Just a moment ago, I scampered past Mr. Rilch before he could pinch my butt. I was anxious to avoid a struggle, you see, because I was carrying a glass of cola, with my cigarette pack balanced on the rim and my Zippo atop that.
Zoom!
Clink!
“Stupid poetic justice!” said I.
“So you’ll have to drink the whole glass to get to it?” Mr. Rilch inquired.
“No, I’m going to fish it out with tongs.”
Flick! A bold yellow flame sprang forth. So Zippo lives up to their propaganda: they really are waterproof! Those reports of people being capsized and using their Zippos to build a fire when they find land are plausibly true after all!
Back in my previous life, when I had use for a Zippo on a regular basis, I had the same lighter for 21 years.
Twice in those 19 years the hinge broke. Both times I sent it back to Zippo, they fixed it free, sent it back with extra flints, and included a letter apologizing for the failure of their product!
As far as I’m concerned, no apologies are necessary, Mr. Zippo. Any company that stands behind it’s product like you do gets my business every time.
Even if I’m no longer a smoker, Zippo comes highly recommended.
Ah, a Zippo thread. I love my Zippos. I have more than 10 of them–mostly my granddad’s oil company gimmes, but including one I got as a groomsman’s gift with my name and a guitar engraved on it (I sang at the wedding), my granddad’s WWII brass Marine lighter, and my pride and joy, the 2000 limited edition Martin Guitar Co. with the cloissone (sp?) inlay.
But my pocket lighter is a plain brushed steel one that will–without fail–light five times in a row. Got both my pinkies, thank you very much.
Zippos are great! I really doubted whether they would live up to that claim about repairing it for lifetime, but they did. Oh and with a strange little form letter saying “thankyou for sending your Zippo to our Zippo hospital”
SO nice. But, joking apart, it IS good that they live up to what they say.
Well, if your in the same “cool junk you must have in your pockets” zone with me, I found the best price for a titanium Zippo here. They’re asking $63, versus the $73 to $97 most places wanted.
I’ve had many Zippos over the years. I’ve always managed to lose them well before they started showing wear and tear.
I was always surprised when I could get a light out of them on a ski lift. Truly a fantastic product. Now if only they made cars that functioned as well.
Well, this one already survived some punk kid running over it with his Rollerblades. Deliberately, I might add. Grr. It’s painted gray; the lid says “Read Peter Bagge’s HATE comics!” and the body has a closeup of Buddy Bradley scowling and holding a cigarette. I could get the interior fixed if it came to that, but the outer casing is irreplaceable. And deeply scratched. I managed to get his parents to reimburse the $25 I paid, but the item itself was long since sold out.
Call Zippo, and they will graciously send you a pre-paid mailer for your ailing Zippo, and return it repaired, free of charge, with a signed letter, some extra flints, and a tag with a penny installed saying something to the effect of “This is more than you’ll ever pay to keep your Zippo running.”
It’s nice to know that there are a few companies left in the US that don’t have their head up their ass.
Note that Zippos have a serious amount of wick jammed inside, (For the very purpose I am so unselfishly about to explain) when seriously crusty, use a pair of needle nose pliers to pull out a clean length of wick, and clip with a pair of wire cutters/dikes just below the chimney. This will restore ‘like new’ operation.
Ah, Zippo. The only lighter that can be dropped from a car travelling at 60 kph, run over, dropped again, stood on, run through the washing machine, and will still light, first try, when in a fast-moving open-top car. I love my Zippo.
ZIPPOs make me sad. Remember their TV commercials from a few years back? I so wanted to light things on fire but sadly did not smoke and was no longer in Boy Scouts nor do I camp regularly.
