Hi all New here, first post and need some help, please. I purchased an Anchor 975 500 c.p. with the intention or restoring. I am still to buy spares however, I have been made aware by a helpful gent from Base Camp that there are many Chinese clones. With this in mind, is there any way I can identify if my Anchor is genuine or not? Photos attached. Cheers, Mark
@MarkeeMaark Given that the Anchor is a Petromax copy, I’m unaware of a copy-of-the-copy as it were. They’re all copied off the Petromax, but a trade in fake Anchors? I don’t think so. The rust on the tank says its made of steel, an Anchor characteristic. John
That's the real deal Anchor 500cp from Shanghai China. They are a copy of Petromax model 523 and other than the corrosion problems with the steel tanks are actually pretty good lanterns. ::Neil::
Yes, its genuine. If you can remove the rust, restore to full-functionality and keep it from further rusting, that would be pretty collectible. I don't think they are making them like this anymore. If not mistaken, I think the Shanghai factory is no longer in operation.
Thanks all for a super quick response. @presscall - ok, interesting. I possibly misunderstood what I was being told and as you say, an Anchor is a copy. Thanks. @Mackburner - thanks for the info. Yes, the rust is a disappointment. I am doing my best to remove the corrosion but I still have not decided the best option to get it back (or as close to) it’s original finish. I was also considering a heat resistant coat of colour instead. Good to know that the Ancor 975 is a good lantern. @MYN - thanks for this. Yes, genuinely excited to get this up and running. I am hoping that whatever method I choose in the end to either coat/paint, will keep the corrosion away. For now, I am looking to replace the washers and pump leather etc. to get it air-tight. I am trying to source the needles too, which is proving to be difficult. Lastly, I noticed what appeared to be a lead seal around the generator outlet on the tank, but this was split and damaged. Should I replace this with another of the same or is there another material recommended? This is still new to me, but I only recently took up the hobby of restoring lamps, lanterns and stoves. So far, have restored Aladdin, Primus, Optimus. Thanks again for the help
Hi Mark and a warm Welcome! The Anchor is a great workhorse and I hope you can get it blazing again as they do work well.. Good luck and let us know how you get on Regards pb
The lead washer seals against the horizontal faces of the two components not the vertical. I suspect the split is in the part of the washer which has been forced out when the lower vapouriser / generator was screwed down tight enough to not only make a seal but to ensure the needle control is in the correct position. It may look unsightly but I doubt it will leak. All you may need is available from base-camp Petromax Spares Price List or, if you insist: Magnalux Lantern Spares but be aware the low prices usually reflect the quality. Ideally, the needle should protrude between 0.5 and 1.0mm when fully raised, occasionally a new needle doesn't fall between these figures and the conducting rod needs to be adjusted.
Hi @podbros - thanks for the welcome. I will try to keep you posted with my progress. @Henry Plews - Excellent help and advice, thank you and thank you for the links to Base Camp, too. I am a believer in that you get what you pay for, so I will head for the Petromax parts.
@MarkeeMaark It has a black knob which means its an early product. 60s or 70s. Character on tank is traditional chinese "鐵錨牌"，not simplified "铁锚牌" also means its a elder version anchor. It may be made in Shanghai lantern factory or Xinxin lantern factory. The anchor lanterns made before 1990 has a good quality but it looks like you have a lot of work to remove the rusts.
Hi @adrian yu - Thank you. This is really useful info, very grateful. Agree on the rust side - it will take some good old elbow grease to clean this one up, but I know it will be worth it. Am I right in understanding that these were originally chrome plated?
I would consider soaking in citric acid solution for rust removal. Then you can give it a light oil to help protect it. As long as you keep it dry it won’t rust anymore.
Hi @Fireexit1 - I was considering a similar treatment, however I discovered the rust has got to a stage that has left pitting into the steel. From the pictures I originally attached, the one you see of just the tank is after I have sanded back the majority of the corrosion. The corrosion unfortunately made its way beyond the plating leaving it to flake off. I feel this leaves me with little option but to take it right back to the steel and go from there.
@MarkeeMaark yes you are right. The outside layer is chrome plating and the second layer is copper plating hence you can see a brass like colour.
Try a google for rust converter (these are usually based on phosphoric acid) there now it seems all in one options, google-(rust converter and primer)
But please be aware: It is almost impossible to soft-solder anything after it had been treated with these rust converters, should it be found necessary at some point in time. The surface can hardly be mechanically grinded clean, and any residue from the treated surface will severely affect the soldering result. My suggestion would be to simply preserve the surface and prevent from further rusting, such as with Owatrol Marine Oil (dries transparent), or instead choose a different type of paint. After all, the tarnished surface is part of the history of this lantern.
Hi @Martin K. Thanks for this info. Many options, some caveats and varying schools of thought. I find it all helpful and insightful. Thanks again all.
