I feel that man. I have a brand new Nova Craft Cronje I ordered September 2019, picked up in May, and have put a measly 2 miles on it in a stream that abuts my property. I also upgraded my water filtration to Katadyn Pocket. It looks very nice.
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Happy National Zipper Day (pat. 1913)! 🤐
Svea 123
- Thread starter PaddlingPitt
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I feel that man. I have a brand new Nova Craft Cronje I ordered September 2019, picked up in May, and have put a measly 2 miles on it in a stream that abuts my property. I also upgraded my water filtration to Katadyn Pocket. It looks very nice.
I can relate to those not doing trips. I miss getting out a long trip. I am retired and expected to do some kind of big trip again this year whether it be backpacking, bike touring, or canoe tripping. That should be a given during retirement at least every couple years if not every year. Social distancing sucks. To make matters worse my deteriorating hip shows signs of needing replacement, but I still hope to put that off a few years.
On another note, I got a couple of mini EDC white gas lighters in the mail yesterday. They were two for $11 with free shipping. They seem to work nicely and appear well made. They are really tiny, smaller than I pictured them. I don't carry keys on trips (other than maybe one key to the vehicle at the takeout), but they are key chain friendly. They came with spare flints, a spare wick, spare o-rings, chains, and clips. They are a good bit smaller than a mini-bic, but since they are solid brass they are a little heavier (about the same weight as the Classic Bic).
I'll be testing one of these out around home and if it works out well I'll use one on my next trip with either strike anywhere matches or a mini Bic as a backup.
I will say that 10-15 seconds of flame from this lighter on the bottom of the stove preheats it nicely and gets a nice puddle in the priming well of the SVEA 123 at the temperatures I have tested it.
On another note, I got a couple of mini EDC white gas lighters in the mail yesterday. They were two for $11 with free shipping. They seem to work nicely and appear well made. They are really tiny, smaller than I pictured them. I don't carry keys on trips (other than maybe one key to the vehicle at the takeout), but they are key chain friendly. They came with spare flints, a spare wick, spare o-rings, chains, and clips. They are a good bit smaller than a mini-bic, but since they are solid brass they are a little heavier (about the same weight as the Classic Bic).
I'll be testing one of these out around home and if it works out well I'll use one on my next trip with either strike anywhere matches or a mini Bic as a backup.
I will say that 10-15 seconds of flame from this lighter on the bottom of the stove preheats it nicely and gets a nice puddle in the priming well of the SVEA 123 at the temperatures I have tested it.
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We have 2 bbq lighters here at home, the inexpensive butane refillable ones you can find in any C Tire store, with long and sometimes flexible flame wands. They work well at poking a flame through the side port of our bbq when the bbq piezo button doesn't work, which is always. I'd thought these type of lighters would be perfect for tripping but managed to break both on a group trip years ago. Early one morning after discovering the double trouble breakage I was ashamedly rummaging through Iskweo's and Mihun's kitchen stuff looking for a lighter of any description but came up empty. Only then I remembered my ferro rod. Oh yeah. It worked really well and easily. That morning I'd used a spritz of bug spray to catch the sparks. Easy peasy.
Recently on our way out of North Bay I stopped at a gas station to top up the tank and purchase a couple Bics. Those are the ones which failed me repeatedly on that trip. I went once again to plan B using the ferro. No fail with that. One morning Miranda did discover and pull out a Bic ages old from a pocket somewhere and demonstrated that it still worked. Too late dear, my ferro is plan A from here on out.
Recently on our way out of North Bay I stopped at a gas station to top up the tank and purchase a couple Bics. Those are the ones which failed me repeatedly on that trip. I went once again to plan B using the ferro. No fail with that. One morning Miranda did discover and pull out a Bic ages old from a pocket somewhere and demonstrated that it still worked. Too late dear, my ferro is plan A from here on out.
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I like the long BBQ lighters too but always have a ferro rod for backup. Usually a piece of waxed Jute in copper tube also, and birch bark pieces just in case.
Are you guys talking unleaded gasoline ( white gas) or do you mean Coleman fuel ( naptha) cuz naptha doesnt have any gum or varnish in it. It may not burn if its really old but it wont gum your stove up.
Are you guys talking unleaded gasoline ( white gas) or do you mean Coleman fuel ( naptha) cuz naptha doesnt have any gum or varnish in it. It may not burn if its really old but it wont gum your stove up.
At least here in the states the names 'Coleman fuel' and 'white gas' are used interchangeably.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman_fuel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_gas
Alan
I grew up in California, and always called it White Gas. Around here, in Saskatchewan, people tend to call it Coleman Fuel or Camp Gas.
From what you You say, lskweo, my fuel should not have become varnished, which suggests that I likely have a leak somewhere in the stove.
Here's a link to an informative YouTube video on updating the gasket and pip for a Svea SRV (safety release valve), in case this is the cause of your suspected leak. Included are some links to part suppliers, assuming they are current. Also, a link to The Fettlebox; a UK based supplier of stove parts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6SEE1ToCSQ
https://fettlebox.co.uk/svea-123/123r-filler-cap-seal-safety-valve-pip.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6SEE1ToCSQ
https://fettlebox.co.uk/svea-123/123r-filler-cap-seal-safety-valve-pip.html
Thanks, Patrick. I had seen this very useful video, and I ordered the parts displayed in your link to fettlebox. The order went through on October 17. We go to town for groceries tomorrow. I’m hoping the parts will be at the post office.
Good luck, you’ll be pleased to hear again the roar of this fine little stove I’m sure!
Way back in the day white gas was Amoco Premium in the circles I traveled. Later sometimes someone called Coleman fuel white gas but not often until much later. I am not sure what year I first heard someone call Coleman fuel white gas, but I knew Amoco Premium as white gas for a long time before that. I see the two names used interchangeably all the time online and have for quite a few years. Before that (and since) I have seen them used interchangeably in print quite a bit.
Edit: After trying to remember when all of that was, I think it was probably the early 70s that I first heard the term white gas and it referred to Amoco Premium. The term white gas kind of went away in my circles in the 90s when unleaded gasoline became common and ultimately mandatory, but if someone did use the term they probably would be referring to naphtha then. Maybe it was a regional thing.
Edit: After trying to remember when all of that was, I think it was probably the early 70s that I first heard the term white gas and it referred to Amoco Premium. The term white gas kind of went away in my circles in the 90s when unleaded gasoline became common and ultimately mandatory, but if someone did use the term they probably would be referring to naphtha then. Maybe it was a regional thing.
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Well here in the Yukon and in Quebec where I’m from, white gaz and naphta is the same thing!
Back in the day, any sort of bush construction project would end with a scrub of this stuff - the only thing around camp that would take off spruce gum. Nasty.
Here is an interesting thread from elsewhere on the webosphere.
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-a...gasoline that contains no antiknock additives.
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-a...gasoline that contains no antiknock additives.
I was curious about how the current crop of strike anywhere matches would be, so I ordered some Diamond Greenlight "strike anywhere" matches. I did so partly because I figured they'd be handy and partly out of nostalgia.
Well they arrived and they are crap. The sticks are flimsy and break if great care isn't taken in striking. I tried striking them on various surfaces around the shop with 100% failure rate. They just fail to light. I tried striking them on various grit sandpaper grades with better, but still poor success rate. They strike at 100% rate on the striking surface on the box, but that isn't exactly strike anywhere.
These Diamond Greenlight "strike anywhere" matches are a far cry from the old Diamond matches that I remember from decades ago and a waste of money. You might as well buy the much cheaper strike on box ones, paper book matches, or use a lighter.
My advice? Unless there is a better brand available, don't waste your money.
Meanwhile, my little EDC peanut lighter has continued to be tested daily with no issues. The only minor area I'd improve the design is that it would be nice if it were made so the top fit over the o-ring rather than just squeeze it. As it is you have to take care to just snug the top on rather than screwing it on real tight. Not a big deal though. Just take care to just snug it on. Fixing that issue would make the machining more complex and drive the price up, so I can live with it for this 2 for $11 including shipping deal.
Well they arrived and they are crap. The sticks are flimsy and break if great care isn't taken in striking. I tried striking them on various surfaces around the shop with 100% failure rate. They just fail to light. I tried striking them on various grit sandpaper grades with better, but still poor success rate. They strike at 100% rate on the striking surface on the box, but that isn't exactly strike anywhere.
These Diamond Greenlight "strike anywhere" matches are a far cry from the old Diamond matches that I remember from decades ago and a waste of money. You might as well buy the much cheaper strike on box ones, paper book matches, or use a lighter.
My advice? Unless there is a better brand available, don't waste your money.
Meanwhile, my little EDC peanut lighter has continued to be tested daily with no issues. The only minor area I'd improve the design is that it would be nice if it were made so the top fit over the o-ring rather than just squeeze it. As it is you have to take care to just snug the top on rather than screwing it on real tight. Not a big deal though. Just take care to just snug it on. Fixing that issue would make the machining more complex and drive the price up, so I can live with it for this 2 for $11 including shipping deal.
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I agree on the strike anywhere matches. You described my experience exactly.
All this talk of Svea stoves I had to dig mine out and give them a go. Dumped out the very old gas refilled and put a little gas in the primer depression. One fired up no problem, the other not so much. It did light but it was very weak flame with the valve wide open. I guess I too need to do some cleaning.
Jim
All this talk of Svea stoves I had to dig mine out and give them a go. Dumped out the very old gas refilled and put a little gas in the primer depression. One fired up no problem, the other not so much. It did light but it was very weak flame with the valve wide open. I guess I too need to do some cleaning.
Jim
I did install a new gasket and pip in the fill cap. Still no pressure. Taking the advice of Pete, I emptied the stove of fuel, and put the stove in a pot. I then filled the pot with boiling water. Inexplicably, bubbles came out from around the fill cap. I don’t know why that would be when I have a brand new gasket designed specifically for the Svea 123. Sigh. 
I did install a new gasket and pip in the fill cap. Still no pressure. Taking the advice of Pete, I emptied the stove of fuel, and put the stove in a pot. I then filled the pot with boiling water. Inexplicably, bubbles came out from around the fill cap. I don’t know why that would be when I have a brand new gasket designed specifically for the Svea 123. Sigh.
Strange! Did you clean out the old gasket to clean metal and did the gasket fit snugly? Could the leak be around the base of the filler neck rather than around the cap itself? Maybe there is a crack there. If so that might be the death of the stove. Not sure if it would be safe to solder or silver solder it. I don't know if the operating temperature of the stove would be dangerous for the solder to melt.
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I was curious so I did a little googling... It looks like soldering, brazing, or silver soldering are common fixes on these stoves. Some research on https://classiccampstoves.com may be helpful if indeed it does turn out to be cracked.
Thanks, Pete. I don’t see any cracks. Think I’ll put this project away for a while.
Oh well, sometimes that is the best.
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