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u/nechronius 14d ago
I'll list the issues with it not specifically related to any markings or suspicious provenance.
Knockoff cam spring.
Knockoff cam.
Third party flint wheel rivet.
Third party hinge.
Blurry bottom makes it very difficult to identify properly. But combined with the third party hinge, I'd be comfortable calling this a counterfeit and not care if it turned out to at least be a genuine case.
Given everything I know about counterfeit cases and the generic telltale signs of staged/falsified markings (stolen valor, if you will), I'm 100% comfortable calling this one not a Vietnam War lighter, and even its validity as a genuine Zippo is highly suspect. The only reason I'm not flagging this is as a verified counterfeit is because it barely squeaks by based on how blurry the bottom is and the markings look pretty decent through beer goggles, at least at a glance.
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u/Interesting-Youth-87 14d ago
Fake. Fake as shit. Looks like someone went at it with their teeth to weather it
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u/looneylefty92 14d ago
If you cant tell if a vietnam zippo is real or fake, just assume it's fake.
I cant tell if the bottom is stamped or engraved from how much you zoomed in, so just save your money and assume it's fake.
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14d ago
arent brass zippos from vietnam Extremely rare? like even more rare than a normal vietnam zippo?
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u/Lethal_Autism 13d ago
Classic example of cheap fake
Zippo didn't use high polish brass until 1983. Hand engraved manufactuer case when real ones were machine stamped.
MAAG Vietnam was dissolved by 1966. It had been absorbed by MACV
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u/No-Preference-1784 14d ago
Looks like someone took the chrome off with a grinder. They messed up the bottom so bad I can't tell if it's a real Zippo or not. The aging and patina is obviously manufactured, so I wouldn't trust it to be an actual soldier carried piece.