Today we are going to discuss the appeal of getting together with other lighter enthusiasts at conventions such as this weekend’s fourth installment of Lighter Palooza, the validity of using modern inserts in Zippo lighters and touch on some of the plans we have at DependableFlame as summer arrives in earnest.
Lighter-Palooza 3
One good thing about frequenting the various Facebook Lighter Groups is to stay up to date on events happening within the vintage cigarette lighter hobby. I personally have never attended any of the in-person events that I have seen promoted but can clearly see the value in these lighter conventions and hope to be able to attend sometime soon.
This coming weekend, July 14 & 15, will be I believe the fourth iteration of an event put on by Riley’s 66 and Widowmakers Lighters in Bradford Pennsylvania dubbed Lighter-Palooza 3. I haven’t lost the ability to count but Lighter-Palooza 3 is actually the fourth such meeting as there was a 2.5.
Excitement for this event has been building ever since the last and over the past few weeks there have been several well-known Zippo collectors, sellers and the like post previews of the lighters and other useful mechanisms they planned to bring to the event in prospect of selling to or trading with other Zippo enthusiasts. From seller extraordinaire Zippo Rob Johnson stating that he has been stockpiling Zippos of late to bring to the show in Bradford as opposed to selling them on the Zippo, Vintage Lighters Deal Or No Deal page as is his normal custom to our friend Bill Calkins letting everyone know that he was not only looking for greenhouse/nursery related Zippos but also pre-WWII Ronson lighters that he doesn’t already possess.
Fellow YouTuber JRO_LIGHTS published a video a couple weeks ago highlighting some of the bright points from last year’s meeting. He spoke of being overwhelmed at the sheer number of lighters to be ogled on his first trip and how all bets were off as he stepped in the door and became completely distracted from lighters that he’d promised others he would keep an eye out for.
Jeff Johnson of Widowmakers Lighters has made a post announcing there will be a limited edition Zippo for sale at the event featuring a tribute to David Poore, author of the book Zippo The Great American Lighter. The tribute lighter is limited to 100 pieces and all proceeds will be donated to Bradford area charities in remembrance of Mr. Poore who passed away earlier this yr.
I hope that Lighter-Palooza 3 goes off without a hitch and is an incredible success and good time of shared interest for all those who attend and continues to grow and become even more of a must-attend event. It would be a shame if this event were not to continue at least long enough for me to attend one and meet some of the characters and personalities that I have become acquainted with in the Zippo world over the last several yrs but I have little doubt these meetings will continue judging by the praises sung by past attendees.
Are Zippo Butane Inserts Legitimate Tools?
I saw a post in one of the Facebook Zippo groups this past week where someone was asking why anyone would possibly want to replace their standard Zippo petrol insert with one of the newer butane filled Zippo insert alternatives. I have heard the same rhetorical sentiments from YouTube viewers such as Dylan Depuy who intimated that sticking a butane insert in there wasn’t very Zippo-like at all.
I like my Zippo to work for me though and not only work but be efficient at lighting the implement that I have purposed for it to ignite. If the wind causes a Zippo petrol flame to dance around so much that I can’t get a good, even ember developed at the end of my joint then it just isn’t much use to me.
I admire the simplicity of a petrol lighter’s function as well as anybody else but I am not going to stick my head in the sand if a better option is presented to me. I am not saying that Zippo lighters are useless, far from it, I am only saying that there are circumstances(including the Oklahoma wind which I deal with practically every day) where the Zippo petrol flame is insufficient.
Use them indoors all you like and you’ll never have a problem unless you’re standing right in front of the air conditioner or a fan. If you light up often outdoors, however, you should give the Zippo Yellow Flame butane insert a try as it is a clear upgrade over the petrol setup in windy conditions.
Live Streams This Summer
So far this summer, our YouTube live streams, Vintage Coffee & Lighters Live! have been a bit sporadic in regard to when we have been able to conduct them. Summer brings vacation for some which has increased my own demand as a babysitter for my youngest granddaughter which is one of the grand privileges of my life, so please do not think that I am complaining.
I do value the weekly live streams though, that we have carried out for the last yr or so and miss the opportunities to communicate and hang out with all of our YouTube viewers and internet friends that we have made over the course of the last few yrs. To this end, we might start trying to squeeze a stream in at times of the day other than what we are used to.
At first, all the streams were on Tuesday mornings at 10am central time but we have already adjusted that to include other days when it’s more convenient and occasionally even started them a little later around 11am or noon. So at least for the rest of the summer, keep your eyes peeled to the YouTube, Discord and Facebook Group notifications as we may branch out to the afternoon or evening of any day of the week besides Sunday to conduct a stream and certainly hope to catch up with as many of you as possible to talk about our shared interest of cigarette lighters and other useful mechanisms as regularly as possible.
We Will See You Soon!
So, whether it is chatting on the YouTube live stream, discussing a lighter or project that one of you has posted on the DependableFlame.com Facebook group or replying to your comments under any of the articles here on the website, I look forward to hearing from you all and continuing the camaraderie we have developed and which has become so much fun as my appreciation for the vintage cigarette lighter hobby continues to grow!
Until next time…✌️
Hi DependableFlame,
I enjoyed reading your latest blog post about Lighter-Palooza 3, Zippo butane inserts, and your summer plans. I’m a big fan of vintage lighters, and I’ve always been curious about Lighter-Palooza. It sounds like a great event to meet other lighter enthusiasts and see some amazing pieces.
I also agree with you about Zippo butane inserts. I think they’re a great way to improve the performance of a Zippo in windy conditions. I’ve used them myself, and I’ve been very impressed with how well they work.
I’m also looking forward to your upcoming live streams. I’ve always enjoyed watching your videos, and I’m always learning something new. I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for the new times and dates.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these topics. I look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Thank you Jeffrey, I appreciate all of your kind words and glad that you found the article informative and helpful. The Facebook lighter groups like Zippo Addicts are a great place to get a glimpse into just exactly what goes on at Lighter Palooza as many participants have been posting the lighters that they acquired there and also many photos with fellow enthusiasts that just goes to show you what a great spirit of camaraderie is present in the vintage cigarette lighter community.
Hello DependableFlame!
I am enjoying your videos a lot and it’s good that there are conventions for this.
I have never been into lighters personally since I don’t smoke, however, I guess I didn’t really think about what else you could use them for until now, and the vintage lighters look awesome.
It’s good that I have learned something new with your posts, so thank you for that.
Take care.
Yes Leonard, there are many uses for lighters other than smoking and not only that but there are plenty of people who collect lighters(especially Zippos) and never use them at all, just display them on a shelf or some other prominent place in there home or office. I personally like to use as many of mine as I can and struggle a little bit with owning a brand new lighter that has never been used because in the end these are tools that were intended to be used for the purpose of producing fire. Thanks for your insights my friend.
Great post! Lighter-Palooza 3 sounds like an exciting event for lighter enthusiasts, and I can see why you’d want to attend. It’s amazing to witness the passion and camaraderie among Zippo collectors and sellers. I agree that using modern butane inserts in Zippo lighters can be a practical choice, especially in windy conditions. It’s all about finding the best tool for the job, right?
I’m looking forward to your upcoming live streams. The community you’ve built seems like a welcoming and fun place to be, and I’m sure your followers appreciate the efforts you put into these streams. Just a small question that are there any particular brands or models of vintage cigarette lighters that you’re especially fond of?
Thank you so much for your interest and reading the article Miadinh, the vintage cigarette lighter hobby is most definitely a welcoming place to be! My favorite lighter is without a doubt the Penguin Cygnus Aluminum Block Petrol Roller lighters that were made in Japan in the 1950s and ’60s. They are fantastic little lighters with a unique thumb roller flint tension mechanism that really sets them apart from any other vintage cigarette lighter model.