I love these types/style of lamps I also like the railway lanterns. My concern is you still need candles and crank style flashlights unless you have space for 10,000 litres of caroseen. 😀

Sorry just thought of something, can the lanterns use biodiesel?

I love these types/style of lamps I also like the railway lanterns. My concern is you still need candles and crank style flashlights unless you have space for 10,000 litres of caroseen. 😀

Sorry just thought of something, can the lanterns use biodiesel?

These lanterns can run off of olive oil, and vegetable oil if need be....

I bought a kerosene lamp and kerosene. when I tried the lamp out, I couldnt stand the smell. also I had so many people tell me not to use it indoors. well what good is it outside? If the power is out, I need light INSIDE. can we use them indoors? is it safe?

I was brought up with kero lamps being used all the time when the power went out.
Back then, we didn't use kerosene, but lamp oil...you know, various scents and colors.
Yes, the smell can be quite disturbing to some, but make sure your wick is properly trimmed and that it is low enough that there is no smoke.
BTW, I now use kerosene in my lamps, but am going to try an experiment soon with home made fuel alcohol.

okay thankyou, I will go ahead and use it then. i will get used to the smell.

If the smell really bothers you, ventilate the room by opening a window. Try placing the lamps near that window, just be careful of the curtains.
Also, lamps will likely only be needed for a couple hours per evening. Propane lanterns are another option. Propane stores forever, doesn't spill when refilling the lantern, and gives off no odors when burned.
Once I get some fuel alcohol, I'll post the results of my tests.

Love the lamps i want one!­

Love the lamps i want one!­

You can find lamps like the Deitz Jr. at Canadian Tire, and most camping stores...they will likely be a cheap copy made by World Famous or someone like that but they will do in a pinch.
Also, many of the same stores as well as department stores like Walmart will have the all glass lamps.
Don't forget to pick up some extra wicks too!
If you really want some quality lamps like the Deitz, try garage sales. Often they can be had for cheap as many people consider them old junk they will never use and sell them for a buck or two!

We use the same lamps when we camp out or sitting outside at night. These lamps are not something you would want to use indoors much no matter the fuel. If tipped over they leak and quickly and are therefore considered dangerous unless hanging somewhere safe. Yet these are cheap to buy and should likely be near the top of any prepper's list!

These are still the handiest lamps today due to their ability to burn various fuels. I often use diesel fuel (or fuel oil) as I have it readily available from the house furnace or the vehicle. It smokes a bit more but then is allowable outdoors while helping keep the mosquitoes away too. In camping , they are far less expensive as 1 gallon of fuel provides about 80 hours of light. These we use everywhere outside and keep flashlights for the tents.

Fuel:
Use #2, water-clear kerosene; tinted/scented lamp oil gives less light, can gum up the wick or smoke up the chimney excessively. Lower grades kerosene with higher number will work but may cause similar problems with wicks and the chimneys will be dirty sooner.

Cost of Fuel:
May cost as much as $5.00/gal. Using 5 traditional lamps and a lantern @ 5 hours /night in the winter will use about 1 gallon/month. That's pretty cost effective in todays world.

Lamp:
Do not overfill kerosene reservoir. You need air space between the bottom of wick holder and top of the kerosene for good wicking. When installing a new wick, soak it in kerosene first. You will then burn the kerosene and not the wick. If the top of the wick is dry only it will burn. Trim the wick occasionally while using it and the first time you use it. A wick trimmed straight across will give a wide, flat-topped flame and will smoke excessively; too pointy of a wick produces a thin flame and little light.

You should cut off the corners, and round the top of the wick a bit. After many hours of burning, the top of the wick will get ragged and charred. The flame may even have two lobes. Trim the char off into the shaped that works best for your lamp. There are two kinds of lamp owners: those who've burned themselves and those who will. Always check before touching the chimney. You cannot see heat.

To light a kerosene lamp, remove the chimney, turn the wick up a bit, and light and replace the chimney. As the wick begins to smoke, turn it down, just enough to keep from smoking. Adjust the wick for max light without smoking.
Extinguish a kerosene lamp by holding your hand just behind and above the chimney top. Adjust the angle of your palm to direct your breath straight down the chimney. Blow against your palm and a quick puff will blow it out.

Maintenance:
Cleaning the chimney. Remove soot with a facial tissue and wash in hot, soapy water(Dawn?). Rinse in very hot water, to which baking soda has been added to eliminate spotting and then air dry. Wicks: Take stub of wick with you when buying a new one. There are circular wicks, and flat wicks, which come in different widths and thickness'. One that is too thick or thin will not feed through the wick adjuster and may even damage it. It is better to use one that is too narrow than one that is the wrong thickness or width. A narrow wick will not produce as much light, obviously.

Chimneys:
Keep spares on hand. A lamp without a chimney is worthless. Thin glass cost less but break easier; frosted diffuse the light but are less bright. Tall, thin straight chimneys produce a thin, very bright flame, while bulbous chimneys produce wider flame and maybe more total light. Different chimney styles means adjusting to trimming the wick differently. You may eventually have to put on a new wick adjuster through normal usage or by damage by improper wick. You will have to replace the whole burner. Keep an extra one or two on hand. The best lamp has a heavy glass base which allows you to see how much kerosene is left. The weight of the base gives stability.

Aladdin Lamps:
They are more expensive than traditional lamps. They use pressure to volatilize the kerosene and a mantle to distribute and intensify the flame. They use twice as much kerosene as a traditional lamp and the mantles have to be replaced frequently. The parts of one model of Aladdin lamp may not be interchangeable.

what is the difference between using kerosene or the low odor no smoke lamp oil ?

what is the difference between using kerosene or the low odor no smoke lamp oil ?

not too sure as I never buy the stuff. Wife would freak if she saw smoke residue after a good blackout. I try to stick to flashlights and such and would only consider those lights as a long term fix.( and in that event, who cares about such when B.O. would likely be more of an issue 🙄