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View Full Version : The Zippo, a choice.



Swamprat
04-07-2012, 11:49 PM
http://www.lightermall.com/history-of-zippo.htm

Such an interesting little piece of American Culture, that says so much about, how we have changed as a people.

I carry a Zippo lighter.

I know exactly when it is runnin out of Lighter Fluid, and when the flint is about done. I carry extra flints in the bottom of my Zippo, just incase.

Carrying a Zippo, is a lesson in Attention, to things in your life. How they work, and when they need to be "maintained". Carryin a Zippo, is just a reminder to me...that I need to "pay attention to things", and take care of the things in my life, that need...Attention. I don't like "Throw away", "Disposable" stuff.

Otherwise, it would just be so much easier to buy a "Bic".
When it dies, throw it away, buy another one for 99 cents.

Naw...I'll keep my Zippo. It requires a little work, and thought and preperation, on my part to keep it workin.

Or...Just walk into any 7-11, and buy yourself a Bic. life is easier "Flickin your Bic".

BigClive
04-08-2012, 06:59 AM
Trivia time... You mention keeping spare flint in your case Swampy, but in reality they're firesteel.
When you strike flint against steel it's actually the STEEL that gives off the sparks. The flints sole purpose is to be a hard and sharp surface to scrape off tiny particles of the steel. Steel has a high pyrophoric nature which means that bare steel will ignite at low temperatures, so the tiny particles of freshly scraped steel are ignited by the friction of being scraped off.

The ferous alloy has been optimised though. Here's how a modern "flint" works.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrocerium