesignated VFA-2 thirteen years ago. I’ve seen one of their current lighters, and it has an F/A-18 on it, and USS _Lincoln_ on the back. I need the fighter squadron instead of the fighter/attack squadron to go with the patches that were given to me when I was a kid. VA-196 was disestablished 19 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/8 "2016-06-09T04:00:20Z")
Have you looked on Etsy? They have a bunch of artsy people who do all sorts of one-off crafts. Find someone like this who does custom work and send them a jpeg and see if you can work something out. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/9 "2016-06-09T06:11:43Z")
I used to work in a little kiosk in a shopping mall that engraved all sorts of things, including Zippo lighters. But that was eons ago. I don’t know if malls or kiosks still exist. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/10 "2016-06-09T13:36:33Z")
Go straight to [zippo.](https://www.zippo.com/customize/) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/11 "2016-06-09T13:51:40Z")
> [@feppytweed](#): > > Have you looked on Etsy? I think I’ve only used Etsy once, for a pre-existing product. I never think of them. I’ll have to look. > [@Paintcharge](#): > > Go straight to [zippo.](https://www.zippo.com/customize/) I’ve already contacted Zippo. Zippo has a minimum order of 30 for engraving, otherwise they use printed applications. (They also said I need to get permission from the now-defunct squadrons.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/12 "2016-06-09T13:58:59Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > Go straight to [zippo.](https://www.zippo.com/customize/) > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Zippo has a minimum order of 30 for engraving, otherwise they use printed applications. (They also said I need to get permission from the now-defunct squadrons.) My gf used to work for the ad agency that had Zippo. She believes they’d wave their minimum order if your situation were getting some press. ETA: she also said they are some of the coolest of all the clients she ever did work for. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/13 "2016-06-09T15:35:10Z")
I sent an email to the Tailhook Association asking if they could give me any leads. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/14 "2016-06-10T06:04:06Z")
I don’t know how much you’re willing to spend, but many custom jewelers can make you anything you want. There’s one near here that does the work with computer assisted design and computer guided machining. They can do inlays of enamel or paint, according to your wishes. Murray’s Jewelers, in Muncie for 5 generations [http://www.murraysjewelers.com/Index/index.php](http://www.murraysjewelers.com/Index/index.php) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2016, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-one-lighter-engraved-and-painted/756861/15 "2016-06-10T13:58:47Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > I don’t know how much you’re willing to spend, but many custom jewelers can make you anything you want. I don’t want to spend a lot. The most expensive lighter in my small collection was $80. But I’ll check out your link. I called VF-2 ‘defunct’. It isn’t, really. It’s no longer VF-2, but it still exists as VFA-2. I may just drop a line to their PAO for permission, and have Zippo make a lighter with a sticker on it. It would be nice to have a vintage one, but for this collection a reasonable facsimile is good enough.