Recommend me a small paraffin stove!

[presterjohn]

I have just found out that my very local hardware shop is now selling loose paraffin. It is pricey for what it is at £1.40 a litre but leagues cheaper than any other fuel other than unleaded. I am therefore going to try and get hold of a few paraffin items to play with use on day trips etc. I have managed to get hold of a Tilley lamp at a fair price and am now looking for a stove. I would like to start with one of the small back packing sized ones to use as an alternative to my SVEA 123 (I know it will still be double the weight of one of those).

My eyes have been drawn to a Primus 96 or an Optimus 00. Can anyone give me an alternative recommendation and an indication of what I should be paying for a smaller sized stove?

 

[Andy BB]

Just to give you another option, alcohol - if bought in bulk - can be had for similar or cheaper prices per litre, and stove will be much lighter than a paraffin one.

However, for paraffin stoves, probably the most bullet-proof is the Optimus 111, but its not light. THe Primus range - particularly the smaller 96, 210 etc - are very good stoves, but you'll need to factor in a wind-break to get the most out of them in anything but still air. Moving up in price, there's the Multifuel/Omnifuel from Primus and the Nova series from Optimus which all work very well on paraffin. The Chinese clones of these are not very effective on paraffin, being designed primarily for petrol/white gas, so wouldn't recommend those. Coleman did make a few stoves that worked on paraffin, but they are fairly rare to find/buy second-hand in the UK.

 

[rik_uk3]

John, look out for Primus 210 or Optimus 00, not big but pump out a load of heat, you can simmer with them, and they often go cheap on ebay. The smaller 96 is good but the tank tiny, not a great burn time and when the burner head goes its difficult to get a new one (no jet you can replace, you have to replace the whole stick).

Base camping or if two of you go for a 111 paraffin only or 111T multifuel.

Tin foil for a windbreak or http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Folding-C...Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item5af6a7ba42 sort of thing (not heavy).

 

[presterjohn]

That was the kind of info I was after. I actually thought to PM you directly on the subject as you seem to have a lot of knowledge on the subject. I think I will be looking out for an Optimus 00 by the sounds of it.

 

[mountainm]

John, look out for Primus 210 or Optimus 00, not big but pump out a load of heat, you can simmer with them, and they often go cheap on ebay. The smaller 96 is good but the tank tiny, not a great burn time and when the burner head goes its difficult to get a new one (no jet you can replace, you have to replace the whole stick).

Base camping or if two of you go for a 111 paraffin only or 111T multifuel.

Tin foil for a windbreak or http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Folding-C...Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item5af6a7ba42 sort of thing (not heavy).

*ahem*... Memories of a recent thread about wallets spring to mind....?

 

[spiritwalker]

some beauties here lol but i have no idea how you go about buying them http://www.marginup.com/detail.asp?id=46130&keywords=138+Kerosene+Stoves
some of them have huge tanks would be grand as a permanent base camp

 

[presterjohn]

some beauties here lol but i have no idea how you go about buying them http://www.marginup.com/detail.asp?id=46130&keywords=138+Kerosene+Stoves
some of them have huge tanks would be grand as a permanent base camp

I am rather taken with the idea of getting my Mrs one of those Cock irons they sell!

 

[MarkinLondon]

as long as you are considering the Optimus 00, you might also consider the Optimus 8R and Svea 123… I've got one of each and love 'em to bits.

 

[Grebby]

I didn't think you could burn paraffin in those two?

Weren't they petrol type fuel only?

 

[presterjohn]

Well I kind of accidentally bought this RM Picnic stove for £9.61! I didn't think it would go so cheaply I had previously bid on several Optimus 00's and they had all gone for considerably more although even they seemed remarkably cheap for what they are. I fear this descending into a collection as it just seems like you get such a lot of build quality, actual ability and history in to what me is such an attractive hand made item. If only pressure lanterns were as similarly low priced.

 

[Fin]

Well I kind of accidentally bought this RM Picnic stove for £9.61! I didn't think it would go so cheaply I had previously bid on several Optimus 00's and they had all gone for considerably more although even they seemed remarkably cheap for what they are. I fear this descending into a collection as it just seems like you get such a lot of build quality, actual ability and history in to what me is such an attractive hand made item. If only pressure lanterns were as similarly low priced.

Great buy! And do try and resist the "collection syndrome" it can quickly get out of hand.

I once bought a modern Optimus version of the SVEA 123 - so then I had to get the original SVEA one - after that an "as new" example of the original came up on Ebay (with original packaging and paperwork) so I "had to" have that...

I've now got three SVEA 123s - only one of which gets any use!

You've got a beautiful stove, which will last a lifetime and will always scrub up like new and you got it for a steal!

Be happy!

 

[rik_uk3]

Nice one, and made in Birmingham too

 

[MarkinLondon]

I didn't think you could burn paraffin in those two?

Weren't they petrol type fuel only?

Yes, of course. I got all excited about recommending stoves and typed before I thought


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Grebby]

Yes, of course. I got all excited about recommending stoves and typed before I thought


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm no stove guru (that's Rik). It's just running on paraffin was one of the things I wanted when I was lookiing for a stove.

I ended up getting a 111T and I love it. Weighs a fair bit but is brilliant. Between that and a DragonFly with a silent cap I think I'm sorted

Cheers

Grebby

 

[rik_uk3]

I'm no guru, just owned a lot and got them up and running lol. Sold most but will still buy from time to time as they make for good trades in the UK and the USA.

You need patience, don't rush it, take your time. John was after an 00 but recent sales were higher priced than usual recently but take your time and you'll get what you want at the price your prepared to pay. In January I got an 00 for £20 delivered and the stove is nice but I really wanted the wooden box the chap sent it in which will sell on its own for what I paid for the 'lot' including stove. 'Gently gently catcha monkey' as the saying goes.

The RM John got is a cracking stove and the price was right, he did well.

 

[David Morningstar]

Have a look over at the Classic Camp Stoves forum, there is a ton of information about restoring and running old pressure stoves like your RM. You can also get all the bits you will need (new nitrile rubber or Viton seals, for example) from the Fettlebox website.

 

[presterjohn]

Have a look over at the Classic Camp Stoves forum, there is a ton of information about restoring and running old pressure stoves like your RM. You can also get all the bits you will need (new nitrile rubber or Viton seals, for example) from the Fettlebox website.

I am a member of that site now David. It does not have much traffic when it comes to chat but it is an excellent knowledge base for research. I fear they are a bit strict though as I did post a question and it vanished within hours so presumable I broke protocol some how.

As for the RM stove it does please me that it is locally (ish) made as a Worcester man born and bred knowing it was made only 25 miles away from me so that is a bonus.