The 4-in-1 Woodsman is like a Swiss Army knife for the bushy-bearded, flannel-clad set. Instead of the usual set of blades and implements, the Woodsman gives you a bigger set of tools that can turn a tree into kindling and a barren piece of woods into a campsite.
In 2009, Zippo spun an outdoor line off its more traditional lighter line. It played pretty close to its comfort zone, filling the outdoor line with small, butane-powered accessories and other fire-starting gear. This year, Zippo is branching out with a more diverse set of outdoor items. The 4-in-1 Woodsman is one such product.
The device is a wood saw with a 15-inch (38.1-cm) steel blade. Zippo says that it makes easy work of sticks and logs up to four inches (10.1 cm) thick. It's positioned at campers that need to cut up firewood, and the saw's handle has a little secret that will help: it's a sheath for a hatchet underneath. Take off the sheath to reveal the five-inch (12.7-cm) blade; store the saw blade in the hatchet handle, and sawing lends way to chopping and splitting.
On the flip side of the hatchet blade is a mallet designed to hammer tent stakes into the ground. When it comes time to pack up and pull the stakes out, a stake puller on the end of the hatchet handle provides some assistance. The puller is a closed loop, so it appears that it will only work with stakes that have some type of a grab point – Zippo shows it pictured pulling out a hooked plastic stake.
The 4-in-1 Woodsman will hit the market in time for the northern spring of 2013. It will retail for US$79.95. Replacement saw blades will run $12.95.
In addition to the Woodsman, Zippo's outdoor gear offerings will include a portable tailgating/camping grill; a windproof, dual-burner camping stove; a lantern; and a log-carrying sack.
Source: Zippo
I'm surprised at the negativity towards Zippo. My classic-style Zippo lighter is 9 years old and still working just fine. Granted I'm not a smoker so I don't use it every day, but I use it regularly to light my barbecue, light my stoves, start campfires, and melt the ends of nylon cords. It's a pretty handy and seems sturdy enough. I haven't tried any of their "outdoors" products yet.