Strange German Lighter

[VicParticipant @vic]

The Germans are sometimes accused of over engineering stuff. Not sure about that, but this thing is however quite strange and doesn’t appear to be particularly well made. Quite a curiosity though isn’t it?

https://youtube.com/shorts/YGu0micDp4k?si=5eSZZ76YM_RgIxVn

 

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Rather neat ! Never seen caps used to initiate combustion. Noel.

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Great “Boy’s Toy”.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Trench art, looks remarkably like a re-purposed cartridge case.

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

It’s probably from the late 19. century, predating flints.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Predating Flints??????

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

I meant “flint” which is a ferrocerium alloy.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Ingenious! “Trench art” more likely by genre rather than reality perhaps, though it may have been made as a “bunny” or “homer” in some military workshop.

Problem is, can you still buy those rolls of caps, made for toy guns?

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

WWI trenches should have been mostly safe from sniper fire as long as you didn’t peek over the brim.

As for the caps they were introduced around 1850 for percussion guns, but I don’t know if this one was made for those or the newer toy caps. I suspect the original was a bit more powerful.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Production lighter, see the very similar Koehler one towards the bottom of this page of pre flint lighters that used “caps”. Click the little icon to see the Patent

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Good find Jason

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

The presence of a rim-like feature does not automatically make it a casing. And a casing doesn’t automatically make it trench art.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

To the extent that it resembles a cartridge I would say it’s closer to a rimfire.

As for the modern caps they are definitively purpose made for toys. They used to contain red phosphorous, but I’m sure they have better compounds today. Silver acetylide perhaps?

The Maynard caps used mercury fulminate which feels like an overkill for lighters. I wouldn’t be surprised if they made dedicated caps for these lighters.

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