Unboxing a SVEA 123R Stove

[@worthweant6993]

I just bought one! I had one 25 yrs ago, worked great! Been into backpacking since I was 17, now I'm 61yrs. Had a Colman peak one, and a jet boil, both great stoves, but the Svea 123 has been around as long as me! 60 yrs, still going strong! So if it ant, broke don't fix it! Longest running backpacking stove in history! I still got my jet boil! But I'm all in with the 123!

[@TwopersonsWalksalone]

I still have mine from 1974. Lots of trails, lots of freeze dried!

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

I picked up my made in Sweden123R at the Base Exchange of Barksdale AFB, Louisiana in 1979 when I wasstationed there. I had been reading Colin Fletcher's the Complete Walker & he used one of those stoves. Mine was only $8.00 because one of the wire pot stands was missing. I made a replacement out of a coat hanger. The thing sounds like a V-1 buzz bomb, but it works. Mine still works fine. If you prepressurize it by holding it in your hands, the heat from your hands will slightly pressurize the tank enough for you to dribble out some fuel. Shut the fuel supply off, & light the split fuel. If you time it just right, you can open the fuel valve, and light the burner. That stove will last many lifetimes unless you run it over with a tank. A few months ago I fired mine back up after decades of storage. Worked perfectly. I forgot how loud the little beast is.😃

[@teddvidler6830]

Quality products just keep working.

[@shannonrinehart4635]

Great video Tedd! Thanks for sharing! vr, Shannon

[@showtime813]

Awesome video. Like minded. Man that brass looks good and it’ll only it better with time.

[@danielfoster3564]

I've had my Svea for 41 years. I have many other types of stoves but she is still my go to stove.

[@teddvidler6830]

And with good reason. More work to start than canisters but no different than other fuel stoves.

[@Thereal111t]

It’s a neat little performer. In cold weather be aware that you should insulate the base from snow. The pressure builds as the tank temperature does. Always open the cap and reclose it to equalize the pressure. When the stove cools down it can develop negative pressure as the fuel contracts. There is a special pump and cap available for this stove. It’s not usually necessary... just something to give it a little ‘oomph’ at building pressure. One of the biggest mistakes people who have the accessory pump make is to treat it like a coleman and pump it till it’s stiff... remember that the fuel will still build pressure. It’s common for people to blow their safety valve getting the hang of the pump. I have one set of that accessory across all of my 123’s/8r/99 stoves and I hardly ever use it.

[@TNBushcrafter]

2 months later and they are getting really hard to come by. Have been eyeing one for a couple years. Found them on sunny's sports though. They are pretty bulletproof no doubt. Trangia bottle with the pressure button and nozzle cap may be a lot better for ya, no funnel needed. I am probably gonna go with an eyedrops bottle for alcohol. I will surely add the carbon felt wick hack around the generator to wick the alcohol. The prime cookset for it if you didnt know is the optimus weekender HE. It packs inside like it was made for it.

[@tomgson7969]

A little tip. For the spirit you use to preheat the stove. I took the pipette that I use to drip water into my whiskey drink. Absolutely perfect. Best regards from a Svea 123 lover in Sweden.

[@teddvidler6830]

Thanks Tom for your thoughts, however. Pipette is unknown to me Tom. May I guess that you refer to a pipe cleaner as in tobacco pipes?

[@tomgson7969]

the principle is the same as using a thin plastic tube. Best regards

[@rogerharris3951]

Tedd, a pipette is a tube used to dispense measured quantities of liquid.

[@MarciaUK]

Ohh this is so nice!! Thank you for your videos!!

[@Plain-Ole-Chuck]

Nice little unit there ..

[@mikekelly5229]

Nice vid Tedd, thanks, Mike.

[@gertvanpeet3120]

The nice thing is: no plastics! Same with 8r or Coleman 442.... No hose connection , pump ...so nothing goes wrong. Preheat with alcohol gel..only 1.85 euro/ quart...(bbq lighting) . My first 8r....bought it in 1983....

[@halabujioutdoors]

Sounds like, for preheating purpose, few drops of hand sanitizer can be used.

[@barryhugo]

Nice stove!

[@marzsit9833]

i think the msr cold weather pump is bs.. msr built it's reputation on stoves that were designed from the beginning to be used in arctic conditions starting in the early 1970's, so why now 40 years later is a specific arctic pump needed? the last major change to the msr pump happened in the early 2000's when they went from un-reinforced plastic that was prone to cracking to a new reinforced plastic that is pretty bulleproof and does not crack. and why is their new arctic pump only for use below freezing? what happens if you use it in warm weather, will it burn you to death?

[@teddvidler6830]

Now you have it right on the money. The pump used for our Cdn Army portable stoves was always brass and as I repaired the stoves , the pumps did not fail. Sell more parts I guess so although I have and use a Pocket Rocket 2 I use other brands also. I look for what looks like it is best for my requirements. Thanks for subscribing and your comments.

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

@@teddvidler6830 it is is interesting that you mention Canadian Army stoves as I have spoken to many veterans that carried/were issued the Svea 123. I actually just got to handle one in its original storage can but missed getting to buy it as someone else beat me to the punch, $50 CAD they got a steal of a deal in my opinion.

[@Nash432]

Nice Stove. P.S. Try to get a pump, you'll love it even more.