brass blow torches

[dennis49]

What is with brass blow torches there is over 800 for sale on e-bay for dirt cheap prices ?

 

[hardalada]

They have very few uses, everyone should have one, they polish up well, they are the ideal gift for a man's shed...they are shiny!

 

[nadogail]

I rescued one from my neighbors pile of stuff to be trashed. It has a Dunlap brand on it.
For practical purposes they have been replaced by Electric Soldering Irons and Propane Torches

 

[Showkey]

This summer at swap meets there were literally 100’s for sale………you can barley give them away.

 

[ScottsGT]

Always wanted to make a small lamp out of one. Might be a good time to find one now.

 

[turbowoodworker]

They were originally for plumbers using soldering irons. The hook on top held the iron in the flame to heat up.
I have three or four. My dad always had one out camping for a quick hot dog cooker.

 

[Mallen]

They remind me of Coleman camp stoves. Same basic technology.

 

[FMB4]

A good friend was 'into' such torches back in the '80s. He polished a few up and left the rest with the the vintage patina. He was extremely talented at creating 'lead framed' glass artwork (lamp shades and window hangings, etc) and said he'd make lamps out of them someday.

 

[nadogail]

While traveling the Alaska Highway in December, 1960, I warmed the engine of my old Chevrolet Pickup with a blowtorch and a 3' length of stovepipe with an elbow pointed before up under the pan before attempting to start it after an overnight stop in Yukon. The temp was 45 degrees below zero.
The truck started like Summer time, but the lubricants in the rest of the vehicle had congealed; the first quarter mile was like nothing I had previously experienced.

 

[Larryjones]

I got ahold of one I planned on trying out but the pump was stuck and I couldn't free it.

 

[finn]

I have my grandfather’ Brass blowtorch, on display above a cabinet. He was born in 1888.

Also have a soldering Iron, but I never connected the two as a matched pair of artifacts.

Now, if I can only remember what I did with the iron.

 

[Motorman55]

What's a motoring collection without at least 1 brass blow torch....

 

[Jeff Ivers]

Don't know what the current going price is. Years ago, we used to pick them up for around $15 each. I have made about 6 to 12 of them into lamps.

I sold the one above along with its twin to a guy who said he was going to put them in an antique museum in Branson, MO.