Cleaning miners lamp.
I have started to collect miners lamps, I have one which
Is almost black on the brass work, what is the best way to
Clean, like they do in the antique dealers showroom.
Also I have a lamp that the threads have gone on the
Fuel vessel, is there anyway I can repair this so the
Threads will work again.

Hi Alan,
I don't normally clean mine, just brush them off and get rid of any asbestos washers. The more they are cleaned, the more you wear them away!! If they are bad however, I strip mine down completely into its normal component parts (not unscrewing bars etc though). I then brush it over with Rustins brass and copper cleaner (use a tray to catch drips) Let it soak for a couple of hours or more. I then wash it off with warm soapy water and a green scouring pad. I Lightly buff it up where possible on a buffing wheel (be carefull the more buffing people do over the life of a lamp, the more wear occurs and you could buff out important stamping.) I then use a carbon fibre strips pen, long steel light wire brush and a light pin file to clean out behind the bars and inside the bonnet. I brush the gauzes down with a wire brush and spray with WD40 and dry. I assemble the lamp and then give it a polish with a hard antique clear wax polish to stop it tarnishing again.
Other people will have other methods they may list on here if we are lucky.

I have a couple of lamps that have very loose vessel threads. I got one from one Guy (who will read this and know it's him) that nearly broke my toe when it fell out as I picked it up!!. However I don't know how to repair this successfully. All I do is pack it with Blu-tack and make sure it will not fall out, and lock down the hasp lock if it has one. After all you are not going to use them, and will just be displaying them for their historical attributes only.

Others with an engineering knowledge may be able to help.

I am a historian rather than a collector of miners lamps, therefore I do not have a single lamp. However I do recall the repair and servicing of miners lamps that took place at the colliery where I was employed.

I am guessing that some problems with the threads on oil vessels are due to 'crossed threads'. On the electrical side where I was employed this was sometimes successfully solved by the careful use of a 'thread file' or more correctly a 'thread restorer file' to clean up the damaged threads. Much care is needed if such a tool is used to see that the correct pitch of file is selected otherwise more damage can be done. Suitable files are available on a well-known auction website.

HAVE A GOOD LOOK TO SEE IF ITS THE LAMP BODY OR VESSEL THATS DAMAGED THREADS, IF ITS JUST THE VESSELL ID GET ANOTHER, LOOSE THREADS CAN BE TIGHTENED BUY GETTING A CENTRE POP AND PUT A SERIES OF POPS ON THE MALE THREADS, THIS SHOULD TIGHTEN IT UP BUT THE MORE YOU UINSCREW IT,IT WILL BECOME LOOSE AGAIN, SO GIVE IT A GOOD CLEAN AND POP THEN PUT IT ON YOUR SHELF AND ADMIRE IT.

For what it's worth, I can't help with the damaged threads,but I do own a considerable number of old lamps and other metalwork.

As Charlie said - avoid Brasso like the plague - it's very abrasive. I've found the best thing with anything seized up is a good soak in paraffin, then a regular wipe down with a decent gun oil. Napier is particularly good as it contains a very effective corrosion inhibitor. Over time it will shift stubborn deposits, but still leave a nice patina on the metal.

Once you've got it how you want it an annual wipe-down should be enough to prevent any further corrosion.

The SL30-71 I showed you above attaches to the back of your artwork frame. It is very different to choose from a plug-in to a direct wire style, as you most definitely commit to an artwork staying in the same part of your room forever when you choose to do a direct wire lamp.

Hi i have acquired a couple of Wolf 7RMBS lamps after removing the flint striker cartridge to strip and clean them , although i have not done anything to them other than clean and add a new flit , they have both stopped working ie they don't strike
they did however both work before i removed them , i was wondering if they were a bit temperamental as i don't really want to strip them down

any info welcome
Andy