The prevalence of smoking, particularly amongst soldiers, meant that the construction of cigarette lighters from bullet and shell cases was inevitable.
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These split into two main categories, table lighters and pocket lighters. Table lighters are usually constructed from a shell of up to 2 inches diameter with a removable top concealing the flint. Often they will be mounted on a wooden plinth to aid stability.
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Pocket lighters are a little more varied. Some are made from bullets or small calibre cannon shells, others are disc-shaped, made with scrap brass, belt buckles (the German ‘Gott Mit Uns’ buckles are common) or buttons.
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