Ive got several i use during blackouts, including a gimbel one that i will be putting in my conversion van once im finished building it. Now I know how not to have black glass. Thank you!
I wish I could click like more than once! I'm not a sailor, I came across you looking for information on lamps and stoves, but I enjoy hearing you talk about your life on board woven together with very down to earth practical advice. And so far my duplex lamp chimney remains clean... 🙂
I love how you pointed out that filmmakers do not know how to accurately depict oil lamps. Back in the day even a 7 year old knew how to trim and tune a wick. The old adage from father to son was, 'Keep your wick clean.' It really did mean a wick and the other thing.
You won't be sorry William. There are some lovely ones out there today. My Bermudan yacht has a couple of Danish ones in brushed chrome. Suits her well. Tom
I enjoyed listening to your story and info on oil lamps. I have bought some clean burning lamp oil and don't have odours anymore as I did with kerosene. I get a lot of tips online.
Thanks Sylvie. I'm really pleased you like listening to me as much as I like chatting to my chums out there. I'm currently recording an audio book I wrote many years ago. It'll be available in a month or so on my website www.tomcunliffe.com. All best Tom
Very illuminating as always. My (Irish) nan taught me in the sixties, how to trim the wick of a hurricane lamp and set the flame so it was "sootless" as she put it. Also, she had a paraffin stove with a cube shaped oven that she baked bread in (slooowly mind).
There is a very good video on RUclips about a guy living on a narrow boat. He rigged up an Aladdin lamp on a table under the roof vent the glass chimney nearly reached the roof vent so he got no fumes or paraffin smell. What he also did was to invert a wok of some sort and put it on the ceiling so it reflected all the heat from the lamp and chimney back into the room. Result light and heat !
Very true about the misuse of oil lamps Tom. I took out your books on coastal and astro navigation recently and as I read them over, I could actually hear your voice as if you were explaining the details - thanks to your videos!!
We have an old brass oil lamp for the dining table, light it on special occaisions. it has two wicks. I've figured most of this out independently but there's always something new to learn.
I've just bought one the exact same, but noticed it is missing the glass chimney inside but still has the glass shade if you know what I mean? It still works but seems to burn an awful lot of oil. Maybe because it has a double wick. But I'm wondering what the glass chimney is for? And if it needed?
@@johnn7614 The clue is in the name it is a "Glass Chimney." Watch the film again and listen to what Tom says about keeping the light low at first. This he says is so as to not crack the chimney yet all but old lamps should have Pyrex chimneys. The chimney once warm is a heat engine just like the flue on a fire. The rising heat draws fresh cold air to the base of the wicks. Many lanterns have draught guides to channel the cold air to the base of the wick. So as the chimney heats up it accelerates the air velocity striking the flame and intensifies the size of the flame. Sort of like using a bellows on a fire. Do check the size of the ports for the wicks, wicks are often replaced with undersize ones. Does your duplex burner look like one of these? www.base-camp.co.uk/Burners/duplex.htm The company does sell glass chimneys too. www.base-camp.co.uk/Wicks.htm#Oil%20chimneys Have a look through their website they have advice on wick sizes and sell wicks too. They are not necessarily the cheapest provider for some of the spares they sell, but I have spent money with them on multiple occasions and have always found them to be knowledgeable helpful and honourable. I have no other connection with them. Give them a call and send them a picture and if your lamp was a popular brand they might even be able to identify it.
Tom , you tell a tale beautifully. I have only stumbled upon your channel and I now find myself looking for more. so more sage advice and tales of boating please. thanks in advance.
That was the most enjoyable video about oil lamps I’ve seen so far. I shall be looking out for black sooty oil lamp chimneys every time I see a period drama now lol. I love the lamps with the white shades best.
Now this is something about which, apparently, I was totally clueless. Had an oil lamp on my itty-bitty Pearson 26 and did it all wrong. Thanks for the really great information!
I know EXACTLY how you feel. My all time favourite series was The West Wing and every single week I would cringe when they showed their version of Marine One, the President's helicopter. It was a Sikorsky S-61L and Marine One was an S-61N (my father flew one) They went to all the trouble to paint the damned thing and they got the wrong model!
My father, then a barrister, once threw his copy of the old Manchester Guardian onto the floor at breakfast time saying, 'Why can't they get the law reports right.' He never read another newspaper article about a case. Same goes for me with seafaring. I loved your story about the Sikorsky. Why on earth don't these people ever ask the ones who know!
Hi Tom! If you enjoyed Downton Abbey, give the Gilded Age a try! It's by the same producer, set in late 19th century New York. And: no sooty oil lamps!
Really like enjoy Tom's stories and his channel can't believe I've just found it. I fitted a little brass oil lamp in my boat recently I found Tom's advice very helpful thanks
There is a video on RUclips about a guy who lives on a narrow boat and he rigged up an Aladdin lamp under a roof vent in such a way as the fumes escaped via the roof vent but all the heat from the lamp heated the boat adequately.
HA! I wish I could give this 20 likes! I cracked up on your rant about TV shows lighting oil lamps in the wrong manner and having black soot all over the chimneys! I knew exactly what you meant because it drives me nuts too! I would see it on Little House on the Prairie, Bonanza and other such shows.
Good to know there's someone else driven mad by it - and not only in the UK. It's great fun having a RUclips channel and being able to blast off at these idiots. I don't think they listen though, but we know the truth! Cheers T
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Don't ever watch Scott Of The Antarctic as your dummy will be very firmly spat out. Throughout the film they are using Primus/Optimus pressure stoves, and they have great roaring red flames shooting out not the blue flame you should have. Watching I'm thinking "This film was made in 1948, lots of the cast must have been in the Army and not just E.N.S.A. how can they not use a pressure stove. Did nobody think to say something?" Perhaps they all served in the desert and all they ever used was Benghazi Burners en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benghazi_burner One thing that is genuine that fools me is that WWII films that show hurricane lamps the lamps shown are all the less bright hot blast lanterns not the brighter cold blast ones yet the hot blast was patented in 1869 and the cold blast in 1873. ruclips.net/video/8L8DAAbKA3A/видео.html
Please could you explain how the handle on the opposite side to the wick adjusting knobs works. I have a lamp and this handle has fallen out. I can put it in what looks like the correct place and line up to holes so it could be fixed in this position but it doesn’t seem to do anything? I would be so grateful for your help.
I found this a most interesting film, I'm no mariner (Though for a few years I did some work on a coal-fired dredger.) but I do have a love of paraffin lamps. I have a duplex table lamp, two hurricane lamps, two Aladdin Lamps and about eight pressure lanterns both Tilley and Vapalux. Not wealthy enough for a yacht, but I do have a folding camper (pretentious term for a trailer tent) the inside is about 14' by 6'6". It has a heater in the floor but on many nights the heat from a Tilley Lamp (about800W) will keep the chills at bay. They are very bright too and even old eyes can read and do fine work from the light given off. The downsides are they use about 1 1/2 pints to burn for 12 hours, that, and you have to preheat them with a drop of meths. There is a gentle hissing, but I find that quite comforting. The one form of paraffin light I'd be very careful with, and I would never use on a boat is the Aladdin Lamp. These have a circular wick with a flame spreader. The light doesn't come from the flame from the wick. You work the lamp with a small blue flame that heats up a mantle suspended above the wick. Just as you explained when starting the oil lamp you begin with a small flame because as the chimney heats up the flame grows in size. Aladdin Lamps need to be started of with a very low flame that barely gets the mantle to glow then adjusted up slightly after 5 minutes. They may well need another adjustment after a further 5 or 10 minutes. You have to keep your eye on them, with a pressure lantern I would think nothing of going out of the room. With an Aladdin lamp they can run away with themselves in the blink of an eye and the result is far more extreme than a bit of a smokey chimney. There is a boater on RUclips who got a bit caught out by his Aladdin whilst being close by to the lamp at the time. He now uses it without the mantle for gentle light but mainly as a heater. Then again someone responded and said they used one no problem and the light was sufficient for a 28ft cabin. On another comment you mentioned difficulties in finding chimneys and wicks. You could do worse than check out www.base-camp.co.uk/#:~:text=The%20Base%20Camp%20is%20a%20specialist%20equipment%20retailer,Anchor%2C%20Petromax%2C%20Hipolito%20%26%20Optimus%20paraffin%2C%20%28Kerosene%29%2C%20lanterns. They are not the cheapest people in the world for some parts, but they also don't sell any 3rd rate knock off copy parts. They have always been straight with me.
It's a snuffer. O Hold the burner steady and press down on the lever. It flips the sides of the burner together and snuffs the flame. Push it up again before relighting. Very useful!
Hello Tom, Thanks for this video I really enjoyed it. I used to own a modern Nelson type motor cruiser and always enjoyed using oil lamps. Both in the saloon and as an anchor light.
With a charred-silk Thorium mantle they burn even brighter. The Amish/Mennonite communities in the US are a source for parts even now. Those round-cylindrical "bottle-washing brushes" were originally sold for cleaning glass lamp chimneys before glass bottle became practical. Cleaning the glass chimneys once a week was good and proper Victorian housekeeping.
and....Here I'd been afraid of them. "A Molotov Cocktail on my boat! I'll manage with candles." But you've shown us otherwise and I thank you for that. sn
I got rid of every incandescent light on board and every light is now a warm LED, except the Volvo engine low oil pressure indication. I kept the oil lamp from the PO, but never light it. Consider it a lovely anachronism for display only.
I have just got an lamp very similar to this one, question what does the little handle the other side of the wick movement do, it seems to clamp the wick? Great vid 👍🏻👍🏻
Hi. It's an extinguishing lever. If you set the wicks low like he explains in the videoand have the lever in the "normal" position pushing it will put out the flame. I've only just lit mine up half an hour ago for the first time and did everything wrong resulting in black chimney and possibly black living room ceiling whilst the missus was shouting in despair to switch it off. 🙆♂️ I should have educated myself first. Oh well.. that's why I'm here now.
Cheers Tom, and for all ur videos that are showing me some fine qualities to thoroughly make the most of my time on board a boat - when I eventually get one. So please allow me to share some life enhancing and sound advice, gotten through much experience, with you: Stop drinking alcohol Sir. Thank you once again Tom, and I am anticipating watching all your videos. Kindest regards.
Thanks for being such a staunch follower. Regarding the alcohol, you might be surprised to learn that my aunt was the President (professional) of the British Women's White Ribbon League against drink and I myself never touched a drop until I was 21. It's a cultural thing in Britain with seafarers, but you'll be pleased to know that I rarely touch it at sea. Hope you get the boat soon. All best Tom
We have a pair of great hurricane lamps, and I remember that you did a video about using just such a thing as an anchor light. One problem we have is the heat rising from the chimney. The downhaul - no problem, but the shackle on the lamp handle above the chimney does get hot. Is this going to cause a problem? Could you recommend a solution?
What size hurricane lamps are you using? The bail arm should be sufficient distance above to dissipate any heat. I have hurricane lamps, but I also have pressure lanterns they are much brighter and produce far more heat e.g. if you make a glancing contact with the top of the lamp you will lose skin. With those if the bail arm is vertical indoors it is too hot to use to carry the lamp in your hand yet if outdoors you can carry the lamp. If you still think it is too hot what is the problem of looping a length of brass chain from the shackle round the bail arm and back up to the shackle?
There shouldn't be that much heat coming off it, but you could always use a. 1' steel fishing leader for more separation. They're about $3, 30-45 pound test.
Just found a duplex twin wick in the barn....no idea how old it is, has a "V" on the base. Just cleaned it and get the dampers to work smoothly, the chimney is un fine order but no shade/ball with it also I was given some new...old wicks....Will do a test fire later. One question, is the damper function for extinguishing the flames or purely for lowering the light level before someone blows ths flames out....would not want to lower the flaming wick unto the main lamp....BANG
It’s a sniffer, if it’s all free and working properly it will snuff out. I’ve never had the wicks fall in even if they go below the wonder. clean all air holes!!!!!!!!
@@timothyjones4950 thanks, worked very well. Sadly the wife lite it one evening and cranked the wick up....glass cracked as she did not give it time to heat up.....can not find the right size "chimney" to replace.....yet. happy new year.
Most duplex lamps use a 10”*2 1/2” either oval or round. I think the oval ones are all the same, but the round ones (the bulge I mean by round) sometimes have a lip on the outside which fouled on the burner. I don’t know where you are, but here in the uk places to try are basecamp uk in Peterborough, helps to put paraffin lamp in the search some where to help. Also hattersley Aladdin in West Yorkshire who make all the wicks for said lamps. There are others besides, occasionally they dry up for a while, but there’s usually something suitable. Regards, Tim
@@timothyjones4950 thanks Tim, will jump on the old Internet and look at those places. Mine *had) a bulge so should be the size you listed. Are you finding it difficult to get lamp oil? I am in France (don't hate me) oil to years ago was barely 60c a litre, now more than €5.... all the best, thanks for reply.
I use premium paraffin, that’s really what lamp oil is. However that’s getting expensive now. I use if for heating too so I tend to bulk purchase. Even in 200 litre barrels depending on availability, a barrel lasts around a year to 15 months depending on weather. I should think one of the companies here would ship too you, I know there’s the brexit hassle now which puts some off. I think the duplex is a British invention although I couldn’t be certain of that. Other countries adopted a flamespreader design. But both are common. Good luck and keep us posted. Maybe worth phoning to see. I guess eBay could be another route. It’s important that the holes in the base are kept clear of dust and fluff as that can cause chimney cracking also due to the flame creeping up the inside of the chimney to reach oxygen. 👍
Assuming it’s a paraffin oil lamp such as Toms using, then that is the correct fuel👍 If it’s the old oil lamp that resembles a sort of jug / teapot then probably not🙂👍
Well done by Tom! Growing ip on Dad’s wooden boats and also camping on Maine, we always had kerosene oil lamps. So nostalgic. I just bought two antique ones. Question: How do you scent kerosene fuel? Glad you mentioned how kerosene isn’t dangerous!!
Hi Christopher. Good luck with the new lamps. I don’t scent my kerosene. I like how it smells and so long as all is clean and the fuel also, it’s not an issue for me.
I have several oil lamps and I have heard that you can add “ essential oils “ to the paraffin to change the scent. I tried it once but didn’t have any success. However this may be because the bottle of essential oil I bought was not full strength or that I diluted it too much in the paraffin. The bottles of essential oils are not cheap.
I must admit and be truthful, but I am a sailor and I had to teach myself how to use an oil lamp. I learnt to use them at home. My glass would be black as the ace of spade after a couple hours. It took a lot of practice to learn how to use the correctly. At first, my biggest mistake was, I was using them like an electric globe, turn on and forget about it.
Thanks Jackie. It's a smell you become accustomed to, I guess. Actually I quite like it in moderation. How about some sachets of lavender? Glad you're liking the vids. Tom
Thanks for the kind remarks. If you want to see Ros, there's a glimpse of her in my video about my home village 'Lover'. She's acting as a Cupid. You'll see why she is normally behind the camera and I'm in front. She's better at filming! Tom
Huh here in midwest usa we grew up with oil lamps. I dont know why but it was a thing we did and i was born in 1980s. Sometimes the simplest things are best
How right you are! Back in the 70s and right into the 80s we lived on traditional boats whose main light source below decks was oil lamps. I'm fascinated that you were still favoring them in the mid-west at that time. Anyway, good to be in touch Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Yes i think it was a hold over from days before widespread electricity. My grandfather lived through great depression and never ever wasted a thing. So being we lived pretty rural i guess we just kept on doing it. Also i live in tornado alley so power outages where faily common in the spring. Sorry if I've over commented I'm just fascinated by so much of this stuff. I took sailing lessons few years ago , and am working towards my own yacht someday. I'll be following you vlog as much as possible. I also plan to purchase your books i can find. Thanks Tom -Chris
I am afraid oil lamps are by gone , I keep some hurricane lamps around (the hurricanes seem stronger ) and change the fuel every now and then , this last time I had a devil of a time finding it !
Yes Kevin. It's not easy getting good kerosene/paraffin nowadays. In the UK I buy mine at the garden centres. It's cheaper than the so-called 'lamp oil' you buy in the chandlery. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns You can save £££s if you know someone who has 28second heating oil for their oil fired central heating. 28 second is the standard heating oil though for convenience farmers often use red Diesel which is 35sec heating oil. Technically 28sec oil isn't premium paraffin. Try looking up the specs if you are interested, but it is close enough as is jet fuel if you have really wealthy friends. Sub 50p/litre if your friends buy enough at the right time of year. Just leave a couple of 20litre containers with them. You might notice a slight increase in aroma, but I don't. Some pressure lamp owners get very precious about only using premium grade paraffin, but I've run hurricane lamps, Tilley & Vapalux pressure lanterns and a variety of Primus & Optimus stoves on it. It there were ever to be a device that might be sensitive it would be the Japanese style thermostatic kerosene heaters: ruclips.net/video/ya7-MeWRtp8/видео.html Yet I was speaking to a heating fuel supplier who uses these to heat their offices and of course they are run on 28sec oil. Why on earth would you use a heater fuelled on paraffin at the £2.00 litre price most UK stores charge which is approx 20p/kWh.
I disagree as they used whale oil back than. I'm being honest here I have clue of what temperature it burns. A lot of those old lanterns were used for years on years. If your in a saloon (bar) it's pretty dark so naturally they would turn them up as high as possible. Of course you would have an overhead light.
Interesting about the whale oil Devin. As long as the wicks were cut correctly and turned up to the right point, they would give max light and the glass wouldn't go black. Over time, the chimney gets dirty and they have to be washed, but you'd have to wash them every day if the glasses were black. Also, as soon as a glass goes black it stops letting the light out, so nobody would have tolerated that. I certainly wouldn't, having lived with them exclusively for ten years. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns you don't know Americans very well ha. I do get what your saying on the soot over the bulb. Back than it was a filthy time, manure sat in the streets, miners came home with charcoal all over themselves so yeah over here It was tolerated.
I find it very calming to hear him talk so passionately about these lamps.
'It's not the lamps...it's the people driving them!' Hahaha. I am nearly crying! Wonderful.
Absolutely loved this video. Thanks very much for making it
Ive got several i use during blackouts, including a gimbel one that i will be putting in my conversion van once im finished building it. Now I know how not to have black glass. Thank you!
I wish I could click like more than once! I'm not a sailor, I came across you looking for information on lamps and stoves, but I enjoy hearing you talk about your life on board woven together with very down to earth practical advice. And so far my duplex lamp chimney remains clean... 🙂
"strike our match and get it burning sweetly" Im using that phrase!
I love how you pointed out that filmmakers do not know how to accurately depict oil lamps. Back in the day even a 7 year old knew how to trim and tune a wick. The old adage from father to son was, 'Keep your wick clean.' It really did mean a wick and the other thing.
Great, now I have to add oil lamps to my list of "must haves" on my next boat. Thanks, Tom.
You won't be sorry William. There are some lovely ones out there today. My Bermudan yacht has a couple of Danish ones in brushed chrome. Suits her well. Tom
I enjoyed listening to your story and info on oil lamps. I have bought some clean burning lamp oil and don't have odours anymore as I did with kerosene. I get a lot of tips online.
God almighty! I can't stop listening to you. You always have wonderful and peaceful stories to tell in the most relaxing voice. Thank you!
Thanks Sylvie. I'm really pleased you like listening to me as much as I like chatting to my chums out there. I'm currently recording an audio book I wrote many years ago. It'll be available in a month or so on my website www.tomcunliffe.com. All best Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Fantastic news! I will then be able to listen to your stories while sailing next summer.
Very illuminating as always.
My (Irish) nan taught me in the sixties, how to trim the wick of a hurricane lamp and set the flame so it was "sootless" as she put it.
Also, she had a paraffin stove with a cube shaped oven that she baked bread in (slooowly mind).
I love boats, and I love oil lamps... this sounds like the perfect combination!
There is a very good video on RUclips about a guy living on a narrow boat. He rigged up an Aladdin lamp on a table under the roof vent the glass chimney nearly reached the roof vent so he got no fumes or paraffin smell. What he also did was to invert a wok of some sort and put it on the ceiling so it reflected all the heat from the lamp and chimney back into the room. Result light and heat !
Another great tale Tom, and more sound advice beautifully delivered :-)
Very true about the misuse of oil lamps Tom. I took out your books on coastal and astro navigation recently and as I read them over, I could actually hear your voice as if you were explaining the details - thanks to your videos!!
looks great
Brilliant, your enthusiasm is infectious, you’ve brightened up my day, no pun intended
We have an old brass oil lamp for the dining table, light it on special occaisions. it has two wicks. I've figured most of this out independently but there's always something new to learn.
I've just bought one the exact same, but noticed it is missing the glass chimney inside but still has the glass shade if you know what I mean? It still works but seems to burn an awful lot of oil. Maybe because it has a double wick. But I'm wondering what the glass chimney is for? And if it needed?
@@johnn7614 The clue is in the name it is a "Glass Chimney." Watch the film again and listen to what Tom says about keeping the light low at first. This he says is so as to not crack the chimney yet all but old lamps should have Pyrex chimneys. The chimney once warm is a heat engine just like the flue on a fire. The rising heat draws fresh cold air to the base of the wicks. Many lanterns have draught guides to channel the cold air to the base of the wick. So as the chimney heats up it accelerates the air velocity striking the flame and intensifies the size of the flame. Sort of like using a bellows on a fire.
Do check the size of the ports for the wicks, wicks are often replaced with undersize ones. Does your duplex burner look like one of these? www.base-camp.co.uk/Burners/duplex.htm The company does sell glass chimneys too. www.base-camp.co.uk/Wicks.htm#Oil%20chimneys Have a look through their website they have advice on wick sizes and sell wicks too. They are not necessarily the cheapest provider for some of the spares they sell, but I have spent money with them on multiple occasions and have always found them to be knowledgeable helpful and honourable. I have no other connection with them. Give them a call and send them a picture and if your lamp was a popular brand they might even be able to identify it.
Tom , you tell a tale beautifully. I have only stumbled upon your channel and I now find myself looking for more. so more sage advice and tales of boating please. thanks in advance.
Many thanks. I'll try and keep 'em coming!
That was the most enjoyable video about oil lamps I’ve seen so far. I shall be looking out for black sooty oil lamp chimneys every time I see a period drama now lol. I love the lamps with the white shades best.
Now this is something about which, apparently, I was totally clueless. Had an oil lamp on my itty-bitty Pearson 26 and did it all wrong. Thanks for the really great information!
I would love to have a lamp just like that does anybody know what the name of that lamp is the manufacturer and possibly how old it is
Great video Tom. I wanted to find out about oil lamps, and that really helped. Thanks!
That’s a beautiful lamp shade. Is it antique?
I know EXACTLY how you feel. My all time favourite series was The West Wing and every single week I would cringe when they showed their version of Marine One, the President's helicopter. It was a Sikorsky S-61L and Marine One was an S-61N (my father flew one) They went to all the trouble to paint the damned thing and they got the wrong model!
My father, then a barrister, once threw his copy of the old Manchester Guardian onto the floor at breakfast time saying, 'Why can't they get the law reports right.' He never read another newspaper article about a case. Same goes for me with seafaring. I loved your story about the Sikorsky. Why on earth don't these people ever ask the ones who know!
You have some really interesting stories.
I would love to have a drink with you.
Tom, you are a national treasure!
Hi Tom! If you enjoyed Downton Abbey, give the Gilded Age a try! It's by the same producer, set in late 19th century New York. And: no sooty oil lamps!
Really like enjoy Tom's stories and his channel can't believe I've just found it. I fitted a little brass oil lamp in my boat recently I found Tom's advice very helpful thanks
There is a video on RUclips about a guy who lives on a narrow boat and he rigged up an Aladdin lamp under a roof vent in such a way as the fumes escaped via the roof vent but all the heat from the lamp heated the boat adequately.
You’re absolutely correct how simple is it to keep the flame te right I e warm it up and then turn it up slightly orrery
HA! I wish I could give this 20 likes! I cracked up on your rant about TV shows lighting oil lamps in the wrong manner and having black soot all over the chimneys! I knew exactly what you meant because it drives me nuts too! I would see it on Little House on the Prairie, Bonanza and other such shows.
Good to know there's someone else driven mad by it - and not only in the UK. It's great fun having a RUclips channel and being able to blast off at these idiots. I don't think they listen though, but we know the truth! Cheers T
Perhaps they invisioned people back in the day as being class less lazy louts that couldn't be bothered to wipe out a chimney..
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Don't ever watch Scott Of The Antarctic as your dummy will be very firmly spat out. Throughout the film they are using Primus/Optimus pressure stoves, and they have great roaring red flames shooting out not the blue flame you should have. Watching I'm thinking "This film was made in 1948, lots of the cast must have been in the Army and not just E.N.S.A. how can they not use a pressure stove. Did nobody think to say something?" Perhaps they all served in the desert and all they ever used was Benghazi Burners en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benghazi_burner
One thing that is genuine that fools me is that WWII films that show hurricane lamps the lamps shown are all the less bright hot blast lanterns not the brighter cold blast ones yet the hot blast was patented in 1869 and the cold blast in 1873. ruclips.net/video/8L8DAAbKA3A/видео.html
Plus the advantage the heat helps drive out the evening damp
Yes, indeed.
Excellent! Thank you so much.
When I was younger my gran had all oil lamps in the house if I get the smell of paraffin it takes me back to her house.
Please could you explain how the handle on the opposite side to the wick adjusting knobs works. I have a lamp and this handle has fallen out. I can put it in what looks like the correct place and line up to holes so it could be fixed in this position but it doesn’t seem to do anything?
I would be so grateful for your help.
I found this a most interesting film, I'm no mariner (Though for a few years I did some work on a coal-fired dredger.) but I do have a love of paraffin lamps. I have a duplex table lamp, two hurricane lamps, two Aladdin Lamps and about eight pressure lanterns both Tilley and Vapalux. Not wealthy enough for a yacht, but I do have a folding camper (pretentious term for a trailer tent) the inside is about 14' by 6'6". It has a heater in the floor but on many nights the heat from a Tilley Lamp (about800W) will keep the chills at bay. They are very bright too and even old eyes can read and do fine work from the light given off. The downsides are they use about 1 1/2 pints to burn for 12 hours, that, and you have to preheat them with a drop of meths. There is a gentle hissing, but I find that quite comforting.
The one form of paraffin light I'd be very careful with, and I would never use on a boat is the Aladdin Lamp. These have a circular wick with a flame spreader. The light doesn't come from the flame from the wick. You work the lamp with a small blue flame that heats up a mantle suspended above the wick. Just as you explained when starting the oil lamp you begin with a small flame because as the chimney heats up the flame grows in size. Aladdin Lamps need to be started of with a very low flame that barely gets the mantle to glow then adjusted up slightly after 5 minutes. They may well need another adjustment after a further 5 or 10 minutes. You have to keep your eye on them, with a pressure lantern I would think nothing of going out of the room. With an Aladdin lamp they can run away with themselves in the blink of an eye and the result is far more extreme than a bit of a smokey chimney. There is a boater on RUclips who got a bit caught out by his Aladdin whilst being close by to the lamp at the time. He now uses it without the mantle for gentle light but mainly as a heater. Then again someone responded and said they used one no problem and the light was sufficient for a 28ft cabin.
On another comment you mentioned difficulties in finding chimneys and wicks. You could do worse than check out www.base-camp.co.uk/#:~:text=The%20Base%20Camp%20is%20a%20specialist%20equipment%20retailer,Anchor%2C%20Petromax%2C%20Hipolito%20%26%20Optimus%20paraffin%2C%20%28Kerosene%29%2C%20lanterns. They are not the cheapest people in the world for some parts, but they also don't sell any 3rd rate knock off copy parts. They have always been straight with me.
What is that metal thingy sticking out on the side of the burner? My old lamp has one too. What is it used for?
It's a snuffer. O
Hold the burner steady and press down on the lever. It flips the sides of the burner together and snuffs the flame. Push it up again before relighting. Very useful!
I went straight to my hurricane lamp and cleaned the glass after watching this.
Lovely thank you, A lesson learnt.
wow, what a story!!!
Ok Tom now you have me yelling at the beginning at Downton abbey. ⛵️⛵️
Hahah! Great episode! Wonderful Tom!
Thanks! 😃
Hello Tom, Thanks for this video I really enjoyed it. I used to own a modern Nelson type motor cruiser and always enjoyed using oil lamps. Both in the saloon and as an anchor light.
You might like Aladdin mantle lamps. They're much brighter than ordinary ones.
With a charred-silk Thorium mantle they burn even brighter. The Amish/Mennonite communities in the US are a source for parts even now.
Those round-cylindrical "bottle-washing brushes" were originally sold for cleaning glass lamp chimneys before glass bottle became practical.
Cleaning the glass chimneys once a week was good and proper Victorian housekeeping.
Interesting to learn about a source of parts. They are always difficult to find, especially chimneys.
and....Here I'd been afraid of them. "A Molotov Cocktail on my boat! I'll manage with candles." But you've shown us otherwise and I thank you for that. sn
Your the best !!
You tell em Tom.
I got rid of every incandescent light on board and every light is now a warm LED, except the Volvo engine low oil pressure indication. I kept the oil lamp from the PO, but never light it. Consider it a lovely anachronism for display only.
Great vid and a great 'swing that lamp' dit.
Good man. I feel like we could be friends
I find with center draft lamps mineral spirits are the best. Flat wicks no but center draft burn lovely on mineral spirits.
and they keep the chilloff the cabin too
You're right! In fact, they're also soporific. With half a dozen lit in my saloon I'd struggle not to snooze off after supper.
Though careful they add moisture.
enough said , i am getting me one .
I have just got an lamp very similar to this one, question what does the little handle the other side of the wick movement do, it seems to clamp the wick? Great vid 👍🏻👍🏻
Hi. It's an extinguishing lever. If you set the wicks low like he explains in the videoand have the lever in the "normal" position pushing it will put out the flame. I've only just lit mine up half an hour ago for the first time and did everything wrong resulting in black chimney and possibly black living room ceiling whilst the missus was shouting in despair to switch it off. 🙆♂️ I should have educated myself first. Oh well.. that's why I'm here now.
Quite a lovely lamp, by the way..
Thank you. My late mother-in-law's. A lady of much good taste and refinement.
Cheers Tom, and for all ur videos that are showing me some fine qualities to thoroughly make the most of my time on board a boat - when I eventually get one. So please allow me to share some life enhancing and sound advice, gotten through much experience, with you: Stop drinking alcohol Sir. Thank you once again Tom, and I am anticipating watching all your videos. Kindest regards.
Thanks for being such a staunch follower. Regarding the alcohol, you might be surprised to learn that my aunt was the President (professional) of the British Women's White Ribbon League against drink and I myself never touched a drop until I was 21. It's a cultural thing in Britain with seafarers, but you'll be pleased to know that I rarely touch it at sea. Hope you get the boat soon. All best Tom
You can go off on a tangent anytime mate. I love your sea stories. I was rivetted.
We have a pair of great hurricane lamps, and I remember that you did a video about using just such a thing as an anchor light. One problem we have is the heat rising from the chimney. The downhaul - no problem, but the shackle on the lamp handle above the chimney does get hot. Is this going to cause a problem? Could you recommend a solution?
What size hurricane lamps are you using? The bail arm should be sufficient distance above to dissipate any heat. I have hurricane lamps, but I also have pressure lanterns they are much brighter and produce far more heat e.g. if you make a glancing contact with the top of the lamp you will lose skin. With those if the bail arm is vertical indoors it is too hot to use to carry the lamp in your hand yet if outdoors you can carry the lamp. If you still think it is too hot what is the problem of looping a length of brass chain from the shackle round the bail arm and back up to the shackle?
There shouldn't be that much heat coming off it, but you could always use a. 1' steel fishing leader for more separation. They're about $3, 30-45 pound test.
Just found a duplex twin wick in the barn....no idea how old it is, has a "V" on the base. Just cleaned it and get the dampers to work smoothly, the chimney is un fine order but no shade/ball with it also I was given some new...old wicks....Will do a test fire later. One question, is the damper function for extinguishing the flames or purely for lowering the light level before someone blows ths flames out....would not want to lower the flaming wick unto the main lamp....BANG
It’s a sniffer, if it’s all free and working properly it will snuff out. I’ve never had the wicks fall in even if they go below the wonder. clean all air holes!!!!!!!!
@@timothyjones4950 thanks, worked very well. Sadly the wife lite it one evening and cranked the wick up....glass cracked as she did not give it time to heat up.....can not find the right size "chimney" to replace.....yet. happy new year.
Most duplex lamps use a 10”*2 1/2” either oval or round. I think the oval ones are all the same, but the round ones (the bulge I mean by round) sometimes have a lip on the outside which fouled on the burner. I don’t know where you are, but here in the uk places to try are basecamp uk in Peterborough, helps to put paraffin lamp in the search some where to help. Also hattersley Aladdin in West Yorkshire who make all the wicks for said lamps. There are others besides, occasionally they dry up for a while, but there’s usually something suitable. Regards, Tim
@@timothyjones4950 thanks Tim, will jump on the old Internet and look at those places. Mine *had) a bulge so should be the size you listed. Are you finding it difficult to get lamp oil? I am in France (don't hate me) oil to years ago was barely 60c a litre, now more than €5.... all the best, thanks for reply.
I use premium paraffin, that’s really what lamp oil is. However that’s getting expensive now. I use if for heating too so I tend to bulk purchase. Even in 200 litre barrels depending on availability, a barrel lasts around a year to 15 months depending on weather. I should think one of the companies here would ship too you, I know there’s the brexit hassle now which puts some off. I think the duplex is a British invention although I couldn’t be certain of that. Other countries adopted a flamespreader design. But both are common. Good luck and keep us posted. Maybe worth phoning to see. I guess eBay could be another route. It’s important that the holes in the base are kept clear of dust and fluff as that can cause chimney cracking also due to the flame creeping up the inside of the chimney to reach oxygen. 👍
Have you ever tried the mantle (Aladdin) oil lamps? They seem a lot brighter, might be good enough to read by!
I was wondering if you could advise me if its safe to use C1 paraffin in an oil lamp indoors?
Assuming it’s a paraffin oil lamp such as Toms using, then that is the correct fuel👍 If it’s the old oil lamp that resembles a sort of jug / teapot then probably not🙂👍
Well done by Tom! Growing ip on Dad’s wooden boats and also camping on Maine, we always had kerosene oil lamps. So nostalgic. I just bought two antique ones. Question: How do you scent kerosene fuel? Glad you mentioned how kerosene isn’t dangerous!!
Hi Christopher. Good luck with the new lamps. I don’t scent my kerosene. I like how it smells and so long as all is clean and the fuel also, it’s not an issue for me.
I have several oil lamps and I have heard that you can add “ essential oils “ to the paraffin to change the scent. I tried it once but didn’t have any success. However this may be because the bottle of essential oil I bought was not full strength or that I diluted it too much in the paraffin. The bottles of essential oils are not cheap.
I must admit and be truthful, but I am a sailor and I had to teach myself how to use an oil lamp. I learnt to use them at home. My glass would be black as the ace of spade after a couple hours. It took a lot of practice to learn how to use the correctly. At first, my biggest mistake was, I was using them like an electric globe, turn on and forget about it.
You mention you have modern Danish oil lamps. Any particular brand that you recommend?
Calibra in Bursledon at Deacon's yard supplied my cabin lamps. Lovely people to deal with.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
that's my next purchase for my boat.
Great story! I think that the Daily Telegraph is the best paper in Britain!
try fitting oil lamps in the cabin of a Hartley TS16.
Tom, is there a way to lessen the smell of paraffin or oil? Love your videos💙💚💛
Thanks Jackie. It's a smell you become accustomed to, I guess. Actually I quite like it in moderation. How about some sachets of lavender? Glad you're liking the vids. Tom
Thanks
Tom, I love your stories and your videos. You always mention your lovely wife Ros. Is she camera shy or will we occasionally get to see her?
Thanks for the kind remarks. If you want to see Ros, there's a glimpse of her in my video about my home village 'Lover'. She's acting as a Cupid. You'll see why she is normally behind the camera and I'm in front. She's better at filming! Tom
Huh here in midwest usa we grew up with oil lamps. I dont know why but it was a thing we did and i was born in 1980s. Sometimes the simplest things are best
How right you are! Back in the 70s and right into the 80s we lived on traditional boats whose main light source below decks was oil lamps. I'm fascinated that you were still favoring them in the mid-west at that time. Anyway, good to be in touch
Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Yes i think it was a hold over from days before widespread electricity. My grandfather lived through great depression and never ever wasted a thing. So being we lived pretty rural i guess we just kept on doing it. Also i live in tornado alley so power outages where faily common in the spring. Sorry if I've over commented I'm just fascinated by so much of this stuff. I took sailing lessons few years ago , and am working towards my own yacht someday. I'll be following you vlog as much as possible. I also plan to purchase your books i can find. Thanks Tom
-Chris
And i have six Tilley lamps to
Tilly and Vapalux owner as well. Love the soothing gentle hiss.
i want that for my birthday. ugh i hate modern days so much i use a lantern as a lamp.
Propane can be dangerous too , but its the user not the fuel.
What's the lever on the side for?
It’s for snuffing it out. Works a treat!
Yep u never know when the tizzy might play up ive got two a red and a green
I am afraid oil lamps are by gone , I keep some hurricane lamps around (the hurricanes seem stronger ) and change the fuel every now and then , this last time I had a devil of a time finding it !
Yes Kevin. It's not easy getting good kerosene/paraffin nowadays. In the UK I buy mine at the garden centres. It's cheaper than the so-called 'lamp oil' you buy in the chandlery. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns You can save £££s if you know someone who has 28second heating oil for their oil fired central heating. 28 second is the standard heating oil though for convenience farmers often use red Diesel which is 35sec heating oil. Technically 28sec oil isn't premium paraffin. Try looking up the specs if you are interested, but it is close enough as is jet fuel if you have really wealthy friends. Sub 50p/litre if your friends buy enough at the right time of year. Just leave a couple of 20litre containers with them. You might notice a slight increase in aroma, but I don't. Some pressure lamp owners get very precious about only using premium grade paraffin, but I've run hurricane lamps, Tilley & Vapalux pressure lanterns and a variety of Primus & Optimus stoves on it. It there were ever to be a device that might be sensitive it would be the Japanese style thermostatic kerosene heaters: ruclips.net/video/ya7-MeWRtp8/видео.html Yet I was speaking to a heating fuel supplier who uses these to heat their offices and of course they are run on 28sec oil. Why on earth would you use a heater fuelled on paraffin at the £2.00 litre price most UK stores charge which is approx 20p/kWh.
And now you know.
I have seven lamps i fill them with paraffin and no black smoke . People want the same lighting as electric with paraffin and ther's not possible
Is there anyone better at telling a story... I think not.
You'll have me blushing, but thanks.
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns lol it's true.
🍻
tea on a gas cooker?
take a leaf out of your own book and cook on kerosene/parrafin!
I disagree as they used whale oil back than. I'm being honest here I have clue of what temperature it burns. A lot of those old lanterns were used for years on years. If your in a saloon (bar) it's pretty dark so naturally they would turn them up as high as possible. Of course you would have an overhead light.
Interesting about the whale oil Devin. As long as the wicks were cut correctly and turned up to the right point, they would give max light and the glass wouldn't go black. Over time, the chimney gets dirty and they have to be washed, but you'd have to wash them every day if the glasses were black. Also, as soon as a glass goes black it stops letting the light out, so nobody would have tolerated that. I certainly wouldn't, having lived with them exclusively for ten years. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns you don't know Americans very well ha. I do get what your saying on the soot over the bulb. Back than it was a filthy time, manure sat in the streets, miners came home with charcoal all over themselves so yeah over here It was tolerated.
Modern people : oil lamps are unsafe.
As if nobody has heard of the phrase "electrical fire."
Sweet
...thanks for the video...i have been handed a hot chocolate whilst on an atlantic watch and it was laced with diesel...
Thanks