Picture of the day - October 19, 2008

1960's era Zippo lighter

Photo courtesy of Matt Palmer. Zippo lighters have been the lighters of choice in many parts of the world for decades. In fact, during World War II our American fighting men insisted that the PX's sell Zippos even though they were made of steel instead of brass due to the demands of the war effort. When I was a child growing up in the 1960's it seemed like every grown man I was acquainted with was a smoker, and quite a few of the women were as well. And most of them carried around a shiny chrome Zippo lighter to use whenever they decided to "light up". Of course nowadays the health problems caused by smoking are well known so few people even carry lighters any more, and most of the ones who do carry the plastic disposable butane lighters that are now so ubiquitous around the globe. But for several generations the Zippo was the lighter of choice, and today the old ones that are still around are in high demand as collectors items.     Visitor Comments... Name: Winston "Rocky" Rockwell Town: Kirkland, WA I had one of those! Actually, several, over the years, some with logos, but my favorite was the plain silver one. I used it so much the hinge got wobbly, but it always worked, as long as I kept it fueled and it had a good flint... It's been 25 years since I quit smoking, but I might still have that trusty old Zippo gathering lint in the bottom of a drawer somewhere...     Name: Merle McVey Town: Bristol, VA Like Mr. Rockwell, I probably have an old Zippo lighter in a dresser drawer somewhere. I have a newer model on the shelf above my computer with a Dodge Ram logo on the face. A keep sake from the time my granddaughter worked for NASCAR. I no longer need a cigarette lighter as I puffed my last Salem Lite on January 5, 1980 on a Saturday afternoon.   Click here to comment on this picture.   Visit the POTD Archives for previous "Pictures Of The Day"!     Submit a photo of your own!                                 Place the "Picture of the Day" on your website, for free! Why I publish the "Picture of the Day"