Greetings, Friends, I'd heard about the Primus 221, but had never seen one for sale, or at least for sale at a price I could afford!! The other day, I finally found one, and it looked to be in fairly good condition, though a bit dented at the flame spreader and spirit cup, and missing it's windscreen, pot supports/legs, and trivet. It was listed with a BIN price of only $45, so I decided to take a chance. Here's what I got: I soon found that the pump rod was stuck fast, and no amount of pulling would get it to function as it should. Hummm...??? I also found that the pump knob would unscrew, and I did so, filling the pump, first with gun oil, and when that did not work, two types of penetrating liquid. I left the stove with the tube upright and filled with the penetrating goodies, for 24 hours. This morning, it still would not come free. ??? But, then, I got an idea: I screwed on the pump knob to the rod, and the began to tighten the knob. It continued to screw down, tighter and tighter, and then "POP" the rod broke free and I could remove it!! YAY! The next series of photos will tell the tale, clearly. As you may have guessed, the steel washer behind the pump bucket and it's brass keeper, had rusted completely, and disintegrated, causing the assembly to stick inside the pump tube. Nasty mess, isn't it??!!??!! It should be a fairly easy go, from here, and right now I've refilled the pump tube with both penetrating liquids, in an effort to make the NRV easier to remove, should it also be stuck. We'll see how it turns out. I had some legs, custom-made by @exeter_yak , for another stove project, many years ago, and though I'd give them a try. Though they fit the 221 perfectly, they are too long by a bit!! That's OK, as Doug made these for another project I still want to do, and they will be perfect for that one. So, now, I will be seeking out the proper legs, a windscreen, and possibly the right trivet for this stove, once it's up and running. Glad to have run across it, and blessed to have scored it quickly!! Thanks for checking out my "new" #221. Thanks, also, to all those who have already posted photos and reports on their own 221 stoves, as your sharing here helped me to decide to go for this worthy stove!!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Hi Doc, so glad that you have acquired a Primus 221. These are the pinnacle of collapsible paraffin/kerosene stoves, with the high power of a two-pint stove combined with the convenience of a minimum volume. I have four of these stoves, including one from 1935, so I guess I am a enthusiast of the model. https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/primus-no-221l-1935.4808/ I am on the road at the moment but when I return to base I will be happy to provide photos and dimensions of the legs. Well Done in getting the pump freed without any damage to the stove. Best Regards, George.
Good Evening, Gentlemen, @presscall ,John, thanks for the kind comment. I was fortunate to get the thing to pop free, so I think it all came came to fruition with a large dose of serendipity!! No matter, as the end result is what matters, and I'm very happy that it's finally free. Now, I can get on with replacing the rusted parts, and adding a new @sefaudi pump bucket, then moving on to the other things that need attention. @kerophile, George, your own posts in this particular forum were of excellent help to me in deciding whether this stove was worth buying, and I thank you, very much, for having shared all the info you have about the 221. This stove does appear to be something of a workhorse, in design, and I hope it proves to be that, in function, too. When you return from your road trip, yes, indeed, I would appreciate the dimensions of the legs, so that I can get some made, or cobble some together. Thank you, in advance, for that help! @Tony Press ,Tony, I know that you already know this axiom, and we, and many others here have proved it, time and time again: "The more you look, the more you will find"! Add to that some good amount of luck, and a huge dose of patience, and things WILL come our way!! I wish you the best in finding your own 221, and feel confident that you will do so, one of these days. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Mark (Ye Olde Doc) P.S. George, seeing the excellent photos of your own 1935 221, I note that I've left off two photos that I should have taken. I will remedy that as soon as I do a bit more clean-up, and fettling. Thanks for the excellent photo guide of what this stove should have on it!!
Congratulations on your 221, @Doc Mark! a real beauty you got there. I was so lucky to find one myself on a flea market, loppis, in Sweden some years ago. it was missing a lot of bits and pieces, and of course the tin. I have gathered the missing pieces over the years, and I just have to make a new leg now. But I think I used up all my luck this spring when I found a really nice tin for it at the Ekeberg market. Mine is dated AA, making it one year younger than yours. The made a lot of design changes from '35 to '36 it seems (pump knob, filler and reserve cap). Vidar
Hi Vidar @logen. 1936 does seem to have been the changeover year to taper-lock tank/burner joints, and chained reserve caps for the Pr 221 and several other several stoves in the Primus stable. Have a look throuh this old thread : https://classiccampstoves.com/threads/primus-221l-1936.17805/ Best Regards, George.
Good Evening, @logen , @kerophile , and All, Vidar, thank you for your kind words, and very hearty congratulations on scoring your long-wanted 221, too!! I love the fact that you patiently continued to seek out, and "harvest" the parts you needed to make it whole, once again! Well done! I love those Chrome-plated stoves, and always enjoy seeing them in this Gallery! Yes, it's easy to see that some changes were made from 1935 to 1936. I am glad to get the older one, but it would be nice to have the newer on, too. We'll see how that turns out. George, Thank you for the excellent link that notes the changes in the 221, from '35-'36. Much appreciated. I tend to lean towards the older versions of many stoves, mainly, because I greatly admire all the extra parts melding into the original design for those stoves, i.e. travel cap mating onto the filling spout, etc.. There is just something about the older designs that calls my name, and fulfills that part of me that appreciates such clever designs. BTW, I contacted the seller of my stove, and she was tickled that I had already been working on her old stove, and having success. She told me she was happy that someone who knew how to do such things, then actually use that stove, had bought it. I will send her a photo of it in action, once it is fully fettled and cleaned up a mite. Thanks, again, for all the great info, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Mark
1935 must be the last year for this design of filler cap and travel fittings. See the 1935 stove here, which has the later design, and also a different lower riser tube. Cheers Tony
