A very nice find on a walk to my favorite ice cream store the other day. A fellow had a moving sale with camping gear, so I decided to take a look. This is what caught the eye. I asked how much, and how long since it was used. $5 and 20 years. Thanks to this forum, I have some fettling confidence, so I paid up, and the seller insisted I take an almost full can of sweet-smelling Coleman fuel as a bonus. Until I looked on this forum a bit later, I had no idea that this is a somewhat rare item.
The next day, I poured out the old fuel, checked the gasket, and pip, pricked the jet with a strand of bike derailleur cable, refueled, and lit it up. It lit, but slowly. But I had time, and let it warm up. Within a few minutes the little stove was roaring away and boiling my tea water. After the stove cooled, and while I sipped a smoky lapsang souchong, I cleaned things up a bit.
I’m delighted with the performance of the stove. Of course, the question is: Love the stove as is or Polish the brass and/or repaint the case I have no illusions that I could manage a restoration that approaches presscall’s amazing Rustbucket. But it would be fun to see how nice a job I might be able to do. It would be a bit disappointing to lose the Primus decal. I’ve not been able to find a replacement online. This is what I did see, but it just isn’t the same.
the case is tin with time it will rust through and at some point be unusable. save the tin or the decal?
That’s a very good point! I don’t really need the decal, especially as it’s really just a curiosity, but would definitely like to keep the stove alive.
The decal is in reasonable condition. Take a good photo of it and print a new one on water slide. The stove will clean up nicely.
A rerally steady hand and a tin of blue hammerite and you can paint round the label. The Primus branded 8R is far less common than the Optimus 8R although the only difference is the label
Super fun, 8R's are a joy to use, albeit a bit slow. Did you change the cap gasket?? They are usually bad on these old things.
Polish and repaint and in many years time it might be given to someone else who appreciates it as much as you. Nice find!
So many great ideas & suggestions! It looks as if a paint job is in order. I figured out bucket electrolysis a few years for an old Coleman 2 burner, and can certainly do that for this guy. I’ll try to sort out decal photo and transfer, but still try to remove and reuse the original. My hand is definitely not steady enough to paint around it… Majicwrench, the cap gasket was surprisingly supple, so I haven’t yet changed it out, but have ordered a few, so will take care of that soon. Thanks, All, for the kind words & encouragement! Joanie
