Hi! I always wanted a kerosine lamp for camping and as a backup light source. Yesterday I got this lamp for free locally. I found this forum and thought it would be the perfect place to learn more about the lamp and how to take care of it. Upon reading about getting it to work, I stumbled upon the fact that the wick and the mantle are made of asbestos. As I didn't want to get that stuff in my lungs, I quickly put the lamp away in its original box and put it in the basement. Now I am here for wisdom, what should I do with it? And does anyone know what year it was manufactured?
Hello and welcome @Bialuminous. You have a very nice looking lantern which was made between late 1946 and late 1949. The mantle is not made from asbestos. The active ingrediant in older mantles is Thorium dioxide. From this page on Wikipedia Gas mantle - Wikipedia "Thorium dioxide was commonly a major component; being radioactive, it has led to concerns about the safety of those involved in manufacturing mantles. Normal use, however, poses minimal health risk.[citation needed]." Replacement wicks made from fibreglass are available here Vapalux,& Bialaddin Lantern Spares (part V54). Wear a disposable mask and gloves. Carefully remove the top part and the glass. Spray the wick with water to prevent any loose fibres from floating in the air. Remove the wick and place it in a plastic bag with the disposable mask and gloves and dispose of them according to the rules of your country. Fit replacement wick. Replace glass and top part. Light your lantern and enjoy.
Very nice and very little used:definitely worth posting in the Gallery. Do you have any paperwork, instructions or the like in the box as well? Sometimes they have date codes on them. Your lantern has a very distinctive (and rather short lived) style of filler cap made of aluminium alloy which I believe was only used around 1948. See here 1948 or later Bialaddin 300X for an example very similar to yours(but not as tidy).
@Bialuminous welcome to CPL. That is a wonderful gift to receive. As already stated you can buy a replacement non asbestos wick. Or you can make one using woven fiberglass mat.
It's a nice lantern in good condition and with it's original box. Whilst it will work very well following a little attention, you might want to consider carefully before taking it camping as it is in such good condition. Either take good care - or maybe look for another one!
