Aladdin lamps

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Extinguishing the lamp
  1. Turn the lamp down to a low flame
  2. Holding your hand at about a 45 degree angle over the top of the chimney,
  3. Blow a sharp puff of air at your hand.
  4. Be aware that the chimney will be hot for a while after the lamp is put out.

The lamp I used as an example is a burner designed to fit on a Mason jar, so if the base ever breaks it is easy to replace. They can be found on Amazon, as can chimneys and replacement wicks. Another good source of parts and lamps is Lehman's.

Hurricane Lanterns
Hurricane lanterns are similar, but they have wire guards around the globe or chimney and a metal top, bottom, and handle for carrying. The Dietz Air Pilot shown is one of the best on the market, burning for 24 hours on a fill and being as wind-proof as you can make a lantern. The main difference is the fact that the globe (chimney) is held down with a spring-loaded top cap, and the burner has a lever on it for lifting the globe enough to light the wick. Extinguishing the lantern requires lifting the globe and blowing out the wick.

Dietz lanterns are now made overseas, so the quality isn't quite what it was, but they're still dependable.

Older Lamps
Cheap Chinese oil lamps can be found in just about any "dollar" store and most big box hardware stores for just a few bucks. The better ones, made before 1960 or so, can be found in antique stores and at estate sales. Check used metal lanterns carefully for rust along the bottom edges, and be aware that some idiots like to drill holes in old lamps to convert them to electric power.

Long-Term Use
Lay in a supply of oil for your lamps and get the clearest, cleanest oil you can find. The more pure the oil, the longer the shelf life. Kerosene will keep for decades, although it will discolor with age. There are microbes that will grow in diesel fuel/kerosene, so you may have to filter older fuel before use. Plant and animal sourced oils will not keep as long, they tend to go rancid within a few months at best.
 
If your stovetop burners put out yellow flames - like the flame in those lamp photos - most people would realize there was incomplete combustion going on and would call a repairman. Incomplete combustion results in indoor air pollution. The pollution is from the unburned hydrocarbons that are spewed into the room from burning the oil lamp. Proof of this is the black soot that is collected on the oil lamp chimneys.

This indoor air pollution, as well as the poor light from regular oil lamps, are the reasons we use Aladdin lamps. The wick on an Aladdin lamp burns with a blue to bright white flame once the lamp's mantle is goes on. The Aladdin gives off about 5X more light than a regular oil lamp and the Aladdin chimney never soots up.
 
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I used this one but have recently built a small shed away from the cabin a bit. In this shed I keep a couple hundred pound cylinders. I ran a line to the cabin and tied in a gas lamp.

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Years ago we heated with a catalytic propane heater, thing is, when being used, the propane bottles get really cold and frosty. We had to stop using the heater because the catalytic material did not burn the propane as good as it should and gave off bad fumes.
 
I use oil lambs, I like the smell or non smell better than Kerosene.
I have over 550 candle(3/4 X6") also, they will work in a pinch.
I do keep flashlight & batteries for short power outages.
 
To reduce the smell with a kerosene lamp I have heard but have not tried it, is to add a little vanilla extract to the kerosene.
I know that vanilla in paint, before you apply it to your house, indoors mainly & it keeps the smell down.
We had a friend tell us about it & when the house was painted, we had our painter do it & it works.
He said if the paint comes off in sheet, he would not repaint it!
It did not & ten years later, we need to repaint, so no harm from vanilla, other herbs like mint may work, but we have only used vanilla.
 

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