Working cigarette lighter cufflinks

These cufflinks are working lighters -- just in case you ever want to use your sleeves to ignite something. The webstore bills them as "vintage" though it's not clear to me whether they are "vintage-shaped" or, you know, old.

Vintage Lighter Cufflinks (Thanks, Tim!)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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max_supernova

Just don’t try to wear them while you go through airport security…
demidan

,,,and they are sold. So sad so very sad.
FoetusNail

Miniature lighters like these were once available in gumball style machines or at carnivals.
danlalan

I’m thinking they will look just as cool without lighter fluid in them…or flints, for airport security.
NeonCat

I have one of these lighters but there’s no cuff-link apparatus attached.

I’ll try to live with the disappointment.
nox

They are REAL Working vintage cufflinks that were once dispensed in gumball machines approximately 50 years ago.

So, yes, vintage = old.
CANTFIGHTTHEDITE

Isn’t someone supposed to be dropping the ol’ “TSA screeners would tear your head off” line about trying to wear these onto a plane or something?
SednaBoo

This item sold out on 9.08.2009

Two weeks too late here! I expected it to sell out the second it was boingboinged, but seriously, you people with your time-traveling.
Teller

Hey, pal, why’s that ace of clubs charred?
Brainspore

I hear Gob Bluth has a pair of these already.
Anonymous

I had one of these some 30 years ago. I don’t remember how I came up with it, but remember it being worn brass that at one time might have been finished like these ones are, but the chrome was worn off. I remember wanting to replace the wick, which was burned down to nothing, and I couldn’t figure out how to do it. The wick on my threaded off, but was a much smaller diameter then what we see here. It fills from the bottom, and I wish I could remember what I did with it…
sk8rboi69

Hey! An open flame right next to my cotton shirt! And I’ve been drinking scotch all night! Great idea!

:D

They do look kind of cool though, interesting conversation piece.
Anonymous

I have seen old lighters like this before (I have one somewhere I bought at an estate sale), though not as cufflinks.

See the loop on the end of the left lighter? On mine it sticks straight out. I always assumed it was meant to be used to wear the lighter as a pendant.

If the cufflinks are not actually vintage, my guess is that these are recent cufflink hardware added to vintage lighters.
Anonymous

Hey #1, that was a rather off the cuff remark!
Maggie Koerth-Baker

These are going to end in tears…and possibly skin grafts.
Anonymous

They sold out two weeks ago! Thanks a lot for getting my hopes up.
machine11

the cufflinks are insane :)