Zippo

The Zippo timeline begins in the early 1930s, at the Bradford Country Club in Bradford, Pennsylvania. George Blaisdell watched a friend struggle awkwardly to use a cumbersome, Austrian-made lighter. George decided to reconstruct the Austrian lighter and fabricated a small rectangular case and attached a lid with a hinge.  He preserved the chimney design which protected the flame.  The result was an attractive lighter that was easily operated with one hand.  The name “Zippo” was settled upon because he felt had a “modern” sound.

From those first lighters which sold for $1.95, no one has ever spent a cent on the mechanical repair of a Zippo lighter regardless of the lighter’s age or condition. Each lighter is backed by Mr. Blaisdell’s, now famous, unconditional lifetime guarantee ­–”It works or we fix it free”

In 1993 Zippo acquired W.R. Case and Sons Cutlery Company and the two brands were a natural fit with their tradition of quality and American craftsmanship. The lighter is ingrained in American culture and is a global icon of durability and reliability, and is one of America’s greatest and most recognizable icons.