The Kryptos Zippo By W.O.E.
*NEW Matte Black PVD-Coated Kryptos Zippo*
A common accessory in any outdoors enthusiast’s arsenal, a quality lighter is both a functional tool and historically a commonly personalized item for members of the military and intelligence communities. Every product we create comes with a history lesson, and our Kryptos Zippo Lighter tells the story of an iconic sculpture within CIA’s headquarters.
Origin: Rather than simply reproducing our logo on commodity items, our goal at W.O.E. is to produce products that provide genuine utility while telling a story relevant to our unique community. Zippo’s lighters have been coveted, used, and personalized by US Military forces for decades, in many cases becoming cherished keepsakes for generations to follow. We set out to design a custom Zippo that speaks to the brand’s military heritage while also celebrating the Kryptos sculpture in the courtyard of CIA’s New Headquarters Building (NHB).
Kryptos, CIA Headquarters, Langley, VA
Kryptos, the ancient Greek word for "hidden", incorporates natural elements including a block of petrified wood, a block of granite, and a chunk of quartz in addition to a 12-foot-tall copperplate screen with exactly 1,735 alphabetic letters cut into it. The letters form an enciphered message utilizing several forms of cryptography. Despite the volume of intelligence professionals passing Kryptos every day, the cipher has (reportedly) yet to be solved in its entirety. To honor CIA’s intelligence-gathering heritage, a (modified) portion of the Kryptos cipher is laser engraved onto our Zippo lighter alongside our Spearhead logo.
Development: To produce our lighter, we naturally looked to Zippo, a longtime supplier to the US Government and one of the most iconic American companies. Rather than purchasing an off-the-shelf lighter and having an aftermarket engraver create our design, our lighters are made for us from start to finish by Zippo in the brand’s Bradford, PA factory. While lighters have been highly collectible in many cases, we encourage you to use this as the tool it is.
US Military and Zippo: Founded in the early 1930s, Zippo’s associations with the US Military began in earnest in 1941 when the brand ceased production of lighters destined for the civilian marketplace in favor of supporting the War Effort, with millions of Allied soldiers around the globe carrying Zippo lighters into some of history’s largest battles. Becoming cherished keepsakes, many soldiers engraved their lighters by hand with their names, important dates, or even images. In Vietnam, Zippo lighters were again at the forefront of warfare, in many cases being personalized by local artisans with elaborate designs and even complex enamel unit insignia.
* If international shipping is required. All customs, handling, and import fees will be paid by the customer.
*Watch, coins, and other items are NOT included.
Original: $50.00
-65%$50.00
$17.50Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
*NEW Matte Black PVD-Coated Kryptos Zippo*
A common accessory in any outdoors enthusiast’s arsenal, a quality lighter is both a functional tool and historically a commonly personalized item for members of the military and intelligence communities. Every product we create comes with a history lesson, and our Kryptos Zippo Lighter tells the story of an iconic sculpture within CIA’s headquarters.
Origin: Rather than simply reproducing our logo on commodity items, our goal at W.O.E. is to produce products that provide genuine utility while telling a story relevant to our unique community. Zippo’s lighters have been coveted, used, and personalized by US Military forces for decades, in many cases becoming cherished keepsakes for generations to follow. We set out to design a custom Zippo that speaks to the brand’s military heritage while also celebrating the Kryptos sculpture in the courtyard of CIA’s New Headquarters Building (NHB).
Kryptos, CIA Headquarters, Langley, VA
Kryptos, the ancient Greek word for "hidden", incorporates natural elements including a block of petrified wood, a block of granite, and a chunk of quartz in addition to a 12-foot-tall copperplate screen with exactly 1,735 alphabetic letters cut into it. The letters form an enciphered message utilizing several forms of cryptography. Despite the volume of intelligence professionals passing Kryptos every day, the cipher has (reportedly) yet to be solved in its entirety. To honor CIA’s intelligence-gathering heritage, a (modified) portion of the Kryptos cipher is laser engraved onto our Zippo lighter alongside our Spearhead logo.
Development: To produce our lighter, we naturally looked to Zippo, a longtime supplier to the US Government and one of the most iconic American companies. Rather than purchasing an off-the-shelf lighter and having an aftermarket engraver create our design, our lighters are made for us from start to finish by Zippo in the brand’s Bradford, PA factory. While lighters have been highly collectible in many cases, we encourage you to use this as the tool it is.
US Military and Zippo: Founded in the early 1930s, Zippo’s associations with the US Military began in earnest in 1941 when the brand ceased production of lighters destined for the civilian marketplace in favor of supporting the War Effort, with millions of Allied soldiers around the globe carrying Zippo lighters into some of history’s largest battles. Becoming cherished keepsakes, many soldiers engraved their lighters by hand with their names, important dates, or even images. In Vietnam, Zippo lighters were again at the forefront of warfare, in many cases being personalized by local artisans with elaborate designs and even complex enamel unit insignia.
* If international shipping is required. All customs, handling, and import fees will be paid by the customer.
*Watch, coins, and other items are NOT included.
