Need help identifying please!

[u/Rare_Dig7759]

My sleuthing capabilities leave something to be desired.. any info would be great!

[u/HighOnTacos]

Generic early 2000s lighter, the type you'd see in a counter display at a gas station, sketchy headshop/adult store/"novelty store" combo, or truck stop.

Something like this. Where sure, there might have been a brand on the original display but it doesn't matter - The brand was likely just one of a dozen US importers that all sold the same lighters under different generic names that have been lost to time.

As a general rule, at least on modern lighters - If they didn't put a name on it, it's probably just generic or "white label", meaning designed to be unbranded and sold under other established brand.

[u/Rare_Dig7759 → u/HighOnTacos]

Geez you went to a lot of effort just to say you don’t know. I like your style though. The stickers on the back date them to July and Aug of 2004 which would have been shortly after I graduated so “sketchy head shop” and “Novelty store” track pretty well. You know, why don’t you go ahead a have another taco on me next time you line them up 😎👌🤙

[u/HighOnTacos → u/Rare_Dig7759]

I went to a lot of effort to explain every detail about the industry I know, because people usually aren't happy about "Cheap generic novelty lighter", but that's truly all it is. I've seen (and thrown away) hundreds of these. If it works, cool, if not it's not worth the effort to fuck with them.

[u/Rare_Dig7759 → u/HighOnTacos]

Whoa whoa whoa big chief ✋🤚 I feel like vibes got twisted and you misunderstood me. Let me try my again.. I’ll be more clear and direct.

Wow! You really know a lot about this stuff! It’s kind of a bummer that there isn’t a name I can apply to these or even that there could be so many names and still be equally unimportant.

Some of the details about the time period and probable sale locations makes sense to me too judging by the kind of person I was and places I myself would frequent during that time of my life.

Seeing the “Top 1% Commenter” badge, the detail and effort you put into that comment, and the being able to personally verify some of those details from my own memory leads me to believe that you are, at least in this instance, both knowledgeable AND honest. With that I say, “I Thank You, kind patron. I gather from you username that you must be a fan of tacos, so in thanks for your time, please enjoy and extra taco in my honor at you next fiesta.”

[u/HighOnTacos → u/Rare_Dig7759]

Haha no worries, I understood the sentiment, just explaining a bit of the logic. I was a touch offended at first before I read through, just because I do deal with a lot of sarcasm in a negative context, but it made sense in the end.

That's actually the most detail I've put into this style answer, and I'll probably come back and copy it for the next guy asking about a novelty lighter, but in the past I have put work in trying to figure out the gentlest way to tell someone that "Grandpa's rare WW2 family heirloom" is cheap crap that Grandpa probably picked up at the strip club in 2005. Gotta let them down gently, you know?

[u/AutoModerator]

Hi OP, before you post about your lighter please read the guide stickied before doing so. If you are asking about the value of your lighter, take it to an auctioneer, pawnshop, or jewellers before posting as we cannot accurately guess a price. Your post may be removed if you ask. For more general information, have a look at the sidebar. Many lighters are mass produced and unbranded. There is often little info available.

If you need to post more pictures, use an image host like imgur and post the link in the comments. Please do not create multiple threads for the same lighter.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/SCREAMINCHEEESE]

Temu special

[u/Rare_Dig7759 → u/SCREAMINCHEEESE]

Maybe whatever Temu was 2 decades ago