Optimus Hiker stove from Kiwi Disposals

[Brynderi]

I was in Kiwi Disposals on Friday and noticed they had these Optimus Hiker stoves for $99 (about 40 UK pounds).

http://www.kiwidisposals.co.nz/items/?itemID=839

I don't know anything about stoves - does anybody have any experience or opinions about these?

Thanks

 

[johnboy]

Kia Ora,

The Stove they show in the image is an Optimus Hiker or 111T. The discription they have is just lifted straight from the Optimus website and is incorrect for the stove pictured. The 111T is a very good stove. The stove can burn Kero and White spirits and if you have the correct jet and the air restrictor tube then they burn Meths as well. They are relatively simple to use and spares are easy to get hold of even in NZ...!

$99.00 is a good price most 111's on Trademe will sell for about $100.00 a 111C ( similar to the 111T but not as good IMHO) sold a few weeks back for approx $120.00

Did you see them in ChCh or up on K Road?

 

[Brynderi]

The K Road shop

 

[johnboy]

The K Road shop

Cheers.. Did they have many and were they in the same condition as the one in the photo?

 

[Nonsuch]

I would check that that is the stove they genuinely have. The description is of the current rather lower quality Hiker model with painted steel tank and nova burner (which is a roarer burner - very noisy). The stove in the picture is indeed the legendary 111T with brass tank, brass windshield and original silent burner. If they really have 111Ts for sale I would bite their hand off ! Check it over first if it is used to make sure the pricking needle mechanism is working and the stove pressurises and pumps up (good leather washer), but all these points are fixable if it's basically a good'un.

The current Hiker isn't that bad either - only stovie snobs turn up their noses at it

The problem with 111s is that once you get started, you just have to have a 111, 111B, 111C, 111T, 22 and 22B as well......

NS

 

[Brynderi]

I just took a second look at them, Kiwi Disposals are only a couple of minutes walk from the office. There's a faded sticker inside that says Optimus 111 Hiker multifuel stove etc etc.

They look very like the one pictured although in reality they're a bit more battered.

They had four on the shelf.

 

[Brynderi]

By the way - what is a pricking needle mechanism and how do I know if it's working?

 

[johnboy]

By the way - what is a pricking needle mechanism and how do I know if it's working?

Liquid fuel stoves can clog the fuel jet if the fuel quality is poor and also if lots of soot builds up on the jet when priming the stove.. The 111 series has a cleaning needle built in that operates when you rotate the valve control.

Fully clockwise the valve is off and fully anticlockwise the cleaning needle should be poking out of the jet.

on a 111T you'll have to open the steel case the stove is in up and remove the wind shield form around the burner you can then physically see the jet in the centre of the burner and see if the cleaning needle is working correctly.

Both the British and Swedish armys and USMC have sold off their surplus 111T's in recent years.

For $99 it a lot of stove... PM me if you get one and need some help with it...

 

[Brynderi]

Great, thanks!

I'll go up there tomorrow and check them out thoroughly.

Cheers

 

[johnboy]

Great, thanks!

I'll go up there tomorrow and check them out thoroughly.

Cheers

Choice... While you are there unscrew the knurled cap that retain the pump rod and pull the pump out of the pump tube. chack to see if the pump 'bucket' is in good nick. It will either be a leather bucket or on later stoves an 'O' ring... Also check if the stove has the spare jet and restrictor tube for running it on alcohol a lot of the surplus stoves have lost these on the way....

Cheers

John