When I was in college I saw a gal using a Svea while camping in Colorado. I always wanted one. Now 50 years later I found one at a yard sale for $ 2.00 in good condition. Seller said it had been to Mt Everest. Thanks for the video.
I know it's been ten years since you posted this Video, But it is one of my favorites. It is now 2024 and I purchased a Svea123 (old style) , and your Video gave me the confidence to maintain my stove. Thanks so much for helping us all out, I like you like the History behind the stove, back in my Army days, when I was a private, my squad leader had a Svea, It made us a lot of good Joe.. Thanks
Somehow, you made the Svea 123 seem friendly and harmless. This stove burned a hole in my tent when I went solo backpacking as a teen in Idaho (49 years ago!). I used too much fuel to prime it. You are a natural teacher, and have a rare gift.
Absolutely OUTSTANDING VIDEO LITTERALLY THE BEST "HOW TO" REPAIR/REBUILD VIDEO on RUclips for this stove. Quick, concise, and to the point. Currently working on mine, and your video explains how to do it. None of the other videos do that. Thanks SHIPMATE SEMPER FI
Really an informative video - Love the way you take scrap material to rebuild the inner without buying rebuild kits - fantastic resourcing. Thanks for posting.
I haven't used my SVEA in over 25 years. After watching your video, I'd like to refurbish it just like you did in the video and try it again. I also learned why I had so much trouble lighting the stove, I never used a primer. Thanks for sharing.
I used one of these backpacking in the early 70's. I just re-discovered backpacking, and just yesterday, found my old stove! Not sure i want to depend on it until I go through it, but NOW I know it is simple to rebuild. Thank you for posting this video.
Some big tips when using the Primus stove (Mine was marked Optimus but peeling off the sticker revealed Primus): Don't ever let the stove run out of fuel while burning. It will char the wick, and then the stove won't work. Also, carry a small diameter steel wire (like picked out of a wire wheel) to clean out the jet when it clogs. And, using auto gas will clog the jet--only use white gas. I used mine countless times in the 1970's, now it needs a rebuild....thanks for this video! Mine (Primus 71, but had a sticker that was "Optimus 80") came in a tin box with a hinged lid that, when opened, provided the support for the cookpot. It had a hinged lid in front that folded down to provide access.
Great review even 8 years later! I like the idea of painting the key and adding the cord. The chain is a pain when cooking. Like you said, ALWAYS remove the key when the stove is running! I have added some carbon fiber felt weld/soldering pad in two places: I cut a ring the size of the priming well to absorb the priming fuel and minimize spilling. I also cut a piece larger than the base diameter to set the stove on when using it in cold weather, allowing the tank to retain the heat better (like a hot pad). this easily tucks into the kit and reduces rattling as well. A decent replacement cup is a Stainless Ozark Trail cup from Walmart. It's the same diameter of the original cup and has attached folding handles like the Optimus pieces.
Thank you so much for this! I was able to get my Svea up and running based on this information. I was in the Scouts 25 years ago and the older guys used this and I just bought one to start those days with my son.
I've had my Svea 123 for Years, and never rebuilt it. I did drill some holes, and bent up the petals on the 'splatter' plate to make the flame go more up. I also brazed a brass plate over that large slot, to direct more heat too the pot. 'Worked like a charm.
Wow did this bring me back to my youth. I had this stove when I was a kid and just loved it. It worked like a champ and never let me down. Now I will have to find an other one. Thanks for the Vid.
Thank you for sharing. I own a 123 myself and agree that it is a fantastic stove for its simplicity and reliability. There is an ebay store called the "fettlebox" out of the UK that has the replacement pips (gaskets) for the safety relief valves. Stove on!
Thank you so much for your excellent video. This will help rebuild me to rebuild my old Svea 123 stove. I consider my Svea, as well as a great stove, it is an old friend on the trail.
I bought my stovi in Littleton, New Hampshire, in 1967. Recently I've discovered I need to be extra careful tightening the fuel cap, as ypu fpund. Can't wait to see what comes next. Somewhere, I noticed, someone sells gasket kits for the SVEA 123. The key for the needle valve on my stove has cutouts and can serve as a wrench for all the fittings.
My son was throwing old carpet away into a dumpster and saw a ragged backpack in it. He fished out a tent, an MSR heat exchanger, an Optimus 8R, and a Svea 123 from the backpack. He let me keep the Svea 123. I can't wait to try it out. Wow! Who would throw away this stuff? BTW, the three items seemed to be in very good condition.
A homeless person may have stashed it and never got back to retrieve it. Someone tossed it in the trash without checking contents because it was in ragged condition?
The Svea 123, introduced in 1955, by C.R. Nybergs Lödlampfabrik Sweden, is considered to be the first compact backpacking white gas stove and one of the most popular camping stoves ever made.
I bought one used when I was a little kid at a garage sale and still have it 32 years later. I use it 4-5 times a year and have only replaced the cap seal. Not much goes wrong with these there just a great stove and still lighter than most modern stoves.
Southern maine fellah here. I love my svea's. Rescued them from the family yard sale after my gramps passed. Anyone ever touch up the soldered/brazen seams?
Wow,thanks for the fast reply.ill check I out.thanks for showing me how to remove the tank from the burner to.i figured but was afraid to damage my stove.i depend on it to much.my wicks look fine,seals to.cleaned the jet.just the burner cup is dented a bit.it shouldn't affect the flame to much I hope.
Grreeeeat video, learned a few things thank you for posting this. Picked up a decades old 123R at a church sale for pocket change and it came with a tote bag too. Filled it up using the recommended Campstove Gas or Coleman White Gas...the half melted heavy duty sticker on tank side reads "Use campstove fuel only No automotive fuel permitted" (Nice To Know one Can Use Regular Gas if in a pinch) My guess on the fuel here is that regular gas is very smelly and will burn off those toxic additives designed for internal combustion use, which may not be too good around the food or the taste buds?? Anyway, I gave it a spin test using a 6 inch light weight SS fry pan to do up a few strips of Bacon first and then 3 Sunny Side Up eggs - delish - you are right, this stove has the ability to control the flame nicely...she's a keeper.
man great video bro i learnt so much we hav the same stove here in new zealand made in sweden calld primus 80 and thanks to u i can now maintain my stove cheers
The one thing you have not noticed is that the valve stem that the wick goes in is a tapered thread, and you tighten it up so that the key valve is in line with the number 1 on the tank and that should be more than tight enough to hold a seal., just my experience of these stoves., If you use Colemans fuel (all the additives have been removed) then it will NOT keep sooting up. ATB Ray
Back in the day, when we were teenagers hiking, we used those stoves. No hand sanitizer back then, plus we did not have a safe little primer fuel bottle to pack. We put the stove inside our jacket for a few minutes to warm it, then crack the valve and wait for liquid from the tank to dribble down and fill the priming well. Close the valve, light the stove, wait till priming is burned up, open valve and you are cooking. For very cold weather they sold a priming paste, but being kids and poor, we did not have that either.
Excellent video I just bought a 123 and a 123R along with the Chinese knockoff fire-lite with extra parts all for the crazy price of $60 waiting on delivery so I can test em all and see if i need to use you wizardry on either of them thanks for sharing aaand have a great day
If you can simmer 2 cups of rice to perfection with one of these, it's definitely a keeper! I have 2... and had one go with me to Saudi in '90... till some asshat jacked it from me!
Hi there buddy, I have 3 of these little stoves, and the first thing that I noticed is the control valve needed to be tighter so that it is in line with the number 1 on the base, also I find they burn far better on lead free petrol (much cleaner)
Charlie Tango 1. With lead free petrol you mean, gasoline we put in our car right.? I live on a small island, and all I can get at our gas station here is: unleaded gasoline, diesel and kerosene. Can I use kerosene in the svea123.? I want to make sure first what I can use, before I buy the svea 123 online. If you can recommend me. Thank you so much for your help.!!
Tire rubber fails on contact with gasoline. Instead, a nitrile rubber o-ring works fine in the filler cap. The pressure relief valve (on the 123R) has the same thread as a schrader bike tire valve. So to replace it, do one of two things: remove the factory pressure relief and screw in the schrader valve (with teflon ) either upside down for pressure relief or rightside up. The latter doesn't relieve pressure but lets you add pressure with a small bike tire pump.
I found a SVEA 123 at a second hand store. Knowing what it is has me excited to get it in working order. Yea, it’s missing a few things, like a bell top, and cup/handle. 😅 Yesterday I found these parts on line. While testing it out, I noticed the fuel nipple seems clogged. Any idea how to clear out the clog? I took the little brass piece off and have it soaking in alcohol. The flame is constant without the tip, but sputters and goes out when it’s on. I can’t even get a thin needle through the center hole. I did not see you address this kind of problem, any advise?
Excellent find and a great question! I'm happy you found one! They're great stoves. Someone's I use speaker wire to clean the jet. You can also use some carb cleaners. Vinegar, or even boiling the jet in vinegar. These methods usually work pretty well for me!
@@jiujitsu2000 Thank you I will try your suggestion. Another question, what size wrench do I need for the base nut? Right now I can’t loosen it up to check the wick. Have some liquid wrench on it now. When I was married we used his SVEA stove when hiking and camping. So I knew how great this kind of stove worked. It was like winning a million bucks when I found this treasure. I’m very motivated to get my SVEA working properly. Thanks again for your expert advise.
I have not been able to find white gas here in Greece since moving here ten years ago. Can these units run on Benzene ( cleaning fluid, smells a lot like Coleman fuel )? I know the gasoline here has zero alcohol in it ( they don't use ethanol laced fuels here ).
Subgunman yes you can run it on benzene this guy is putting regular gasoline and he doesn’t what is he is talking about. You don’t use car gas in any of these stoves. Yes you can do it in a pinch but you don’t want to. Auto gas is really dirty and has all sorts of additives in it and will clog to dirty up your stove a lot faster and who wants to cook food while burning nasty additives off gassing bad things in your food.
Subgunman Naptha is preferred as it has no additives and burns clean with residues, gums, or varnish. Automotive gasoline is not stable and will turn to sludge in storage. Coleman fuel will last for decades in the tank. In a pinch, Ronsonal or Zippo "lighter fluid" will work fine although a little spendy.
Reviewed this video and found your post. On mine I have found imprinted into the metal base in Very Small non-stylized font that reads in capitol letters: "BENZOLINE PETROL ESSENCE BENZIN" plus, there is a melted sort of warped metallic sticker still on it that reads "Use campstove fuel only No automotive fuel permitted (USA and Canada)" further there is something can't make it out followed by ..."low grade petrol (UK)" and then something in a fourth line that looks to be written in French I think as is too warped there to make out??? It's funny, I had a post above from 2 years ago and at the time I thought mine was the 123R model, not sure where I got the R from at the time but, on closer inspection there is no R on it anywhere..Imprinted large and fancy using 3 imprinted fine lines used for each letter and number and in a Large stylish font into the metal "MADE IN SWEDEN SVEA 123" .... must be the 50's model as some have posted here on it, no idea but, it still works great using the "campstove fuel" or as can be referred to as " WHITE GAS"....I Don't think either model fuel recommendations would have changed though? Hope that helps you or anyone interested in the great fuel question.
How do you expect that teflon tape to work? It may hold once or twice but since the prime flame is on that location, I would think it would fail very soon.
Super, thank you! I disassembled the valve completely. When I put it back together, there was no graphite packing on the key spindle as I see on the 123R. I tightened the collar pretty well, but after lighting my 123 up, after a couple of minutes some yellow flame came out of the end of the valve, past the collar. I'm afraid of tightening the valve collar too much so as not to strip. Can you suggest what I"ve done wrong and how to rectify? Thanks! Oh, this one needs a graphite ring/washer as well. Someone suggested graphite tape, but I found nice thin graphite cord at the hardware store.
I'm in salt lake for the moment,and so far the altitude is not effecting it.i was surprised by that.cold isn't realm a factor either,but I'm not like I Alaska either.fired it up to take pics to post on the goodsurvivalist forum this morning.guess I'm nit wit about keeping things in top shape.and the bent burner does change the flame a bit
Mine does not have the 12mm nut at the bottom. I assume it will unscrew like yours. It has a wick inside. I over primed mine the last time I used it and all the gas came out. I have the pump that attaches to the cap to pump pressure into the stove. I like your idea using hand sanitizer. I had no idea it was so flammable. The pump did warn me about over pressurizing.
I would have taken another 2 minutes, and taken the jet out, and cleaned it with a piece of really thin wire from a wire brush. Mine was partially clogged, and when I cleaned performance increased by 35%.
My stove was sold (1967) with a tool for cleaning the fuel nozzle. There are two identical storage slots in the wind deflector, one for the Al lid handle and the other, for the nozzle cleaning tool. I still have the tool, btw, but thanks to Coleman fuel, have rarely used it.
... wind deflector; 2) top up the fuel tank from my fuel bottle, carefully replacing fuel cap; 3) replace wind deflector, place needle valve key on valve stem and set stove on a suitable surface; dribble a small amount of white gas from the fuel bottle onto the burner assembly until some of it overflows and pools in the well next the burner stem; 4) carefully close fuel bottle and set it aside, stand back and ignite the fuel on the burner. The rest, plus a bit more flame and soot, follows easily and as soon as the flame burns clean, I'm ready to go. I leave the key in place and just handle it by the edges when it gets hot.
Desired to do further research on my stove,due to the key being a bit difrant than others I saw,turns out its the original modle,at latest 1950s.seivert svea 123.may have misspelled that,my sweedish is rusty lol.
By the way,the stove I have was used in Vietnam and my mess kit was used in ww2.another reason I guard them so closely.they belonged to soldiers who fought for our freedom.its an homer keeping them in service
It runs,just needs tlc.still boils two quarts in seven minutes,which is the time most stoves take to boil two cups.i found it works as a hobo stove too,if you had no other fuel to use.versitile,and durable,its the key stone of my bug out bag,which for now I use when I camp.as I use it alot and depend on it more,I want it fully restored.but like my car(1980 Chevy Monza) parts don't come easy.
I would have been beating my head on the Garage floor trying to get that valve out of the tank. I have five of these and one actually came off. What are you use to loosen the Damn thing?
I have patients as well but if you have a secret to breaking the valve stem from the tank I would like to know. Some report Liquid Wrench and let it soak for a couple days works. I actual slightly bent a valve stem trying to get it off, it still works but am trying to find a solution to breaking the Damn seal. By the way 12mm if it was a hair tighter would be better, not quite a perfect fit for some reason, I have tried three different 12mm wrenches. I notice it will start slipping while applying pressure to the valve stem. I am trying to check the wicks for carbon build up and burnt ends. Thanks for the reply.
I really can't think of any tricks. Sometimes I use PB blaster. It helps break the threads lose on some things. I don't think I used it on this stove though. Good luck!
Soaked in PB Blaster for two days and a strap wrench. Unfortunately next time it will be needing vice grips or a bench vice. I worked the brass nut fitting so much the first time it slipped on me a few times.. I think I am buying me a set of flare nut wrenches for this brass stuff. Wick was clean, turned it over to the cleaner side. Sprayed the valve out with carb cleaner, picked and sprayed the jet. Good Grief this thing is like a forge furnace now!! I will be using this stove for motorcycle camping from now on. Thanks..
question please? have you ever made valve stem packing for this stove? what materials do you think i could use to make valve packing with? i just got an old 123R. it's valve packing is rotten - needs to be replaced for sure. thx, martina
hey my friend , a question- i love my stove , but the last two trips I've taken it on the gas putters out. i get the base good and hot, but when i turn the valve and expect it to fire up, a drop comes out and it is as if the pipeline is clogged. do these things get clogged, is there anything in there to clog it? i saw your video, which is great, but i was hoping that you cover something about a situation like that. thanks
absolutely! sounds like the jet is plugged. I'd recommend taking a stand of wire and ruin it in and out of the jet. I use speaker wire. I'm try to do a video on this if I can get to the stove. it's in storage right now.
quick reply , thanks. when you say speaker wire do you mean unravel the strand from a clipped wire and just use one thread. that would seem pretty thin and breakable. i wouldn't want to get that caught in there.
+Rob D your welcome. sometimes I use a single strand. other times I use 2 or 3 depending on how thick the strand are. those jets are tiny holes. another idea to try is pressurized air through the jet. hope this info helps. have a great day. I'm off to work. :-)
Do you have a wire brush?? if so take 1 strand off of it, now unscrew the jet (making sure the stove is turned off clockwise) be careful if your stove is the 123R as I will have an internal pricker to clean the jet, if it is the 123 then no worries, just take the jet straight off the stem, now clean it out with that 1 strand of wire from the brush, try not to make the hole bigger, you can at this point (if you have NOT depressurised the tank) open the valve, then turn upside down, if there is any muck in the stem it should come out with the fuel, let me know if this helps, just click on my channel name. Ray
hello! scored one of these guys bare bones at goodwill for 4 bucks. Where on earth do i get parts? its missing the bell/burner, as well as the cage cooking base. haven't dissected it yet as i just got it yesterday and was looking up what it was, haha, I'm typically a solid fuel/wood fire kinda girl but pleasantly surpassed at this score!
Hello my friend, can you tell me please, how come your stove gets so black and sooty?? are you using Benzine or something?? only my stoves don't get dirty like, I was just wondering.
A&h enterprises eBay store is bella10202. There are also other eBay sellers such as 'the fettle box' that sell replacement pips and seals for the fuel caps. The favored material is a DuPont elastomer called viton. It is resistant to both heat and fuel. This is a cool video and I'm not criticizing you at all. Your way is clearly working for you. It is a cool little stove!
Could please help me with a newbie question? what is the safe way shut down a stove without building up too much pressure in the tank? All that heat/pressure is still there when you turn it off. Do it down to off slowly? put the tank in a little snow or cold water? Don't want to blow a cap. Any help would be appreciated. thank you
that's a great question! I usually turn the control valve of and put out the stove. then I let it sit for 5-10 minutes to cool down. if there is snow around I put it there to help accelerate the cooling process. the cooling process will slowly help the tank de pressure a LITTLE... after some time, I crack open the fill cap to let all the pressure out. I hope this helps!
Hey jiujitsu2, you cook food on regular automotive gasoline ? On our tiny island we can’t get the fancy fuels like coleman fuel etc. All I can get my hands on are: kerosene, automotive regular gasoline, 99% alcohol, and 70% rub alcohol. I run my svea123r on a mix: 3/6 of 90%alcohol/ 1/6 of regular automotive gasoline. The other 2/6 is air in the tank, You hardly smell the gas. I used another mix too, but it has more automotive gasoline in it: 3/6 car gasoline/ 1/6 kerosene. I prefer not to use this mix anymore. It’s too much gasoline. Thx for posting the video.!
Funny thing my old SVEA 123 weighs just slightly more than the ultra lite propane/butane jobs. I bought it in the early 70s and have never had to do any of this. Good to know though. This burns hotter than propane/butane or alcohol. It will burn through aluminum.
Hi jiujitsu. Do you have or know a schematic drawing of the inside of the valve(vapouriser ), how is it inside? Thank you! ( from Brasil-google tradutor)
Hi if you can find a silicone washer which is more likely to withstand heat and fuel damage..this way this going to run for another 10 years or more and also do not use any wire to clean the jet this might widen the hole its better to soak in fuel and pressure wash good luck.
excellent video id only like to see the application of a little bit of mineral oil or vaseline to the rubber seal on fuel cap to prevent perishing! and some of the threads so as its easier to disassemble maintain or repair heat or carbon doesnt clog it up to stiff hard etc. the stove is an absolute beauty i love trad optimus or swedish stoves they kick arse compared to modern stoves like msr that cost triple! without the sturdy rugged build quality ive had 4 pumps on my msr whisperlite i mean who uses polymers when you have a heat source its tacky material to use the beauty of these is that theyre all metal and we know metal is fireproof dont we? you cant say that about any of major brands whose design teams opt for plastic stove parts madness!! makes me want to poke their designers in the eye!! or brain!! at $50 a pop for a fuel pump ive gotten through $250 of part replacements so you imagine how many little problem free sveas i could had gotten with that amounts?
yes ive checked there on a par in europe nothing gained theyre pretty tricky to come by a decent one at a decent price!! i was surprised how few there are on offer on ebay?
I just bought another one on eBay thinking I found a good deal on a brand new one. it arrived the other day and it's got the svea tank, but the valve and burner bell looks like a knockoff. paid $102 and got screwed! oh well we learn right
yes i noticed that its hard to differentiate the copies coming often from china russia korea im reluctant to part with cash as im abroad at moment and if i spent out that amounts then got ripped for it id be gutted on the b sides tho there are plenty of authentic projectd dirtier grottier stoves that you could possibly do up as a project which are absolutely authentic id rather go for a shittier authentic one than a shiney rip off one but main thing of cse is that it works! id like to get my hands on one i just spent allday on my msr half day fixing improving a whisperlite ive double burner rings up in.a stack and wadded out burner primer cup with carbon felt as you suggested its now really priming longer great for winter thanks for your suggestion it really works with doubling in gas outlet jets im chuffed with my improvements on it today!! cuz it didnt function last week had a blocked fuel line n jets
so thanks for that i shall just keep looking u can get a feel for what is all authentic n whats a ripoff!! not always but there are a few giveaways in the ads often!! or pictures but hard to be sure easy to get duped as copies are so identical
When I was in college I saw a gal using a Svea while camping in Colorado. I always wanted one. Now 50 years later I found one at a yard sale for $ 2.00 in good condition. Seller said it had been to Mt Everest. Thanks for the video.
I know it's been ten years since you posted this Video, But it is one of my favorites. It is now 2024 and I purchased a Svea123 (old style) , and your Video gave me the confidence to maintain my stove. Thanks so much for helping us all out, I like you like the History behind the stove, back in my Army days, when I was a private, my squad leader had a Svea, It made us a lot of good Joe.. Thanks
Somehow, you made the Svea 123 seem friendly and harmless. This stove burned a hole in my tent when I went solo backpacking as a teen in Idaho (49 years ago!). I used too much fuel to prime it. You are a natural teacher, and have a rare gift.
The stove IS friendly and harmless, its how its used that can cause problems. No stove cooking in a tent! Glad you came out ok.
I used alcohol to prime my Svea 123.
It was cleaner, and no flare ups. I NEVER cooked inside the tent.
Swiss made is from Switzerland. Swedish made is from Sweden. Completely different countries, both cold. 👍🏼 Thanks for the great video!
You're 100% right. when i filmed this video I had a duh moment... lol
@@jiujitsu2000 we all have them! Thanks again for the great content and your hard work creating it! Much appreciated!
Awesome video! Might be time to do an annual maintenance on my 50 year old svea!
Absolutely OUTSTANDING VIDEO
LITTERALLY THE BEST "HOW TO" REPAIR/REBUILD VIDEO on RUclips for this stove.
Quick, concise, and to the point. Currently working on mine, and your video explains how to do it. None of the other videos do that.
Thanks SHIPMATE
SEMPER FI
Really an informative video - Love the way you take scrap material to rebuild the inner without buying rebuild kits - fantastic resourcing. Thanks for posting.
I haven't used my SVEA in over 25 years. After watching your video, I'd like to refurbish it just like you did in the video and try it again. I also learned why I had so much trouble lighting the stove, I never used a primer. Thanks for sharing.
I used one of these backpacking in the early 70's. I just re-discovered backpacking, and just yesterday, found my old stove! Not sure i want to depend on it until I go through it, but NOW I know it is simple to rebuild. Thank you for posting this video.
Some big tips when using the Primus stove (Mine was marked Optimus but peeling off the sticker revealed Primus): Don't ever let the stove run out of fuel while burning. It will char the wick, and then the stove won't work. Also, carry a small diameter steel wire (like picked out of a wire wheel) to clean out the jet when it clogs. And, using auto gas will clog the jet--only use white gas.
I used mine countless times in the 1970's, now it needs a rebuild....thanks for this video!
Mine (Primus 71, but had a sticker that was "Optimus 80") came in a tin box with a hinged lid that, when opened, provided the support for the cookpot. It had a hinged lid in front that folded down to provide access.
Great review even 8 years later! I like the idea of painting the key and adding the cord. The chain is a pain when cooking. Like you said, ALWAYS remove the key when the stove is running! I have added some carbon fiber felt weld/soldering pad in two places:
I cut a ring the size of the priming well to absorb the priming fuel and minimize spilling. I also cut a piece larger than the base diameter to set the stove on when using it in cold weather, allowing the tank to retain the heat better (like a hot pad). this easily tucks into the kit and reduces rattling as well.
A decent replacement cup is a Stainless Ozark Trail cup from Walmart. It's the same diameter of the original cup and has attached folding handles like the Optimus pieces.
Yes, rebuilt mine from when I was a kid as you were showing us! Thank You!
Thank you so much for this! I was able to get my Svea up and running based on this information. I was in the Scouts 25 years ago and the older guys used this and I just bought one to start those days with my son.
I've had my Svea 123 for Years, and never rebuilt it.
I did drill some holes, and bent up the petals on the 'splatter' plate to make the flame go more up.
I also brazed a brass plate over that large slot, to direct more heat too the pot.
'Worked like a charm.
5 years ago you'd have never thought that a bottle of hand sanitizer that size would be worth hundreds of dollars 😁 Lovely stove, thanks
Loved it man love my svea 123 super reliable little work of art in brass
Very cool!
Wow did this bring me back to my youth. I had this stove when I was a kid and just loved it. It worked like a champ and never let me down. Now I will have to find an other one. Thanks for the Vid.
Thank you for sharing. I own a 123 myself and agree that it is a fantastic stove for its simplicity and reliability. There is an ebay store called the "fettlebox" out of the UK that has the replacement pips (gaskets) for the safety relief valves. Stove on!
thank you!!
Thank you so much for your excellent video. This will help rebuild me to rebuild my old Svea 123 stove. I consider my Svea, as well as a great stove, it is an old friend on the trail.
I love this stove, Thanks for a Really informative maintenance video!
I bought my stovi in Littleton, New Hampshire, in 1967. Recently I've discovered I need to be extra careful tightening the fuel cap, as ypu fpund.
Can't wait to see what comes next.
Somewhere, I noticed, someone sells gasket kits for the SVEA 123.
The key for the needle valve on my stove has cutouts and can serve as a wrench for all the fittings.
My son was throwing old carpet away into a dumpster and saw a ragged backpack in it. He fished out a tent, an MSR heat exchanger, an Optimus 8R, and a Svea 123 from the backpack. He let me keep the Svea 123. I can't wait to try it out. Wow! Who would throw away this stuff? BTW, the three items seemed to be in very good condition.
Angry girlfriend
A homeless person may have stashed it and never got back to retrieve it. Someone tossed it in the trash without checking contents because it was in ragged condition?
The Svea 123, introduced in 1955, by C.R. Nybergs Lödlampfabrik Sweden, is considered to be the first compact backpacking white gas stove and one of the most popular camping stoves ever made.
Looking to get one to compare to my Coleman 530. Those were made in the mid 40s btw. Cool stoves though!
Once the flame at bottom goes off how does it stay pressurized.
@@babayaga9102
The warmth the fire produces pressurizes the fuel reservoir.
I bought one used when I was a little kid at a garage sale and still have it 32 years later. I use it 4-5 times a year and have only replaced the cap seal. Not much goes wrong with these there just a great stove and still lighter than most modern stoves.
Found one at a yard sale for $5 ,, What a gem. Looking forward to cooking on it in the North Woods of Maine. Viet Vet,, Pastor Rusty
Sweet! Thank you!
Southern maine fellah here. I love my svea's. Rescued them from the family yard sale after my gramps passed. Anyone ever touch up the soldered/brazen seams?
Wow,thanks for the fast reply.ill check I out.thanks for showing me how to remove the tank from the burner to.i figured but was afraid to damage my stove.i depend on it to much.my wicks look fine,seals to.cleaned the jet.just the burner cup is dented a bit.it shouldn't affect the flame to much I hope.
Grreeeeat video, learned a few things thank you for posting this. Picked up a decades old 123R at a church sale for pocket change and it came with a tote bag too.
Filled it up using the recommended Campstove Gas or Coleman White Gas...the half melted heavy duty sticker on tank side reads "Use campstove fuel only No automotive fuel permitted" (Nice To Know one Can Use Regular Gas if in a pinch) My guess on the fuel here is that regular gas is very smelly and will burn off those toxic additives designed for internal combustion use, which may not be too good around the food or the taste buds??
Anyway, I gave it a spin test using a 6 inch light weight SS fry pan to do up a few strips of Bacon first and then 3 Sunny Side Up eggs - delish - you are right, this stove has the ability to control the flame nicely...she's a keeper.
great video about the SVEA 123, thx for your time, to explain :-)
man great video bro i learnt so much we hav the same stove here in new zealand made in sweden calld primus 80 and thanks to u i can now maintain my stove cheers
thank you for the kind words and support! Cheers from Arizona!!
The one thing you have not noticed is that the valve stem that the wick goes in is a tapered thread, and you tighten it up so that the key valve is in line with the number 1 on the tank and that should be more than tight enough to hold a seal., just my experience of these stoves., If you use Colemans fuel (all the additives have been removed) then it will NOT keep sooting up.
ATB
Ray
Well done sir. This was very helpful.
Great stove! Enjoyed the video and I am currently looking for one of these little jewels
My Dad had one from the late 60's and passed it on to me. We still use it to this day. In our circles, we pronounced SVEA the same way that you do.
that's cool! they're great stoves!
By the way, great video. I learned from it and need to rebuild my Svea.
+Mark Hazelden thank you!
I just got one for 15dls , i cleaned it looks and works so good👍
It's a evidence to a good design that non standard parts can be used in a rebuild and the stove functions just fine.
Exactly! It's a beautiful stove. :-)
انا امتلك موقد 123 فهو صغير الحجم ومفيد للرحلات🌺
انت رجل رائع 👏🏻👏🏻
wow, that was good! i had no idea it had a wick. i want one bad. i downloaded your video and kept it....it's excellent! thank you very much my friend!
Back in the day, when we were teenagers hiking, we used those stoves. No hand sanitizer back then, plus we did not have a safe little primer fuel bottle to pack. We put the stove inside our jacket for a few minutes to warm it, then crack the valve and wait for liquid from the tank to dribble down and fill the priming well. Close the valve, light the stove, wait till priming is burned up, open valve and you are cooking. For very cold weather they sold a priming paste, but being kids and poor, we did not have that either.
A1 Solid Video, Thanks From Canada Arctic.
Excellent video I just bought a 123 and a 123R along with the Chinese knockoff fire-lite with extra parts all for the crazy price of $60 waiting on delivery so I can test em all and see if i need to use you wizardry on either of them thanks for sharing aaand have a great day
If you can simmer 2 cups of rice to perfection with one of these, it's definitely a keeper! I have 2... and had one go with me to Saudi in '90... till some asshat jacked it from me!
Awesome. Thanks. More on stoves please
Absolutely! I'm going to do more for sure!!
Really impressive demo , thanks , mac
Kenpo saying hello excellent video thank you
Very cool stove!
THANKS...EXCELLENT
Great video - thankyou and stay safe
Hi there buddy, I have 3 of these little stoves, and the first thing that I noticed is the control valve needed to be tighter so that it is in line with the number 1 on the base, also I find they burn far better on lead free petrol (much cleaner)
sweet! thank you for stopping by
Charlie Tango 1. With lead free petrol you mean, gasoline we put in our car right.? I live on a small island, and all I can get at our gas station here is: unleaded gasoline, diesel and kerosene.
Can I use kerosene in the svea123.? I want to make sure first what I can use, before I buy the svea 123 online. If you can recommend me. Thank you so much for your help.!!
Great video. Thanks for the tutorial.
Vinnie
Thank you! Glad you liked it. :-)
Thats a great stove very cool, Thanks
Thank you!
Informative Video, I have two old Seva stoves in a box hiding somewhere in my garage, and now I may pull them out and rebuild them.
+J Adelberg Thank you! I love these stoves!!
Hello, which one is suitable for this type of gasoline stove No. 92 or 95?
I bet a Fritos corn chip would make a great primer too!
100%
Old school stove works and looks great. Do you ever use it ?
Tire rubber fails on contact with gasoline. Instead, a nitrile rubber o-ring works fine in the filler cap. The pressure relief valve (on the 123R) has the same thread as a schrader bike tire valve. So to replace it, do one of two things: remove the factory pressure relief and screw in the schrader valve (with teflon ) either upside down for pressure relief or rightside up. The latter doesn't relieve pressure but lets you add pressure with a small bike tire pump.
Thanks, great job, I learned a lot : )
Great info! thank you
+NW Lady thank you! It's a great little stove!!
liked your videos. thank you
+E Irizarry Thank you!
I found a SVEA 123 at a second hand store.
Knowing what it is has me excited to get it in working order.
Yea, it’s missing a few things, like a bell top, and cup/handle. 😅
Yesterday I found these parts on line.
While testing it out, I noticed the fuel nipple seems clogged.
Any idea how to clear out the clog?
I took the little brass piece off and have it soaking in alcohol.
The flame is constant without the tip, but sputters and goes out when it’s on.
I can’t even get a thin needle through the center hole.
I did not see you address this kind of problem, any advise?
Excellent find and a great question! I'm happy you found one! They're great stoves. Someone's I use speaker wire to clean the jet. You can also use some carb cleaners. Vinegar, or even boiling the jet in vinegar. These methods usually work pretty well for me!
@@jiujitsu2000
Thank you I will try your suggestion.
Another question, what size wrench do I need for the base nut?
Right now I can’t loosen it up to check the wick.
Have some liquid wrench on it now.
When I was married we used his SVEA stove when hiking and camping.
So I knew how great this kind of stove worked.
It was like winning a million bucks when I found this treasure.
I’m very motivated to get my SVEA working properly.
Thanks again for your expert advise.
Thanks a ton!
I have not been able to find white gas here in Greece since moving here ten years ago. Can these units run on Benzene ( cleaning fluid, smells a lot like Coleman fuel )? I know the gasoline here has zero alcohol in it ( they don't use ethanol laced fuels here ).
Subgunman yes you can run it on benzene this guy is putting regular gasoline and he doesn’t what is he is talking about. You don’t use car gas in any of these stoves. Yes you can do it in a pinch but you don’t want to. Auto gas is really dirty and has all sorts of additives in it and will clog to dirty up your stove a lot faster and who wants to cook food while burning nasty additives off gassing bad things in your food.
Subgunman Naptha is preferred as it has no additives and burns clean with residues, gums, or varnish. Automotive gasoline is not stable and will turn to sludge in storage. Coleman fuel will last for decades in the tank. In a pinch, Ronsonal or Zippo "lighter fluid" will work fine although a little spendy.
Reviewed this video and found your post. On mine I have found imprinted into the metal base in Very Small non-stylized font that reads in capitol letters: "BENZOLINE PETROL ESSENCE BENZIN" plus, there is a melted sort of warped metallic sticker still on it that reads "Use campstove fuel only No automotive fuel permitted (USA and Canada)" further there is something can't make it out followed by ..."low grade petrol (UK)" and then something in a fourth line that looks to be written in French I think as is too warped there to make out??? It's funny, I had a post above from 2 years ago and at the time I thought mine was the 123R model, not sure where I got the R from at the time but, on closer inspection there is no R on it anywhere..Imprinted large and fancy using 3 imprinted fine lines used for each letter and number and in a Large stylish font into the metal "MADE IN SWEDEN SVEA 123" .... must be the 50's model as some have posted here on it, no idea but, it still works great using the "campstove fuel" or as can be referred to as " WHITE GAS"....I Don't think either model fuel recommendations would have changed though? Hope that helps you or anyone interested in the great fuel question.
How do you expect that teflon tape to work? It may hold once or twice but since the prime flame is on that location, I would think it would fail very soon.
Super, thank you! I disassembled the valve completely. When I put it back together, there was no graphite packing on the key spindle as I see on the 123R. I tightened the collar pretty well, but after lighting my 123 up, after a couple of minutes some yellow flame came out of the end of the valve, past the collar. I'm afraid of tightening the valve collar too much so as not to strip. Can you suggest what I"ve done wrong and how to rectify? Thanks! Oh, this one needs a graphite ring/washer as well. Someone suggested graphite tape, but I found nice thin graphite cord at the hardware store.
Not a problem.in my opinion the brave soals that fight for us don't get enough recognition.most of my family honerably served.
I'm in salt lake for the moment,and so far the altitude is not effecting it.i was surprised by that.cold isn't realm a factor either,but I'm not like I Alaska either.fired it up to take pics to post on the goodsurvivalist forum this morning.guess I'm nit wit about keeping things in top shape.and the bent burner does change the flame a bit
cool i like all ur videos jiujitsu
Thank you! I appreciate the support. Have a great day!
Awesome, thanks for posting!
BTW, Svea (singular) refers to the pre-Swedish tribe Svear (plural), the precursor people of today's Swedes.
If you stop when the valve is opposite the number 1 when you put the wind brake on the large hole will line up with the valve.
Mine does not have the 12mm nut at the bottom. I assume it will unscrew like yours. It has a wick inside. I over primed mine the last time I used it and all the gas came out. I have the pump that attaches to the cap to pump pressure into the stove. I like your idea using hand sanitizer. I had no idea it was so flammable. The pump did warn me about over pressurizing.
Hand sanitizer is 70% isopropyl alcohol. Works great!
I would have taken another 2 minutes, and taken the jet out, and cleaned it with a piece of really thin wire from a wire brush. Mine was partially clogged, and when I cleaned performance increased by 35%.
your 100% right about that! I think I did that off camera I should have showed it in the video. thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!!
My stove was sold (1967) with a tool for cleaning the fuel nozzle. There are two identical storage slots in the wind deflector, one for the Al lid handle and the other, for the nozzle cleaning tool.
I still have the tool, btw, but thanks to Coleman fuel, have rarely used it.
My lighting procedure: 1) remove Al cup, loose accessories and
... wind deflector; 2) top up the fuel tank from my fuel bottle, carefully replacing fuel cap; 3) replace wind deflector, place needle valve key on valve stem and set stove on a suitable surface; dribble a small amount of white gas from the fuel bottle onto the burner assembly until some of it overflows and pools in the well next the burner stem; 4) carefully close fuel bottle and set it aside, stand back and ignite the fuel on the burner.
The rest, plus a bit more flame and soot, follows easily and as soon as the flame burns clean, I'm ready to go. I leave the key in place and just handle it by the edges when it gets hot.
Thanks this video helped …..
What’s one of those things worth? Thanks
Please tell me how to unscrew the etching valve?
Desired to do further research on my stove,due to the key being a bit difrant than others I saw,turns out its the original modle,at latest 1950s.seivert svea 123.may have misspelled that,my sweedish is rusty lol.
By the way,the stove I have was used in Vietnam and my mess kit was used in ww2.another reason I guard them so closely.they belonged to soldiers who fought for our freedom.its an homer keeping them in service
that's an amazing comment! I hope you can get it going again! they're great stoves!
Automotive gasket material won't melt like rubber will . Svea stoves gets hot . Also you can get high temp gasket paste instead of teflon tape .
You don't need any sealant between the tank and the burner; brass is a soft metal and the threads are tapered; it seals like a compression fitting.
It runs,just needs tlc.still boils two quarts in seven minutes,which is the time most stoves take to boil two cups.i found it works as a hobo stove too,if you had no other fuel to use.versitile,and durable,its the key stone of my bug out bag,which for now I use when I camp.as I use it alot and depend on it more,I want it fully restored.but like my car(1980 Chevy Monza) parts don't come easy.
that's so cool! I'm happy. I like historic stoves!
ive not looked up their price yet here in eu but will do so get back to ya!
sweet, thanks!
They are nearly £100 or more in the UK
CharlieTango 1 wowza thats a lot of doe for one of these i like them wanted one but at that price im gna have to wait bides my time
Best i saw was 80-90euros here in eu
You can get lucky thi
Yours is pretty cool to.i almost got one of those to.think its the optimus.mine just comes with pots.and as I said can double as a wood stove.
thank you!
I would have been beating my head on the Garage floor trying to get that valve out of the tank.
I have five of these and one actually came off.
What are you use to loosen the Damn thing?
Pete Lucchini I don't know how to explain it. I have three of these stoves and I'm just patient when I work on them
I have patients as well but if you have a secret to breaking the valve stem from the tank I would like to know.
Some report Liquid Wrench and let it soak for a couple days works.
I actual slightly bent a valve stem trying to get it off, it still works but am trying to find a solution to breaking the Damn seal. By the way 12mm if it was a hair tighter would be better, not quite a perfect fit for some reason, I have tried three different 12mm wrenches. I notice it will start slipping while applying pressure to the valve stem. I am trying to check the wicks for carbon build up and burnt ends.
Thanks for the reply.
I really can't think of any tricks. Sometimes I use PB blaster. It helps break the threads lose on some things. I don't think I used it on this stove though. Good luck!
Soaked in PB Blaster for two days and a strap wrench. Unfortunately next time it will be needing vice grips or a bench vice.
I worked the brass nut fitting so much the first time it slipped on me a few times..
I think I am buying me a set of flare nut wrenches for this brass stuff. Wick was clean, turned it over to the cleaner side. Sprayed the valve out with carb cleaner, picked and sprayed the jet. Good Grief this thing is like a forge furnace now!! I will be using this stove for motorcycle camping from now on.
Thanks..
when you put the wick in, did i see sparks
hello, that fuel will run you do ??? greetings from Argentina
question please? have you ever made valve stem packing for this stove? what materials do you think i could use to make valve packing with? i just got an old 123R. it's valve packing is rotten - needs to be replaced for sure. thx, martina
Martina Dejaquiz It works fine with tread sealing tape used in the video. Just use plenty of it, roll it to a string and fill the space.
Locktite 55 is a Teflon type of string that would work better than tape. Might be hard to find in the States.
hey my friend , a question- i love my stove , but the last two trips I've taken it on the gas putters out. i get the base good and hot, but when i turn the valve and expect it to fire up, a drop comes out and it is as if the pipeline is clogged. do these things get clogged, is there anything in there to clog it? i saw your video, which is great, but i was hoping that you cover something about a situation like that.
thanks
absolutely! sounds like the jet is plugged. I'd recommend taking a stand of wire and ruin it in and out of the jet. I use speaker wire. I'm try to do a video on this if I can get to the stove. it's in storage right now.
quick reply , thanks. when you say speaker wire do you mean unravel the strand from a clipped wire and just use one thread. that would seem pretty thin and breakable. i wouldn't want to get that caught in there.
+Rob D your welcome. sometimes I use a single strand. other times I use 2 or 3 depending on how thick the strand are. those jets are tiny holes. another idea to try is pressurized air through the jet. hope this info helps. have a great day. I'm off to work. :-)
thanks again man
Do you have a wire brush?? if so take 1 strand off of it, now unscrew the jet (making sure the stove is turned off clockwise) be careful if your stove is the 123R as I will have an internal pricker to clean the jet, if it is the 123 then no worries, just take the jet straight off the stem, now clean it out with that 1 strand of wire from the brush, try not to make the hole bigger, you can at this point (if you have NOT depressurised the tank) open the valve, then turn upside down, if there is any muck in the stem it should come out with the fuel, let me know if this helps, just click on my channel name.
Ray
hello! scored one of these guys bare bones at goodwill for 4 bucks.
Where on earth do i get parts? its missing the bell/burner, as well as the cage cooking base. haven't dissected it yet as i just got it yesterday and was looking up what it was, haha, I'm typically a solid fuel/wood fire kinda girl but pleasantly surpassed at this score!
im positive ill need gaskets too
meirna777 eBay, the fettlebox
Hello my friend, can you tell me please, how come your stove gets so black and sooty?? are you using Benzine or something?? only my stoves don't get dirty like, I was just wondering.
cool!
thanks, i need to rebuild mine
+john lounsbury Thank you!
A&h enterprises eBay store is bella10202. There are also other eBay sellers such as 'the fettle box' that sell replacement pips and seals for the fuel caps. The favored material is a DuPont elastomer called viton. It is resistant to both heat and fuel.
This is a cool video and I'm not criticizing you at all. Your way is clearly working for you. It is a cool little stove!
Could please help me with a newbie question? what is the safe way shut down a stove without building up too much pressure in the tank? All that heat/pressure is still there when you turn it off. Do it down to off slowly? put the tank in a little snow or cold water? Don't want to blow a cap. Any help would be appreciated. thank you
that's a great question! I usually turn the control valve of and put out the stove. then I let it sit for 5-10 minutes to cool down. if there is snow around I put it there to help accelerate the cooling process. the cooling process will slowly help the tank de pressure a LITTLE... after some time, I crack open the fill cap to let all the pressure out. I hope this helps!
Hey jiujitsu2, you cook food on regular automotive gasoline ? On our tiny island we can’t get the fancy fuels like coleman fuel etc.
All I can get my hands on are: kerosene, automotive regular gasoline, 99% alcohol, and 70% rub alcohol.
I run my svea123r on a mix: 3/6 of 90%alcohol/ 1/6 of regular automotive gasoline. The other 2/6 is air in the tank, You hardly smell the gas.
I used another mix too, but it has more automotive gasoline in it: 3/6 car gasoline/ 1/6 kerosene. I prefer not to use this mix anymore. It’s too much gasoline.
Thx for posting the video.!
Funny thing my old SVEA 123 weighs just slightly more than the ultra lite propane/butane jobs. I bought it in the early 70s and have never had to do any of this. Good to know though. This burns hotter than propane/butane or alcohol. It will burn through aluminum.
Hi jiujitsu. Do you have or know a schematic drawing of the inside of the valve(vapouriser ), how is it inside? Thank you! ( from Brasil-google tradutor)
Join classic camp stoves forum you can get seals from their store "fettle box".
can also go to any decent auto parts store and buy an o ring.
Hi if you can find a silicone washer which is more likely to withstand heat and fuel damage..this way this going to run for another 10 years or more and also do not use any wire to clean the jet this might widen the hole its better to soak in fuel and pressure wash good luck.
+Harsha Gurudev Thank you!
Hi, what is the original size of the gas injector, 0.5 or 0.8mm? Thank you.(google tradutor)Congratulations of Brasil!
Right now I'm trying to find canvass to make a baker tent.its a bigger version of a pup tent.add a DIY tent stove and ill be good
excellent video id only like to see the application of a little bit of mineral oil or vaseline to the rubber seal on fuel cap to prevent perishing! and some of the threads so as its easier to disassemble maintain or repair heat or carbon doesnt clog it up to stiff hard etc.
the stove is an absolute beauty
i love trad optimus or swedish stoves they kick arse compared to modern stoves like msr that cost triple!
without the sturdy rugged build quality
ive had 4 pumps on my msr whisperlite i mean who uses polymers when you have a heat source its tacky material to use the beauty of these is that theyre all metal and we know metal is fireproof dont we? you cant say that about any of major brands whose design teams opt for plastic stove parts
madness!!
makes me want to poke their designers in the eye!!
or brain!!
at $50 a pop for a fuel pump ive gotten through $250 of part replacements so you imagine how many little problem free sveas i could had gotten with that amounts?
True. These stoves (in my area) can be found on Amazon for aroung $100
yes ive checked there on a par in europe nothing gained theyre pretty tricky to come by a decent one at a decent price!! i was surprised how few there are on offer on ebay?
I just bought another one on eBay thinking I found a good deal on a brand new one. it arrived the other day and it's got the svea tank, but the valve and burner bell looks like a knockoff. paid $102 and got screwed! oh well we learn right
yes i noticed that its hard to differentiate the copies coming often from china russia korea
im reluctant to part with cash as im abroad at moment and if i spent out that amounts then got ripped for it id be gutted on the b sides tho there are plenty of authentic projectd dirtier grottier stoves that you could possibly do up as a project
which are absolutely authentic
id rather go for a shittier authentic one than a shiney rip off one
but main thing of cse is that it works!
id like to get my hands on one i just spent allday on my msr half day fixing improving a whisperlite ive double burner rings up in.a stack and wadded out burner primer cup
with carbon felt as you suggested its now really priming longer great for winter
thanks for your suggestion it really works with doubling in gas outlet jets im chuffed with my improvements on it today!! cuz it didnt function last week had a blocked fuel line n jets
so thanks for that i shall just keep looking u can get a feel for what is all authentic n whats a ripoff!! not always but there are a few giveaways in the ads often!! or pictures but hard to be sure easy to get duped as copies are so identical
Mine is a 123R and has never (since 1983) been able to simmer. It is either totally on or off.