Got three No.1's a few months back, today in a fit of boredom after a hectic shift, I fitted a new jet and a couple washers (yes, Rik, fettling) and lit one. This is dated 1925, I suppose I'll have to polish the bloody thing now
"Why" indeed..... There is the start of a dangerous idea - vintage stoves are just a bit like old motorcycles - and vintage bikes range from the "Concours d'Elegance" (Mint shiny etc) to "Rat Bike". Is this the start of "RAT STOVE", are we going to see articles on Verdegris and how to fake it, or "Fireballs on Demand"......
Thanks lads, I'll put the Brasso away, no point in polish anyway, so long as the stove works is the main thing
Yay! Rat stoves! What is the difference between a primus no1 and a primus no1Sor? Cos I just got one of the latter. I got it on ebay a while back and it arrived today. It's really mucky, but I havn't had a chance to try it yet. It seems to be all there, but it dosn't want to pump up.
Everyone is right Rik. A polished stove like any in Evil's collection are things of beauty but would you want to ever light it afterwards. Iain
The no:1S:or was the budget version of the no:1 - both should be roarer burners as standard. The budget stove was made from slighltly thinner guage brass & had a simpler filler boss set-up.
With regard to Primus, Optimus, Radius & many others No:1's were roarers & No:5's silent from the factory. What owners did with them after that was up to them.
Was there a fault with the roarer burner? In total I have 4 No.1's, all silent burners and this is on ebay now http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8783078542&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1 another silent burner, the owners of the originals could not have been impressed with the roarer then
I cooked for 3 years on kero stoves, mostly a Svea 1 roarer & Svea 5 silent. I always used the roarer for boiling the kettle as it was the fastest but it was noisey enough for me not to be able to hear the radio in the same room or hear the phone ring in the next room. I guess if the stoves being used for indoor use the silent burner is the most peaceful option! Generally speaking I've always found the roarer burners more reliable.
Ross, I think your right about the roarer as a more reliable burner. The silent No.1 I fettled was a bugger to get going even after a new jet was fitted; can't moan though, the newspaper wrapping the three stoves I recieved was dated 1967 I think, so almost 40 years in storeage. One on the other two is around 1916 maybe, its in my lockup, I'll dig it out next time I go there and check. I could happily cook on a couple of No.5's indoors not a problem, can't see Angela going for it though
Is it not so that (generally speaking) roarer burners were meant for outdoor use, silents for indoor? Jur
Hi Jur - yes, you are right. I think it is only enthusiasts like ourselves who'd tolerate or enjoy the sound of a roarer inside!
Ross, with all these No.1's fitted with silent burners, is it possible that UK retailers perhaps offered a choice when you bought the stove; burners have never been cheap to buy. Or do you think people just fitted No.5 burners later?
I would imagine your smaller ironmonger may have swapped the burner at point of sale if the buyer required it but I've never seen it offered as a service in any brochures. This may have been cheaper than stocking both models. I guess this will be why some of the UK makers just sold the one model - available with silent or roarer - saved stamping two different numbers on basically the same stove.
That makes sense Ross, the retailer in those days carried spares etc and there maybe was no difference to speak of in total price. While I love my silent burners, they do seem more prone to problems than the roarer (apart from a 111 hiker of course 8) ).
