Hello and Happy new year to all... This is my first post here. On a whim, i've bought my first pressure stove, an ex army No.12. Its a private purchase from a member on another forum and i'm waiting on delivery but from the photos it looks little, if at all, used. I want it as a 'user' for cooking when camping - Presently using a little cheapie tin gas-stove that takes hairspray type cans (yes I know... but I got it because my wife is happy using it, its instant and ok for a quick brew' - as long as there is not too much wind). I would appreciate any advice as to whether these No.12 stoves are any good as 'users' and whether there are any issues specific to this model that I need to check, in addition to testing for leaks with washing up soap etc. I'm assuming that seals and washers will need replacing of course, but having fettled my old tilley lamp and another couple of lamps, I hope I will manage to get this one going. My only other experience with a liquid fuel stove is the 'Origo' meths' cooker that lives on my little boat.
Welcome to CCS. I cannot offer any information about the No 12. Yes, I am still in the search for a stove my wife is comfortable with. We have tried a few. So far the Trangia 25 set is the best. Pressure stoves have been a bit complicated. Intuitive to us is not so for others. Ken in NC
Hi, the British No.12 stove is a solid, heavily built stove and when operating correctly very much a user, if you have a vehicle to transport it. Have a look at the No.12 posts in this section as a starting point: https://classiccampstoves.com/forums/military.202/ Best Regards, Kerophile.
I've had one for a few years now and really like it. Although unused when bought it needed a good check over before being put to use. Runs well on diesel as long as i give it a good preheat, filling the bowl right to the brim with meths. Too short a preheat and it's like trying to start an old Merc, coughs, splutters and smokes - not nice. Not managed to use a whole tank of fuel in a cooking session yet. Stuart
Thanks all... Its arrived and looks unused save for a few storage marks and a little dint (very small) on one corner of the case, which remains perfectly straight, and the clips and hinges are perfect. it is a very solidly built little lump, certainly no lightweight, and not one for back-packing, but it won't blow away - thats for sure. I've still to check it over and fire it up - family comittments had to take precedence this weekend, but i'm looking forward to a celebratory 'brew up' on it soon (will try to post a photo as evidence.... I'm confident this one is exactly what I want as a 'user' that will slide under a seat in the car when we go 'weekending'...
Hi, I probably mentioned it is one of my posts, but it bears repeating: If you want to access the pump internals of a No.12 stove, invest in a good quality socket. The hex on the pump in very thin and ordinary spanners/wrenches can easily. slip off and damage the nut. Best Regards, Kerophile.
I got my pump off by clamping those thin flats in the jaws of a bench vice, and turning the tank - it seemed a safer bet than with a socket. Any ides why they decided to make it so thin? -- Mike
I love the British No.12. Built like a tank....for tanks. All the stoves I have are users and should last a long time, but the British Army Cooker No.12 seems to be the one that can take the most abuse and keep on ticking.
Thanks for the tip Kerophile, i'm certain I already have a 24mm socket but can't recall if it has much of a radius inside before the splines engage. If so, i'll grind it down a bit so it engages fully on the pump flats
Update Number 1. I've finally got around to looking at this stove, having read all the advice from you guys on here, and all the threads I could find about these stoves. A first check revealed that the filler/pressure release washers look ok (for testing purposes at least, but the pump washer was as dry as a..... with the usual green grease/gunge on it. The leather looks ok though (appears not to have been used much, if at all). Soaked it in olive oil and massaged it a bit, put it back in the pump and pumped... Usual hit & miss (new leather syndrome) with pressure on some strokes and not on others, but I think this will settle down as the washer beds in... However the NRV seemed dry and or sticky, and apparently not letting much, if any air through. Mindful of the advice on here about the pump being difficult to remove from the tank, I got a 24mm socket on it and tried, failed, then warmed the area a bit with a hot-air gun, tried again and voila' - it loosened on the second twist without any damage to the 'flats' or threads. I'm very pleased to have got this out without any damage - this was the operation I was a bit concerned about! The NRV unscrewed easily and the rubber 'pip' is still soft, but as I don't have a spare yet - I turned it around so I have a new 'flat' face, and cleaned/polished the pump end where the pip' meets it with a piece of very fine 'micromesh'. The pump now works, although the NRV is very strong and only 'gives' near the bottom of the stroke. Does anyone know if this is normal please??? I reassembled it, (pump not so tight that I can't get it back out) checked the jet was lightly nipped closed and put thirty ish' pump strokes in it - undid the release valve -hearing a reassuring hiss... So i've pressured it up again and left it on the work bench. If its still got some pressure left after a few hours - I guess it will be time to put some fuel the tank, Put some pressure in it, leave the tank/burner assembly in a 'catch-tray' for a few more hours - and hope it doesn't leak... Nearly there, save for firing it up and giving it a general clean-up...
Time for a further quick update, with an advance apology for lack of a photo of the stove 'in action' - I will do better next time. Anyhow, i've spent much of last week in the French Alps watching the three Alpine stages of the Tour de France, and we did all our cooking on the Army No.12 stove I fettled earlier this year with the advice and guidance of the good members of this parish. The stove performed perfectly and proved immune to the wind and torrential rain we encountered on two nights. We had electrical storms on two nights but as the nearest lightning strike missed us by about fifty feet, I can't report on how the stove might have coped with that! Thankfully the storms only rolled in during the evenings and blew over by about 03.00 and it was warm and sunny during the daytime, with the exception of one afternoon. Our campsite was at about 1800m on the southern approach to the Col du Glandon and Col de la Croix de Fer and comprised a slightly sloping bank of rough grass and rocks at the side of a service road to the head of a large HE power station reservoir. My mate took one of those cheap far-east gas stoves that use the small aerosol cans, but as I expected, with no wind shields, it was a waste of space. The stove will be getting a good clean up and the pump washer lubed', ready for another adventure as soon as the opportunity arrives. Pic below is from my tent, looking up the valley to the Col's, which have a bit of cloud starting to roll over in our direction...
Bit of an old thread but I love my No.12's great stoves very simple to use and certainly better than the No.2's (both types).
