Not discounting your experience ... I don't own any such ... but FWIW, 20 years of Ed's Red use has had no discernible effect on the glossy finished wood furniture on my Browning Hi-Power.
IIRC, "Zippo Fuel" is naptha, very similar to gasoline.
You're absolutely right about penetrating oils, BTW. WD-40 is nasty stuff, not a lubricant and not an effective penetrant. 3-in-1, Kroil, et al. are penetrating oils; the difference is obvious when used.
“...3-in-1, Kroil, et al. are penetrating oils...”
What do you think of 3-in-1 for general use on firearms? ... bike chains, O-ring chains, and in situations where the oil may contact finished wood or plastics?
As an aside, your mention of Zippo Fuel reminds me, Naptha is the primary to sole ingriediant in most fuel additives for cleaning the fuel system/carbs/intake. A can of the “additive” costs about 5X the equivalent size of lighter fluid (and I’ve used the stuff a lot in the past).