Hot on the heels of the Primus No.71 (1958 - 1960) I recently posted in the SRG, this is a 75 year-old Primus No.71L manufactured in 1951, which I recently received from @Remus1956 (thank you very much!) Somewhat surprising how stoves this old (and of course those that are older) can survive the test of time without being lit. In this particular case and quoting @Remus1956, ‘Apparently it was from a boy scout leader that bought it for a backup stove, but I guess he never needed it.’ This No.71L came with its original box and instruction sheet along with an opened but empty Primus pricker packet. Sold in the U.S., presumably in 1951 for $9.95, in today’s money this would be approximately $129 as a consumer price equivalent. Additional pictures of the box. The No.71L ‘unboxed’. Different views of the case. Case and stove in-situ. Views of the stove itself and some close-up shots of its components. Front stove stamping. Rear stove stamping. Long-reach operating key and domed filler cap. Inside of the filler cap. Soldered pressure release ‘safety-pin’. The ‘safety-pin’ is linked by a wire which is held in place on the base of the tank. If an over-pressurising of the tank takes place (ie through overheating), as the tank bottom begins to bulge outwards, the pin is then pulled free from the soft-solder, safely releasing the pressure. If the ‘safety-pin’ activates, its function can be restored by re-soldering the pin with a small amount of soft solder. More photos to follow…
Anchor point to the right of centre on the tank base for the ‘safety-pin’ wire. Manufacturer’s date stamp: AP = 1951 Endoscope view of the inside of the tank showing the ‘safety-pin’s’ wire anchored to the tank bottom. At some point between 1953 and 1955, the ‘safety-pin’ pressure release system was replaced with a (spring-loaded) safety release valve (SRV), which was built into the filler cap. Burner tube and fuel jet. Single-hole burner bell. Close-up of the flame spreader. Dished part of the tank to hold the pre-heat spirit. Close-up of the fuel control valve. Chain design. Primus No.71L instruction sheet. Primus No.4605 pricker - empty packet. Pharael.
