Just an FYI - I got mine in the drop last May and love it. That being said, the brush finish you see in the drop images isn't actually a finish but some sort of coating which WILL rub/scrape off quite easily. Here's what mine looks like now (still love it, wanted it for the tree).
AlexCzarFellas...its brass...it patinas with use and age. Beautifully, i might add. That coating was a layer of laquer type stuff to keep the bronze finish 'fresh' with no change in finish between the factory and you. You, however, use it. Scuff it up with some fine steel wool, maybe scuff your initials into it pretty and let the shell hang out in a glass of vinegar or super saltwater for a while and it'll get a nice patina. You can use that "000" wool to buff it gorgeous while its still wet. Ketchup will shine it right back to new i beleieve, and you could try again with maybe swirly patterns or whatever. Its metal, it'll last.
theguywitheyebrowsYep, as I've said it is still okay, brass ages nicely on its own. I'm disappointed that the "finish" turned out to be lacquer, so I have a gripe with the description, not the product itself.
crashjohnsonNothing, that's just the result of natural wear and tear. Whatever was on there really wasn't on there good, you could just use your finger nail and scrape most of it off... not sure how long it took - probably only a few weeks to a month of taking it in/out of my pocket to be completely gone.
TheRabidCoderBy the way, it's my first Zippo and I have no idea is it me or is it the lighter, the fluid or me. I'm buying off the shelf zippo fuel and one filling only lasts me half a day max, a day if I don't light it at all. It's like the fuel is teleported to some alternative dimension :D
AlexCzarHow are you filling it? Doesn't sound like you're doing it right / putting enough in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK1BZshpVQ0This is how I've always filled mine, I tend not to put enough in to have it drip out the other side while filling, but it doesn't hurt if that happens (just means it's fully saturated). You can use the little "filling hole" but it's much easier to open pull up the solid piece of cotton and poor directly in from there. This allows you to visually see when it starts pooling and lets you spread it out better. I'll usually fill it until I see it pooling over the cotton, wait a few seconds for it to go down and repeat 2-3 times.
If you do end up overfilling/having the fluid spill out wait a while to light it and wash your hands / wipe it off... going to light a smoke only to have the entire thing enveloped in flames is a pain :P.