Clipper (lighter)

Clipper is the brand name of a type of refillable butane lighter, designed by Enric Sardà and owned by Flamagas S.A.^[1], which was founded in 1959.

Clipper lighters; on the left, the flint system which has been removed from the orange one

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]

Associations

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 cannabis.

Dimensions

The dimensions of the different models of Clipper lighters are as follows:^[9]

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^[10] 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,^[11] in a series of artworks together with Silk Cut.