Pressurized Fuel Stoves

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
I kept a fairly complete Coleman Fuel setup for many years. The usual stuff, a two burner stove that was like new (only used once), a couple of two mantle lanterns, a Tent Heater that didn't always work, although it should have been near impossible for it not to work. I started a garage purge earlier this year and gave it all away, along with about six unopened gallons of fuel. I was keeping it for emergencies that never arose. They guy I gave it to was totally overwhelmed for some reason, like it was the best day of his life. I did check for collector value before giving it all away. It was just good clean Garage Sale grade stuff, with a combined net worth of perhaps $30-40.00 total. I kept any dual-fuel, propane, and battery powered stuff. I think my old stuff is now living in an Overlanding trailer.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
I keep mine because even though we live in the land of cheap electricity, $.0043 per kilowatt, it isn't that reliable in the winter with hundreds of miles through desert and mountains from distribution yards. Live 30 miles from a Mega-Watt dam, but 500 miles to get to my house.
 

John

Active Member
There's something about the simplicity and reliability of those devices that I really admire.

If you're interested in history and an amazing true story about leadership, courage and discipline; there's a book by Frank Worsley that should be on your reading list. The book is "Shackleton's Boat Journey" and it recounts the efforts of Sir Ernest Shackleton to save his men. One of the items they took with them on their journey to Stromness, South Georgia was a Primus stove. That stove was eventually discarded and probably remains on South Georgia to this day. It worked until their fuel was exhausted and helped save the lives of those men and all the men that were counting on them.
Endurance by Sir Alfred Lansing is another great book about that. It took a while to understand that what we call Kerosene the Brits call parrafin but a great study in human endeavors. Worsley was an absolute genius of a pilot.
I have a single burner Coleman as well as owning three and two burners stoves as well. I find them cheaper to run and capable of higher heat than a lp.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Like the Deutsch gasoline / benzene translation. And now in the US, at least here in the West, you can only buy "motor fuel".
 

Dale53

Active Member
I'm an old mountain back packer of many years. Butane AND Coleman stoves were and are handy to have around. Even tho' I live in SW Ohio, when that old hurricane came across the country from down south, nearly all of Ohio's 83 counties were declared disaster areas. We had near hundred mph winds, rain, the whole gamut. We were without power for about a week. Fortunately, after the storms, we had mild weather. People around us were really "up the creek" but to be truthful, my wife and I were just slightly inconvenienced. I whipped out the old Coleman, lit up, along with my grill, and "make no never mind", just flat a piece of cake! That's when you can appreciate some outdoor skills. Other people in town were not so lucky. Groceries, gas stations, EVERYBODY was without power. No refrigeration anywhere. It was not good for a LOT of people. We had a decently stocked pantry, and frankly, was just like a camping trip for us. We made sport of it...

FWIW
Dale53
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
The ability to cook food, heat water, maybe make coffee or tea can make a big difference. I always felt that the one piece units where the burner and tank are permanently attached were a bit bulky for backpacking and the two piece units like the MSR Whisperlite were geared a little more to backpacking. Of course 100 years ago, or even 50 years ago, the one piece stoves were all that were available and they worked just fine.
My camping days are behind me but I still have some of the gear and all of the knowledge.
True backpacking is much different than "car camping". While I have hiked into a camp site and had to carry all my gear in and out, there's a difference to the car being a mile or two away verses no car at all. I don't think I can claim to be a real backpacker.

Some of the really lightweight gear is amazing. Unfortunately, a lot of the current gear runs on propane. Liquid fuel stoves seem to be the preference with the younger crowd. I don't believe we will completely lose the skills needed for liquid fuel stoves, but I do believe they are becoming less common.

I find it interesting when I talk to people that are really carrying everything with them, like folks hiking the Appalachian Trail; some of them still opt for the liquid fueled stoves. A lot of them don't like the disposable propane canisters (some of them are real environmentalist tree huggers) but some of the smarter ones will cite the greater heat to weight ratio that kerosene provides.
 

Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
These aren’t pressurized stoves, but they are as light as you can get. Have you seen the beer can stoves that the ultra light backpackers are using? They can run them with the fuel additive “Yellow Heat”, so fuel is always available. Liquid stoves aren’t dead!

Here is a link.

These stoves are based on the Trangia Spirit burner. A Swedish stove that was introduced in 1951.

Here is another link.

Josh
 
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Walks

Well-Known Member
I grew up on them too.
I remember always arguing with my brother over who's turn it was to pump up the stove and lanterns.

I have a small two burner and a two mantle lantern I bought used when I got out of the service in 1975, added a 3 burner stove and a one mantle lantern a couple years later, both used.

I had to switch to propane several years later when I took my Wife on Her first camping trip. Last camping trip.

But I'm keeping it all. Never ran anything but Coleman fuel. Can't remember what I used in the old Primus stove that I got when I was 12yrs old. Thought that Tin box was so cool.
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
We used to camp with the Scouts.
Me with the Boy Scouts (brother and nephews) and my wife with the Girl Scouts (our daughter).
My wife was a Scout Leader from 1st grade all the way through high school.
My wife only does blender camping now.
I camp at the deer lease year round.
We use propane stoves and grills.
It's just too easy to take a couple of 20 lb. tanks to run everything off of.
Camps been at the same spot for the last 35 years!
 

Missionary

Well-Known Member
I recon we should not forget the U.S. Army single burner stove in the nice stainless "can". We cooked up many a good "steel pot stew" down on the turret floor during the cold wet cloudy days. And hot coffee was always brewing if possible. Otherwise a couple old metal canteens sat on the engine top if needed.
Our family stove was made in 1957 and has faithfully served us well for 45 years. One of the first objects I bought at a yard sale shortly after I ETS'd in July 1974.
I came to first know the stove as a "tankers stove" as I was on tanks. I think all the branches called them after their type of unit.
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
I have a complete and a parts stove of what I think/recall is a 1957 stove. Not fired it up. Will try to dig them out and post a couple pics.
 

Missionary

Well-Known Member
I looked up the nomenclature on our stove.... US Army M-1950 single burner field stove with container.
The "container" that houses the stove and serves for "cooking" also is nickel plated brass. But with the some deep scratches in our container that does not seem possible. Possibly our container and possibly stove are from a latter manufacture date.
But whatever year it is they are fine one burner multi-fuel stoves. A little heavy as I did carry it back-packing but able to withstand any abuse short of getting crushed.
Last time we used it was when we climbed Mount Misti (19,000+) just outside of Arequipa to cook our 4am oatmeal and hot coffee at 14,500 at 4am.

Howdy Oscar... Probably is the same one. 3 fold out feet and 3 fold out pot supporters.
 
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