digger27
Bronze Member
- May 18, 2011
- 1,506
- 3,225
My first hunt of the year in the woods I found a nice 1940's era Ronson lighter.
Yesterday, in another park in a small area of woods I found another cool lighter.
It was as black as coal, thought it was some sort of gun metal finish or something, but then I started doing some research to find out the age.
That was eye opening.
Evidently there was a company that made this style called NO 5 back in the 30's called Orlic out of Austria and it has been copied by many companies.
They are called wheel or slip lighters, some call them trench lighters.
All over E Bay they are advertised as WWI and WWII lighters but I don't think most of them know for sure and they are just guessing.
These were also made by other companies over the years...Kingsway and Comoy in England, Camel and Marlboro made promotional types with their logos, Korea and Japan companies made them but marked those on the bottom, at least one company made this exact type in the 70's and some others still might.
Smoke Stone made a similar model at one time and here is also a pic of their model, I think most came with some sort of real or faux leather cases, too.
No marks of any of these companies or countries on this thing so it is a mystery.
The park I found this in was dedicated in the 50's but this might have been dropped there way before...or it could be more modern so I might not ever really know the age.
Most of them said Brass No 5 on the side so I got curious and scrubbed the sides hard and after awhile I saw a faint BRASS No 5 emerge so I had one too, and that is when the real elbow grease had to be put to it.
After a few home brew brass cleaning solutions and some Brasso was applied and tons of scrubbing, lo and behold I found out I had me not a black lighter but an honest to goodness brass one.
I wish I took a before picture but trust me, the difference now is amazing.
I think I got it as far as I will take it, it will look just fine in a display case now.
I wish I had the top but I will go back and look for that soon.
It didn't seem to be in the area where I found it but you never know.
Maybe I will make another goal for this year and see how many lighters I can find.
Way better than digging up trash.
Yesterday, in another park in a small area of woods I found another cool lighter.
It was as black as coal, thought it was some sort of gun metal finish or something, but then I started doing some research to find out the age.
That was eye opening.
Evidently there was a company that made this style called NO 5 back in the 30's called Orlic out of Austria and it has been copied by many companies.
They are called wheel or slip lighters, some call them trench lighters.
All over E Bay they are advertised as WWI and WWII lighters but I don't think most of them know for sure and they are just guessing.
These were also made by other companies over the years...Kingsway and Comoy in England, Camel and Marlboro made promotional types with their logos, Korea and Japan companies made them but marked those on the bottom, at least one company made this exact type in the 70's and some others still might.
Smoke Stone made a similar model at one time and here is also a pic of their model, I think most came with some sort of real or faux leather cases, too.
No marks of any of these companies or countries on this thing so it is a mystery.
The park I found this in was dedicated in the 50's but this might have been dropped there way before...or it could be more modern so I might not ever really know the age.
Most of them said Brass No 5 on the side so I got curious and scrubbed the sides hard and after awhile I saw a faint BRASS No 5 emerge so I had one too, and that is when the real elbow grease had to be put to it.
After a few home brew brass cleaning solutions and some Brasso was applied and tons of scrubbing, lo and behold I found out I had me not a black lighter but an honest to goodness brass one.
I wish I took a before picture but trust me, the difference now is amazing.
I think I got it as far as I will take it, it will look just fine in a display case now.
I wish I had the top but I will go back and look for that soon.
It didn't seem to be in the area where I found it but you never know.
Maybe I will make another goal for this year and see how many lighters I can find.
Way better than digging up trash.
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