ZIPPO LIGHTERS CLEANING

IM A COLLECTOR OF ZIPPO LIGHTERS, THIS IS A GUIDE (PART 1)TO CLEANING AND REMOVING THE SAFETY SEALS WHICH YOUWOULD FIND ON THE U.S IMPORTED ZIPPOS...IN THIS GUIDE I WILL SHOW YOU THE DAMAGE, WHICH IS MADE BY THESE SAFETY SEALS!!IN STEP BY STEP PHOTOS I WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO REMOVE THE STICKERS AND BRING THE ZIPPO BACK TO THE FINISH IT SHOULD HAVE.
I DO REMOVE ALL THE STICKERS FROM MY ZIPPOS I WISH TO KEEP IN MY PERSONAL COLLECTION,BUT ZIPPOS I WISH TO SELL ON I DO LEAVE THE SEAL ON AS SOME ZIPPO COLLECTORS THINK IF THE ZIPPOS "SEALED" THEN IT WILL HELP WITH THE VALUE OF THE ZIPPO. I DON'T THINK THAT THE DAMAGED FINISH ON THE BACK OF A ZIPPO WOULD HELP WITH THE VALUE OF IT AT ALL.

THIS ZIPPOHAS A BLACK ICE FINISH,THE STICKER REMOVED AND IT SHOWS THE "SHADOW" OF WHERE THE STICKER WAS,THE STICKER REMOVED WAS THE OLDER PAPER TYPE WHICH IS THE HARDEST TO REMOVE.

THIS ZIPPO HAS A WHITE MATT FINISH,AND AGAIN WITH THE STICKER REMOVED YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THE DAMAGE TO THE FINISH.THE STICKER REMOVED WAS THE NEWER PLASTIC COATED TYPE.

THEIR ARE TWO TYPES OF SAFETY SEALS/STICKERS THE OLDER PAPER TYPE (on the left) CAN BE THE ONE WHICH WOULD GIVE THE MOST DAMAGE,AS ITS BEEN ON LONGER AND THIS MAKE'S IT HARDER TO REMOVE. THE NEWER ONES ARE PLASTIC COATED WHICH ARE MUCH MORE EASY TO REMOVE BUT CAN STILL SHOW DAMAGE.

IM NOW GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW TO REMOVE AND CLEAN-UP A BRASS FINISH ZIPPO WITH A PAPER STICKER THE ZIPPO IN THE PHOTO IS DATED FROM 2000 SO THIS STICKER HAS BEEN ON FOR 6/7 YEARS ITS CURLED UP AND SHOWS THE OUTLINE OF WHERE IT WAS STUCK-DOWN.

FIRST REMOVE AS MUCH OF THE STICKER BY HAND AS YOU CAN.

THEN USING LIGHTER FLUID SOAK THE REMAINING OF THE STICKER AND LET IT SOAK-IN FOR 30 SECONDS (DO NOT SMOKE WHILE DOING THIS!)

NOW WITH YOUR FINGER RUB THE REMAINS OF THE STICKER OFF THE LIGHTER YOU MAY USE MORE LIGHTER FLUID AS YOU WISH.

YOU MAY ALSO USE A CLEAN CLOTH SOAKED IN A SMALL AMOUNT OF LIGHTER FLUID TO GET THE REMAINS OF THE GLUE OFF THE ZIPPO

ONCE OFF YOU WILL SEE THE OUT LINE WHICH AS BEEN LEFT BY THE STICKER,TO REMOVE THIS YOU WILL NEED A TIN OF METAL POLISH WADDING,WHICH YOU CAN GET FROM EBAY OR ANY HARDWARE STORE.

USE THE METAL POLISH WADDING ON THE ZIPPO TO COVER THE WHOLE OF THE BACK OF THE ZIPPO,GIVE IT A GOOD COATING AND LEAVE FOR 30 SECONDS.

NOW PLEASE GO TO PART 2 OF THIS GUIDE.................AND SEE THE RESULT !!