Thread: Unrelated To Shaving... Gas Lanterns

Just a brief question, Does anyone here still use "Ye Olde" Lanterns? Not the propane or battery powered crap. The Kerosene, Coleman fule, Gasoline type? You know like PetroMax or what not?

Personally I love them in my garden at night, or some sort of power outage. (Especially with Thorium Mantels).

That strange iridescent glow really lifts my mood a lot sometimes. Like the days of old. There cheap and reliable. Anyways, just wondering if anyone still uses them anymore. ^_^

No, but thanks for jogging my memory. I hadn't thought of Coleman lanterns is almost 40 years. They were a fixture in Boy Scouts and the US Army. And woe to anyone who bumped into the lantern and damaged the thorium mantle! There were never enough spares... and it always happened at night!

Grew up using them in Scouts
Love the light they give and that special 'roar' they make

A friend brought one along on our last camping trip and have been keeping an auction eye out now and again since for one in good condition, at a reasonable price.

Thanks to your timely post I have looked again and may purchase one tomorrow :fingers crossed:

We have a really big, old kerosene lamp that hangs from the ceiling in the cabin up north. It does have a nice glow.

I have four white gas lanterns, four propane lanterns, and probably 15 or so wick-type kerosene lanterns, and another 15 or so oil lamps.

When I hunt for razors I have a hard time passing them up. Much like straights, they give me a feeling of a connection to the past (especially the wick lanterns).

When the power goes out, my house is very well lit.

Originally Posted by Kippo

Just a brief question, Does anyone here still use "Ye Olde" Lanterns? Not the propane or battery powered crap. The Kerosene, Coleman fule, Gasoline type?

Yes, here. Search is a nice feature.

I have a nice antique double wick oil lamp I inherited from a cousin in Germany - fancy copper base with music box, and milk glass shade. Gives a real nice light. Have several battery powered lanterns (lost power for three weeks twice in the last 5 years) that are practical, but very "impersonal" light.

Run two kero.Hornet wall sconces all the time.Put out an amazing amt.of lite.

I have used Alladin kerosene lamps with mantle at home when electric power is down. They are reliable and work great indoors. Mantle lamps illuminate much better than kerosene wick lamps without the mantle or candles, and are safer than candles with open flames. I have used the ubiquitous Coleman gas lanterns while camping.

Originally Posted by JBHoren

No, but thanks for jogging my memory. I hadn't thought of Coleman lanterns is almost 40 years. They were a fixture in Boy Scouts and the US Army. And woe to anyone who bumped into the lantern and damaged the thorium mantle! There were never enough spares... and it always happened at night!

Ahh, That's right the military used them back then. I know on eBay you can still buy "Peerless" Thorium mantels pretty cheap. I also know that people are saying the old German made Petromax were the best ever made. Post 60's I think. God I love these old things.