How to Use and Maintain Kerosene Lamps
Before the dawn of modern lighting, the average person used kerosene lamps to light their way through the darkness. They had lamps in each room and sewed, read and taught their children by lamplight. Nowadays lamplight is making a comeback as an alternative form of lighting to the electric light bulb. The following article will allow you to use and maintain these old fashioned lamps and keep them burning brightly in your home. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Kerosene is available at most hardware stores. However, if you own a lot of kerosene lamps it may be a wise financial investment to visit your local municipal airport and buy a fifty-gallon drum to cut down on fuel-trips. Kerosene is another name for jet fuel and it burns just as well as the more expensive colored lamp oil found at supermarkets everywhere.
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Carefully remove the glass globe from your oil lamp and place it somewhere safe. Next unscrew the metal fitting that holds the wick (it will have a screw knob on the side). Take your kerosene and fill the glass oil holder to within an inch and a half of the lip. Before you screw the metal fitting back on the glass oil holder, screw the wick (a long, webbed piece of thick string-like material) up to just above its slot. Take your scissors and trim the wick evenly to achieve an even-burning flame when lit. If the wick is new, then it probably won't need trimming until it has been burned for several nights. Replace the metal fitting over the glass oil filler and screw down firmly. The wick will begin drawing up the kerosene. Allow an hour or so for the wick to saturate.
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When you are ready to light your kerosene lamp take a long match or a lighter and light the wick that is sticking through the slot in the metal fitting. Use the screw control at the side to make the flame smaller if it is too high. It's best to make the flame smaller while you replace the glass globe over the metal fitting, as if the flame is too high, it will blacken the globe reducing the light emitted. When you are done needing light and need to extinguish the flame, use the screw control to reduce the flame and blow hard into the globe and immediately remove your face from its funnel.
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After a few hours of use, the glass globe will begin the get a black film build-up inside. This is normal and after burning for a whole evening, the globe will need to be removed and carefully cleaned after it has cooled down. To clean the globe, take glass cleaner and spray inside the globe and wipe clean with paper towels. Repeat actions to clean the outer surface of the globe. When cleaned replace globe onto metal fitting and use as normal. When the kerosene level gets low, refill it with more. The wick need not soak this time as it should still be saturated with oil.
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Tips & Warnings
Always keep oil lamps away from children and out of their reach.
Keep oil lamps away from combustibles such as curtains and soft furnishings.
Keep oil lamps away from pets and their wagging tails.
Never leave an oil lamp unattended.
