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The Black Crackle lighter is the product that made Zippo Manufacturing Company what it is today- an American icon recognized throughout the world. Comes packaged in a gift box. For optimal performance, fill with Zippo lighter fuel.
- Genuine Zippo windproof lighter with distinctive Zippo "click"
- All metal construction; windproof design works virtually anywhere
- Refillable for a lifetime of use; For optimum performance, we recommend genuine Zippo premium lighter fluid, flints, and wicks.
- Made in USA; Zippo's Lifetime guarantee that "it works or we fix it free™"
A Zippo works in the cold: A butane lighter is affected by altitude, and if it gets cold or wet, it may not work at all. Matches are unreliable.
A Zippo can work with gasoline. If there is an internal combustion engine somewhere around, chances are you can fuel your lighter.
Durable design: Unlike many butane lighters, the Zippo design protects all the weaker parts. A Zippo can handle being stepped on, dropped or being stomped into the mud. If the lighter is sealed with a piece of bicycle tubing, it is waterproof. A butane lighter, such as my beloved BIC minis, could be disabled by dropping them in cold water, or by getting a grain of sand in the sparker.
One handed operation: You can light a Zippo with your weak hand, even if your other arm is broken and immobilized. You could put the lighted Zippo under a pile of twigs, and have enough time to dry out the tinder. (Order a Zippo here.)
There are a few tips that can improve your Zippo for survival use.
“As a backup emergency fire starting system when carrying and using a Zippo lighter…remove the fiber from the bottom of it and replace it by stuffing it tightly with pure cotton. Then should you run out of lighter fluid, you just simply open up the bottom and pull out some of the cotton, not much, and place it near the flint spark wheel and PRESTO! You got fire just like a Spark-Lite Fire Starter.”
Put spare flints and wick in the fuel reservoir area: Take off the thick felt cover on the bottom , and put several flints on top. Remove enough stuffing that a wick will fit. Neither of these modifications will affect lighter efficiency.
Seal lighter with duct tape or a piece of bicycle tube: This will slow, but not stop evaporation.
Check the lighter every time before you go out. This action will assure you have at least one ignition source that should work.
Carry charcloth: Charcloth is a material that can catch any spark, and create an ember. This can be used to make a fire with a dysfunctional lighter. As long as it sparks, any lighter can be used to start a fire.