Evening, All, Today, after church, we stopped by the Post Office, just to see if anything had arrived on Saturday. We had been busy with the first snowfall of the year, and didn't make it down to the Village that day. Sure enough, there was a nice big box from our friend Cusra, from whom I've bought several other stoves over the years. In the box was a NIB Russian Phoebus 625 clone, and it's really a monster of a stove! When I have time to check it out and actually fire it up, I'll post photos of it in action. But, if my first thoughts on it are on the money, it will prove a well made, and solid stove, just like the original 625's!! Thanks, Ralph, for yet another fine stove!! I look forward to buying from you anytime I've to some coin to spare, and you are offering something as nice as this big Russian stove! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Congratulations on adding another great stove to your collection Doc!! I traded my clone 625 for a lantern a few years ago. I remember though you couldn't tell the difference in performance from the original. The castings are a bit rougher but a tough stove none the less. I hope you enjoy it. Cheers, Jeff Jeff
Hey, Knight84, Thanks for the shout. I was wondering why you would trade that Russian clone off? Just wanted something else? "Stove Wanderlust", as it were?? 8) I'm not much on trading stoves off, unless I have a plethora of a certain one, and thusly don't mind sending a few of them out to my Stove Mates that might want that specific one. In any case, I'm glad to add one more Russian to my Stove Stable. I've also got one of those 8R clones, too, and think it's not a bad stove, at all. Looking forward to firing up the 625 clone, to see how it compares to the real thing. In the old days, when California was really a "free" State, we used to have fabulous gun shows around here. At such shows, you could find lots of Russian surplus gear to buy, including stoves. But, back then, the prices were sometimes a bit too much of a good thing for such stoves. In any case, I'm glad to have found a nice one, and Ralph sent me a fine one, indeed!! Thanks, again, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
"Stove stable" That is a good term! I traded to a fellow stovie which traded a lantern and several lantern /stove parts. I thought it was a good deal at the time. I don't have any regrets but I don't trade stoves anymore. Live and learn Jeff
Hi guys, I would agree that it is much easier to trade a stove if you have more than one of that kind. Still at some occasions it may be a good thing to trade a unique stove with a fellow collector for something equally interesting... As I am Austrian I do of course have more than one 625 (the original). I think my Phoebus stoves would not like the company of a clone cheers Mike @Doc: I should have been in San Diego this week, but due to travel restrictions ("the crisis") my trip was cancelled. Would have loved to see you on the great swap market!
Mike, you would have enjoyed the Swapmeet. I did so last week as I traveled to visit my youngest over there. Lots of things not only stoves. This saturday I am going to another which is scheduled once a month on the first Saturday. Hope to find some nice goodies again. Hope you make it the next time and am sure if Doc is free he would meet up with you. Ron
Hi Ron, I would have loved to meet you too. Really a nice swap market, last year I brought a nice sears lantern home (did not find stoves, I know you and Doc got the all Also a lot of other fun stuff to buy there! take care Mike
Here is my clone heating the obligatory kettle of water. It is running with Phoebus burner caps, so the others still look new. Note the preheater cup which you would think might protect the paint (such an ugly color needs to be preserved?). But sadly the paint job is of such low quality that it flakes off in your hands. That said the stove seems sturdy and it ran very nicely on the Coleman fuel I fed it.
Well we might get lucky next time. I may suggest to Doc that on the CA3 gathering we would do a convoy to Kobey's and find some stuff to take home. The only stove I saw was a 502 and the Globetrotter, the later I bought. There were lamps there about 5 or 6 of them but I already have one too many lamps. Ron
Good luck with your next trip to that Kobeys swap market to you and Doc - I definitely miss it. Don't say you have already too many lanterns, I hear that a lot (people tell me I have too many lanterns and too many stoves, to me it looks different - eg I have a coleman 502, then a 502 as backup, one for display, one rusty one for warming wax when making candles with my kids, one that I might trade off against something, and one just in case one of the other stoves is gone) happy collecting cheers Mike
Good Morning, Mike, Thanks for your note about Kobey's swap meet! I take it that you have visited that great event, before? Did you live in San Diego, or were you just visiting? When we lived down there, we hit that place almost every weekend, mostly on Sundays, and the majority of my fairly large collection of stoves and lanterns came from that one swap meet!! I've found many of the following there: Bordes, 111, 111B, 111T, 123, 123R, 8R, Enders Baby, Optimus, SVEA, Primus, Coleman, and MANY OTHER stoves, over the 30+ years I've been going there. True, it's not quite as productive as it used to be "in the old days", but that's to be expected, as the stoves are becoming more scarce. Back in the early days, many folks had such stoves, and that's when they were deciding to sell them at swap meets, for whatever they could get, as they felt those "old stoves" were worth next to nothing!! These days, many of those Old Timers got rid of such stoves, many, many years ago. BUT, there are always bargains to be had at that event, be they stoves, lanterns, tools, clothing, tents, sleeping bags, or whatever. We still love visiting, but now we only do so a few times each year, as we live two hours to the North of that area, now. Still, if you did visit San Diego, and if you let us know far enough in advance, and if our work schedule would permit it, we would love to meet you there and have some fun looking for bargains!! Then, we could have some lunch at some of the neat places that San Digeo offers, down by the ocean, or in many other neat locations. So, let us know, and we'll see how it works out. Ron visited down there recently, and had a fairly productive visit to Kobey's. But, he was there to visit a family member, and there was no way that we could head that there whilst he was here. Otherwise, we would have met up with him, too! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc P.S. There is another "secret" place to find stoves, lanterns, and tons of other camping gear. But, I'll let the suspense build and not tell you about it, just yet. Later......... 8) 8)
Hi Doc, I spent a week in San Diego last year (business trip). I was lucky that I found the swap market and really enjoyed it. I am somewhat disappointed that this year I didn't make it. If I get the chance to come to San Diego or (maybe more likely) to LA in 2010 I am happy to let you know in advance, it would be a pleasure to meet you and chat a bit while visiting such a swap market. As you say, this is not about being productive, just fun to see what surprise might wait for you. take care Mike
Hey, Mike, Sounds great!! If you come to LA, you are a bit closer to us, and there are two huge swap meets up that way, too, but only on limited days each month. But, who knows? Maybe one will be up and running next time you come this way. Be sure to give me a shout, and we'll plan to meet up, it the time works for both you and us. Some of the other Guys and Gals are also close to LA. So, if you come, maybe we can plan a Stove Day, or big lunch! Talk to you later, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc P.S. a story about my first Phoebus 625. My Mom-in-law was going to be visiting Austria, many years ago, and since the importing of Phoebus stoves had been curtailed around 1972, I asked her to please see if she could find me a Phoebus 625. I showed her a photo of one, which she actually took with her on that trip. She looked all over Austria, and could not find a single 625! But, she finally asked someone about it, and showed them the photo I'd given her. That person recommended that she and her party get on a train, and head out to another town, which had a large outdoors store, which "might" have one of those stoves. This she did, and when the train stopped and let my relatives off, across the street, up from and subway station, the sister of one of my relatives climbed up the stairs and came face to face with her own brother!!! Neither of them knew that the other one was even in Europe, much less in Austria, and absolutely less than in that same little town!! Talk about a blessing!! WOW!! Thinking about that entire circumstance still floors me!! Anyway, back to the Phoebus, turned out that the store in question did have one, and only one, brand new Phoebus 625!! Mom had to paid dearly for it, as the price was fairly high. But, she bought it for me, and had the store ship it to me here in the US, as an early Christmas present!! My only complaint was the original cardboard box in which the stove came, was horribly weak, and the stove tin was dented in shipment. GRRR!!! No matter, in the broad scheme of things, though, because that Phoebus earned my trust on quite a few deep Winter trips, after I figure out how to use it!! Sorry for the long story, but I thought you might like it.
Evening, Lance, Yep, the first time that Sweet Bride and I met you, there in Ogallalah, NE, was JUST like that Austrian story, wasn't it?!!!! That one, too, still floors me, and I still tell folks about our chance meeting there, that day!! Very cool, indeed!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Hi Doc, That is a nice story and definitely one to remember. I guess you also like those stoves that have some history with them on how you got it etc. I do recall where I got my first 625 and 725 -they were sold at a kind of garage sale. I was still studying at that time so it was a nice fit that these only costed a few Schilling (was before we got the Euro, in Euro that would have been less than 5 bucks). Still like those stoves a lot. I can afford to pay the 70 Euro or so that thay currently sell on ebay but it just does not feel the same Happy collecting, and looking forward to my next trip to LA, hopefully next year Mike
Hello, Gentlemans, This clone was beginer of the russian "Shmel", familly, but had not a digit index. It was produced in 1979. Stoves in 1980 had an olympic symbolism of Moscow olympic games. Later were produced "Shmel 2, 3, 4" and "Everest". I'll send pictures to reference gallery next week. Congratulations with new stove to your collection!
I have a Shmel 4 and it is a superb performer right through from simmer to nuclear option it comes with a serious spares kit and it comes with it's own albeit large cook pots. It's seriously solidly built and would last most folks for many years. The only slight fly in the ointment is the panstands move too freely within their mounts but it is an easy fix. It's the kind of stove that invites you to fix up a bucketful of hearty stew to ward off the winter cold
Good day. My name is Viktor. I live in Ukraine. Please forgive me my English. I found your wonderful club on the internet and decided to try to take the advice (if possible) I do attempt to sell gasoline stoves PT -2 (primus Touring) at ebey. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110468176273&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT These stoves produces a well-known aircraft building plant that makes engines for military helicopters. If I understand correctly, this Primus - a copy of the Austrian Phoebus 625, or rather Russian "Bumblebee" is a clone of a clone . I am interested in several questions. 1. Is there primus need for tourists, fishermen and hunters in your countrie . 2. Is it too high price for this Primus? 3. How do you think you may not like the potential buyer in my primus. Sorry for the inconvenience. Look forward to your reply. Best regards. Victor.
