Clipper is the brand name of a type of refillable butane lighter, designed by Enric Sardà and owned by Flamagas S.A., which was founded in 1959.
The lighters are mostly produced in Barcelona, with others manufactured in Chennai and Shanghai. Clipper has a wide range of lighters, gas refills and other accessories. The first Clipper lighter was made in 1972, and global production is now around 450 million units a year, making it the second-largest lighter manufacturer in the world, behind BIC.
The Clipper brand is a division of Flamagas S.A., which also distributes stationery and electronics for such brands as Casio and Daewoo. Flamagas S.A. is headed by Puig, and both companies are subsidiaries of the Exea Corporation.
Associations Some people associate the use of the Clipper lighter with stoners. This is due to its flint system, which smokers often use to pack joints and the fact that the flame gets higher when held at a downwards angle to light a bowl.
Dimensions The dimensions of the different models of Clipper lighters are as follows: Model Length (mm) Diameter (mm) CP11 - large 74 16 CP21 - medium 71 14 CP12 - pocket 63 16 CP22 - micro 63 14 CJK11 - jet 63 16
In popular culture
British garage act The Streets used the Clipper lighter as its logo. The lighter (bearing the name of the artist) appears on all album covers bar the first album, which featured a Swan lighter. Their merchandise includes branded Clipper lighters. Damien Hirst used images of the Clipper lighter, among others like Bic, in a series of artworks together with Silk Cut.
References
External links Official Clipper website Official Flamagas website (manufacturer company)