What was the old version of white gas? (in the US)

I know. Exactly. English usage in most common law countries is nuanced. It does pose a problem where it is not a first language. Asian and other instruction manuals translated into English are a good example.

 

I heard California banned Coleman fuel so how does one use their stove if it needs white gas?

 

I can just barely remember one neighborhood gas station when I was a kid in the late '50s or early '60s that sold 'white gas' at a pump. I think for small engines, and maybe as camp fuel.

After that, it always meant Coleman fuel to me....

 

I hadn't heard Cal has banned Coleman....true?

I know it did ban denatured alcohol, at least as a solvent. I had heard that it could be found if only marketed as stove/marine fuel, but I don't know...

 

I thought I read that they only want compressed fuel cartridges-maybe someone from that area can enlighten us.

 

I am amazed how the Coleman company has managed to trademark base petroleum naptha to the extent that it has. I know it is famous for stoves , lanterns, camping gear, etc. but fuel and then sell it at three(??) times the price of low octane gasoline. Nothing against good business, but if you ran out of it in the woods, you'd want to be able siphon some of it out of the automobile to cook. But I wonder how many know it is simply pure gasoline without any of the additives and would hold out until the could get the genuine Coleman branded product.
I wonder if ringing up any of the oil companies to see if they sell the equivalent in bulk would be productive?

 

In Australia, a bunch of solvent suppliers (eg sydney solvents / recochem) sell bulk r55 / x55 solvent, which is aka shellite / white gas / coleman fuel. Prices mainly depend on your location due to delivery charges...

 

A few of us get Shellite (Recosol 55) by the 200litre drum and split it among the mad lantern and stove people here in Tasmania.

Tony

 

Actually, the current high price of Coleman (say, 12-15 bucks per gallon) in the US (it's always been way higher outside North America) is a relatively recent thing.

For many years, including my first few years here at CCS, Coleman ran about $3.49-3.99 per gallon. One could probably find old posts of mine in the archives 18 years ago wondering why it was so cheap; only about twice the price of US pump petrol then, yet nicely packaged and sold by the gallon can.

My speculation back then was that Coleman subsidized it to sell stoves. Their liquid fueled stoves were still everywhere at retail then. My speculation since is that with the decline of their classic white gas suitcases, they quit worrying about keeping the fuel cheap.

Still, all taken with all, campstove fuel cost is negligible for the ordinary camper, even the relative enthusiast. I have a few cans of Coleman and Crown on hand that will probably carry me to the end. Same with kerosene. We burn more gasoline on a trip to the trailhead than we will in a lifetime of classic backpacking.

 

A quick search brought me to this 13-year-old post lamenting the rise of Coleman fuel to just under $7 per gallon after years of being much cheaper:

 

(US price still way cheaper.)
Bunnings will sell Shellite at $AUD 9.10 per litre bottle.
Repco will sell 20 litre drums for $AUD 160.00
Current US dollar = AUD 1.27
I gallon = 3.78 litres
Let you do the math.

 

This is $100 AUD delivered for 20 litres if you live in Sydney... or pick up for $85.

Out of stock right now but it's usually in stock.

 

Bosca on the Queensland Gold Coast has 20l Shellite for AUD$65 (pick up).

Tony

 

https://www.repco.com.au/en/brands/recochem/c/1379179688

Repco must have a huge mark up. (I think that must be the price for getting it to the store nearest to you so you can pick it up.)

 

News to me. I just saw some on a store shelf the other day.

I just searched "california ban on coleman fuel", and found a forum site that was bewailing its imminent unavailability in California. The post was dated "Sept 29, 2012", so I'm guessing this is in the unconfirmed rumor category.

....Arch

 

Bad rumor to incite more purchase to increase price.

 

I just read it didn't make it up.

 

Arch if you seen it on the shelf then just internet news that is false. I didn't make it up though. You read the same article as me. So snwcmpr not my bad rumor.

 

My comment was in jest (mostly).

 

@8R Pete It's ok. All kinds of stuff shows up on the Internet; some true, some not. If I go to the store this week and it's not available, I can say I heard it first from you.

....Arch