We really like ours, it does a really nice job adding light and ambiance to our camp sites. I didn't know anything about how to use it when I bought it on clearance a few years ago. Here's what I know now.
soot will be caused by running your wick too high by a poorly trimmed wick or a wick trimmed to a point, by not letting your wick absorb enough fuel at light up (a dry wick), by using a contaminated wick that will have poor capillary action (what amounts to a dry wick so change the wick for a new one) or by burning the wrong fuel. When your lamp or lantern makes soot it is also making carbon monoxide so you don't want to let your wick make soot. Flat wick lamps and lanterns are designed to burn kerosene.There are two kinds of kerosene 2-K for outdoor use has the highest containment content and 1-k for indoor use which is a very clean burning and it will make the least soot. These two forms of kerosene are both considered to be combustible and are not considered flammable. Kerosene has a flash point range from 124 degrees F. up to 150 degrees F.. Fuels with a flash point below 100 degrees F. are considered flammable these include lacquer thinner, mentholated spirits, paint thinner, Colman fuel (which is Naphtha), white gas and non/leaded gasolines. Never Ever use any of these fuels in a wick burner of any kind because at the least you can have a runaway uncontrolled burn or at worst an explosion (this is how you make a Molotov Cocktail). I hope this helps.
For those that are unfamiliar with these Lanterns don't ever try to remove the globe and clean it while it is still hot. This should be common sense to most people but you never know. Only use the recommended fuels for these kerosene lanterns. They are called kerosene or oil lanterns and not gasoline lanterns for a reason. Using flammable fuels such as gasoline can cause a very undesirable situation possibly leading to death. If you plan to use a lantern in freezing temperatures light the lantern outside while the lantern is cool and let it warm up in the cold to avoid thermal shock and cracking the globe. If the lantern is used properly you should not have to clean soot from the globe very often. When you first light the lantern you have to let it warm up for it to burn efficiently. As the lantern warms up the flame will grow larger so don't set the flame too high for the warm up. After the lantern is warmed up for about 10 minutes or so you can adjust the wick until black smoke starts coming off the top of the flame and then back it off a little but be aware that in Breezy conditions the lantern can soot more easily so you may want to back the wick down a little bit more. When first lighting the lantern the wick should not be any higher than is necessary to light, this will reduce the amount of sooting upon starting the lantern.
Thank you for posting this. I was trying to figure out how to remove the globe and I did not know about the spring loaded top. Now I know. This video was exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you! I found a pristine paraffin one at my vintage store, $8. It just needs a little cleaning and a bit more fuel! I also found a wool hat, real wool, and a nice cast iron pan for my camping kit.
Thank you so much for this! I have a battery-operated one that looks identical, which someone had made into a Christmas ornament and filled the globe with balls. I only recently discovered that it actually was a battery operated lantern and not JUST an ornament. I wanted to get the balls out of the globe but did not know how to do it. It is identical to the one you are showing except for being battery-operated and not kerosene. Your instructions on removing the globe were wonderful. I now want a real kerosene one!
Excellent video, but I have a suggestion for improvement. To remove the globe, use the lever to lower it completely. Pull up on the ring above the chimney and tilt the globe with cage toward the hinge, which is usually the opposite side from the lever. This allows the globe to tilt out much farther, usually down past horizontal, for easier globe removal and much easier access to the burner dome and wick mechanism for cleaning and wick replacement.
little easier way to remove globe is to hold the big carry handle straight up and with your thumb of the same hand reach down and grab the little chimney ring/handle and pull up.using your hand as leverage pull up globe with thumb.that way the lamp is more stab le
Great, we're going through a bit of a crisis here in the UK - I have one of these and may well need to use it. Using Olive Oil ? Thanks really useful to know...
Thank you for this! I bought an antique one like this that has no oil or wick. I want to put battery operated fairy lights in the globe. Is that safe? The reservoir is dry.
I got a kerosene lantern from a garage sale to hopefully use camping, this was very helpful but I have a few (probably dumb) questions. Do you have to keep adjusting the wick as it burns? If you just leave it will the flame travel down into the fuel and explode?
Use lamp oil or clear kerosene only. The flame cannot travel down into the tank but if the wrong fuel is used you could have a runaway flame on your hands. A properly trimmed wick adjusted to the correct height for efficient burn will last a very long time with only occasional trimming of the wick and cleaning of the globe. Light the wick with it adjusted only high enough to ignite, too high and it will soot the globe quickly. The flame will grow larger as the lantern warms up so let it warm up about ten minutes before trying to set the wick for maximum brightness. Breezy conditions will make the flame flicker and spike causing soot so turn it down a bit. Store kerosene in the original container or one that's meant for kerosene. Sunlight with a clear container will sour the kerosene turning it yellow and smelling horrid when burned. WT Kirkman website has a lot of information about how to trim the wick and care for kerosene lanterns. You will need good sharp scissors to trim the wick adequately.
i know this is an older video but i was curious if you could use paraffin oil in these type of lanterns? is there a real difference in ones marketed for kerosene or paraffin use? Thanks!
Use parrafin oil. More refined version of kerosene. Little to no odor, basically same burning characteristics as well. Don't use kerosene wet wicks with other fuels, new wick for new fuel
Check the wick size and feed the new one in to the burner from the bottom using the knob on the burner. Size how wide it is , buy replacement on the internet .
What happens if I forgot to rotate the wick? Does the flame just goes out or do the oil catches fire? You'll probably laugh at my question but I'm serious. I really would like to get one of these in case of emergency instead of just candles.
