I got this thinking it was new or used a few times. Not! Poor packing to send thru the mail, should add this was placed in a plastic type bag then brown wrapping paper. Clips that the tank hang on had been bent and one on the backside and the other had a couple small washers on it so the tank could attach to the top. Also, the inner burner cap was spalling and after waiting to see if the seller would acknowledge it was used, took the stove out of the box and looked the stove over more. Tank had light scratches from being cleaned and there was fuel in the tank along with water, which from reading about highly used stoves and lanterns, that moisture slowly accumulates over time if the fount or tank are never emptied and aired out. Onward, worked on the fuel gauge as old washers were hard so did what I could, replaced the NRV pip, and one washer in the fuel cap, I hate the design of this type of Radius cap. The initial firing had a couple concentrated yellow spots in the flame pattern and some yellow overall. I cleaned the burner caps in lye then remembered citric acid was better. The flame is real nice now, similar to my 111T. Bent the two grate clips over rim of the top that keep the grate in place, so all is a firm fit now. A very slow leak out of the fuel cap so won't hold pressure overnight, but I can live with that as it would hold pressure to cook a meal if needed. Just discouraged over the damage and the misrepresented condition. Do not care to send off an old item back to the seller. No old shipping label on box, seller said the stoves were sent out this was, he did not place any protection between the top and the grate. A piece of history saved. Duane
I am deeply suspicious that this is retail packaging, with a number of stoves shipped in a more solid box. But if I am right, the box itself is of some historic value and should have been slipped into a second box. Mind you, I would have expected the trivet to most likely have been packed under the burner and additional cardboard over the top. Then any force is carried by the frame. Looking at the packing there is a cardboard packing insert in the bottom but no equivalent on the top: no doubt lost over the years. If selling anything of value online, I will pack in a box, and that box in a second, both boxes back-filled with packing which will absorb crush. This will survive the roughest of postal services. On the other side, I bought a pressure lantern online and it arrived in the crushed remains of a box, a single layer of bubble wrap around the lantern. The glass was shattered and the metal bent. At least I got a full refund.
This was my worst ever deal in 11 years, so I guess I've been lucky. I've had a military 111 come with brown wrapping paper on it was all, no damage. This seller stated this stove was shipped all over in the photoed box, but then denies the stove was used and not wanting to give even a partial refund. You can see the debris I drained out of the tank on the paper towel and the numerous signs it had been worked on. Duane
I received an Optimus 111 through the mail within the UK only wrapped in a black plastic bag and parcel tape. Luckily it survived the trip with no damage.