daveg
Trail Wise!
Michigan
Posts: 565 
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Post by daveg on Jul 1, 2022 13:18:49 GMT -8
Been sorting through stuff and noticed I have accumulated several Swedish stoves. Svea 123R on the left, Optimus 8R center, and Trangia 25-2 (I think) on the right. I also have a modified Trangia Mini that is currently my go-to backpacking stove (except where alcohol stoves are prohibited). I haven't used the other Swedish stoves for years. Just a moment of nostalgia.  |
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Jul 1, 2022 13:33:22 GMT -8
Sigh. Mine isn’t nearly as pretty.  |
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Post by stevet on Jul 1, 2022 13:38:15 GMT -8
Love the Svea and the Optimus. Beware though if you haven’t replaced or rebuilt the pressure relief valve in the fuel tank cap. I had a 4th of July type surprise in 1990. About 5 min into cooking dinner the valve failed and released pretty much the entire fuel tank in a massive fireball that removed both eyebrows and curled a good portion of my hair.
The stove was about 20 years old then. I now test my stoves before every trek.
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daveg
Trail Wise!
Michigan
Posts: 565
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Post by daveg on Jul 1, 2022 19:23:11 GMT -8
Sigh. Mine isn’t nearly as pretty. But I suspect your stove has more stories to tell. Beware though if you haven’t replaced or rebuilt the pressure relief valve in the fuel tank cap. Yeah, I was tempted to fire them up but managed to stifle the urge. I did a search and found a seller of filler cap washers and valve pips on ebay. So I may refurbish them. |
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Jul 1, 2022 19:27:21 GMT -8
Lol. Probably true, I do feel I got my $12.25 worth. Same with my Eiger pot set. 
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swiftdream
Trail Wise!
the Great Southwest Unbound
Posts: 569
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Post by swiftdream on Jul 4, 2022 12:49:48 GMT -8
I really like those older Swedish stoves. They have a lot of character. However like Steve my Svea 123 also exploded into a fireball. The local shop back then had a shelf of reconditioned Svea stoves and all had welded tanks where they had also exploded. Never again, not worth it. I’m still using Swedish stoves right now. The famous Trangia alcohol stove fits in the Firebox Nano Ti which works as a pot stand/windscreen and heat focuser. The Trangia’s simmer ring works in the top position open or closed to any degree. Another in use right now is the Trangia LPG (canister) burner, made by Primus, snaps into the Firebox Nano making a good heat focuser and pot stand. All these pack very compactly. If we run out of either fuel and there is no fire ban the Firebox is an excellent twig burner. I much prefer LPG or alcohol. These setups work with any size pot or cup.    |
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swiftdream
Trail Wise!
the Great Southwest Unbound
Posts: 569
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Post by swiftdream on Jul 5, 2022 10:38:51 GMT -8
I’ll add that I soldered the seam on the Trangia alcohol burner and it is fuel and air tight so no need to empty after using. For short excursions it holds enough as is to not need an extra fuel bottle. Trangia also sells spare o-rings for the cap.
Stage II fire restrictions have been terminated here for now so alcohol stoves are once more legal. I’m going to err on the side of caution though and use the canister setup until the lower deserts get more rain. The high country received a deluge and our local bone dry creeks flashed with a roller coaster roaring last week but it didn’t make the surrounding low areas any more damp.
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