A DĘBA had been on my ‘wish list’ for some considerable time. Due to their relative scarcity, it was only recently I had the good fortune to be able to acquire this steel-tanked stove. However, there was some significant restoration work required which I was well aware prior to me becoming the new custodian. This was the condition of the DĘBA when it arrived… …as can be seen, there was a fair amount of corrosion which needed to be addressed. Inspecting the windshield and the lid, there was fortunately no evidence of any rust holes being present. Prior to the carrying out of any restoration work, I did however want to test run the stove first in order to assess its performance. Therfore, a new SRV pip was punched out from a sheet of Viton and installed along with a replacement filler cap sealing ring (fuel and heat resistant). Next, the fuel regulating spindle was removed along with the original graphite string. Having cleaned the spindle and lubricated the threads with copper grease, a new graphite seal was fitted. Having unscrewed the burner from the tank to check the condition of the wick (which was in good shape), I then removed the fuel jet to closely inspect it. Noting some carbon build up inside the fuel jet, I dropped it into my ultrasonic cleaner, which removed a fair amount of carbon (circled). Having previously soaked and flushed the tank and burner with acetone, with a now clean fuel jet and its threads coated in copper slip, this was reinstalled with ‘fingers metaphorically crossed’ that it hadn’t become worn and oversized. Firing up the DĘBA… Using an 8mm glass fibre wick meant only a single preheat was required for this DĘBA to spring into life. A strong blue quadrant flame ensued which assured me no additional fuel jet restoration work was required. Turning now to the resident corrosion on the stove tank, windshield and lid, the plan of action was to remove this in my electrolysis tank. This photo shows the aforementioned parts having had the corrosion and paint removed back to bare metal, the burner cleaned in the ultrasonic cleaner and installed (just for the photo). With the paint from the tank having been removed, a rather ‘messy’ brazed repair could now be clearly seen adjacent to the filer neck. Whilst I very much doubted the repair centred on an actual hole in the tank itself, more likely the applied braze was to seal a pressure leak on the right-hand side of the filler neck, I used my endoscope to check. With no hole repair being evident, I proceeded to remove the majority of the excess but left the braze which ran around the filler neck. The next step was to remove as many of the inward dents as possible which had occurred to the windshield. This clever trick was provided to me by @Remus1956 (much appreciated - thank you!). A circular piece of wood (finger thickness) is cut to the inner diameter of the windshield, then cut in half. The two halves are then carefully positioned inside the windshield where the dent(s) is located. A large wood screw is then slowly and carefully screwed into the centre of the two halves of wood which then equally and progressively separates them outwards against the inside of the windshield, pushing out the dent(s). A suitably sized can sits underneath and inside the windshield to provide initial support to the wood. Following research into the DĘBA, I came across this interesting article from the Polish museum which is located in the same area as the factory which manufactured this stove. This is the translated version taken from the original museum post, which is linked to here… There has been some debate in the past as to whether the DĘBA was used by the Polish military. This document would therefore appear to confirm it was, as well as being manufactured for civilian use as well. It is confirmed the manufacture of the DĘBA began in 1951 following the formation of Zakłady Metalowe „Dęba” (the manufacturer) on 1st January 1951, with production of the stove ending ten years later, in 1961. What did surprise me is the fact that the DĘBA was originally painted green! @Remus1956 confirmed that with the DĘBA he has with original paintwork, the windshield is a very dark green which can only be seen as such in a certain light, outdoors. However, neither his DĘBA’s tank nor the lid appear to be painted in this dark green. As shown in one of the museum’s pictures above, the DĘBA originally came with a fabric drawstring bag to carry it in. My version… Another interesting debate has centred on the Polish ‘Ę’ in DĘBA whereby there are also stoves which appear to be stamped with ‘E’ and thus ‘DEBA’. The two prevailing views are: 1) The ‘Ę’ was changed to ‘E’ by the manufacturer for those DEBA’s which for the export market. 2) The ‘Ę’ gradually became an ‘E’ due to wear occurring to the tank stamping die. To my way of thinking, if view No.1 was correct, then those bound for the export market should theoretically always have an ‘E’ where the bottom line of the ‘E’ has a similar sharpness of stamping as for example, the bottom line of the ‘Z’ in ‘Z.M.DEBA’. This is a picture of my DĘBA prior to painting…showing what appears to be an ‘E’. However, it is in fact an ‘Ę’ because on very close inspection which unfortunately can’t be seen in this photo, there remains a very small portion of the Polish ‘ogonek’ (hook). In my opinion, this can only happen due to a worn tank stamping die. With this being the case, I would contend that my DĘBA was therefore likely manufactured somewhere towards the end of the 1950’s. Whilst tank stamping die wear does not of course wholly rule out the ‘Ę’ being dropped in favour of an ‘E’ for export markets by the manufacturer, to my way of thinking, the former is a more plausible possibility. But I digress… So having removed all the corrosion and remaining paint from the stove, I initially chose to use a VHT matt black paint. Not happy with the final finish of the paint and having forgotten my intention to first oil quench the windshield and lid , I stripped the stove back to bare metal again. Ready to begin oil quenching with a Primus 605 and a container of clean engine oil. Obviously, oil quenching the windshield/legs and lid would prevent them from corroding again in the future. Following the completion of this, I fully cured the oil quenching of these parts in the oven at 200C / 392F for 2 hours. I chose this time to use a VHT military dark grey paint which gave a rough textured finish rather than one which was smooth. Paint curing in the oven was at 200C / 392F for 2 hours. In the picture above, the DĘBA is in its ‘packed-away’ condition with the pot-support section of the legs each swivelled inward to lock the lid in place… …whereby the lower section of the legs then secure the bottom of the DĘBA’s tank. This photo shows what I call the three ‘leg stakes’ having been extended from the windshield. These are designed to push into the ground to hold the DĘBA firmly in place. They are also highly effective in being able to locate and use the DĘBA on sloping ground if flat ground is not available. Something the Polish military would no doubt have found a very useful feature. The lid houses a ‘hinged’ inner container for keeping spare stove parts in. Both the operating key/wrench and funnel are connected to the inner lid by their own individual chains, therefore, preventing either from going ‘AWOL’ When opened, the spare stove parts are kept in place by a fabric ’pull-out’ cover’. In my case, a replacement wick and string to make a graphite seal for the spindle, were the remaining spare parts which came with my DĘBA. More to follow…
The filler cap seal is very well protected from the stove’s preheating flame as it seats well below the raised part of the filler neck. View of the ‘squared’ brass burner bell and the cylindrical burner boss with the two-opposing flats. The flame plate is made of steel. Tank stamping… The ‘Acorn’ logo of the manufacturer, Zakłady Metalowe „Dęba” The windshield places over the stove. I am able to keep the operating key connected to the stove and use it despite the considerable heat transfer, having fitted a ‘finger-protecting’ silicone cover. Pharael.
