My Favorite Prepper Stove: The Optimus Svea 123

[@kellykeefe9658]

I have an almost 50 year old 123 and a couple of 123R models. Bunsen burner screens help with simmering temps.

[@benwille6680]

I have the original Svea. Bought it in 1970 for backpacking. It never let me down

[@BallisticTip]

I got one from my grandpas stuff. looks like it was heavily used. He was military, but I wasn't. It still works very well. he took good care of it.

[@mel63613]

That was my favorite stove on the Trail, but noisy,,! I sold it when I retired from hiking; now I regret it. It is a cute little thing, and reliable!

[@sanborns]

A great portable rocket. I have been using mine almost exclusively for 48 years now. It is the original "Made In Sweden" 123. It has the needle tool for the occasional nozzle cleaning. The most reliable liquid fuel stove out there hands down! It primed up fine for me at 13,000 ft. in colder months. I use this stove with the Optimus Terra HE cook set. It reduces boiling time considerably .... One tip I recommend: instead of leaving the key chain attached to the burner stem inside the windscreen, I connected mine outside of the windscreen. It makes priming easier without the possibility of loosing the key.

[@scottbutler1561]

Nice video. I just bought a Svea. I really appreciate the detail that you put into your videos like this. The content may not always be needed, but the one seemingly insignificant detail that is needed to make something work or go together is priceless.

[@EricAlainDufresne]

I have both the 123 and the 123R. I also have 3 of the SIG Tourist cook sets that make them sort of like an early version of the Trangia cooking system. Love them all! Thanks for the video.

[@alanwilliams5836]

It reminds me of the old tanker stoves that we carried in our tracked vehicles in the Army back in the day. We used them to heat up our C Ration cans. We had to pull maintenance on the stove about once a week. Matter of note... that "key" is also the wrench to work on the stove. I remember changing the o-ring out about once a month. If you could get your hands on one if the old tanker stoves... that would be awesome to see.

[@dgr8zod]

My dad had a couple of these. He's been gone for years, as have the stoves. But, unleaded is less flammable than white gas. And how he started them was fill, warm in the hands for a few minutes, and crack the valve to fill the cup. Doesn't take much heat to get something.

[@danrunner84]

Use a pump of hand sanitizer to prime the stove. Burns cleaner and as a gel, it doesn’t drip off.

[@martinerhard8447]

​@@danrunner84 put some carbon felt around the preheat pan and then it wont spill even when you dont use gel. The most common svea mod

[@mattcaser6581]

I have one that I bought in the late 1960's. Still works great. At the time, I had found a aluminum coffee pot that the stove fit in perfectly, so that is what I store and carry it in. Hint: I use a little bit of "ronsonol" lighter fluid ( like you use in a zippo lighter ) to pre-warm it. Serves same purpose as your denatured alcohol. Also, when trying to pre-warm it outside in the wind, I keep a small piece of aluminum foil to wrap around the stove to block the wind. Mine is well oxidized and no longer pretty, but it went on many motorcycle camping trips over the years. Thanks for the review of this old classic.

[@danrunner84]

A great piece of kit. Bought my wife one for our camping trips. We already have many types of stoves, but for lightweight travel, this is ideal.

[@caver6292]

I took one to Iraq (GW1) no facilities, pre-internet, etc...The little SVEA happens to run well with aircraft fuel, which as a pilot I had plenty of... It was perfect to boil some water for a hot cup of coffee/cocoa and to heat up my MRE rations. Really held up well. I still have it and fires up without any problems. I added (back then) the pressure kit and that was a game changer. It cost me around $60 USD and that was money well spent. Thank you for your review.

[@ansuz444]

It fits nicely inside a titanium cup.

[@kellymaybee4094]

I still use mine when I'm out in the woods for the day. Warms up my lunch and coffee. Love it.

[@Thereal111t]

Those kerosene stoves you reviewed recently are better choices for shtf stoves. It’s easier to stockpile fuel for a kerosene stove. The 123 is a reliable design for sure. Another tip is to get in the habit of refueling just before using. There are a couple reasons for this. One you don’t want to run out in the middle of cooking. Two, if you let it cool and leave the cap unopened, it will form a partial vacuum as the fuel contracts. This reduces the likelihood of the stove leaking remaining fuel. Opening the cap and fueling equalizes the pressure right before use.

[@scrum5atk1]

I bought one of these in 87,still have it I bought some wick material, cut it into a disc and fitted it around the base of the tube,stops fuel running every where, a bit safer

[@ansuz444]

A lighter or small matches/fire starter fits inside the stove for storage.

[@jackgrimes6944]

I just bought one. A bit expensive, but well made, looks like it will outlast me and it works fine. I bought a couple of No.7, (4mm) long reach old brass clock keys to use with it. I put the original key away for safety. The old clock keys work fine. Nice video, thanks.

[@waktosha7378]

I use unleaded gasoline in mine. This is my favorite stove I own so far! I will always keep this lovely little stove. I also use the old way of priming it .

[@Romin.777]

I have a Optimus 8R (Hunter) Used it for nearly 30 years and always used regular gasoline. While bicycle trekking it's ideal to get fuel at the gasstation. But it is heavy and since 2014 i am a Trangia convert. Slow but quite. :)) But that Svea is a beauty.

[@davidhawkins847]

Never had one, but this is one of the popular liquid stoves around when I started backpacking in Scouts. About that time the BlueGaz was just getting popular and the Hank Roberts butane stove. Nice flashback to the past. What a difference between the older equipment and what is available today. The pre-heat process has always been the trouble with this style of stove, but once going worked great.

[@martinerhard8447]

You should put some carbon felt around the preheat pan. This stops spillage. For extremely cold weather it is good to get one of the tiny pumps for it and some ground insulation. You could attach a firesteel and striker to that rope with your tool

[@Iridium242]

Thanks for the tips!

[@martinerhard8447]

@@Iridium242 np :) I enjoy your vids a lot! And try ceramic (zirconium) strikers for the firesteel. They make the best sparks and stay sharp

[@RobinP556]

I had one of those back on the late 1970s. As a teenager it was considered to be the standard back then. It didn’t burn as hot as the MSR XGK, but it was quieter and less expensive. Mine didn’t have a pump that was available to pressurize, I just used an eye dropper to put a little white gas around the rim to pressurize. It was a great stove! Unfortunately it got lost in one of my moves when I was in the military.

[@justsayin7704]

Of all the videos I've seen about this stove, you are the first and only person who didn't struggle operating the stove with the key chained to it because YOU HAD ENOUGH BRAINS TO TAKE THE KEY OFF THE STOVE WHILE YOU OPERATED IT!

[@stoker20]

I have the accessory pump for mine. Very handy for starting.

[@Geronimointhewild]

This for gas and white gas. A.coleman for white gas and.kero. many canister stoves available and add a trangia. Primus omnifuel is new and cool,.but then you only have one stove lol thanks for.the video.

[@MyMy-tv7fd]

how about a prepper emergency vid with no-heat, no-cook food options? Cold tinned beans are awful for a first choice - but when you get to the third meal without heat...cold corned beef, etc seems very desirable compared to nothing

[@ChristopherOBrien000]

Thanks for the review. Ordered a 123r recently, and waiting on it to arrive. Used, but great condition. Very difficult to find.

[@RS4393]

This is actually the 123r. The 123 had a downward angled valve system.

[@IAMGWH1]

@@RS4393 Some say & like the SVEA 123 because it simmers better? I have both 123r & 123 and like them both (noisy) but want a quiet burner to change out to & for an evenly heated contact for pot/ pan

[@HarshmanHills]

That would be great in a base camp scenario

[@chuckchamplin6627]

@ iridium 242. i got to get one of those👍✌

[@tomm2812]

Had one that my Dad bought back on 1963 or so. Burned alcohol as I recall. Ostentatiously to use on his boat. In actuality it was for use in the family atomic bomb fallout shelter to cook with post atomic war. We lived 3 miles from a large air force base. Even then I suspected we would not survive. Best

[@Saltfly]

I know this an older video, but will fuel leak out if it’s tipped sideways or upside down in a pack or bag? Or does it contain the fuel well? Thanks

[@davidpayne8413]

Something I never hear preppers talk about is the potential available fuel, if you had to go into bug out mode, just what fuel would be available

[@Dee-im7zd]

His voice reminds me of Mike Rowe

[@aparecidomiranda1191]

Ótimo vídeo Parabéns muito bom isso 👍

[@worsenary1449]

that music change, threw me ;)

[@sirguy104]

I use a German Jewel 34 stove. Works the same as the Svea.

[@gertvanpeet3120]

With the jewel i had an incident...the gas came trough the seal under the filler cap...it burned complete...3feet high flame.. the seals had to be repaced very often. Trew it away and went on with the whisperlite....that was 25-30 years ago...

[@sirguy104]

@@gertvanpeet3120 Thanks, I'll have to watch for that.

[@12knots]

Good idea painting your key. Found a brand new knock off thats Russian or Czech but no key. Ebay had a replacement svea key with chain for 90 bucks! Got this stove for 5 bucks at a thrift store.

[@Iridium242]

Not sure but I was told a standard "Church key" will fit it but I have never found such an item for sale :) Great deal on the stove

[@12knots]

@@Iridium242 Hey, ended up ordering a 3/16" #5 brass key from Classic Tin Toy Co. For 5 dollars, had to file off a little on 2 sides of the stove shaft to fit but it works great. Cool stove, all heavy steel but worth the money i spent. 15 bucks total?

[@12knots]

Ended up buying the same Svea you showed and bought a quietstove cap. This is a gem of a stove! The heavy steel russion one i got was made in 1974 and works awesome too. A few oz's heavier so it'll just be in case. You should get a stipend from Amazon, bought so many items you've showed since i found KZbin 3 yr's ago. Thank you for your no nonsense reviews!

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

I just missed a Canadian army issue one of these in the original tin, someone else saw it first and walked out of the store with it for $50 CAD. I got to inspect it and explain some of the details to the new owner and was very clear how lucky they were! I haven't got one of these myself but I do enjoy my little Russian copy of the 8r.

[@brett1354]

The valve stem on the 123R comes out of the burner stem at a right angle. The old 123 valve stem slants downward. Easy way to tell which model it is.

[@Brooks0511]

I love the new intro man

[@flon57]

Friggen' awesome the stove fits in your pot

[@mountainghost556]

Really like the stove set up. Have you had any one say they never received thire radios from 1st ammendment preparedness? The last time I massaged you I still have not received the item nor any word from him just curious to see if you have had anyone bring up this issue.

[@Iridium242]

I have emailed that guy a few times myself no word back guess I am out for other stuff I got too. Sucks but hey in all the years of doing this he is the first guy that just up and ran away out of all the companies I have dealt with.

[@mountainghost556]

@@Iridium242 I guess it is what it is, damn shame I was really looking forward to it.Guess I will just build my own.

[@77gmcnut]

Where's the link for the cooking pot set?

[@Iridium242]

Its here on Amazon but its out of stock www.amazon.com/Optimus-Weekend-Non-Stick-Exchanger-Backpacking/dp/B083DZDKKY

[@willcindy74]

Do you need the wood underneath that stove

[@Iridium242]

Nope

[@mikemorgan5015]

You may if you are camping on frozen ground or snow. This stove self pressurizes by getting warm. You will be up to cooking temperature and pressure faster if you insulate the stove from cold ground or snow. Also, on snow the stove will soon start to melt it's way into it and sink without something under it.

[@AA14CBF]

I was expecting a kaboom 💥 but it didn't happen. 😅

[@Iridium242]

Naaa these are pretty tame I have seen people prime them with way way more flame than I got there lol

[@cookscatapults]

HAHA YEAHZZZZZZZ

[@maggiemagee5830]

Did you choose the name Iridium because of how rare the metal is? What is the back story of how you chose your channel name? Good video, thanks!

[@Iridium242]

It was always my favorite chemical element