Hello everyone, I've just got my hands on a rather used m1b and I want to learn about its history. If I understand correctly it is a bairstow brothers era product with a initial production of 50 in 98, possibly more if it was sold on garret wade during the early 2010s. School me on it please if possible, thanks.
I did read that thanks, including the story and the other 2 posts that do mention it. I was more curious about why they would of made only such a number of them as a collectors piece.
The answer to that was on the original Vapalux website - they discovered a batch of tanks which had lain undisturbed for years. I presume someone at W&B realised the best way to make use of these obsolete tanks whilst also making a decent bit of cash on the side was to turn them into 'collectors' lanterns; the hobby having sprung up in the intervening years... I still have mine and it's for sale although someone here already has 'first dibs' on it...
Interesting tidbit of information thank you. Well mine is well used enough, since the previous owner put muffler cement on the top round part of the air intake and washer are made from some kind of solid gasket. Collectors' edition it is not, still a simple beauty though.
Well here is my response to your images heh. After reviewing some threads, I don't think it is mufflers cement now rather some deposit from burning as a thread suggests. Any how its the first english lantern for me, simpler than a petromax or a coleman, maybe not certain colemans.
Nothing looks wrong with that lantern. Although that 'deposit' does not look good. It may yet be muffler paste, or the product of using a strange fuel i.e not kerosene. It looks to have not been used very much in the past. Look forward to seeing it in action !
@Fireexit1 I assumed it was a sealant akin to fire cement though it didn't appear to be as gritty. Whatever it is, it had set hard.
It looks like some sort of sealant intended to compensate for stripped/worn threads - it'll probably work OK but I suspect that burner dome isn't coming off without a battle...
