How to distinguish a real Zippo lighter from a fake

Zippo is popular all over the world, but not every owner can say with confidence that he owns an original and not a naturalistic copy. How to identify a real “zippo” from a fake, because Chinese “craftsmen” are so skilled in the art of churning out fake products that without special knowledge, the original and the analogue are practically indistinguishable.

Signs of an original Zippo lighter

• Marking. The branded bottom of the original is an embossed stamp on the metal of the case:
• Brand logo with a flame symbol instead of the letter "I" on all models produced since 1980. Exception of replica models of 1933, 1935, 1941.
• To the left of the logo is a letter mark from “A” to “L” (month of issue).
• On the right is a digital sign (year of manufacture).
• Manufacturer (Bradford.PA. Made in U.S.A.)
• Windscreen - with 8 holes, symmetrical when viewed from the side (top view - a perfect oval).
• The wheel has notches strictly at an angle of 30C.
• The lid clicks. A unique, patented sound that no manufacturer in the world can reproduce.
• Wick. A special polymer with a copper thread.
• Tactile properties. Heavy “solid” weight and pleasant to the touch body material.
• Insert. It is stamped, like the bottom of the case (a stamp, not an engraving!), it can be easily removed and put back in. Inside there is a felt lining with the inscription “Lift to fill”.
• Price. Recommended by the manufacturer (in the Russian Federation it varies depending on the dollar exchange rate).

Determining the originality of Zippo without opening the packaging

There is another way to check the authenticity of a Zippo - by the article number. Or rather, stickers with a barcode indicating the digital name and model number of the lighter. Paper tag on original packaging with the original must be glued (and nothing else!) on the bottom of the box, regardless of what material it is made of.

Modern original Zippo usually comes in black branded boxes standard size, but there may be other packaging if it is a limited or special edition of iconic lighters.

Zippo lighters have become iconic due to their excellent product quality and wide variety of models. Zippo Manufacturing Company has been offering windproof metal gasoline lighters since 1933, which are distinguished by both the metal from which they are made and the way the design is applied. Traditionally, the lighter body is made of brass, and the insert is made of stainless steel. True, there are individual examples with a case made of gold, silver, titanium or copper with wood and leather trim. Of course, they are intended for collectors of a unique product. Each original Zippo lighter has a lifetime warranty and is manufactured only at the plant in Bradford (Pennsylvania, USA), which once again emphasizes how high-quality the company makes products. Statistics say that in 2012 the brand crossed the milestone of 500 million lighters, and 80 percent of products are purchased as gifts. And this is a truly worthwhile gift even for those who do not smoke.

For 83 years, the original Zippo lighter has not changed its mechanism. The design and style of the removable case changed, but not the technical part. Until now, each lighter is assembled by hand by craftsmen, and detailed quality checks guarantee uninterrupted operation of the mechanism. The excellent Zippo petrol lighter is renowned for its durability, which largely depends on the simplicity of its design. For example, to refill a lighter, it is not at all necessary to go to a specialist: it is enough to spend no more than two minutes to disassemble the case and pour fuel into a special compartment.

How to distinguish an original Zippo from a fake

Given the widespread popularity of Zippo lighters, it is not surprising that the market is flooded with counterfeits. However, distinguish original products Can. To this end, pay attention to the following important elements of the product:

• A real Zippo lighter has a marking stamp. There should be no engraving on the body of the product, and in the word “Zippo” there is not a dot, but a flame above the letter “i”.
• Each original Zippo lighter is marked with the year and month of production. Since 2001, the company has recorded the year in two numbers: 02, 05, etc. The month is marked in Latin letters: for example, January - A, December - L. Look for these inscriptions on the stamp to the left of the word “Zippo”.
• Please note that the original inscription "BRADFORD, PA. MADE IN U.S.A." applied to the product only in this form.
• A high-quality Zippo gasoline lighter has serrations on the wheel (wheel), which are located at an angle of 30 degrees. The chair itself is attached to the lighter only with a rivet.
• Every genuine Zippo lighter has a polymer wick that is enhanced with metal threads woven into it.
• The wind deflector has eight holes on each side. The only exception is for models that were produced before 1947 - there are seven of them. In modern replicas this number is retained.
• The lid flag is also attached to the lighter body with a rivet.
• The inside of the lighter must have the following inscriptions: “For best results use ZIPPO flints and fluid”, “ZIPPO MFG. CO. BRADFORD, PA." and “Made in ZIPPO U.S.A.” (or “ZIPPO Made in U.S.A.”). On the other hand, you will find warnings about the need to keep the product away from children and to always remove your hands after refueling before you decide to check the quality of the fire.

You can learn more about how to choose a real lighter in

Of course, it is important to pay attention to the store where you are going to buy a lighter. Choose authorized outlets that value their reputation and do not let customers down. This will help you avoid the annoying disappointment of buying a fake.

How to distinguish a genuine ZIPPO lighter from a fake?

1. When spelled ZIPPO, the letter i must have a flame instead of a dot (a registered logo, which is confirmed by a clearly engraved R in a circle).

2. At the bottom of the lighter, after BRADFORD, PA, there should be the inscription MADE IN USA. To the left of the inscription ZIPPO, a letter of the Latin alphabet from A to L, indicating the month of manufacture, and to the right, a Roman numeral indicating the year of manufacture of the lighter.

3. The wind screen has eight symmetrically located holes. The screen itself, when viewed from above, has perfect shape oval, which cannot be said about a fake.

4. The wheel has clear symmetrical notches intersecting at an angle of 30 degrees to the horizontal.

5. The ideal shape of the flag fascinates with its plasticity, unlike fakes. When hitting the lid, the flag emits a characteristic, unique click, patented like the lighter itself, in which the patented plate helps it.

6. On the inner body there are inscriptions in the finest font, translated into Russian meaning: on the one hand - “For best results, use ZIPPO silicon and fuel”, then the inscription from the bottom of the lighter is repeated; on the other hand - “Keep away from children. After refilling, wipe the lighter and hands before use. The lighter does not go out by itself, close the lid to extinguish.” Counterfeiters usually have thicker letters, spelling sometimes suffers, or there is no inscription at all.

7. The ZIPPO wick is made of a special polymer material with a metal thread woven into it.

8. ZIPPO silicon, packed in original packaging of 6 or 12 pieces, responds to you with a sheaf of sparks, and not with miserable smoldering, as in a fake.

9. Refill the lighter - to maintain long-term performance, it is recommended to use special ZIPPO gasoline - purified, high-octane fuel with a catalyst.
All drawings, engravings and emblems of the outer case are made with perfect clarity at a high artistic level, only possible using ZIPPO MFG technology. CO, developed over the years.
The body of the lighter allows you to apply any images on it using various methods, which many companies use to make souvenirs.

10. The packaging of lighters is very diverse, from plastic boxes to kits with accessories. Each is accompanied by instructions in English (since July 1998 - instructions in Russian and English languages), a label indicating the model number, according to the ZIPPO catalog, and the name of this model.

11. Price. A zippo cannot cost 250 rubles. This must always be remembered.

12. Pay attention to the text on the pad that covers the bottom of the insert. The following text should be placed there: “LIFT TO FILL” and nothing else.

13. A distinctive feature is the wide silicon stand (the original is always wider than the fakes).

Please note that the stamp on the bottom of the lighter and the stamp on the insert may not match the date of manufacture. This is fine.

Any trademark, which enjoys well-deserved popularity, sooner or later begins to suffer from counterfeits of its goods. Over more than a hundred years of history, the number of fake accessories is simply huge. And this is not surprising, because bask in the glory of the world famous brand Many dishonest businessmen want it. How to distinguish an original Zippo lighter from a fake?

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Distinctive features

A few nuances that you need to pay attention to when purchasing:

• “No gaps!” There are absolutely no gaps on the original Zippo. All components fit securely and tightly to each other. The loop that connects the lighter body to the lid is the first thing you should pay attention to. Manufacturers of pirated copies do not bother with such small details.
• We examine the bottom of the lighter. There is a special marking on it. There may be letters from A to L for the names of the months from January to December, respectively. If there are other letters on the product, then this should alert you. On the bottom of the lighter, after BRADFORD, PA, should be the inscription MADE IN USA.

• Zippo-Click. Based on this characteristic sound, an expert can easily identify a branded lighter. Of course, those who buy Zippo for the first time will find it difficult to recognize the patented click. But over time, the hearing will be trained.
• Wheel-chair. The surface of this part should have notches at an angle of 30 degrees. Even stripes of notches indicate that the product is fake, just like rivets yellow color on the wheel and cam.

• Windproof screen. All eight holes on it should be located symmetrically.

• Material of manufacture. In the original Zippo lighter, this element is made of a special polymer material braided with copper mesh. A fake wick will most likely be made from cheap raw materials.

• Appearance of the accessory. True connoisseurs of “eternal” lighters will identify the impostor even at a quick glance. The design of the original models is thought out to the smallest detail and looks holistic. The design of a “fake” Zippo will look clumsy and clumsy.

• Fastenings. The presence of even the slightest unreliability and looseness of a part indicates a fake.

• Quality and quantity of sparks. The original has much more sparks and they burn brighter than the fake.

• Hull felt white with the inscription "LIFT TO FILL". Fakes are most often equipped with gray felt.

• Insert. With the original product, the filler comes out of the body without much difficulty. If this is not so, then you have a fake in your hands. The surface of the insert must have the date of its manufacture.

If we are talking about buying a collectible lighter, then in this case its authenticity can be determined by examining the bottom stamp. Products manufactured since 2001 have standard markings, while previous accessories had individual markings. Its authenticity can be verified using a special catalogue.

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Package

Product packaging also plays a big role. Zippo lighters are sold in plastic, cardboard or wooden boxes, which are united by exceptional accuracy of execution. The original packaging must have a barcode and detailed instructions manual. Fake accessories are usually sold in stamped and hastily printed packaging. The weight of the original product is quite noticeable for such a small thing. The thing is that solid brass or steel is used in the manufacture of the case. Chinese fakes are made from ordinary tin. Using all these tips, you can easily distinguish a fake from an original product.

How to distinguish a genuine Zippo lighter from a fake:

1. Accuracy of execution. A real Zippo will never have sharp corners, burrs, sloppily glued emblems, etc.
2. The tightness of the parts. On a real Zippo there will never be any gaps where the loop, wheel, etc. are attached.
3. The stamp on the bottom should be neat and stamped, not engraved! Special attention Pay attention to small details such as the placement of the ® symbol or the distance between stripes or dots.
4. The same applies to the inscriptions on the insert: they should be printed, not engraved.
5. When spelled ZIPPO, the i must have a flame instead of a dot (a registered logo, which is confirmed by a clearly engraved R in a circle).
6. On the bottom of the lighter, after BRADFORD, PA, should be the inscription MADE IN USA. To the left of the inscription ZIPPO, a letter of the Latin alphabet from A to L, indicating the month of manufacture, and to the right, a number indicating the year of manufacture of the lighter.
7. The windscreen has eight symmetrically located holes. The screen itself, when viewed from above, has a perfect oval shape, which cannot be said about a fake.
8. The wheel has clear symmetrical notches intersecting at an angle of 30 degrees to the horizontal.
9. On the inner body there are inscriptions in the finest font, translated into Russian meaning: on the one hand - “For best results, use ZIPPO silicon and fuel”, then the inscription from the bottom of the lighter is repeated; on the other hand - “Keep away from children. After refilling, wipe the lighter and hands before use. The lighter does not go out by itself, close the lid to extinguish.” Counterfeiters usually have thicker letters, spelling sometimes suffers, or there is no inscription at all.
10. The ZIPPO wick is made of a special polymer material with copper thread woven into it.
11. ZIPPO silicones respond to you with a sheaf of sparks, and not with pitiful smoldering, as in a fake. And finally, purely intuitively, you should recognize the elegant, perfect form
12. The sound of a Zippo opening is unmistakable. Only real Zippo will give a characteristic juicy and sonorous CLICK (or CLICK, if emblems are glued to the body).
13. The box with the lighter must have an article sticker - a piece of paper with a barcode and the name and model number. If it is not there, then this is not a sign of a fake. But if it is there, it should have been pasted on! If it is printed directly on the box, this is a sign of 100% fake.

Illustrations about fake Zippos.

Engraved insert of amazingly low quality! This fake is immediately recognizable to the naked eye:

This is a fake Zippo stamp. Very similar to the real thing, only the depth of stamping and the absence of the ® sign give away the fake:

For comparison, here is a real stamp from 1996:

On the fake (right), the two indentations at the top and bottom of the hinge are larger and more pressed in:

On the fake, the Zippo inscription is thinner and the flame is smaller. Bradford, PA font. Made in U.S.A. - different, but similar. On the real one there is a comma after the word Bradford, on the fake there is a period.

Felt bottom at the insert. The fake has much larger letters LIFT TO FILL, and the screw is smaller and has no notches on the end:

Stamp on insert. On the fake there is the inscription ZIPPO MFG without a space:

The end of the brass flint tube is noticeably narrower. On a fake lighter, the notches on the wheel are horizontal and at an angle:

On the original inserts, the rivets are either steel or through:

Stamps on the bottom of fakes can also be very neat and misleading, as on these two examples.

BUT, the letter to the left of the Zippo inscription is the month of manufacture. There are only twelve months in a year, respectively A - January, L - December, then the letter L, following English alphabet, no letters should appear on the Zippo stamp.

Be carefull:)

Materials used.