Does Your Lantern Hold Pressure
If your lantern will not hold pressure you shouldn’t even consider lighting it, recent Britelyt and Petromax lanterns suffer poorly machined pressure screw seats it appears the pressure release screws that have a single dimple are affected, the ones with star shaped lines on top seem to seal better.
If your lantern isn’t under warranty then the seat can be fixed by tightening with cardboard and a pair of pliers-AT YOUR OWN RISK”
Some lanterns appear to have thinner lead washers fitted from the factory and do not satisfactorily seal-this can be identified by the rippled edges and rectified with thicker repair kit washers.
Now these lanterns have been manufactured under numerous brands and from tin or brass chromed-either way the German Army decided that the use of petrol in specifically modified petromax lamps was and is unsafe.
Air leaks can be a pain to find, remove hood and carb/burner assembly and glass. place gently in a bath with pressure in the tank-watch for bubbles.
Right sized screw driver and gently remove gauge cover and glass and after tipping excess water out leave to dry on side in warm area.
New lamp shutoff valve doesn’t work after a couple of uses-the valve seat is either uneven or too sharp due to poor manufacturing quality control and file flat and finish with 1200 wet and dry paper-replace valve assembly.
Old lamps you want to refurbish all the seals.
Leather pump is a popular issue, this can be resolved by lubricating and gently spreading the leather and leather spring-gently refit by pushing edges in.
Broken mantles on transportation-these can be avoided by removing from lamp and a gentle mist from cheap hard setting hair spray.
(yet to try but advised on other forums)
Tying Mantles these can be useful for retaining the burner nozzle, gently tighten string, pull end of mantle so the mantle and burner nozzle lip are tight together-tie off. Instead of cutting excess string-twist like a rope and into thread of nozzle and screw nozzle in gently.
(currently Butterfly no 41 500cp my favorite, don’t mad with strings)
Burner nozzle holder loosens after use– holts fire gum in a liberal amount will act like thread lock.
A thread or two up wipe a smear round-not too much or so it can drop off an blow a hole in the mantle.