Is it something to do with never growing up? How many Coleman Stoves and Lanterns does one need? Ever since I was a child when my dad and Uncle would take us to the lakes in Michigan for camping and fishing sleeping in that old Army Surplus canvas tent your uncle says "if it starts raining don't touch the tent walls". The first time I experienced a Coleman lamp tranquilizing effect, hissing away like a droning snake the mantle glowing like a full moon in August. Cooking poor unsuspecting Moths and Mosquitos that dared to touch the dreaded mysterious glowing orb. Then that big green metal three burner box, My dad filling the tank fiddling with the pump and with skillful precision get the beast cranking out that blue flame. Followed by my uncle with a cup of black coffee bending his head sideways over the flame to lite his never ending WWII addiction of a Lucky Strike. Most of the time it will be occupied by a big peculator pot of coffee on one side and sausage in a cast iron skillet on the other and my dad constantly stirring some sort of white spooge in a small pot in the middle. It's got to be sliced Polenta fried in sausage grease with maple syrup, sausage and eggs for breakfast. As we had some fried Bass or bluegill for dinner the night before. I am not even close to having enough stoves and lamps to provide for a small army like I know most of you folks have. But man I see Green cylindrical shaped object with glass or a rectangle painted green metal box and I'm like that poor moth to the flame running to it at the thrift store to see how much, What model and condition..
@Chumango , Shhhh.... just follow the directions, for best results! Too many stoves, or lanterns? NEVER enough of either!! - Doc
Hey Ramseybella! Long time, no word. I still have that carbon felt/wire priming wick you made. It's circled around the neck of one of my Sveas. It works well. I used to hate the very idea of MSR remote fuel bottle stoves. [For no logical reason.] Now I have two. The first, an early Whisperlite was offered by Antarctic Surplus, and the next one was a gift. I noticed they stole Coleman's stacked Ripple/Flat/Ripple/etc ring configuration. Why not? It works.
I am now in my 80th year and strongly considering divesting myself of my small stove collection. Then yesterday at a garage sale I found a nice 123R and of course had to buy it. I now have three of them!!! Help!!
Oh trust me there isn't a stove cook set of any age or brand that stops me from buying them. That's a whole other stack of boxes. I have like 12+ 123's in my collection older MSR, Optimums and Primus stoves. Single burner Wet fuel Coleman's Depends on the price condition and model I never say no. I gravitate more towards 502's and brown Peak 1 duel control liquid fuel stoves. But am seeing the price of vintage gear going down, MOSS tent's three years ago were still selling at ridiculous prices. Now seem to have tapered off a bit.
"How many Coleman Stoves and Lanterns does one need?" The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind The answer is blowin' in the wind...
Bicyclists refer frequently to the N+1 rule when talking about their bike collection. (N+1 is the optimum number of bicycles to own, where N is the number of bicycles you currently own.) Some cyclists also whisper about the D-1 rule, where D = divorce.
Quite a few years ago, as the resident "doctor" here at CCS, I diagnosed this as the "Stove Pox"! It has spread faster and further than covid, and is incurable! Might as well enjoy the symptoms, and get on with it!! - Doc
SveaSizzler What's up? Yeah I've been under the radar my wife is battling cancer Chemo and I haven't done my once normal four five yearly camp outs in a couple years.. Glad the felt worked out, We moved so all my stoves are in various (UNMARKED) boxes. The whole thread was started as I just bought a Coleman 412H dual burner stove for $14.00 at Goodwill in real good condition. Did I need it Absolutely not!! Was the little devil on my shoulder telling me "YOU WANT IT DON'T YOU"? So I took it home old fuel inside the tank dumped it out pump needed some oil the cap seal was fine held pressure. Noticed the generator tube was a little bent sideways prevented the tank to lock into the slots on the stove case. I decide to give it a little persuasion to the right and SNAP!! right at the valve end, I said to myself laughing shaking my head "YOU DUMB A$$"!!! I get on line to order a used tube Ebay was over priced Actually at this point the stove was going to be at the point of overpriced with no return profit if I sell it. Old Coleman parts new $19.00. Cleaned out the tank and installed the part and now she's a fire goddess!! Now the $14.00 stove is a $33.00 stove. Another lesson learned still at 65 years old.. All my life I've experienced Murphy's law many a time.
123's I never say no to.. Not a fan of the G models Most of the time there around $5.00 to $10.00 whenever I happen to come in contact with one at Garage sales.
I bought a 425F a few years ago from Goodwill for $9.95. It was still spattered with fishfry batter, or pancakes, IDK. Anyway it cleaned up nice, except for clean bare metal where the batter had been. Tank and generator in good order, and soon, I was making my own bacon and pancakes. Then a friend [who has since passed] sold me his family's 413, 425 and two Coleman lanterns, a one mantle and a two mantle. I haven't tried the lanterns yet, but the stoves didn't work untill I inserted the Stansport propane adapter. A NIB, unfired, 533 off Craigslist fell into my hands for $50 bucks. Still haven't played with it, but it does fit into the 502 aluminum potset. Last year, a Marine buddy in Spokane sent me an Optimus 8R, and a later [-VN] vintage M1950. 8R's case is pretty rusty, I'm converting it into a 99. [Only missing the sheet metal 90* windscreen.] I got a reseal kit from Old Coleman Parts for the M1950, but have not fettled it yet. More recently, in April I bought an MSR Whisperlite from Antarctic Surplus for under $40. MSR fuel bottles go for $2.99 at Goodwill -- who can't tell them from the flood of Chinese Sigg bottle knock-offs. Then in May a member here sent me another MSR Whisperlite International for my birthday. So I am no longer MSR-averse. Old stoves seem to find me, I'm never out hunting the big dollar kudu on evilBay. Best wishes for your wife's recovery.
Thank you for the wishes buddy!! You sound like many of us fire heads.. To many stoves and lanterns, let alone boxes of mess kits. You know them SIGG drinking bottles can be pressurized only if you use a Primus pump, the MSR pump thread is not the same. Funny thing is the MSR expodition cap fits perfect with no cross threading or leaks. Have been doing this for a few years in the winter, and have had no issues. The SIGG water bottle caps will melt with White gas. I converted an old MSR Firfly and WhisperLite shaker jet stove with another female Lindal valve from China and now I can use Isobutane, Butane and even propane with an adapter as well as Liquid fuel with the Primus or one of those Chines BRS pumps. I recommend the Primus. I do like to experiment!!
