The Legacy Of The Zippo Butane Lighter

Zippo lighters have remained very popular smoking products for a long time now. Different models of these lighters have been made in various sizes, designs, and features. The Zippo butane lighter, or the Zippo BLU, is the new type of lighter that was unveiled in late 2006.

A Zippo lighter is a metal device made by Zippo that was founded in Bradford, Pennsylvania. In Zippo’s seven-decade history, a large number of designs have been created, including military ones that were made for certain groups. Zippo lighters were well-known items for people in the U.S. military. During the Second World War, Zippo stopped making lighters for consumers and contributed all of its manufacturing purposes to the military. After the war, Zippo products became more commonly seen in ads that promoted many types of companies throughout the 1960s.

Apparently, the Zippo BLU lighter is a different type of lighter than its classic lighters because it uses Butane as a fuel source. The flame that lights the cigarettes is not like the one with which typical Zippo customers are familiar. Zippo BLU has a blue Jet flame that jots out of the nozzle like a conical jet. This type of flame and those that are used in regular lighters are windproof, which is a distinctive feature of the Zippo lighter. Even though the Zippo BLU is very different in regards to the style and method of the flame, it still has the typical striking metal sound when the lid is opened and closed. In addition, it still has the same flint wheel and the same method that releases the flame like in the typical Zippo products. Also, the BLU products do not cost more compared to the traditional Zippo lighters. The BLU lighters are known to be the only cigarette lighters that use a Butane fuel source and are torch lighters with a flint and striker wheel.

Apart from having become popular as windproof lighters, the Zippo brand can remain well-lit even in inclement weather because of the fuel delivery and the windscreen design. They have become very popular items for backpackers and those who work in the military. Many wilderness backpackers have a strong preference for Zippo butane lighters instead of matches and ferrocerium rods. Even so, many backpackers who work in cold environments and high altitudes use Zippo lighters because the butane ones are less dependable in cold weather.


Zippo lighters have been made in a wide selection of sizes and designs. A Zippo will always remain a favorable accessory for smokers since the first time they gained popularity in the U.S. military and consumer market. The Zippo butane lighter is another creation by Zippo that adds more depth to the Zippo's legacy in making cigarette lighters.