Austrian Windproof Lighter

This is a pipe lighter--it has a removable "fuel tank" with which you can light a pipe (or campfire--anything that requires "distance" from your hand and the ability to tip the flame like a candle). It is windproof, as long as you have the "chimney slide" type thing choked up and the wick trimmed. It is remarkably fuel-efficient, due to its unique fuel tank cap and built-in snuffer that seals around the top of the tank when closed. It is lightweight. I think it's either made of steel or tin, but whatever it is, it's light. It is easily maintained--all you ever have to do is replace the flints (and wicks, periodically. It accepts Zippo brand wicks in a pinch). Replacing the flints is much easier than it is on a Zippo; all you have to do is press on the release catch on the bottom and swing out the innards, which remain in one piece (no stupid tiny little screws to lose). Using it always seems to impress friends and coworkers--it just has a neat, swing-out ignition method that always catches people's attention. So if you want to look cool, buy these lighters. CONS: It rusts easily if exposed to water and not dried thoroughly. It has "poky" corners that can be uncomfortable and can tear holes in thin pockets. If it gets soaked in a stream, it won't work till you let it dry out completely, and then it will probably only work for a little while due to the fluid being washed out/diluted by the water.

This lighter is great. I've had it now for about a month and i can tell that i should have it for the rest of my life. One has to fill the lighter fluid and change the flints periodically, but the lighter lights every time and burns really nicely. Here are the important things to know about the lighter. It is aesthetically appealing. It looks great and people dont usually know what it is until you light it and they react with wows. The material is strong and sturdy, i can tell that its not going to wear and tear easy. It is hard to operate! You have to push down with a lot of force to light the lighter and then to close it you have to push the top towards the flame with a lot of force as well. At first it is hard because it doesnt feel right to push your finger hard towards a flame, but once you get the hang of it, its no big deal. But if you want friends to be able to use it, especially the lady friends, they might not enjoy the experience. Its more of a personal lighter that you have to master yourself. The lighter has a cool function in its design so you can easily pull out the flame from the bulk of the lighter while it is lit. If you look at the picture, at the bottom theres a circular textured part. That part pulls out and it is a bullet shaped metal canister. This is how you fill up the lighter. Also, if you light the lighter, you can pull this part out and use like a candle in a dark area or to light a fire easier. The design doesnt however work well for smoking from pipes. When you tilt it, the flame barely reaches the pipe. It works, but its not the most convenient especially for people not accustomed to the lighter. Other than that, i love this lighter. Its really fun and entertaining to just light it and then close it. Its a satisfying experience that happens every time you light it. Its cool looking, and its built to last. If you want a lighter for life, this is it. plus its not pricey at all!

This is a nice lighter if you are a collector. It is not a good lighter at all though, not good for camping, not good for taking out anywhere. Maybe good to show off originality for a one time use only. The fluid dries up in just a few hours of non use. When used, it heats up very fast making it unusable and dangerous actually.. I was hoping to get a useful practical original lighter, got a useless lighter instead.

IMCO has made this same excellent lighter since just after World War One. The original was designed around a shell casing, which was used for the fuel tank. I ordered this one from amazon and it's identical in every regard to the one I bought around 1973. Lightweight steel construction, the mechanism eats flints faster than a Zippo but lights every single time. Works as a candle or match as well as a normal lighter. Some people are fooled by the lightweight steel construction, and they call it "cheap". It is inexpensive, but certainly not cheaply made. More versatile than a Zippo for camping, hiking, pipe smoking, etc. As it's made of steel, the one and only caveat is rust so don't take it swimming. A properly cared-for IMCO will last for decades, and it accepts zippo flints, wicks, and fluid. EDIT: I said "one caveat", but here's another one I found: Do not try to "improve" the spring mechanism in order to be able to use the entire flint by adding a second flint or by stretching the spring. It will eventually make the sliding bits in there go out of alignment just enough to make the lighter unreliable. Best to just accept that this bugger eats flints and wastes the last quarter or so of each one. Small price to pay though, IMO. :)