Kerosene Lanterns: Dead Flame, Hot Blast and Cold Blast

Now that I have one of each, I can do a side-by-side demonstration and point out the differences. This is not a comparison, because the wicks in each of these lamps are a different size.
Additionally, the dead-flame is a new WT Kirkman model 100, purchased for a fraction of the price that most dealers are asking for original dead-flame lanterns.
The two tubular lanterns shown are post 1937 Dietz models, a hot-blast Monarch, made between 1937 and the early 1960's, and a cold-blast D-Lite, made from 1937 to 1956, this lantern is marked 1944.

[@michaelolsen2348]

Happy to see someone into the same things as I am. I got several old electric fans. Oldest is maybe 1920's. I restored a 1940 Westinghouse and use it every single day. No issues. I love the lanterns. I need to restore every single one of mine. I can't wait to get started. I only ever experimented restorations on those cheap Wal-Mart oil lanterns.

Best explaining about lanterns that I have seen, thank you for sharing!

[@nichisjesus]

Never heard of the hot/cold blast principal, despite regularly using what I now realize is a cold blast lantern! I always just assumed the big arms on the side were just bracing, I had no idea they were channeling air to the flame. Thanks for sharing this cool stuff!

[@BertieW0oster]

Yeah, me too! It makes me even more interested in these types of lanterns than I had been.

[@DarkMetaOFFICIAL]

dude yes! it's really amazing actually. check out Technology Connections channel he has a video all about the science of how the tech works. it really is genius and so simple but complex at what it does. kind of mind blowing when u fully see what's going on and all the mechanics of it

[@Panbaneesha]

It's a good video indeed. If you in the mood for more, Technology Connections have two videos on hurricane lanterns, one on their main, and a follow-up on their second channel (Technology Connextras).

[@jshrader13]

Very informative comparison! Thanks for the info! But with all the clocks ticking in the background i couldn't help thinking of Doc Brown's laboratory in the beginning of Back to the Future! Lol

[@CuttingEdgetools]

Cool video. Good historical info and Lanterns 🇺🇸

[@shorty332]

Your house sounds like Dr. Emmett Brown house in Back To The Future

[@Shipwright1918]

Fond of lanterns myself, no batteries to go dead, and they'll last a lifetime if you take care of them. They say a dead-flame is for being seen by, but in practice my own little Dietz Watchman (identical to the Kirman one) puts out enough light to see with provided you use a clear globe, colored ones do dim the light a bit. Another good place if you're looking for railroad lanterns at a reasonable price is Adams and Westlake, they've started making their #300 "Kero" model again, though you have to buy the globes separately (I'd recommend W.T. Kirkman for that, their Kero globes are decidedly cheaper than the ones Adlake have). Speaking of W.T. Kirkman, they also sell vintage lanterns at reasonable rates alongside the new ones, including a smattering of RR lanterns.

[@waynekretchmar1818]

I found the information I needed to trim the wick on my cold blast lantern. Thsnks for your video.

[@Jefflantern483]

Yup I have 2 of the dietz dead flame railroad lantern ( one on the left in the vid ) but in black colour in my collection! 🙂🙂

[@pangpang2258]

Very informative video! Thanks.

[@wolfy1987]

Great info. I've always wondered why lanterns have the shapes they do. Was only familiar with the hot blast, then I ended up buying a cold blast signaling lantern with a red globe. Just really liked the deep red color, and it was a design I'd never seen. Almost identical in design to yours.

[@okbridges]

Thanks! The globes were available in yellow, green, blue and red for different purposes.

[@matthewjacobs141]

I just bought my first lantern, a Dietz Hurricane. I bought it for two reasons...Light and to put some heat inside my tent prior to turning in for the night

[@obamatheimposter]

Very informative, thank you..

[@coreymason7662]

Great video.

[@richardm1631]

Those lantern are nice I like them all because they be around for long long time in every country

[@1683clifton]

I got a crappy little green one I bought from family dollar, and it gives me flame and peace. I am interested in purchasing an upgraded model and was considering the dietz lantern, as well as the feurhand one, and wonder if you could steer me for the most chill for my buck.? I mostly enjoy just sitting out on the porch with nothing but my lamp, a battery powered radio and the trees. I'm 43 and the lamp makes the chill if you know what I mean. peace my dude.

[@okbridges]

I do not have any direct personal experience with the Feurhand lanterns, but I understand they are good lanterns. The Dietz lanterns are good, and you can go the vintage route (try to find the best condition you can, unless you don't mind the work to bring one back to life), or for the turn-key route, you can still buy new hot blast, cold blast and dead flame lanterns on line. I like WT Kirkman, they have a nice range to choose from. They also have parts you will need such as wicks and globes should you decide to go vintage.

[@thornwarbler]

Hey thanks for that, i been wondering what those tubes did,............. cheers

[@lanterns-kern]

nice video man !

[@ameenalhamdy9870]

Thanks for new knowledge of wich year lantern invited

[@WayneTheSeine]

Good info......loud ass clock. I love my lanterns....they are awesome.

[@deborahaichele8829]

looking to buy one. thanks

[@MrJeep75]

Nice video

[@Kaos116]

Would the hot blast latern also warm the oil in colder climates and make it more able to be wicked up?

[@okbridges]

The oil pots on all three seem to get equally warm.

[@otm646]

The cold blast design does not seem to have trouble, I've run my lamps outdoors in 0F weather without issue on standard kero.

[@archaris8124]

@@otm646 Kerosene freezes at -40°(C or F!). As long as it doesn't freeze, it will evaporate and produce vapors for burning. The cold-blast design still heats some of the incoming air by running it past the hot exhaust gases with a simple heat exchanger.

[@Tailslol]

was expecting you turn the fan on to see how they fair in wind.

[@okbridges]

Good idea for a future video.

[@afterefects]

NICE

[@KILLKING110]

the red/amber color is designed not to ruin you night vision so that you can see the barrier much easier while safely navigating at night

[@okbridges]

Very doubtful this was the case. Night vision wasn't a thing back then. WT Kirkman has a nice rundown on what all the colored globes mean in different applications on his website. A lantern with a red globe would either have a globe where the red color is so thin that the light produced would be a very washed-out red, but bright enough to use for illumination, or a deep red that doesn't produce much light for illumination, but would have been excellent as a warning light. (A light to be seen, not to see with.)

[@mikelong3389]

check thrift stores for oil lanterns, ive found a red globe (i think 1920’s) railroad lantern for less than $8.

[@jimf1964]

Seems like the hot blast was not only better for indoors, but made for it, since that open area at the top would end up having fresh air mess with the whole principal. No? And do you think there is a difference in brightness or function of different quality wicks? Or different materials? Like I believe there are fibre glass wicks now (at least for kerosene heaters anyway)

[@okbridges]

Could be. The hot blast lantern was invented by the same man, Mr. Irwin, as the cold blast, but the hot blast was invented first, about 10 year before the cold blast. The hot blast was the first attempt to improve upon a simple enclosed flame lantern. Obviously the design with it's recirculating arrangement had merritt enough that it continues to be made after the introduction of the cold blast. A google patent search for Irwin's patents will shed more light on the intent of the design.

[@jimf1964]

okbridges So you can still get new ones? And do you feel they actually cut down on fumes? I need a lantern occasionally for blackouts, but the cold ones kinda stink up a small room.

[@okbridges]

@@jimf1964 yes, the Dietz Monarch hot-blast lamp is still in production and available online from a variety of retailers. The Monarch is a pretty good lantern for use indoors. It does have some odor, as no lamp is odorless.

[@jimf1964]

okbridges Yes, I found it. Thanks for confirming it, and thanks for posting about it. I'll pick two up in the new year. I also saw a video with someone who slightly modified an Aladdin lamp. He took off the stupid mantle, and raised the flame separator, and basically turned it into a centre vent, round wick. You ever see that? Merry Christmas!

[@josenonato4283]

Brasil!🙋👍

[@Camrographer]

What is the brightest lantern one can get, excluding a mantle style one.

[@okbridges]

The cold blast lantern is the brightest non-mantle lantern made. The center-draft lamps were never made in a lantern configuration, but they are the brightest non-mantle wick lamp.

[@kevinstruke1031]

The Dietz Jupiter is considered the brightest, but it is frikkin' huge. The Dietz #80 Blizzard was the brightest until the Jupiter came out. It's pretty big too but not ridiculously so.

[@travismoore7849]

Every try carbon felt wicks?

[@morayjames92]

comments on why your Dead Flame lanterns so much brighter than the Dietz Monarch Hot blast with a larger wick? Do you have a new wick installed in the Monarch? An old clogged wick will dramatically reduce the amount of available oil to vaporize and burn.

[@okbridges]

The wick in the Monarch is new, I bought it in the same purchase order as the WT Kirkman dead flame.

[@morayjames92]

@@okbridges well I was asking to understand why in your video you claim the dead heat flame with a smaller wick to be less efficient than the hot blast lantern with a larger wick. I believe this to be a true statement but your demonstration does not confirm this. So I asked if you might have either a wick issue or partially blocked air tubes in your hot blast lantern both of which could account for the decreased brightness of your Monarch. In your video the Kirkman dead heat flame is brighter than your monarch and that should not be the case even if the wicks were the dame size. The point is that something is amiss. Have you ever attempted to clean out the air tubes on the monarch? Might be worth your while. I will leave it at that.

[@kevinstruke1031]

@@morayjames92 Hornets love to nest in those air tubes.

[@jlborish]

Great information and cool lanterns. How's the quality of that Kirkman? Thank you for sharing 👍🔥

[@okbridges]

I have been very pleased with the Kirkman lantern. One point against it is that the lantern has some sort of clear lacquer coating and this coating has discolored to a yellow tone on the hot parts of the lantern. However, I would not let this stop me from buying another or recommending it.

[@jlborish]

@@okbridges awesome, thank it. It's very nice anf I've had my eye on them. Thank you for the reply. 👍🔥

[@RANDALLOLOGY]

So in the background you have your FAN club. Lol

[@okbridges]

Yes!

[@just_noXi]

the hot blast was never a good thing, the flame made itself less complete cumbusting. the cold blast essentially divided intake and outblast leaving only a bit of heating for the intake. but you need cold air for a complete combustion. it can hold more oxygen.

[@JK-sy3tt]

Bitch'n lanterns my guy.

[@rocknroll17600]

I this a man or a woman speaking? Can't tell. Informative video.

[@ronjones4863]

You sound just like Jesse Waters on Fox News.

[@jungleno.]

OMG...could you speak any slower?

[@okbridges]

Yes........ I .........can.........

[@kevinstruke1031]

@@okbridges LOL