...stood about, so high, had curves and wearing red.
Seven dollars and fifty cents got her , had to clean up her a bit, but she perfoms her duties just fine now.
Coleman Lantern, single mantel , the red one.
Classmate asked me run an errand with her, she had seen a Carport sale and was curious about something.
Okay, what she really said was " Hey, you are old, older than my daddy, I need to borrow you for a bit and get your take on something".
Sigh...
" I see you are back, is that your dad you brought back with you?"
Somewhere in our state statues there has to be a clause about it being legal to shoot too tight clad "running suits" , fuzzy balled socked , sherry breathed old ladies with smart mouths...
The box was falling apart, still the lantern was all there. Replete with a wing nut rusted and cracked globe. She wanted $15, classmate started for her jeans pocket, I stopped her...matter of principle.
"Yeah well the Globe is busted, that is going to cost, Only a single mantle, new ones have two now-a-days , wing nut is not original, supposed to have a knurled one. Probably means someone messed with the generator and most likely did not use the filter funnel...
I had an audience and was on a roll...
I think the part about not being safe for indoor use and having to actually pump the thing is what did it...
"OH MY! I wouldn't want to cause a fire or nothing, $7.50 is fine and here take this other box of junk for nothing and get it out of here too".
I knew 35 years of putting up with the public, dealing with suppliers and manufactures would pay off someday. Have I ever mentioned before I learned a LOT from Orthodox Jews as a kid...some ran pawn shops btw...
Head to her apartment, newspapers on kitchen table, and take a look at what we have. Made out like a Bandit is what we did.
Lantern taken apart and in better shape than first thought. Cleaned up and set aside.
Other box is persued through. Two brand new Coleman Lantern globes, two new generators, 3 knurled knobs , and ten packages of the mantles. [girls just do not appreciate this like a guy]
Aladdin knife sharpener ['egg' shape with carbide] Heavy glass oil lamp, wicks, and extra globe for it, heavy hand held can-openers, and "church keys". Case brand paring knife, Norton India oil stone with Norton honing oil and brand new Coleman funnel with the filter.
Done good huh?
Naturally got all this cleaned up, put back together, gave lessons on how to install lantern mantels, assembly of everything, how to fill, light and such.
Explained "church keys". Oil lantern instructions - especially how to trim a wick. Use of a whetsone, and carbide sharpener.
Went to get lantern fuel [Genuine Stuff, not that imitation] and lamp oil. All the while 'trying to' get the Case knife, whetstone and honing oil for my services rendered...didn't work. Dang Whippersnappers!
I suggested she buy a Kerosene lantern while standing in the store- I got "that look" , to which I reminded her she was under the original $15 asking price of the Coleman. I still kept getting that look...
Went onto her back deck with Coleman Lantern and fired that puppy up. Always preferred the single mantle myself, puts out more light. Scientific study from using these to night fish by for too many years...
Just my luck - she liked the durn thing. She can use it on the back deck in the event power goes out.
She really liked the oil lamp. I had trimmed two wicks differently , and we "had to see" the difference, she prefers the "double wick" look. I believe "Neato Dude" was the exclamation used.
Dangling the Kersosence lantern...' okay , what the hell did I buy this for?"
She figured it out right quick. The wick trimming she did herself, when I put in the Lamp Oil , like we had the oil lamp..."Oh Man...that is so cool! I can use it indoor and outdoors and...that is totally so cool!"
Yeah well using lamp oil in a kerosene lantern is not a new thing...around here kerosene is not readily available. Lamp oil is. Safe to use indoors, Holds a lot of oil - so lasts a long time. These also have attracted a lot of bugs, which attract fish, which in turn I have caught at night. JUst like the Coleman Red's have...
I had made mention that a sharp knife was safer than a dull one. I see her on campus a few days later and she wants to disagree at this time, sporting a band-aid and shaking it at me.
I informed her once she was used to sharp knives, and noted less effort in use...
Err...woman have this deal about pouted lips, soulful eyes, "head tilt" and " I guess you will have to teach me how to sharpen ALL my knives, all my knives are dull except that one you kept trying to talk me out of".
Walked into that one - didn't I?
Date on the hardware ticket says 1959. Too faded and torn to see the price on the Lantern.
And of course she told her 'younger' parents she was learning a whole lot more at College than College stuff, she told her dad all about the latern, and all the goodies. Dad was impressed, seems mom rolled her eyes and said daughter has always been a daddy's girl.
