Do you remember your first, really?

[pasound]

I had a couple back in the 60's and 70's, but as usual for them, they would leak if the went upside down (or even sideways) in my pocket. Like Greyfox, I went with Bics as soon as they came to market. Found this black anodized one at an out of town gas station a few years ago, for $5.00... ! Used it a couple of times, otherwise it sits on my desk for the nostalgia.

 

[Onomea]

... I used to love that SNAP...flick...voosh...CLICK sound they made. An experienced guy could make it in what seemed to be one motion. I remember playing with them just to hear that snap, click...snap, click over and over. Oh...and that wonderful smell when you closed it and then opened it again....

And how about when you overdid it refueling, so that when you lit it up — whoosh! — the entire surface of the lighter was immediately aflame, so you'd snap it closed and start waving your hand wildly through the air hoping the flames would go out while reassuring your date with suave aplomb that nothing was amiss?!

 

[Glashaus]

When I smoked , I used Zippo lighters, had a half dozen or more. I gave them all away when I quit smoking 27 years ago when I was 35, man where does the time go!!

 

[dsf]

This one isn't a Zippo but I got it from my father. Who never really used it. He worked in the Bureau of Budget from '61 to '65.



Always thought it interesting to have, considering their future history.

 

[dsf]

This thread got me to looking around, for preferably an older one. Found this on EBay. Seller wrote they "couldn't read the engraved name" on the reverse but I could and it sounded familiar - I'm guessing others here may know the name too. Last name for sure.





The top had separated from the bottom, repaired that. The flint was deteriorated inside its hole and I had to clean it out. No flint spring or screw, grabbed them at a local store. Wick was fine.

I looked around to see if it was a general issue or commemorative type, found nothing.

https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/assets/1/28/Olds_Frederick_Transcript_wFootnotes.pdf

I know using a Zippo for cigars isn't best but will use it once in a while.

 

[Truckman]

Seller wrote they "couldn't read the engraved name" on the reverse but I could and it sounded familiar - I'm guessing others here may know the name too. Last name for sure.

For sure indeed...I've written extensively of Gen. Robin Olds, the Captain's older brother...Thanks for the link, it provides further insight into the family......Ben

 

[Truckman]

And how about when you overdid it refueling, so that when you lit it up — whoosh! — the entire surface of the lighter was immediately aflame

That was less of a problem when, as a generally broke enlisted man, I filled up my Zippo from the overflow vent tubes of parked F-4's on the flight line...JP-4 was a lot harder to set aflame than Ronsonol, but it was a little cheaper to occasionally buy a package of five flints in the BX than a can of lighter fluid...Yes I smoked way too much back then, but I quit 46 years ago and haven't touched them since......Ben

 

[max503]

Yes I do!
I had a pipe lighter. It was cylindrical shaped. You pulled it apart to get it to light, then the fire appeared in the middle.
One day me and a friend climbed a water tower and had a "smoke".
Something in that smoke made me forget that lighter up there on that water tower.
It looked like this:

 

[CajunBass]

Yes I do!
I had a pipe lighter. It was cylindrical shaped. You pulled it apart to get it to light, then the fire appeared in the middle.
One day me and a friend climbed a water tower and had a "smoke".
Something in that smoke made me forget that lighter up there on that water tower.
It looked like this:

I had a couple of those back in my pipe smoking days. They were about perfect for that task. Just like a Zippo, there was a "trick" to snapping it open to get a flame right away. Snap...voosh...snap... Impressed the heck out of some people. But as others have said, a Bic was a lot more practical, and worked at least as well, if not better.

And YES! That blue/yellow flame around your hand was pretty impressive itself.