Zippo 1942 to 1945 Black Crackle - Zippo Year by Year Series
Zippo 1942 to 1945 Black Crackle - Zippo Year by Year Series
The 1942-1945 period is quite special. It is often referred to as the "Black Crackle" era
Zippo case
During the 1942-1945 period, Zippo used steel cases. From 1942 to early 1943, 4-barrel hinges were used. From late 1943 to 1945, Zippo switched to 3-barrel hinges. The outer casing was typically covered with a distinctive Black Crackle paint finish. However, in the image, the Zippo from 1942 to early 1943 shows wear on that paint layer.
In well-preserved Black Crackle Zippos, it's often impossible to see the bottom stamp. If the Black Crackle finish is only partially intact (Sample 1), or even if it has worn off completely but the bottom is convex/bowed (boat-shaped), the stamps are often crushed or worn away (Sample 2). The bottom stamps shown below were selected from Zippos where the Black Crackle finish has worn off, and the bottom stamp is still somewhat legible. (See below image)
Bottom Stamp
The Zippo bottom stamps from the 1942-1945 period show numerous distinct differences.
Zippo insert
The Zippo inserts from these years are fundamentally similar, with a slight difference: the inserts from 1942 to early 1943 had no engravings.
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