Awesome stove! Burns hot, simmers low, the firefly does it all really well. You can use a modern MSR pump and fuel bottle for it but beware of the fuel line. It's basically a rubber hose with a braided sheath over it. At 20-30 years old it might be cracked or prone to leakage. Good news is you could probably have MSR replace it with a braided cable line like on the whisperlite stoves. Anyway, congrats on a true classic!
Welcome to CCS. Nice stove, I have 2. They are very well made and designed. Then came the Whisperlite. Be careful what you ask MSR to do for the stove. They may want to destroy it and give you a discount on a new stove. Ken in NC
I am very new to this backpacking thing as a technical rock climber and climbing instructor (70's & 80's) I scoffed at the packers. Now as an old f**t I want to get out on the trail. We live in Grants Pass, OR near the extremely beautiful Rogue River. I have been putting together a backing outfit to eventually hike from near our home to the coast. I dug out an old MSR Firefly stove and would like to get it fired up. I need advice on how to start, clean and get it going. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
Greeting, Gentlemen and Ladies, First of all, to the OP, thanks for sharing your great Firefly stove!! As has been noted, be careful about the fuel line, as those old lines DO crack and leak, on occasion, and you most certainly don't want that! Use the current version of the MSR pump, for safety's sake, and and MSR fuel bottle of your choice, then enjoy!! Did you get the windscreen for it, too? If not, then you should look for one, as they are part of what makes the FF such a fantastic stove!! Do a search and find the one that one of our members made, from an old pan if I recall. Worked well. To Galync, welcome to CCS, and your FF should not require much in the way of cleaning to get it back up and running like new, IF you burned only Coleman fuel in it. That is the ONLY fuel that should be burned in this great stove, 'cause if you use heavier fuels, it won't run wel, and will very soon clog up and die! If it ran well for you when new, it should run well for you, now. Use the most current version of the MSR fuel pump to be safe, and use an MSR fuel bottle as the new pumps don't work that well with Sigg and other brands of fuel bottles. As I asked the OP, did you get the original windscreen with your FF? If so, then outstanding!! If not, then you need to find one as the stove/windscreen was a combination that is very hard to beat, even today!! Also, as I mentioned to the OP, check the ends of your fuel line carefully as the old MSR rubber lines tend to crack and leak which is horribly dangerous!! I had MSR retrofit a new fuel line on my first Firefly stove. But, I don't think they offer that option anymore. Here's mine with it's new fuel line: Please note, too, that I was experimenting with a Perfectus 100 silent burner, which worked like the Dog's B's on the FF! But you can see the fuel line that MSR put onto my FF, quite a few years ago, when they used to offer that service. Now, as Ken so rightly said, they would rather destroy your old FF, and offer you a deal on a new MSR stove. IF you did decide to go for a new MSR, I'd highly recommend their new Whisperlite Universal. I have two of them, and they work a treat, are easy to use, easy to change to different fuels, boil water well, and also simmer fairly well, too. Just a thought..... I'd suggest you keep your FF, and get a new MSR WPL Universal, too, just for grins!! I hope that helps, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc (who has, and LOVES his FOUR MSR Firefly stoves!!)
Hi Galync, welcome to CCS. I once bought a stove from some people in Grants Pass, Oregon, via the Internet: https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/228 This classic stove travelled over 5000miles and now resides in the Far North of Scotland. Best Regards, Kerophile
