Brand history

Zippo is an American brand whose windproof lighter has become a byword for reliability. For almost a century it has been made at the same factory, to the same design and with the same promise: “It works or we fix it free™”.

How it all began

In 1932, George G. Blaisdell of Bradford, Pennsylvania, saw a friend using an Austrian lighter with a removable lid. It worked in the wind, but it was awkward to use and looked crude. Blaisdell reworked the design: he made the case rectangular, attached the lid with a hinge and surrounded the wick with a perforated chimney that keeps the flame from going out. He came up with the name Zippo because it sounded like “zipper”, a word that seemed very modern at the time.

The first Zippo lighters came out in early 1933. From the very start, each one carried a lifetime warranty on the mechanism, a bold move for the time.

The lighter that went to war

During the Second World War, Zippo switched its entire production to lighters for the US armed forces. Brass was in short supply, so the cases were made of steel and coated in black crackle paint, giving rise to the famous Black Crackle. Soldiers carried Zippos all over the world, and after the war the lighter came home a legend. Today the 1941 Replica series recalls this model.

A classic that doesn’t change

Over the years Zippo added the Slim model (1956), the heavy-walled Armor case, butane and interchangeable-flame inserts, hand warmers and outdoor products. But the essentials have stayed the same: windproof lighters are still assembled in Bradford, and the familiar click of the lid is recognisable by ear.

Every lighter has a date code stamped on the bottom, so collectors can tell exactly when their piece was made. Collecting Zippos has long been a hobby in its own right, with limited editions, licensed designs and commemorative models.

Zippo in Armenia

Zippo Armenia is a shop for genuine Zippo products. We sell only genuine items from the manufacturer’s catalogue, deliver across Yerevan and the whole of Armenia, and help with warranty service.