Was just wondering if anyone has a cheap-ish carbide lamp for sale? I'm just after one to play with so as long as its working I'm not too bothered how rough it is!

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I presume you're seeking a carbide cap lamp rather than a hand lamp or a belt-mounted generator? If so, then it would well worth you also asking on ukcaving as cavers are more likely to have 'stinkies' lurking around in the back of the shed (although many are probably on the mantlepiece these days!).

My old carbide hand lamp sits on the hearth these days - its many years since I used it - it was very good in spaceous digs. I still have some jars of carbide; maybe I'll use it again one day*...

[* we all have to kid ourselves sometimes!]

Have I got news for you!

Caving Supplies are still selling them brand new.

I just thought I would check it out and I was surprised. I believe that CS own the Premier brand.

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Thanks for that Roy, next silly question what do they mean by generator?

I'm mostly just after one to try it out see what the fuss was all about 😉

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Basically the generator is a can where water reacts with the carbide to make ethyne(acetylene).

It appears caving supplies doesn't sell them though, unless I'm getting the wrong end of the stick?

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Pages of them including flints and prickers and doodlewatsits in different colours and sizes.
Two links for a starter.

http://www.caving-supplies.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/22065%7C%7Ccarbide~@c~@b%7C0%7Cuser%7C1,0,0,1%7C35 

http://www.caving-supplies.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/22070%7C%7Ccarbide~@c~@b%7C0%7Cuser%7C1,0,0,1%7C35 

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Thanks, Roy - I knew that CS had bought Premier quite a few years ago but was under the (wrong) impression that they'd ended production.

Blobber - 'generator' often refers to a can (as John Lawson accurately described it) that is remote from the burner - notably a belt mounted generator connected by a length of hose to a burner on the helmet. The underlying principle was to provide a much larger can than could sensibly be carried on a helmet. Of continental origins, they enjoyed fairly widespread popularity in UK caving for a few years from the mid 1980s. Petzl cans were plastic; Premier cans were (powder?) coated steel. These larger cans offered considerably extended times between refills on longer trips. As with all carbide systems (other than hand lamps stood on rocks or hung from a wall and not continually bumped around), they were tempremental and alternated between flaring and almost going out. I used them in the UK and abroad in that period; thank goodness LED lighting arrived to replace them!

Thanks chaps, think I understand now, the curse of being born into the LED world :lol:

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Thanks, Roy - I knew that CS had bought Premier quite a few years ago but was under the (wrong) impression that they'd ended production.

Blobber - 'generator' often refers to a can (as John Lawson accurately described it) that is remote from the burner - notably a belt mounted generator connected by a length of hose to a burner on the helmet. The underlying principle was to provide a much larger can than could sensibly be carried on a helmet. Of continental origins, they enjoyed fairly widespread popularity in UK caving for a few years from the mid 1980s. Petzl cans were plastic; Premier cans were (powder?) coated steel. These larger cans offered considerably extended times between refills on longer trips. As with all carbide systems (other than hand lamps stood on rocks or hung from a wall and not continually bumped around), they were tempremental and alternated between flaring and almost going out. I used them in the UK and abroad in that period; thank goodness LED lighting arrived to replace them!

Don't forget the joy of peeing into the generator in dry caves/mines. (The secret is to put it on a rock rather than hold it in your hand, particularly if someone else is filling it for you!).

And the urging of everyone in the party to try and produce a little urine for your lamp - much straining all around would result in the reservoir half full and a smelly hand - the filler hole was a very small target to aim the stream at.

Or the rubber seal betwixt reservoir and generator failing, resulting in football-size ball of flame on your helmet.

Or the jet becoming clogged and the lamp extinguishing - which usually happened half way through a tricky manoeuvre.

Or when laddering, the flame brushing the lifeline and melting the sheath in places.

And paranoia associated with keeping your supply of carbide dry along with the carrying out to surface of a stinking mess of spent carbide.

Every time you stopped to attend your tempremental lamp, your ever-so-witty companions would chorus, yet again "There's no f*cking about with carbide!"

Thank goodness the 'good old days' are far behind us. The only losses are that spirits-rousing, cozy reddish light which although it didn't penetrate very far, was very cheering, and the ability to warm your hands on the generator.

Maybe an carbide trip comparable to the annual Cwmorthin candle light trip...

Possibly looking back through acetylene tinted specs, but I found sitting in a chamber munching your sarnies with no light other than a tweaked down carbide flame rather nice.;D

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And the urging of everyone in the party to try and produce a little urine for your lamp - much straining all around would result in the reservoir half full and a smelly hand - the filler hole was a very small target to aim the stream at.

Or the rubber seal betwixt reservoir and generator failing, resulting in football-size ball of flame on your helmet.

Or the jet becoming clogged and the lamp extinguishing - which usually happened half way through a tricky manoeuvre.

Or when laddering, the flame brushing the lifeline and melting the sheath in places.

And paranoia associated with keeping your supply of carbide dry along with the carrying out to surface of a stinking mess of spent carbide.

Every time you stopped to attend your tempremental lamp, your ever-so-witty companions would chorus, yet again "There's no f*cking about with carbide!"

Thank goodness the 'good old days' are far behind us. The only losses are that spirits-rousing, cozy reddish light which although it didn't penetrate very far, was very cheering, and the ability to warm your hands on the generator.

Maybe an carbide trip comparable to the annual Cwmorthin candle light trip...

By th'eck younger generation don't know they're born!