What is a Zippo?
A Zippo lighter is a refillable, metal lighter, manufactured by the Zippo Manufacturing Company. Zippo lighters are naphtha fueled lighters that burn from a wick. Zippo lighters gained popularity as “windproof” lighters, able to stay lit in harsh weather, due to the design of the windscreen and adequate rate of fuel delivery. Zippo lighters are many times seen as a collectable rather than an everyday lighter. Zippo lighters come in a wide variety of styles and designs, many being vintage or limited edition. How does a Zippo work? Inside the case are the works of the lighter: the spring-toggle lever that keeps the top closed, the wick, windscreen, thumbwheel, and flint, all of which are mounted on an open-bottom metal box that is slightly smaller than the outer case, and into which it slips snugly. The hollow part of the interior box encloses a rayon batt which is in contact with the wick. The fuel, a volatile flammable liquid commonly known as lighter fluid (usually naphtha), is poured
