Author: Joseph

Vintage petrol lighter enthusiasts are always on the lookout for their next big haul of forgotten gems. Finding old lighters may at times seem like searching the proverbial haystack for a needle but those with experience

know a trick or two that make the haystacks a little smaller. The question is asked of me constantly from the comments of YouTube videos and articles at DependableFlame.com to emails and posts in the DependableFlame.com Facebook Group, “where do you buy vintage cigarette lighters and the parts to repair them?” In this article we will highlight some of the smaller stacks from which vintage petrol lighters are often discovered.

Facebook Marketplace

It may seem like the Wild West some times but Facebook Marketplace can be an excellent source for buying vintage cigarette lighters. Experience tells me you need to be ready to act when confronted with a group of lighters for Continue reading “Where Do You Buy Vintage Cigarette Lighters? The Top Places To Buy Old Petrol Lighters And The Parts To Repair Them”

Some might be surprised to find such selfless cooperation among individuals who seemingly covet the same prize. Oh, there are childish antics at play for certain but overshadowed by a spirit of camaraderie among like-minded enthusiasts of vintage cigarette lighters. There is plenty of room for goodwill and brotherly encouragement in the pursuit of the tiny little fire making machines that mean so much to us all. The existence of opportunity for such fellowship still never ceases to amaze as to see it in action exceeds the wildest expectations I could have considered before my own entry into the vintage cigarette lighter hobby.

Free Flow Of Information

The first avenue most of us stroll down in the world of vintage lighters is dating or identification information for a specific lighter for which such details may not seem readily available. Sometimes that’s true, sometimes not and responses by experienced collectors and “experts” will vary widely.

I was helped on multiple occasions via Facebook Messenger by a very prominent Zippo collector and dealer who boasts a collection that is second Continue reading “Vintage Cigarette Lighter Hobby: A Spirit Of Camaraderie Among Like-Minded Enthusiasts(Well, At Least Most Of The Time!)”

When it comes to deciding which petrol lighter you should purchase to use or better yet, to start a collection around, Zippo isn’t the only name to consider. There are literally dozens of commonly known manufacturers of petrol lighters from the past and untold numbers that have slipped through the cracks and dissolved into time. There are countless reasons to buy and use any one of these vintage old brands but today’s article will assert the top five reasons you should own a Zippo lighter!

It’s Cool!

We start with the obvious because to do otherwise would prove insincere. Zippos are just flat cool! From the distinctive “click” when you flip one open Continue reading “The Top Five Reasons You Should Own A Zippo Lighter”

Including a mention of the Greetings From Zippo 540 Color lighter in last week’s review article inspired a little further search into the 540 Color Process Zippo lighters available on Amazon for sale. In this article we will

highlight the Greetings From Zippo along with a handful of other 540 Color and Fusion lighters that collectors will not want to miss out on.

(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

540 Color Greetings From Zippo

From the rendering of the Zippo headquarters building to the postcard style lettering full of reminiscent images, this lighter screams, “Bradford, PA!” It

is a grand design highlighted in bold colors that really help achieve this vintage aesthetic.

Postcards were at a point in time a valuable tool to send messages or just say hello and pass on a bit of the joy of what we experienced on vacation or Continue reading “Zippo Lighter Reviews: 540 Color Process Zippo Lighters Available On Amazon”

Late last evening I received an email from Zippo Manufacturing Company which prompted a little internet style window shopping. The initial link had led me to the Zippo website browsing their collection of Web Debut Lighters. There were several cool designs present such as the Howdy Cowboy design which got me wondering if the Web Debut lighters were really exclusive to the Zippo site. A quick check of Amazon proved the Howdy Cowboy design was indeed nowhere to be found but I shortly stumbled on so many options of different Replica Zippo lighters I was astounded. I own two regular brushed chrome 1941 Replica Zippos and have been looking to add the Black Crackle version but may have to make room for some others after this late night shopping excursion.

(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Black Crackle

I start with the Black Crackle because it is the one I have desired the longest. Even before I owned a single Brushed Chrome example I was shopping for Continue reading “Zippo Lighter Review: How Many Different Replica Zippo Lighters Are Available For Purchase On Amazon?”

Today we will cover some common pitfalls to avoid when buying and paying for the vintage cigarette lighters you accumulate for your collection. Some of these are relevant to Ebay and other online sources for vintage lighters such as Deal Or No Deal and other selling groups on Facebook. Other risks may be present regardless of the platform facilitating your purchase. All of these hazards can be avoided with a little foresight when making a purchase.

What Could Go Wrong?

We’ve all seen red flags when browsing Ebay listings for old petrol lighters that give us pause or perhaps even turn us off from buying a lighter all together. Every seller is different, therefore we should not necessarily expect every seller to operate in the exact same manner. We should expect each seller to deal honestly though and uphold some sort of standard for the service a buyer can expect when making a purchase from them.

Some buyers feel that lack of experience is one of those red flags that should be noted and possibly even warrant disqualification for consideration of a purchase to be made from a specific Continue reading “Best Practices To Protect Yourself When Collecting, Buying And Paying For Vintage Cigarette Lighters”

A recent question in the comments section below an article here at DependableFlame.com got me thinking about the major elements that make one lighter more valuable than others. Some of these answers may surprise you while others may seem like common sense. All of them a major factors however, in determining what makes one vintage cigarette lighter more valuable than another.

Scarcity

Rare, scarce, unusual and limited are all terms that are seen often in Ebay listings and other places you can find vintage petrol lighters listed for sale. This sort of nomenclature is sometimes warranted

but seldom justified in the manner it is employed. A seller throws Continue reading “What Makes One Vintage Cigarette Lighter More Valuable Than Another?”

During last week’s YouTube live stream Vintage Coffee And Lighters Live! our friend Shaun asked me to make a video covering my entire collection of vintage petrol lighters, ashtrays, tobacciana and other useful mechanisms. Upon endeavoring to make that video I was inspired to write this article giving a bit of insight into what makes up my collection and why they belong there. I hope you enjoy this overview!

The Road Most Traveled

I have written and discussed at length in many videos how I got my start in the vintage cigarette lighter hobby but for the narrative’s sake, I’ll repeat some of it again here. I was initially drawn to the

hobby because I needed to make money and saw an opportunity. Buying large groups of lighters, repairing or getting them in working order and then selling them not only proved to be profitable but also engrossed me in all things related to petrol Continue reading “Taking Inventory Of My Personal Collection Of Vintage Petrol Lighters”

This morning I ponder what characteristics would make up the ideal cigarette lighter and consider whether that specific set of desirable components actually exists in a mass-produced lighter.

Petrol

Viewers of our YouTube channel as well as anyone who’s read much of what I’ve written here on the website will know of my affinity for petrol fueled lighters over their more recent and tedious butane fueled rivals. There’s a saying we use sometimes in the English language that goes, “it’s not rocket science.” Such a simple statement that belies my problem with butane lighters.

Petrol lighters are really quite simple. We’ve talked about it many times elsewhere but it’s worth reiterating here. Petrol fueled Continue reading “What Is The Ideal Cigarette Lighter And Does It Exist?”

What started as an uneventful week picked up steam quickly as I acquired a couple new lighters; one I’d never owned previously and the other via a selling platform I had never participated in before. Taking stock in my accumulated ashtrays also has me wondering if I’m a legitimate collector now.

Deal Or No Deal Is A Blast!

While I’ve been a spectator in a couple Deal Or No Deal(DOND) Facebook selling groups for quite some time and even written an article recently covering what I perceive to be the proper etiquette folks should abide by in such groups, until this past week I had never sold or even made a purchase in a DOND group. I had seen plenty of action and witnessed many deals made where the buyer Continue reading “Vintage Lighter Diaries Vol. 10: My First DOND, Collecting Ashtrays And A Lighter I Always Wanted To Handle”