When I was a lad, I'd often go off for days at a time with mates fishing, camping and generally messing about. I was allowed to take my grandads camp stove as it was so much faster than a Trangia and often open fires were not an option. I'd forgotten all about it but came across it once again when sorting my dads shed out 5 years ago. I promtly put it in my shed and forgot about it once more!
This week, while servicing my 533 and Whisperilte (see the Aspen 4 thread) I remembered the little brass stove and dug it out. As can be seen it looks in pretty poor shape, I made the mistake of emptying the fuel out that was 35+ years old - the smell was incredible and it looked like hangover pi$$.
Doing a little research I was amazed to find these stoves have been around since the 1930's (No96 model) and mine dates from the 60's. The stoves are still used around the world today in their 10's of thousands. Just been looking at similar clone stoves made in India for £40. I had no idea Paraffin was still so widely used. You might hear them called kerosene stoves, same thing really but I think paraffin and kerosene are slightly different fuels but used in the same way in these type of stoves.
I was also rather pleased to find that all the parts are still available and they are cheap! I've ordered a set of seals, new non-return valve and pump washer. A new set of 3 pan legs - you can see the leg on the left in the picture is made from a tent peg, I can't remember making that! Also ordered a spanner, to live in the tin and nip up the burner part when assembling, and ordered a non-return valve tool to change the old one as this tool is needed. Price for that lot? £25!
You needed to carry a small container of meths for these stoves, a small amount of meths was poured into the little alcohol bowl and lit, this then pre-heated the stoves vaporiser tube and when the meths had burnt away, a couple of pumps made air pressure inside the tank push the paraffin up the hot tube, vaporising and coming out as a gas, and burnt in a way we see any other stove burning gas.
I'm going to restore this little stove, a 'working' restoration, that is, fully functional and clean but by no means, 'as new' condition, and will keep the thread updated as to progress so far. At the moment, the tank is full of alcohol and it's going to sit for a few days before the dreaded polishing has to be done!
Any older UKC'ers own a paraffin stove? Would any dads out there allow their 14 year old lad to disappear for a weekend with his mates carrying matches, paraffin and alcohol? Any old paraffin stories to share?