Two questions about this mid- to late 1970's Optimus 8r: 1. Is this bend a problem (assuming the key lines up with the hole in the case? 2. What's the best way to get heavy soot off of the brass & steel parts? Soap, water, and elbow grease? Thanks.
That extreme of a bend is not normal, but if the key and hole are in alinement all it good. Soap and water for soot. If you want it bright and shiny so it will look like a million others use Mothers mag and wheel polish. Nothing wrong in my book for a stove to have its as found used look. I have both shiny and used looks and in the end they both work the same.
Thank you. As to the soot, I soaked the parts overnight in warm (at least to start) water with a little dish washing detergent, and scrubbed with a kitchen scrubbie, that got most of it off. This stove was way nastier than any of my others. One surprise was that the pipe & cast piece were fairly pink. I suspect that someone soaked them in citric acid or similar at some point. The tank had a couple pink spots too (you can see a little in my picture above) but they cleaned right off.
A little pink won't hurt anything. Even all pink isn't bad, but you don't want it to stay that way forever. Yes there is some loss of alloying material but don't get excited with it. Your stove won't fall apart so lone as you are not getting it that colour all the time. Your mileage may very. Lance
