Indoor lamp oil recommendation

[slowworm]

I know this has sort of cropped up before but I'm after an actual recommendation for a brand of lamp oil thats scent free and does not have much smell when burnt.

I'm aware that having a well trimmed wick and not burning the lamp too fast to avoid soot is necessary but I still find oil lamps smell, especially in a room after a while that doesn't have good ventilation.

So, can someone recommend anything or shall I just chance something from Amazon?

 

[Toddy]

I bought Clearcraft lamp oil. It says on the bottle that it has a really high flash point and won't burn without a wick. Much of the soot comes from having a poorly trimmed wick, so if you're dealing with that, then I think any decent quality stuff would do. Not 'torch oil', but good lamp oil. This stuff seems to be pretty scentless though. Burns bright and clean.

Supposedly there are other versions available rather than petroleum extracts, stuff from palm oil, etc., but to be honest, burning oil of any kind is going to have some smoke and if it smokes you can smell it.

I'll find some links, but I too would like to hear if anyone has found a really good one.

M


Links;

Lamp Oil from £3.80 per litre

Our clean burning, sootless and odourless lamp oil is supplied in either 25 ltr drums or cases of 1 ltr bottles. The drums are supplied with a free pump and filling system, while the litre bottles come with a filler nozzle.

www.clearcraft-catering.co.uk

Not cheap unless you buy in bulk. I'm pretty sure I paid a fiver for the bottle I have and thought that was expensive.

This company sells the palm oil extract stuff.

Candle Lamp Oil | Best UK Price | Bulk Buy Paraffin Lamp Oil

Candle Lamp Oil. Best UK Prices from The London Candle Company. High quality paraffin lamp oil and natural eco friendly oil. Catering quality. Buy in bulk.

www.londoncandles.uk

Looking at the prices here it seems to be pretty much the same ballpark.

 

[Mesquite]

Base Camp supply a top quality paraffin but 20 litres might be a bit more than you'd want to buy to try out.

 

[Kav]

A gunsmith gifted a very old bottle of Whale Oil. Forgive me, Sea Shepherd: It was the cleanest burning and best lubricant I ever experienced.

 

[slowworm]

A gunsmith gifted a very old bottle of Whale Oil. Forgive me, Sea Shepherd: It was the cleanest burning and best lubricant I ever experienced.

I often wonder if the beached whales that occasionally wash up dead on our beaches could be used for old fashioned products such as oil.

 

[slowworm]

I bought Clearcraft lamp oil.

That seems to be the main one on Amazon and the reviews seem ok but still the odd complaint about smell.

Interestingly I used the lamp oil I've had for ages in a newly acquired cheap chinese lantern. I trimmed the wick as normal and I was surprised how little smell it produced. The same oil in other lamps, with properly trimmed wicks, has smelt a bit.

I need to try some experiments and see if it's something else that's causing the smell, too much or too little oxygen perhaps.

 

[slowworm]

Base Camp supply a top quality paraffin but 20 litres might be a bit more than you'd want to buy to try out.

If I knew it worked I would be happy with 20 litres but not as a one off. I'll see if I can pick anything similar locally.

 

[Nice65]

If I knew it worked I would be happy with 20 litres but not as a one off. I'll see if I can pick anything similar locally.

I bought 20l a while back and it’s definitely clean burning. I use it in the Dietz Pilot lantern and Vapalux. It’s intended as a domestic fuel for indoor heater and stoves so though it smells a bit, it’s nothing like Barratine or any of the cheap eBay or Amazon stuff.

 

[Disabled Preppers]

I would love to hear if anyone finds one that gives off no smell because like toffy said if it burns it smells , i have added some scents to our indoor lanterns to keep the smell down and the lantern for the BBQ area we put citronella in i think i put 10ml to a lt i think i would have ot get my book out to check .
If you burn any oil i was told you will always get some form of smell by the nature of burning there has to be a smell and if your in a badly ventilated room like you ask then that is a big problem right there , if you have bad air flow the smell will hang , why not increase air flow even a small vent in a door will draw air in and help move it out

 

[Kav]

Remember, buildings during the period of oil lamps were draftier affairs. IE lots of fresh air vs well insulated and airtight buildings today.

 

[Toddy]

Very true. Chimneys drew air in to keep the fire burning.

Different times.

 

[TLM]

The smell comes from incomplete burning of some of the longer chain hydrocarbons, most mantle using lamps tend to burn the fuel better than just simple wicks. I used the Aladdin type for quite a while as it does not make any noise and gives out a fairly good light, the mantle is fragile though so it is good for stationary use only.

 

[demented dale]

I noted in the comments that Whale oil is particularly good. Has any one on here got a harpoon for sale?
In answer to the original question I use storm lamps everyday in my bell tent. Everything I have bought that says lamp oil on the bottle has been fine and burnt clean, regardless of brand. x