Can anyone tell me if these mantles really do contain Thorium? The website says they do but I thought they were banned or something? I could ring them up but they seem so busy? Steve.
Ah thanks for the info. I will have to snaffle some while they are still available, not tried a Thoriated mantle yet. Steve.
Ah well, at least I will be more easily seen on me bike!! And to think, people used to eat mantles, or so I've heard, to cure stomach problems!! Steve.
Warnings on mantle packets about not eating the contents aren't uncommon - see current Peerless mantles from the Phillipines. I wondered why that was necessary but perhaps now I know why. There's no accounting for some folk, eh...
I cannot get 164X mantles to work on any of my Tilleys. They form a truly beautiful large mushroom shape but put out terrible light (yellow, BMD, etc) even with a new NOS brass base vapouriser. They just seem to be too big. It could just be me, or my fuel, or whatever, as I have seen other Tilley lamps/lanterns using these on this site and they look to put out a brilliant light. I have much better luck with Base Camp's Tilley replacement mantles like the 164PRO. They do form a smaller shape when burned down but put out a terrific light (after you play musical burners to get the right combination to work on particular lamps; I have yet to figure out why this is ). I have one of those German custom vapourisers and am thinking of trying a 350 CP jet with the 164X. Dan 164X left, 164PRO right
Wow that is a big mantle, bigger than the happy mantles even going by your pic? Not tried a 164X yet and as you say it's a game until you find the best ones for a particular lamp! Steve.
I'm not that keen on any of the modern Tilley mantles, they are to big and the weave is to loose, but so far they have always worked. The light from them is not so white though and the metal ring in the happy mantle is now made from poor quality metal, which breaks or turns oval from the heat. Some of the modern Tilley burners do not work well. I try to obtain older Tilley burners as the build quality is far better, Jeff.
Hi Dan Like you I have had good success with Base Camps 164Pro described by them as follows: Made to our own specification without Thorium, these mantles are a tighter weave than the normal 164X so give a brighter light with no 'flaring' outside the mantle. Loose tied for the expert user they perform well on inaccurate machined spigots or older lamps. (QUOTE) I have also had good success with their "164 bulk" mantles and they are now the main one I use. Not so small as the Pro but a tighter weave and they burn in smaller than the current Tilly ones. Regards, Jeremy
