Does anybody know the differences in lumens between a thorium mantle and a regular silk etc? I know that Thorium is radioactive and toxic smoke etc. but are they that much brighter? Thanks for your input.
The current wisdom on this is that thorium are better but not as safe to use. Coleman insist that their non radioactive mantles are as good as the older thorium types but I remain to be convinced. ::Neil::
Here is an image of the user directions for Peerless thorium coated mantles. If you follow these directions TO THE LETTER, they can be used with MINIMUM risk. I would add, "DO NOT breathe in smoke while mantles are being burned off". Make sure that you burn them off outside or in a WELL VENTILATED area. "Common sense" in operation. Bob
Hmmn I like the part where common sense goes out the window and they tell you do not ingest... I think it needs to be called uncommon sense nowdays...
Instead of common sense perhaps good sense would be an accurate term? But you are correct, there is a lack of it nowadays, that's my opinion anyway! Jeff.
I know its common sense but while talking to a old Indian at work who grew up in India about tilley lamps when he was a boy he said they used to save the powder from broken mantles and mix them with a warm drink to use as a cure for stomach ache, this would have been late 50s\60s he is 61 now and does not glow in the dark pete
The part I find funny is how they came up with the idea that helps the stomach. One day some joker decides to try it. But what would make him even think to try it?
Hi why and who i have no idea but it appears it was normal thing to do in the part he lived in. He did buy a working tilley off me and he still has it but i told him dont eat the mantles!!!! pete
Willis & Bates instructions for their military users also advised squaddies not to eat the mantles included with the lanterns... ...well, presumably not until they were in the SAS anyway!
Hi All I recently serviced several Tilley lamps for St John Ambulance Norfolk County Cadet Camp using some of the 164H Happy Mantles and some Base Camp "164bulk" mantles. (Quote from Base Camp web: Bulk pack, 10 Base Camp mantles without Thorium for all Tilley Stormlights, Stormlantern, Wall lights, Table lamps.). The Base Camp mantles were slightly smaller than the 164H but seemed to give a far brighter light. I tried swapping the hoods around incase different aged vaporsers had an effect. I also destroyed a newly fitted 164H and fitted a Base Camp mantle. No surprise here, the Base Camp mantle burned brighter. Would this be down to the quality of materials used, size of mantle or the weave of the material? Regardless of the reason I for one will be using the Base Camp ones for myself. Regards, Jeremy
On the whole I prefer the light given by a thoriated mantle, to my eyes at least it is more of a white colour, whereas the non thoriated mantles tend to be more yellow. I haven't tried the base camp mantles yet as I've goy a good stock of 164H's to work through. The main isotope of Thorium is Thorium 232, which has a half life of 14 billion years. It gives off both alpha and gamma radiation. I've checked a thoriated mantle with a geiger counter and it certainly gave quite a rattle, impressive but harmless I haven't tried eating one though - probably more danger of choking to death than being poisoned by radiation....
Hi Philipte i much prefer to use really old mantles when i can get them they do shrink off much smaller but the mesh is much tighter when they are burning and do give a brighter light i have found these would be thorium ones not modern type. cheers pete
I have used both thorium and non thorium on my 3 Tilley's and can say for sure that the thorium mantles are indeed brigther.
