One Stove To Rule Them All
Вставка
- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- As we continue to build out Atomic Bomb to set off the Backpacking Revolution, we look at the most commercially successful backpacking stove ever produced.
Link to the Classic Camp Stoves Forum: classiccampsto...
Direct Link to my Collector's Guide for Kelty Backpacks, 1952-1972: www.bannermans...
Visit my store for Classic Camping themed merch: bannermanscamp...
Join this channel to get access to Members Only Videos:
/ @sargevining
I do not use affiliate links, nor do I receive any financial benefit from any product I review or mention in my videos.
ASSOCIATED UA-cam CHANNELS:
Honorable Outfitters (Shawn Dyer): / @honorableoutfitters
20th Century Adventures (Nathanael Logsdon): www.youtube.co...
OTHER UA-cam CHANNELS:
Model T Camp and Adventures: / @donniebrown-mv7hb
RELATATED FACEBOOK PAGES:
Bannerman’s Camp (1890-1939: / 2198491623503266
Kelty’s Camp (1945-1990): / 902618677566756
Vintage Backpacking (1960s & 70s): / vintagebackpacking
Northwest Vintage Sportsmen: / nwvintagesportsmen
Amalgamated Order of Motor Campers: / 1740759529583338
Early 20th Century Sportsmen (1890-1930): / 1497738890539189
Vintage Sportsmen (1890-1970s): / 1076639765715035
Camping In The Old Style (190s-1930s): / 173935546709804
RECOMMENDED VENDORS FOR 20TH CENTURY REPRODUCTIONS:
What Price Glory Militaria: www.onlinemili...
Logsdon & Company: www.logsdonand...
I have had a SVEA 123 for the past 45 years! Still runs like a champ!
It'll likely still be running 45 years from now. They took a great stove and made a perfect stove out of it. Thanks for watching!
same here!
I had one that the washer in the cap got dried out and started leaking fuel in a 6 foot flame. Luckily l was able to stump out the fire that was burning the leaves around the campsite. Any way does anyone know a good lubricant that won't breakdown the modern day o rings in stoves .
@@bradorndorff-tn5zx There's an Evil Bay vendor called juliands that has all sorts of repair parts and kits who should have what you're looking for. He's out of the UK, but I've dealt with him and he's reliable. Thanks for watching!
@@sargevining thank you for responding.
the sound this stove makes when running brings back many fond memories
I certainly gives one a sense of accomplishment when it happens, doesn't it? Thanks for watching!
I always loved how quiet the forest sounded after l turned the stove off.
I still have my 123 that I bought in the late 1960's. Got it out a couple years ago, poured some Coleman fuel in it that is probably 25 years old, and it lit just like I had used it yesterday. It's a keeper. Thanks for the video and history lessons.
Thanks for watching! Cook up some 25 year old Ramen with that stove!
My original Svea123 is still in use. I purchased it in 1965. I also have a Shea 123 R from about 1990; it also runs just fine. Thanks for the informative videos.
Thanks for watching! Hope you stick around. Got lots more coming.
I have 4 of the SVEA 123’s and bought my first at a surplus store with my allowance in 1970 when i was 10 and still use it to this day… literally last week in Wyoming. My German wartime Juwel 34 Stoves are also highly functional. That being said… my Optimus 8R stoves are tough to beat… I am not as big of a stove geek now as I was when I was a teen… but I still have more stoves than I could possibly use lol. I am into packable wood stoves (Firebox) these days… but my SVEA is always handy.
Interesting analogies as my mother was a Hiroshima survivor… my father was career US Navy and they met in Yokosuka Japan where my sister and I were born. A very good video sir and God bless.
If you get tired of lugging those stoves around, I'll take a couple off your hands. I have a couple "stick stoves" and a Ti-Tri running around in the closet that I haven't used in a while. But my go-to when not doing historical camping is a Cheapo Chinese Pocket Rocket with an Olicamp pot. Fastest boil I've ever had. Thanks for watching!
@@sargevining you are very welcome… I really enjoyed watching a fellow stove nut.
I have 5 grandsons that I was going to pass them down to. Only 2 of them are real outdoorsman, but they all want one.
@@raytribble8075 They been raised up right.
@@sargevining thank you sir. I am very proud of all 9 of my grandchildren.
I have two of them (Seva 123) that I used for Snowshoeing in the Cascades since about 1982. I carried two because if one failed while 20 miles away from the nearest road you could be in deep stuff and not only snow. Also, to use one to melt snow for water, while cooking on the other. They still work today. I carried extra fuel in a 1/2 pt bottle. with both stoves full I could go out for 3 or 4 days.
Yah, good idea for a backup stove under those conditions. We've got more videos on stoves coming up and the one idea that spurred on development was in melting snow for water which turns out to be even more critical than folks thought. Thanks for watching!
Howdy…I too grew up in new Hampshire… still live here today like my ancestors before me back to about 1637. I was a teenager in the 70’s and this was THE stove to have…for me. If memory serves me well, I bought mine at Eastern Mountain Sports who were then in the current Eastern Slopes Inn.
Anyway, good to see a fellow granite stater talking NH whites! Really enjoying the channel!
Live Free Or Die! My mother's ancestors came over on the Mayflower and my father's were Abnaki. He used to say "When you mother's family got here, mine were there to greet them. Glad you're enjoying the channel. Thanks for watching!
I started with the 123 back in 1970. I moved on to the MSR multi fuel in 1975 which I used until 2010. I occasionally use a BSR gas canister stove today and my old MSR in the winter when I want something hot. Usually it’s easier and lighter to just go stoveless. Times change.
My modern go-to is a cheapo Chinese pocket rocket I bought for $7.00 ten years ago along with an Olicamp pot. That combo has put any other stove I've had in the shade. I'm usually the first guy sipping coffee in the morning.
When I was a young man in the early 70’s I couldn’t afford the Svea 123R at $50, so I had to settle for the Bluett canister stove. If you had a 123 you were the real deal because this was a mountaineering stove! Years later I purchased a 123R. The original 123’s on the used market were still too expensive for me. Fortunately, I found two original 123’s at a scrap metal yard that the owner let me have. So, I finally got my 123! Something you didn’t mention that I think made it’s popularity, was it burned great as high as 14,000 ft. and maybe more. This was a serious mountaineering stove back in the day. I’m in New England so never went that high. Thanks for talking about all this old gear Sarge, it certainly brings back fond memories of life on the trail!
Gas pressure stoves are still the preferred stove at altitude for that reason. In the 60s-70s, I was po-folks. Best I could do was a campfire. Thanks for watching!
I too own a Bluet stove that I purchased in 1969. It still works but dosen't get out much anymore. (because of the other canister stoves)
Rainmaker
☔
Good video! My dad bought a SVEA 123 about 50 years ago. Ran across it going through his stuff after he passed many years ago. It still works great. I get a much bigger flame than you did. The only issue is that it really eats fuel. That may be user error. I have it polished up and keep it as a reminder of my dad but no longer use it camping. Maybe I’ll take it out again on my next overnight just for the nostalgia. Thanks!
The first time I burned this, I got the big yellow flame. I cleaned the fuel port with the pricker and now I'm getting the soft blue flame. Might be what will put yours back into where it was in its prime.
Thanks! I’ll give it a try.
My first camping stove was a SVEA123 that I bought in 1972 at La Cordee en Plein Aire in Montreal. Two summers ago I had to replace the graphite packing (ref: Classic Camp Stoves Sarge mentions here,) in the generator, which wasn't a big deal. I found too that the MSR canister base actually fits the base of my SVEA and makes the stove super stable on uneven placements (I made a little YT video on that.). Thanks for all the history!
That's something I hadn't thought of. Congratulations for melding the old and the new. I'll check out your vid.
Thanks for watching!
@@sargevining A Kelty pack addict friend of mine got a kick out of that mod. Thanks for the visit!
This is really a good video on this classic stove and history. I still have the same backpack you have in the background (Kelty D4). A got the SVEA123 in 1977 and used it for about 15 years. I always thought it was heavy, loud, smelled bad and finicky to get lit. After it started leaking while I was on a solo backpacking trip in Utah I got mad and threw it in the trash. I regret it now because it was a fun stove to mess with. I replaced it with a Coleman Peak 1 stove that I still have but it has the same weight, sound and smell issues. I now use alcohol or canister stoves which are less hassle, don't stink, super reliable as well as weighing less. All the gear I used in the '70s to the '90s seems very heavy by today's ultralight standards. Back then it was common for me to carry at least 30 lbs of gear. I got ultralight enlightened and now my pack and gear typically weigh 10 to 12 lbs.
Thanks for watching! One of the reasons I'm doing the History of Camping Gear series is the sheer scale and speed of the changes to backpacking and camping during the last 40 years of the last century when compared to the first 60. Got lots more content coming.
My oldest stove is an M-1950 war surplus stove used by the Canadian Army. They were still in use, although being phased out, when I joined in 1981.
The stove I use if I'm going to be cooking for more than just myself is a WW2 M45 squad stove, and those were still in inventory in 1972 when I joined. Never could figure out why they fell out of favor. Good stove, bombproof and reliable. Thanks for watching!
I looked at the SVEA 123 back in the early 90s. But never bought one because people would say they were too finicky and hard to start. So I've always used the single burner Coleman backpacking stoves. And have had good luck with them. Even In really cold weather when you need them most.
Best Wishes from Montana! M.H.
These days I'm prone to use an isobutane Cheapo Chinese Pocket Rocket I bought for $7.00 ten years ago. Down here in TX, cold weather operation is a bit less important than other locales. Thanks for watching!
I have a small pump and special fuel cap that I bought for my 123. Just one or two pumps will push a small amount of fuel out the nozzle and into the cup for preheating. Easy to start.
Yah, it doesn't take much pressure at all in the fount to get fuel to travel up the wick and into the generator. IIRC, its only about 20 psi. SVEA started using the pumps as an attempt to regain market share after the first canister and MSR mountain stoves started coming out as safer alternatives to pressure stoves that required pre-heating to pressurize the fount. Thanks for watching!
I have mine from 1973 when I went on my first backpacking trip on Isle Royal. Runs like a champ. Some things are just dead reliable! Bought a spare parts kit when I bought the stove. Never needed those spare parts!
I had a tube of paste that was flammable with mine. You used a little dab of that paste rather than liquid fuel to heat it up. Safer and worked great! Little tube lasted for many years.
I'd like to get to Isle Royal some time. I've had the same experience with spare parts kits for gas pressure stoves, although my go-to there is a Primus 71 (essentially the same stove as the 123 but in different packaging). Thanks for watching!
My Svea123R I bought as a Boy Scout in 1974 is still going strong!
And likely will be going strong in 2174. If you look up the definition of the word "bombproof" there's a picture of the SVEA 123 and nothing else. Thanks for watching!
I just ran across your feed. Loved the video, brought back a lot of memories. I'm a NH native although I now live in SC. I bought my 123R at the camp store at the Boy Scout Wilderness Camp near Sandwich, NH in the mid-70's. One of my backpacking mentors had an old 123 that I fell in love with. I had to have one. I still have it. I don't use it much anymore, but I did fire it up a couple of years ago and it still works. I do need to rebuild the valve. I love the sound it makes. I also have the pressure pump and cap, that helps in colder weather. I have also seen people take a lighter to the bottom of the tank to pressurize. I never felt comfortable doing that, probably fine though. I have a 3-section pot that the 123R fit perfectly into one of the wedges along with my HPT's. That little stove went on many backpacking trips in the White Mountains with me. I see other items in the background that I recognize. Thanks for the nostalgia, subscribed!
The great thing about these stoves is that they give us heat for food on the trail when we're young, and something to tinker with when we're older. I've seen the lighter thing, too and I remember cringing. Thanks for subscribing! Hope you like the content. I've got things divided up into playlists to hopefully make it easier for folks to find something interesting. Thanks again!
Wow, I have one of those packed up somewhere. I haven’t used it in over thirty years. I should use it again.
Yes, you should. Nothing really quite as self-satisfying than bringing one of these back to life. Thanks for watching!
I know right where it is. ..haven't heard that jet roar in some time. :)
I had a Svea 123 for a few years. Very noisy, perfectly reliable. Fun to use.
Sold it when I retired from Backpacking, and sold gear.
I regret that decision still, years later.
Singing the song of my people! I've always regretted selling camping gear. Thanks for watching!
Its not that noisy. My god have any of you every used Coleman stoves and lanterns. This stove is not very loud.
Some people just need to complain about nothing.
I got my Svea in 1972 and it still works great. Lightweight and really puts out the heat. Have used from the Smokies to the Wind Rivers to Alaska.
They. Are. Beasts. Survivors for sure. I imagine that most of them out there (and there's probably millions) are still in working order and will be for another 100 years.
Thanks for watching!
picked up my SVEA 123 for $3.99 CAD at Value village, in 1987, Greatest buy yet. one of the first books I read on camping was "Camping & Woodcraft" by Horace Ke[hart, I took some kidding about such an old book but I really enjoyed it.
Thank you for sharing this knowledge.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the history and the demonstration!
Thanks for watching! Lots more similar content coming, and lots more is organized into the playlists. Poke around in there and I bet you'll find something else you like.
Excellent stove especially in winter and I burned unleaded gas in it along with the Coleman fuel. I had the cookset with the windscreen lightweight rugged and only 1 moving part.
Cold weather and altitude is where the gas pressure stove shines. Still better than isobutane under those conditions. Thanks for watching!
I still have my SVEA 123 from back in the 70's and it still works
They certainly are survivors, that's for sure. I imagine it will still be operational in another 50 years. Thanks for watching!
What a flame thrower ! That was a great demonstration thank you. I was a bit concerned when you started with four fingers and ended up with five LOL. Cheers mate :)
I have eleven toes now, too!
Thanks for watching! More stove vids coming after we finish with the 1970s backpacks.
@@sargevining LOL !! Thanks. I'll look forward to that.
I have the optimus version of this in a square format. Been using it since the mid 70' an excellent piece of gear to this day.
I've never been a fan of the Optimus 8, but that's b/c I'm askeered of the flame being next to the fount. Probably just paranoia. Thanks for watching!
@sargevining mine, is actually the 99 r, aluminum box, top doubles as a pot and a separate heat shield goes over the tank.
I really like the 8R, works great and very stable. I had a 123 type that my grandmother gave me and I used it quite a lot. I never really got used to the pressure building up in the tank and shooting more and more flame out the pressure release valve. Thank you for the video!
I've yet to have that experience. Not that I'm complaining---- Thanks for watching!
@@Lorin-GabrielLeaua-fm1lw i would say the alcohol fuel stoves might work best for that type of application? Easy to find cheap fuel for it in any hardware store, easy to handle and spills quickly evaporate. Trangia is a very good brand.
I to have had one for about 45 years, its great its simple never fails,
The hotter they get the better they go, the better they go the hotter they get. Great stuff, good vidio thanks.
Yep. Dead simple. as reliable as a Labrador Retriever. Thatks for watching!
Just got this as a suggestion to watch. Don't know why it waited for so long. Loved the format, I almost wish I didn't just spend a crazy amount on my MSR dragonfly, This ol stove is much more my style. No plastic, and no pumping! Gained a sub my friend!
Thanks for watching and subbing! We'll be getting into MSR and other stoves over the next couple of months as well as packs, sleeping bags, and other folderal, doo dads, gimcracks and what nots. Take a look around at the playlists. I've broken down the History of Camping gear so that you can follow it any way you want. Maybe after a while, if you think I'm doing a good enough job, you can hit that "Join" button at the bottom of the video and become a Member of the Channel. Thanks again!
I dearly love my Optimus 8R from 1979. That's seen me through months of canoe camping in my youth.
Love the sound.
I wonder if folks will be talking about their Jetboils the same way in 45 years. I somehow doubt it, but that just might be the ornery old cuss in me coming out. Thanks for watching!
I am 100% with you on the Optimus 8R stove in a box. It is dangerous. Having the fuel tank that close the flame is a BIG problem. Sixty years ago, my scout troop went backpacking with a VERY experienced wood-wise scoutmaster One of the scouts brought his 8R stove in a box. The problem is that even though there is a heat shield, if you put a large pot (like from the US army surplus Mountain Kit), the flame will spread out over the bottom of the pot, and BYPASS the heat shield. The radiant heat will then raise the temperature of the gas tank, causing it to over pressurize. The problem on the first models was that the pressure relief valve vented right out the front of the stove.....the flame was acting strange, and just as my scoutmaster put his head down to see what the problem was, the pressure valve blew, and the gas vapor shot out, catching fire, and hit my scoutmaster in the face with a jet of flame. He lost his eyebrows and nearly lost his sight.
Then a few years later my backpacking buddy bought a new model. They did reposition the pressure relief valve, so that instead of shooting a flamethrower out the front, it shot out the back. BUT even though it was not as dangerous, when the valve blew, the stove lost pressure (usually right in the middle of cooking breakfast). You then had to stop cooking, let the stove cool, reprime it, and only then could you resume cooking your meal.
Never could figure out why anybody would think that was a good idea. Thanks for watching!
I've had, and used extensively (still do) my 8R since the 70's and have never had a pressure-related 'blowout'.
That said, I am long aware of the potential danger that exposing the fuel tank to excessive heat poses.
I just don't use large overhanging pots on my stove and have also, included a piece of heavy duty aluminium windscreen, cut to size that I slot inbetween the fuel tank and the heat shield, going back over the tank .. it works!
Agreed, an add-on solution to a possible shortcoming in the stove design .. but then, even gas (buthane) stoves, if enclosed too tightly with a windscreen can overheat with not-too-good consequences.
Looking back, I probably should have got the 123 instead but then, it was not 'on the shelf' and being new to liquid fuel stoves .. having relied up to then, on my Camping Gaz Bluet 206 and 106 'Globe Trotter' Stoves (and before that, a Primus Nr 1) I bought what was available. Don't regret the purchase though.
Rule of thumb .. follow the User Manual and use Common Sense.
My big issue is that there is no documentation or warning against using a larger pot....and most backpacking pots and pans of the time WERE LARGER than 4 or 5 inches....and as I say the scoutmaster who lost his eyebrows and almost his sight was an experienced old outdoorsman.@@thomasmusso1147
I found two of these gems at separate swapmeets and I've yet to use them. This video has inspired me to try them out🎉
Go for it! Brining one of these back to life is fun and rewarding. Thanks for watching!
I started backpacking in the early 70's with an Optimus 8R and a Svea 123. I'm currently using a Trango or an MSR pocket rocket.
I was Po Folks in the 70s, so campfires was it for me, but as soon as I could afford one, there was one in my pack. For modern camping I use a cheap Chinese Pocket Rocket I paid $7.00 for 8 years ago combined with an Olicamp pot. Beats the heck out of a Jetboil every dang day and twice on Sundays. Thanks for watching!
Beautiful and a lot of info, thank you and have a great time:-) FM
Thanks for watching!
Loved this, never heard of this stove, will have to check it out, thanks
Waiting for the next back packing vid
I’m guessing it’s going to be the one on your right behind you 🤷♂️ in your last vid 😄
Yes, that video was released on Friday so its up on the channel right now. Thanks for watching!
I bought my 123R in 1981. Still working fine. I've been through several Coleman stoves, a couple of MSR XGKs, and numerous butane stoves, but the only one that still works is my Svea 123R. I have some newer ones that work, like the MSR Pocket Rocket which works well in warm weather, but if I'm camping in very cold weather, I will bring the Svea. It doesn't care about cold temperatures or altitude, and can be repaired with a Leatherman. My get-home bag in the trunk has an Esbit stove with tablets and an alcohol stove. These are slow, but they work, and I have had break-ins in the past so if they're stolen, I'm not out much money. However, I'm never parting with my Svea.
Cold weather and altitude is where these stoves live. Isobutane stoves are lightweight and reliable, but nowhere near as much fun as gas pressure stoves. Your 123 will likely still be running 50 years from now. Thanks for watching!
Now to visit classic camp stoves.
I warn you, its a rabbit hole. A fun and interesting rabbit hole, but a rabbit hole nonetheless.
I have a sizeable collection of liquid fuel stoves. My first stove was a 123 purchased in 73 for $15 US. I still have that original stove but the fuel tank blew out. Not the pressure valve but the tank itself. I have been assured by one expert that a blown tank is impossible but it did happen. I really like the Svea but I don't take it on trips anymore. Looking forward to watching all your content. Thanks
I kinda wish I'd been there when the tank blew out. Poke around in the playlists, you might find some stuff you like while waiting for the next video. Thanks for watching!
Just to let you know that the cup handle should be stored in the provided slot found in the wind shield. Greetings from Dublin 🇮🇪.
Yes. I know. But I find it a bit too fiddly for me, so I hang it on the cup. Thanks for watching!
I bought an old army rucksack at a yard sale & a svea 123 stove was in it plus some parts.
I love deals like that. Normal Ebay retail in a 123 is generally over $100, you did well.
Thanks for watching!
I've had a Svea 123 for about 35 years. It's a great stove, but the priming can be troublesome. For the past 20-plus years, I have used a Fire Paste from Coghlans to prime the stove. Clean and easy, no spills.
Yah, I've heard good and bad about the Fire Paste. My theory is that if you pre-heat with the same fuel you burn, you've got less to carry. YMMV. Thanks for watching!
The 123 was my first backpacking stove. The biggest issue compared with a canister stove is that it only had 2 settings: high & off, nothing in between. It also sounded like a jet airplane taking off. Still a very efficient stove!
Yah, simmering can be a challenge, but most meals are just boiling water, so not a big challenge. Thanks for watching!
surely a primary memory all users of this stove right there. the roar! In the video it was literally the fuel he used to prime it so not really the way they run. There is/was an aftermarket "whisper" burner that changes/ quiets the sound. love this stove.
Hi, I just came across your review, site.. camping gear. I had a Primus, but a small box style. That lasted for years, i wish i had keep it. I switched to MSR, rocket...I still have it, 25+ years. I am based in the UK. I used my first stove across the UK, and Canada. After that, I found a MSR, multiple fuel stove. I used it for about 15 years. It all looks very interesting. Take care.
Glad you found us, welcome! I have an MSR XGK that I like a lot, I'll be doing a vid on that in a few weeks. Thanks for watching!
I bought a Svea in 1972. Still have it. It's bullet proof
Bullet AND bomb proof. Yours will likley still be working in 2072. Thanks for watching!
That's when I bought mine too.
Bought my 123 in 69, used it daily for years. Still use it today but not everyday. Never used any fuel other than gasoline. By the way I lived out of my 66 VW Bug for around 6 years.
I had a split window bus camper for a couple of years. It was like driving a big steel sail. One winter here in Texas I went up a small hill and when I came over the crest a gust of wind caught me directly on the front. I lost about 10 MPH in that instant. Best thing about it is that if I broke down, I had a place to sleep. Wisht I still had the dangting.
Thanks for watching!
I have regretted not buying an original Primus, I heard many say back when I was young that they didn't want to mess with preheat but you kind of do it with the Coleman, plus you have to pump it up. That said I do love my old 502s. I never pulled the trigger on the Optimus 8 series either. I know they are loved by a lot of people and the Soviets coppied them in hoards so there are quite a few available but the collectors market has almost ruined it for people not putting them on a shelf. My problem with most of the small stoves is tipping over. I bought a nice brass alcahol stove probably 15 years ago, made in the US. Took it ou and the wind blew it over and it was a burning mess. I am shy of the little stoves and I am not up to back packing a long distance any more so I can pack a bigger unit in my vehicle. Funny thing, Coleman fuel is really unleaded gas without the additives that makes it dirty. I don't know if the old army stoves of the 1950s were using aviation fuel or pump gas. I know they were designed to use whatever was available including low octane poorly distilled fuel, but I don't know what they carried in their jerry cans in Alaska. The one thing about Coleman gas is I don't think I have ever had it go bad in the can.
I've seen a video of a guy who burns all sorts of flammable liquids in 71s and 123s. Sometimes it take a bit more pre-heat than others, but none failed to flame. WW2 stoves ran on unleaded auto fuel, AVGas has way too high an octane.
The pump-up stoves work very reliably, until they stop working. Eventually, you lose the seal on the diaphragm, and it's impossible (for me) to see the warning signs.
It's hard to know for sure that replacement pumps and such will work with the older stove. I think I'll see if I can buy a new one and get spares at the same time, so I can render a repair in the field.
I'm kind of out of place in a backpacking-stove comment section. I drag a stripped-down mini-camper behind a pickup, and use my old tent-camping gear for everything. I just have more cargo room for more stuff, sort of the opposite of carrying everything on my back...
@@harrymills2770 most of the problems with vintage camp stoves pumps result from the leather washer drying out. An overnight soaking in oil usually straightens that right out.
Yup. I had one too. Indestructable ! I've used a lot of stoves over the years, but the 123 is an icon and in my opinion one of the best stoves ever devised for backpacking. My only problem with it was the fuel - the special white gas which had to be sourced and wasn't available everywhere, and was very flammable, and quite explosive.
Instead, I have always preferred the alcohol stoves from my sailing days. Alcohol has been used in boat stoves for years, as a safer alternative to petroleum based fuels and pressurized propane, and I believe to be a safer fuel for camping and backpacking too. Nowadays I use a Whisprelite universal fuel stove that I converted to run on alcohol, by making a cylindrical adjustable aluminum sleeve for around the carb/ air inlet to lower the amount of air/oxygen to the mixture. I find it far less dangerous and flammable, and if you spill it, it simply evaporates in a few seconds and poses no danger after that. It's also a fuel that is also readily available in the form of denatured alcohol from any pharmacy or hardware store, any high proof adult beverage from a liquor store, or you can even make it at home, which appeals to the self sufficient "prepper" in me.
I have several alcohol stoves that have no-parts, no pumps, and are alcohol stoves based on the "tramp" stove...or "coke can" stove, which use the same pre-heat vaporization principle as the 123, and these can be bought for about $10 on the old "jungle" web site store. And I really like using these stoves too.
BUT the advantage of the 123 over any of the new types of stoves like my Whisperlite is of course the pumping. The 123 needed no pressurization, no extra fuel tank, and no plastic pumping mechanism that is prone to breaking in cold temperatures like the Whisperlite. Also the 123 has hardly any parts at all to break.
I wonder if I can get it to run on alcohol ? Has anybody out there tried ?
I've seen UA-cam videos by a guy who runs all sorts of fuels, from perfume to cooking oil. Theoretically, any liquid with a flammable component can be turned into a flammable gas when the liquid is boiled. The limitation for stoves is the size of the fuel port.
I have an XGK that I dearly love (a video on that is coming), but was never impressed with the Whisperlite, probably due to comparison to the XGK. The idea behind the separate fuel tank was a requirement to increase the BTU output of the stove for mountaineers without the safety implications of a hotter stove on top of a fount full of fuel. Like many products designed for mountaineers, those stoves trickled down to the backpacking community. There is a weight advantage to be gained by using hotter stoves yielding shorter boil times resulting in less fuel needed for multi-day trips.
I have several alky stoves, the one I show in the video is one I particularly like. The limiting factors I see is the lower BTU output and a flame that isn't visible during daytime.
Thanks for watching!
Great site. My first SVEA 123 was a gift from an old flame. (She's flamed out now.) The stove is now in need of rebuilding since it leaks flame, so I'm looking for a good repair kit. The second one was purchased new and in the original packaging - that one is in storage for some future camper. Thanks, "Ranger Son"
PS I also have the Sigg Tourister cook kit for the SVEA. Wonderful design, if somewhat heavy and bulky.
@@donaldscott3921 Ain't no flame burns hotter than an old flame---or so I've heard. There's a dealer on Ebay name julliands (IIRC) that sells repair kits for old gas pressure stoves. I have a Tourister as well and you're right, it is a wonderful design if you're cooking for a group. Not so much for solo backpacking though. Thanks for watching!
Amazing! I too have the Tourister cook set! (Circa1972)
Rainmaker
☔
I bought my blue Primus in 1965. Used it for about thirty years before I lost it. It never failed me.
As reliable as a Labrador Retriever. Thanks for watching!
I like others have used my old locative since I was a child and it’s the only stove I will use. Even used her when I was in the military. She got WAY better when I found Snow Peak solo cooking pot she fits right inside very well. The Solo actually fits better than the original aluminum cup and is made of titanium and has its own cup. Only other thing is I bent the chain of the wrench to fit the leg tighter. But a multi tool will work just fine. And I light mine differently than you but I’m different
What's been very gratifying for me in making this video is the comments I'm getting from folks who are still using their stove after decades of use. These things are survivors for sure. Thanks for watching!
I was there! I was and am still a backpacker.
Thanks for watching! Got more Backpacking Revolution stuff coming!
I still have a SVEA….used on many trips. Takes longer than 4 minutes to boil at 10_11K feet.
Yes, but probably even longer with an iso-butane stove. Thanks for watching!
There are basically three fuels used in the Optimus /Primus stoves. They are all pump pressurized. Depending on the type of stove tower they burn Alcohol, White Gas, Kerosine. the pressurized Optimus Alcohol produce the least BTU / Watts of heat of the three pressurized stove made by Optimus ,but more than the alcohol stoves with a wick and no pressure. The whit gas stoves are easy to ignite the fuel and it burns clean. the hottest burning stoves are those designed to burn kerosine. Now that lead has been removed for auto fuel it is said that low grade auto fuel is now safe to use. The best way to blow the pressure release and sent a three foot flame into the air is to use a too large of pot for the size of the stove. It is my experience is that the Kerosine stove are the safest stove to use near dry grass. I have used the self pressuring Seva 123 at minus 30 F on wilderness X county trips. with two adults. I use the Seva 123 with 1 & 2 quart pots. for a trip with 3 or 4 I carry the slightly larger primus 00. kerosine stove., and use three and four quart pots. For a group of ten I use the larger Primus with a two hour burn time.
You've covered the subject well here. Thanks for watching!
The only decent present my brother ever bought me was a SVEA 123 stove maybe 40-years ago.
Dang. The only thing my brother ever gave me was the flu. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing a great video
Thanks for watching! Its fun making the stove videos. Who doesn't like playing with fire combined with the possibility of an explosion?
Bought mine in 1970, still running fine
It'll likely be running fine in 2070 as well. Thanks for watching!
First learned of the Svea 123 from Colin Fletcher's "The Complete Walker" which came out in 1969. It was the first stove i bought when i started.backpacking. i bought it July 28, 1970 at the original Sierra Designs store for $11.00 brand new. I know this as i still have the receipt but not the stove. Fletcher has several PAGES on the Svea in the book, perhaps one of the best reviews ever. I bought the first model of the MSR stove around 1973, i don't like traveling with liquid fuels so pretty much gave up those type stoves, use a Pocket rocket now.
Yah, for modern camping I use a no-name Isobutane Cheapo Chinese Pocket Rocket I bought for $7.00. Has never let me down. But I sure do love playing with the Primus 71 and the Campus 3.
Thanks for watching!
@sargevining Had a cheapo stove like that called a Scorpion, loved that stove, I gave it away to Katrina.
The SVEA 123 has a problem with the threads that the flame cup screw onto, the threads will disintegrate after a while of use and the flame cup will no longer transfer the heat to the tank body stem through the threads contact to help the fuel evaporate. I had a whisperlite stove for a long time, I still have it, I got a Biolite camping stove and it works (worked) really well and I still have it but I haven't used it for a long time and the battery may be low or dead after sitting unused for six years. The SVEA 123 is a good stove as long as the threads are in good condition.
TBH, my favorite vintage stove is a Primus 71L and the 123 only really sees "video use". I've used the Whisperlite, but have an XGK that I think works better. The pump system on the 123R took care of the thread issue and made it a safer stove, but to me its just another piece of gear to lose in the woods. I've been curious about the Biolite, did you use it backpacking or car camping? Thanks for watching!
I used and will use the Biolite camping stove to motorcycle camp at Taylorsville Lake and it works very well although keeping the stove stoked is a little bit of a challenge as it consumes sticks really fast, so the heating fluctuates in the grill, and I have the grill attachment which works as long as there is fire in the stove and stoking with sticks is a little bit more challenging because the opening to the stove has a lid to divert the heat into the grill which lid is the area to apply sticks in the hearth, so the lid has to be opened and closed often.@@sargevining
I used the Biolite camping stove to go motorcycle touring, I used a whisperlite when homeless and hitchhiking. I also bicycle toured some thousands of miles, and I believe I did have a whisperlite then too. The Biolite camping stove has evolved considerably since I bought mine about 15 years ago.@@sargevining
@@Mr1fish2fish How is that Biolite working out? I looked at them when they first came out and didn't think they put out enough electricity to be worthwhile.
I haven't used my Biolite Stove in a long time. I did get recommended to buy a Male-Male USB plug in the event that the stove battery dies from non-use and the battery needs to be recharged. Also along that line, I haven't gotten any positive results from the MM USB plug on my Biolite Basecamp 1. Don't accidentally drain the battery of the biolite stove it might not charge up.@@sargevining
In our altitudes in the Rocky Mountains we would crack the fuel cap at the bottom of the trail and when you got up in altitude three or four thousand feet all you had to do was gently open the fuel valve. The built up pressure would fill the priming cup for you. Once.
Now that's nifty. Down here in TX summers, we don't really need preheat as the weather's doing it for us anyway. Thanks for watching!
Here is a tip that no one seems to know. The SVEA 123. 1 always open the fuel cap to equalize the pressure your at and replace it. 2. Cup the bottom of the fuel tank in your warm hands. This will start the process of pressurizing the fuel tank. 3. Now, crack open the fuel shut off valve and see if you see any fuel coming up. If not turn the fuel valve off and keep warming the tank. Once the fuel starts coming out the top jet and dribbles down on to the fuel well on the top of tank surface. 4. Now light that fuel on the top of the tank. There will be no big, huge flame or flareup. No need to take anything off and get fuel ahead of time on the top of the fuel tank. This is where mistakes are made, and they spill too much fuel around and that’s when you get the “camp grenade.” 😂
Yessiree. If you watch this video, You'll see where I do just that with my Primus 71. ua-cam.com/video/KrsuVZFthDU/v-deo.html&pp=gAQBiAQB
I remember these as a boy. Easier than Coleman which our scout leader didn't trust us with.
However the modern BRS stoves are much more ergonomic today and a pleasure. The whole rig stored in a boiling cup:
100g butane can
Stove
Windscreen
Weighing almost nothing and no liquid fuel. Ready for 25 instant ready boils. If you have a wide mouth boiling cup...then the 250g or 500g can is ready for 70 to 150 boils. All from a $15 stove and a $6 butane can.
My modern set up is a cheap Chinese isobutane mini-stove that I paid $7.50 for about 10 years ago, coupled with an Olicamp pot that uses the same type heat sink that Jet Boil uses. Very quick boils and puts the Jetboil in the shade. The SVEA is fun, and my favorite stove is a Primus 71. I always enjoy the looks on people's faces when I set fire to my stove----
Thanks for watching!
ua-cam.com/video/dDXSO6BpV1M/v-deo.html&pp=gAQBiAQB
@@sargevining I wonder when someone looked at a plumbers/mechanics butane torch of the 70s and said...yeah...camp stove.
Wonderful at starting wood fires too...
@@STho205 Actually, the gas/kerosene pressure stoves were adaptations of blow torches made in the late 19th century. Primus' first patents were on blow torches, and the first canister stoves weren't butane or propane. I've got a video coming up that will explain.
Great video, as always. Personally, I've been using optimus 8R stoves for the past 20 years, and I swear by them. But the swedes are pretty good all around. I'd steer clear of the Russian knock offs.
I've managed to steer clear of all things Soviet for 70 years now. Don't want to break such a long winning streak. Thanks for watching!
@@sargevining a wise foreign policy, my friend. 😉
Octane isn't the amount of energy in the fuel. That's a myth, probably from the gas companies. A higher octane means that the fuel is less likely to prematurely ignite in a hot high-compression engine (Knocking or dieseling). If you have high-performance engine, then it does need higher octane fuel, but in anything else it's a waste of money.
Thanks for the info, and thanks for watching!
@@sargevining 👍I definitely agree to use white gas intended for camping stoves. It's less likely that some additive will be included that's either a health hazard or will eventually gum your burners. Gasoline changes from winter to summer, amount of ethanol added, and from country to country.
😮😊interesting. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
got 2 of these stoves, the Svea 123, they are good small stoves, but, I also have a Stesco, for me these do it, for me, every one has there favoured stoves, if I had to chose, the Stesco for me, then the 96, then a 123, the one stove I do not use is the gas ones,
The Stesco is an interesting stove, too. Seems a bit on the heavy side b/c of the packaging, but I know there are folks like you who sweat by it. Thanks for watching!
My two cents are that the 123/r just look cooler than the 71/Optimus 80. From a durability standpoint, the brass with wire pot supports stand the test of time better than the painted tinned steel of the 71/80. A 71/80 that was well used ‘back in the day’ is likely to have a rusted pot support section today.
As far as the 8/r/99… I think you should give one a try. The lower form factor is a lot less tippy. Honestly i wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I do.
My favorite stove is a 71E made in (IIRC) 1937. A tad heavier than the 123, but has a great windscreen and pot stand. Thanks for watching! ua-cam.com/video/KrsuVZFthDU/v-deo.html&pp=gAQBiAQB
At about 15:00: I never heard "Swedish hand grenade", but "sf..cking Svea" was pretty common, especially when over-pressurized
I've not yet had that over-pressurized situation. Not that I'm looking forward to it or anything-- I have heard that other name besides "Swedish Hand Grenade"--- Thanks for watching!
If you buy one of these find the instructions read and follow, (don't fill the tank all the way up) This one seemed quiet, mine sounds like a blow torch it will wake a camp up if I am the first one up.
Yes, I likely should have mentioned that you need to have room for air to expand and create pressure. The first burn I did no this one did the big yellow flame and roared a bit. I cleaned the fuel port really well and that may be why its calmed down some. Thanks for watching!
Omg get on with it 😊
Thanks for watching!
Great little stoves, I've owned 20+ over the years (only 1 left now). Great little stove but low on BTUs compared to something like a Primus 210 or better still an Optimus 111/111T
The portability trumped the lack of BTUs for most who used it. Thanks for watching!
Have you used the Trangia 25 or 27 cookset? @@sargevining
My Grand Canyon hiking buddy gave me one for a wedding gift in 1980.
That's a good buddy to have. Thanks for watching!
Just a compact version of the Optimus kerosene stove or the "swede" stove of the early 1900's ....all of the salmon boats in Alaska were issued those back in the end of the days of sail.
Yes. The 123 represents the apex of the original pressure stove design. In the next few weeks, we're going to start looking at how the technology changed. Thanks for watching!
I would love to find one of those stoves. Can any of you point me in the right direction to look? Thanks in advance.
Dwayne
Ebay is the best source, but take your time. I don't buy a stove unless the vendor posts a flame shot unless its too cheap to ignore. It doesn't take much to get one of these into working condition. Thanks for watching!
I use Fire Snot or other naphtha paste
I've heard good and bad about the pastes. My preference is to use the fuel the stove uses to reduce the amount of things I have to pack. Thanks for watching!
Trad jazz. Subscribed.
Thanks for the sub, and thanks for watching!
Where can I buy the flame diffusers for the SEVA?
There are a couple of vendors on Evil Bay. Search for "Primus Stove Parts". Diffusers for the 71 should fit the 123. Thanks for watching!
Okay…call me stupid…I can’t seem to figure out how to join the members group!! 🤪🙄
Help me out here…technology challenged old granite head!! 😎
You ain't stupid. UA-cam kinda hides it. If you go to my Home page there's a "Join" button just to the right of my ugly mug.
Where do I buy on
They're still available on the modern market. Amazon has one for $134. Vintage 123's can be found on Ebay for about the same price. Thanks for watching!
Hoi Danke für Video. Schau bei der Schweiz Armee Kocher 👍
That is a great looking stove, one I'm not familiar with. Thanks for pointing it out to me, and thanks for watching!
@@sargevining Ein Tipp im Internet nachschauen es gibt ganz viele verschiedene Ausführungen von der Schweiz Armee Vür Camping Uniform und ein Benzin vergaser Brenner zum Kochen. Ein BVB Gruß Mario
Why are you doing that in the dark
Thanks for mentioning! One of the lights accidentally got the intensity dialed down when I moved the camera to shoot outside. I've been wondering why the auto focus seems to be out of whack. Fixed it now, but its gonna be a couple vids before its visible on the channel. Thanks for watching!
I spy with my little eye an m1942 aladdin 🤓
Yah, if I can talk the guys into doing a 1960s/70s backpacking trip for Bannerman's In The Wild in January, that's what we'll be cooking with. I suppose I ought to see if it will burn first------
@@sargevining i know i gotta restore mine 😅
You speak way too much! A little less talk and a lot more action would be nice Grandpa.
Thanks for watching!
Had to quit watching. Too goofy.
Thanks for watching!
👍👍 Thanks brother for this trip down memory lane. Spirit cup stoves were great back in their day, but they were messy and required periodic cleaning of the needle valve.....but they worked just fine even in the Himalayas. Extremely well built stoves with dependable utility and they were serviceable in the field. Primus, Svea, etc. 🏕
The 123R made cleaning the needle valve a bit easier by taking away the need for a tool. Yah, dead simple construction and bomb proof construction makes for easy maintenance and the dependability of a Labrador Retriever. Thanks for watching!
@@sargevining Yes, for certain. We enjoy your channel content. Thank you.
Hi do you know the stoves that were used by the Norwegians who were the first to get to the South Pole. ? Thank You! RBall MD
Without actually researching, my guess would be a Primus. Most of the explorers during the Heroic Age of Polar Exploration used a Primus, sometimes heavily modified to their expectations. Thanks for watching!
I searching now i found that the museum In Oslo Norway has the stoves displayed that they used. I shall write and ask them for some photos and get them sent to you! The stoves used made serious history as they kept them alive in continuous days of serious artic weather conditions. Yours Rob Ball MD @@sargevining