Nimrod Pipeliter (Nov, 1947)
THE RIGHT GIFT for a PIPE SMOKER
* Windproof * Lightweight * Large Flame
Nimrod Pipeliter
Down-Draft Chimney Action
$3.50 At your Dealers
Unconditionally GuaranteedIf your dealer is unable to supply you send $3.50 direct
WARD-NIMROD COMPANY
Dipt. 36-G, 2961 Jessamine St., Cinti. IS, Ohio
I had one of these pipelighters in college (back in the 80s). Not sure if it was the same manufacturer — but it looks exactly the same. It worked pretty well — but if you smoked both cigarrettes and pipes, you were better off with the more flexible zippo.
Comment by Garrettbdotnet — July 15, 2006 @ 7:02 pm
I have a nimrod pipeliter, can you tell me what one would sell for today.
mary
Comment by mary newton — April 2, 2008 @ 7:02 pm
Hello..can anyone tell me if a Nimrod lighter is attainable these days?
Comment by Rickiedean Dubenion — June 12, 2008 @ 4:21 pm
Rickiedean: Yes.
http://www.smokeshopmag.com/0299/shop.htm
F.G.T. recently brought back the lighter that was known as the Nimrod. Now called the F.G.T. Sportsman, this popular pipe lighter uses standard lighter fluid. It is small — about the size and shape of a roll of Lifesavers™ — and retails for $24. This was my first pipe lighter, more than 25 years ago. Very dependable, it now comes with a compass.
Comment by jayessell — June 12, 2008 @ 6:06 pm
What is my nimrod pipeliter serial #2432265 worth?
Comment by roger kalbus — November 7, 2008 @ 9:36 pm
Actually, I just wanted to know if there was a way to identify when a specific Nimrod was manufactered. Any ideas?
jack (a t) broodmetkaas.com
Comment by Jack — July 21, 2009 @ 12:59 pm
nimrod pipeliters sell for between 5 and 30 dollers on ebay i just got 1 4 7.95
Comment by jason — May 11, 2010 @ 5:53 pm
25 or 6 2 4, Jason. :0)
I haven’t smoked tobacco for decades, but always preferred butane lighters for pipes and cigars. Otherwise I always seemed to get a lungful of Ronson fuel.
Still, this is a neat looking lighter.
Comment by Toronto — May 11, 2010 @ 5:59 pm
I recently found one of these pipliters. It is old and worn, but I cleaned it up and it works just fine. There is a difference between mine and the rest that people are describing. Mine does not have a patent number, instead it says patent pending. Does this mean it is super old? Or made by another manufacturer, or…?
I don’t know. a google search didn’t really turn up anything useful. Any help would be appreciated.
Comment by otto — May 18, 2010 @ 4:39 pm
Regarding the patent on the Nimrod: 1st, there were a couple of Nimrods manufactured. One has the bolt looking grooves like the one illustrated above. The second has an all smooth surface where the bolt grooves are in the illustration. The second actually had a leather or fabric covering that went over the smooth surface. Finding one of these intact is pretty rare.
Now, if it really says Nimrod on the bottom, the patent was applied for on 5/17/1946 and was not granted until 12/9/1947, so there was a patent pending period for this lighter between those periods. Now there were actually a number of manufacturers that used this design, so unless it actually says Nimrod on the end, it’s not a Nimrod. If it says FGT, then it’s a Korean knock-off manufactured as early as the 1970′s, and is still being manufactured today.
Hope that helps!
Comment by Jack — May 19, 2010 @ 8:17 am
It very much does. Mine actually does say NIMROD on the bottom. It is the one with the grooves (bolt design). So I am assuming it was made sometime between May ’46 and Dec ’47. I think it is pretty awesome to have a 63 year old working lighter. Any ideas on where I can find someone who can adequately and correctly identify it and appraise its value?
Comment by otto — May 19, 2010 @ 8:44 am
It is mind blowing to have some of these older lighters, especially if you can restore them. I have a couple that date back before 1900, although they aren’t what you’d think of, as they don’t use striker and flint.
For appraisal, you can try the webmaster at:
http://www.vintagelighterbook.com/index.html
There’s a list of reference books you can try ordering at your local library at:
http://www.johnfloresgraphics......ences.html
Also, there’s a group of…well, a cult of, lighter collectors.
Their group can be found at:
https://otls.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
If you’re having trouble loading that page, try:
https://otls.duncanmultimedia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=3
Don’t use eBay as a guide. I’ve seen crappy Nimrods go for over a $100, and pristine ones going for as little as $20.
The great grandson of the founder of the Ward-Nimrod company is still the president. Ward continues to manufacture machine parts, which is why the lighter looks like a bolt. Nimrod was the name of a fighter plane during WWII.
Anyway, that should give you a good start…
Comment by Jack — May 19, 2010 @ 11:36 am
They will bring anywhere from 5.00 to over 100.00 depending on the buyer. Average is around 20.00. Here is their history:
Lighting required that the user place their thumb on the strike wheel, and pull the two halves apart. The lighter was designed to stop at a maximum extension to prevent the lighter from coming completely apart. This stop design originally had a button that could depress, allowing full disassembly of the lighter, but it appears that when the lighter was actually massed produced, the button was removed, making the lighter impossible to completely come apart. The lighter could also be lit by extending the lighter halves, and then flicking the strike wheel.
At some point, Ashley Ward produced the Commander model. The patent number stamped into the case was identical to that of the Pipe Lighter, making actual concept or creation dates impossible to follow. The interior shell housed in an exterior shell design was used. This concept predates the Zippo inserts design, and is not unique to either lighter. The Beattie Jet Lighter also uses this design, as did several other prototype patents filed previous to Zippo’s inception in 1932.
Comment by Larry — June 25, 2010 @ 2:06 am
Wow…that sounds oddly familiar…
Comment by Jack — June 25, 2010 @ 8:40 am
nimrod lighters are very easily attainable i have 3 of them.a great place to look for them is flea markets and antique shops.
Comment by geoff harrison — August 12, 2011 @ 5:59 pm
I just acquired a Nimrod lighter that on the end only sais “NIMROD 0 PIPELITER (MADE IN THE USA) ON MIRROR SIDE)” NO “pat pend” or pat, #. it has the bolt grooves and is in working condition. im having trouble dating it since there is nothing about the patent on the end, anybode no anything about it?? thank you very much and have fun,
Kelly
Comment by Ben — January 10, 2012 @ 10:29 pm