Clipper is the brand name of a type of refillable butane lighter, designed by Enric Sardà and owned by Flamagas S.A.[1] since 1959.
The lighters are mostly produced in Barcelona, with others manufactured in Chennai and Shanghai.[2] 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.[citation needed]
The Clipper brand is a division of Flamagas S.A.,[3] which also distributes stationery and electronics for such brands as Casio and Daewoo.[4] Flamagas S.A. is headed by Puig, and both companies are subsidiaries of the Exea Corporation.[5][6]
Some people associate the use of the Clipper lighter with stoners.[7][8] This is due to its flint system, which smokers often used to pack self-rolling tobacco and marijuana.
The dimensions of the different models of Clipper lighters are as follows:[9]
Model | Length (mm) | Diameter (mm) |
---|---|---|
large | 71 | 16 |
medium | 71 | 14 |
63 | 16 | |
micro | 63 | 14 |
jet | 63 | 16 |