First Lamp & First Restoration - Petromax 828/350cp

David called it above - user error. I found that even using the schrader pump seemed harder than I'd expect today, and the leather one I needed all my strength to get it to even reach the end of the tube and hear a tiny bit of air trickle into the tank.

Took the check valve apart and it must have been overtightened internally in some way as it required a lot of pressure to move the seal against the spring. Took it apart, put it back together just past fingertight and it's like a dream now... 6/7 good plunges of the pump and it's up to pressure. Now I see what you were all getting at!

 

I also found that the lead washer with the seal on by the needle adjuster wheel (not technically a valve is it?) was letting that pipe move back and forth, so I undid it, turned the pipe 180 degrees and tightened it back down past the point it had been. Much tighter now, if it doesn't hold this time I'll have to get a new washer, but I think one re-tighten another half turn past the first one should be ok.

 

I have been using Dales Neatsfoot oil on all my pump leathers for quite a few years now and have found that the leather remains more supple and strong than with mineral oils. Vegetable oils are hygroscopic and contain oleic acids that cause the leather to deteriorate much sooner than with other oils.

 

I'm not sure what all this 'leather soaking' business is about. I usually just put mine in either olive oil or neatsfoot oil for a few seconds and then squeeze the oil into the leather between my thumb and finger - job done. It takes me about 10 seconds...

...oh, except the time I soaked a stove pump leather for many days without any discernible softening. Eventually I realised it was one of those new-fangled plastic ones that were popular for a short while in the 60s...

 

Yes, never felt the need to soak the leather in oil. Just a squirt around the inside & outside, knead it in with fingers and install.

 

" I'm not sure what all this 'leather soaking' business is about. I usually just put mine in either olive oil or neatsfoot oil for a few seconds and then squeeze the oil into the leather between my thumb and finger - job done. It takes me about 10 seconds... "

Don't let it keep you awake at night, it works for me by keeping the leather supple for longer.

 

My prabhat spare was as hard as a rock...until I soaked it a week and it came back. It all depends on "It's condition." Like people, they all have a different level of stubborness"

 

Compared to what?

 

Not oiling it ,of course!

 

Eh...compared to a dry pump leather. Didn't think it was that complicated

 

Dry 'pump leathers' are just 'leathers' aren't they? -i.e. they don't 'pump' anything...

 

Dry very Dry...

 

It obviously was...