Svea 123/123r - The MOST RELIABLE Stove for the Backcountry EVER MADE?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ค. 2024
- I review a lot of stoves, and a very frequent comment I hear is "where are the liquid fueled stoves?". Well, I'll admit, you guys were right. We can no longer ignore Liquid Fueled stoves on this channel! So, let's start with the OG, the Svea 123, or in this case, the 123r.
#svea123 #svea123r #whitegas
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Top choice of the late great Colin Fletcher. The 123R (Made in Sweden) was my stove on an AT thru hike in the 70s. Five months, never a problem. When you cranked it up that sputter took me back in time!
A walk through time! What a terrific book. Collin Fletcher and Edward Abbey are my favorite.
The current generation of gram counting pussies would be horrified you at thru hiked with that stove haha
The stove sputters if it is not hot enough
The key will get hot if you leave it attached to the valve while the stove is running. The chain is there so you can let it hang from the stove without getting hot. Take the key off of the valve and only attach it when making adjustments or starting/stopping the stove.
That right there showed me he wasn’t as experienced with the stove as he portrayed. That..and the re-light attempt without a re-prime. You can tell the video was edited right at that point.
All of which is ok. Everyone has to learn at some point. Ive made both of mistakes before.
First mod should be to attach key chain to the pot support rather than the burner
@@TheWibbo why?
@@TheWibboMaybe, if you're only ever using the self-contained windscreen pot support. Makes less sense if using a different setup. For me it's simpler to just use the key only when I'm using the key.
I found dad's old svea from the 1970s. Watched youtube on operation. Fired up the first time and works like a rocket! Great stove!
Mine too! Same 70’s Vintage. Nothing modern out there to compare.
Aww, legendary !!!!!
Sounds like a rocket, too!
I bought my first svea 123r in 1976 still have it and it’s still going strong. I was 16 and the kid working in the store explained to me after I asked him how it worked “you pour fuel on it and set fire to it” of course I had to have it after that.
I frightened more than a few people back in 1971 when I traveled through New Mexico. I got pretty casual about the amount of gasoline I threw on it to get it started. Usually put the stove on a stone surface with a wind break. Toss about half an ounce of gasoline on it. Toss the match. Wait until the magic moment to open the valve so I don't have to use another match. Brush off the remains of my eyebrows if I was a bit too close.
@@DavyRayVideo LOL! That was hilarious !👍
hahaha awesome.
I bought mine with my dad in ‘76 also. It’s a great stove - I don’t use it much any more but will never sell it because of the memories.
Bought my SVEA 123 in 1973 for a bicycle tour of England, France, Germany, Denmark & Sweden. Fellow campers were amazed at how fast I could prepare my meals with the little stove! Also took on canoe trips on several California Rivers. Always enjoyed it. Just sold it today. (Now have a 38’ Class A RV). After watching video, regret selling my stove.
This stove is actual classic old school all the way! Forty years ago I used this stove for backpacking, along with my Kelty frame pack. Wow I really didn't know these were still in production. If you want to go old school, this is the way! The original is a rock-solid unit.
This was my first backpacking stove which I bought in 1970 in the San Francisco Bay Area on sale for $10. Probably before most of you, including Dr. Ernie, were born. I used to go backpacking and hiking with it at Point Reyes National Seashore and all over the Bay Area.
I wondered if anyone else bought theirs's at that price? I believe I bought my first Svea123 in 1970 at the original EMS in Boston. I believe it was called the EMS basement, prior it was called the Mountaineering store. I bought a second one at a sale a year or two later, also at $10. Many AT/LT (Long Trail (Vt)) days of hiking in those days prior to all the backpacking food and light weight gear.
I've been there... my grandfather gave me his 123... I took mine to the Middle East, and some asshat stole mine!
@@ke6ziu that sucks, but they're pretty common. You should be able to find an old one pretty easily. Won't be your grandfathers', but close. I see them for $100 or less all the time
@@cornholius I have several now... thanks!
Bought my Svea back in the seventies. To start it, I'd open the valve, and cradle the base in my hands to warm it, until some fuel came up and spilled into the little reservoir at the base of the burner. Close the valve, light the fuel, and as it burned out, open the valve. The last of the flame would light the burner. Yeah, took some practice, but satisfying when you got it right. Great little stove. Haven't used it in a while, it's lost somewhere in a box in my shop, but I remember it fondly. It went many miles on the trails with me.
Exactly the method I used with mine. No fiddling with extra fuel sources needed.
Come practice that technique on a -20 F (-40 F WCE) day here in Minnesota. :-)
When I was 17, I was backpacking with the Svea stove. Left it near the fire and it over pressured, I clearly recall the streaming fire flying 15 feet or so across our camp and the cotton wicking coming out the stove.
I guess there's a reason some people called them 'the Swedish hand grenade'. :-)
I have about twenty stoves, old and new, and this little guy winds up doing most of the work and has never failed me.
My parents bought a little Svea stove in 1958 and used it quite a bit up until I was born. At that point they took a few months off, then started hauling me along on something similar to a Native American Cradle board until I was old enough to keep up on my own. All that while using the little Svea stove as our heat source for cooking. When I was ten or eleven years old, they passed the stove on to me and I have used it ever since for my backpacking trips. It gets heavy use... practically every day during the summer months with only a day or two off when I go down to civilization to resupply. It is still working perfectly and going backpacking with me after nearly three quarters of a century later. It is that high quality. Not many things these days last that long, and if the Svea 123's made today are still made as ruggedly as they were back then, it will be a stove which will last you a lifetime, and that you can then pass on to your children for them to use for another lifetime. I recommend this stove over all others because of it's ruggedness, long service life, and because of it's ease of maintenance. Buy the funnel and the spare parts kit. The whole stove has only 17 parts to it (including the tiny pot that comes with it) and it is simple enough that anyone can break it down and repair it. I also recommend that you buy one of the third party pressurizer pumps. It will save you having to prime it by lighting white gas on the ring around it which isn't a fun process. This is one little stove that you will never regret purchasing, and probably the only backpacking stove you will ever need or want.
I have a Sigg cookware set to go with it which has two larger pots and a pan all of which nest together with the stove nestled safely inside, but it is my understanding that those are no longer made. That's unfortunate as they have also lasted ever since I bought them. It would be worth looking for a gently used set of these. It comes with a secondary windscreen and a wider top so that you can safely use the larger pots and pan. I also had a small bag for it so that if I needed to travel a distance before getting to water clean enough to wash it all in I could do so without getting everything else in my backpack dirty the bag was waterproof and washable so that anything that got in it could be easily washed off when I got to a location where I could clean the cookware. If you know what's edible in your area you can take a couple of extra bottles of fuel along, and extend your time away by foraging and using your little Svea 123 to cook it all with, resorting to using campfires as little as possible and using only available fire pits which have been used by others in the past. Further, you are less likely to catch the whole forest on fire using one of these little camp stoves than using a fire pit. Save a forest and use a camp stove!
I got my trail name, Tinker, partially, from unclogging countless 123 stoves, as well as MSR Whisperlights along the AT in the 1980s. A very easy operation, but practically unknown to the users of said stoves (who reads owner's manuals, after all?). The (R) model's self-cleaning needle was a big improvement. In cool weather, most times owners could usually warm the fuel tank with body heat enough to cause fuel to well up out of the jet and down into the priming cup. The small amount of fuel could then be lit to prime the stove.
All liquid fuel stoves will need less frequent cleaning if you blow the flame out when turning them off. The little yellow flame that lingers after shutting the stove down causes soot to build up in the jet. I began to practice doing this with my 1980s Whisperlight and very rarely needed to clean it since (but that's also when I started making homemade alcohol and wood burning stoves around the turn of the century). I always use alcohol stoves now, unless cooking for two or more, when the efficiency of pressurized gas or naphtha is desirable for heating large quantities of water or cooking meat, fish, sauteeing vegetables, or simmering stews.
P.S. The noise is caused by the liquid fuel hitting the bottom of the cup-shaped burner head, which then would spatter against it, breaking the stream into tiny droplets which would ignite when exposed to the air and open flame. The burner head was called a "Spatter burner" or "Roar(er)" burner. The Whisperlight was much quieter (and lighter than) the MSR XGK, it's predecessor, hence the name.
Brass (and stainless steel) are dense and relatively heavy metals. The price of low-grade titanium has come down, making it a suitable replacement for stove parts needing to be exposed to high heat. Stainless steel is still used in budget friendly stoves.
👍👍👍.
Just a Tip regarding the 'Self-Cleaning Needle' This is from an Instructor in the Swedish Military.
DO NOT activate the Self-Cleaning Needle Function directly after using the Stove whilst it is still very hot. The Needle can become heat-fused, resulting in a non-functioning stove necessitating subsequent dismantling and repair. He writes that more than one recruit in his care having to undergo 'Corrective Drills' in order to reinforce the impact of non-Compliance to this SOP 😊.
I have it's Cousin, the Optimus 8R Hunter. It using the same Burner Mechanism but is packaged into a Metal Box. Bought new in the 70's and still in use. The only repair required was about 10 years back, the replacement of the Carbon Bush Seal in the Valve Adjustment Stuffing Box.
Great Stoves ..
Correction .. Graphite Seal.
Interesting since the instructions say to exactly do that.
Wouldnt the gunk at the pinhole not be harder when it cools down? So the needle would then have a hardee time to punch through?
That sputtering is normal, it runs great. My Svea is is almost 40 years old, I love it.
Ernie, take the key off when stove in use, the chain will keep it close by. The sputtering at first is normal. I always carried a bit of extra fuel in a good fuel bottle, along with a mini funnel and an eye dropper to put fuel in the priming pan. The cup will make a half a Top Ramen package, standard food item in the old days. I've used my stove thousands of times over 30 years, each one seems to have its own idiosyncrasies but they always work. Cold weather means a bit more priming, but once going is foolproof. Please note how similar in dimensions modern stoves are to this old workhorse. It is the perfect size for solo or two to three people. Mine cost $25.00 in 1973. Great to see you put some TLC into one. Thanks for sending me back....lots of great backpacking memories.
I still have my original bought from REI for around $11.00 (new)! I also added the Sigg Tourist Cook Set which extended the Svea’s usefulness to o
I have a couple of 123r’s. I have the hiker larger and heavier but similar. One thing I have done is leave the key on the ground after lighting. Key stays a lot cooler when turning stove off. Also I take the key chain off of the burner and attach to windscreen. Makes assembly much easier when stove is lit.
I had mine back in the early 70’s fantastic stove. The “fluttering” just shows you it’s alive 😂. Sadly the new ones are made from a much inferior brass and tarnish very easily, also the 3 leg pot stand rusts. Having said that it still roars and flutters like the original so no real issues! Oh, just one last thing, always, always remove the key after adjusting the burner, you will only forget it once😂😂 regards from deepest Dorset England 🇬🇧🇺🇸👍 ps there were many super little stoves from the Norse men back then! I still have and use a Optimus 8R, another roaring sweetheart 👍
Recomended to remove key when running, otherwise it will get too hot.
Thanks for the vlogs
Take care
I was thinking the same thing watching this.
Good one! So if you are starting a series on the classics - man you are in for a ride, The Doc has a point there.
Lots of comments here so not sure if already mentioned, but a Toaks cup is a good mach if the orig alu one need some rest. Another little point, modern backpacks have side water bottle pockets perfectly made for a 123.
You might want to let the stove just go for a while, with a pot on it, boil a few liters. (But do not burn it dry, that might harm the wick.) This is old tech and the worst you can do to it is not use it. The stove should go good and hot and a bit more powerful than the test you show. The top plate and the upper part of the bell should glow nicely. Gooing good most of the bell will glow. I get a boiltime for half a liter a bit more than 3 min with a Toaks 750.
You mentioned the optional pump. That will also require a special pump fuel cap with not just the safety valve but also a check valve in it.
Thanks and all the best from Norway, e.
Thanks for the blast from the past! I got my Svea 123-R around 1974 when I started backpacking. Great stove. I think I will dig mine out of the attic along with my MSR XGK and try using them again for car camping trips. Too heavy now for lightweight 3-season backpacking, but great stoves.
Bought my Seva in 1972. Will be using it in February on a dog sledding trip along the Canadian border through the BWCA.
Wow that sputtering sound brought back memories. When I was a young Boy Scout my scoutmaster had one of these and I distinctly remember his stove sounding exactly the same.
I bought my 123r in 1975 new for about $24. Back then, if you didn’t want to prime from the tank by eyedropper or pipette, you could get a tube of Mainz fire ribbon. It was alcohol paste in a toothpaste tube. I still use my Svea (all original) with the spare parts kit in the bottom of the stuff sack. BTW, the key is also the only wrench you need for this wonder of Swedish engineering.
Mautz fire ribbon. I don’t like spellcheck.
I picked one of those stoves at a yard sale for $10 because the guy said it was missing the pump. Lucky me
Finally!! Not the lightest, not the fastest, but certainly my favorite stove of ALL time.
I own about 20 SVEA 123 and 123R stoves. At this point in time I have none. They are loaned out to friends all over south Louisiana. The hurricanes have decimated so many! These little stoves are reliable powerhouses! Most of my friends are grateful. Some say how thankful they are and that I’ll never get the stove back! It’s all good! Everyone should have a SVEA stove!
Wow!, it's been a long time since I've heard any discussion about a Svea stove. When I got mine back in the 70s, this was the mark of a true wilderness trekker.👍
Yep, not a true wilderness backpacker without a Svea!! Still have mine too but use a gas stove that makes less noise now. Lots of great memories for this old gal.
Back then, a true wilderness trekker could build a wood fire under all conditions and didn't need a gas stove! Now they call it "bushcraft". It can save your life, whether you have a stove or not. I'm the old guy who wanders into camp around dusk and builds a fire for everyone else, where regulations permit. 😁 Btw, I use a homemade stove because it's convenient.
Daniel, you are right about firemaking skills. But a "leave no trace" ethic demanded a stove. Most summer trips now have strict limits on open flame type fires, so if you want hot coffee or a want to cook anything, a stove is a must. I personally am a fan of Mac's Simple Theory wood stove or the Firefox wood stove....firestarting skills still required. For those of us who love the outdoors, camping etc.......having options to fit different circumstances and environments is part of the fun and certainly helps the economy. I'm 68 yrs old and still buy new gear. I hold dear my early Campfire Girls outdoor education.....as I too could come into camp late and have a fire going in no time. Good thing to know. Happy camping to all.
@@peggynulsen1365 Couldn't have said it better. Also, wilderness trekking back in the day included trips with big miles, above tree line, often with snow and ice. The Svea stove was perfect for these kinds of trips, besides they were just cool.
At 63, I too can start a fire well after dark, while doing back flips, and rolling my tongue.😄👍
@@danielkutcher5704Some wilderness doesn't have wood. :-)
Still have mine which was given to my by my Aunt and Uncle for a high school graduation present in 1970. 123 model. The sputtering is normal and a wonderful sound full of memories.
The first time I tried to use it backpacking, I had somehow lost the flame spreader plate and didnt even know it was needed. I was trying to impress my "girlfriend" and it didn't go too well. The flame just basically shot straight up from the stove and sort of spread against the bottom of the pot above it. It worked sort of but not well.
Must not have been a total disaster as my girlfriend and I have been married 40 years.
That's such a cool story. 👍🏾😊💞🌳🏕️🏞️
Wow - I have my Dad's original SVEA that he purchased in 1971! I still use it when I camp today!
Oh - That SOUND!!! It takes me back to the days when I could hike 50 miles over a week in the Colorado Rockies Rawah Wilderness. Every year from 1978 to 1983. Great stove.
Taiwan origin began when Optimus took over. Around 2000 or so. Nothing wrong with Taiwan as they make some very good products.
the purr is perfectly normal. These are the greatest stoves ever made. A little heavy, a little dirty, a little finnicky, but there's nothing like hearing that purr in your tent after a hard, cold pitch halfway up some peak.
Thanks for posting this, I have my svea123r from 1980. That’s also how mine sounds. Back then to take advantage of the brass tank you could prime it by holding it with warm hands or light 3 standard wooden kitchen matches at one time under it… if your good, you can time the last of the match flame to light the burner. Never had a problem. Still works.
I just started cleaning an old 123 that I bought at a garage sale in the 90's. So I look up to see how to operate it, and am learning as much from the comments as the video. That said, without your post, I would never know why the tank has soot on it. Thanks.
My hiking buddy had one of these. We used it on two 5 day hikes in Agawa Canyon, Canada in around 1978. I took an Optimus 8R. Same burner technology but in a square form factor. Loved it for 10+ years even though it was heavy. Never let me down. Thanks for the trip nostalgia.
Bought one in the early 1980's while a Marine infantryman. Made many hot drinks to ward off frostbite on snowy maneuvers.
What you refer to as the "priming pan", I always heard it called the "spirit cup". As a teen in 1971 I used this backpacking around Aspen, Colorado. Still have it; awesome.
Thanks for the video! I have heard about the Svea stoves for many years reading about expeditions, explorers, mountain climbers, and now I see why they were so popular.
I bought a Svea 123r back in the 70s when I was backpacking across the continental divide. I might still have it in storage somewhere, but I haven't seen it in over 30 years. ( I had the optional pump, and it always worked flawlessly.)
The vintage one I have has been especially appreciated during power outages. It offers me simple peace of mind for reliable stove works knowing it's sits ready for just in case emergencies or for pleasure trips and hikes. I use white gas in the tank that is sold for Coleman stoves and pour it in with a small funnel...lasts quite a long while. I was lucky to have found mine at a local church sale a couple of years ago for a few bucks and it came with a cinch corded stow bag, the aluminum cup and handle too. I didn't know what to was at first although I had an obvious idea but, the guy who sold it to me must have been 85 Y.O. and was the original owner...he explained what it was with due care and reverence. Yes, it had been on many adventures of his ...and now a few of mine :) So glad I found this old well loved patina enhanced stove. Just beautiful. Thanks again for sharing the information here on it.
The Svea I purchased and used from the mid 60's had a coleman type pump on the filler cap. A few pumps would build up enough pressure to allow fuel to come through the valve which was then lit to prime the stove. This self priming feature made it completely self contained. The priming and the heat of the stove made it a bit scary for new backpackers, but my wife and I soon learned to love its simplicity.
The pump was an option, at least early on.
Always had the pump with mine ...really makes it easy to use in the winter here in Alaska.
You can still buy the pump as an optional extra.
Bought mine at REI in Seattle in the 70s when I was a teen. Used it backpacking in the Cascades and Wallowas. I primed it by warming it with my hands, or inside my jacket. Eventually I added on the little pump. I use ultralight canister stoves now, but I'll never part with my Svea. Need to get it out and fire it up for old time's sake. And yes, that sputtering burn is exactly right. Thanks for bringing up great memories!
Very cool old stove. I have to say I love old brass items. So very steampunk.
Earnie, a few things for people to bring their Svea game up to the next level.
1) Push a small bit of thin wire through a piece of carbon felt and secure it to the valve stem at the priming bowl. This will act as a wick to hold liquid priming fuel (white gas or alcohol) while preventing the fuel from spilling. This allows you to light the priming fuel and to handle the stove to put on the windscreen without fear of burning fuel sloshing around. See the videos by Colorado Camper for a demonstration.
2) A more reliable way to prime the Svea is to light the priming fuel (per above) and once the windscreen is on, open the valve to 1/2 on. As the stove primes, first liquid and shortly after vaporized gas will come out of the head and will ignite. The stove will sputter and flutter for a bit but will quickly come to full power. No need to "light" the stove. It will light itself using the priming flame. No need to get the timing of priming just right. See the videos by Bernie Dawg for demonstrations.
3) Perform a cold stove "dunk test" yearly to confirm there are no cracks, bad threads and more commonly, no worn out filler cap seal and safety release valve pip. I do this every fall and it helps ensure confident use. Worn cap seals and pips can cause the stove to not build pressure. Worn threads and cracks are even worse. Ounce of prevention...
As for reliability, I've been using mine yearly since 1986. Still running strong as ever and just got used last weekend.
Optimus. I've had my first one since late 60s. 2nd about 1979/80.
There IS no better stove. Period. High elevations, sub zero temps. It doesn't care. I use paste to preheat...ran outta paste and decided to try Soto Windmaster this trip...better work next 3 months...😁
I used to use paste but hard to get at the moment. Try hand sanitizer. Works for me.
Hi, late comment. I bought mine in 1976. It works great today. The sputtering is normal, gives it that real working feeling. Has been a great companion on many camping adventures with my best friends. Good video, thank you.
I bought one back in the early 80s, loved it. Gave it to my daughter when she was doing her college camping. Never saw it again. Too bad. Texas
Ernie, I bought two of these about 10 yrs ago off eBay. That is the way they sound. One was a 123 and one was a R. Both Sweden. Got them home added fuel and they both fired right up. Both had all parts. Only paid like $40-45/each. Love the sounds these make at night!
Love it!!! I bought mine in the 70’s but haven’t used it since the mid 80’s. It is a great stove never had a problem with it although it is perhaps a bit heavy by today’s standards for backpacking.
I’ve had mine for 40years. Still great.
I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail with my Svea 123 that I bought in 1959. The sputter sound is correct, music to my ears!!!
My first stove ever. Mine is a 50+ year veteran 123- with no “r”. Superb engineering, fit and finish. Bought with my paper route money and traveled the world. Added a whisper-cap 4 years ago for quiet burn. Will always love it’s no frills solid performance.
Just got one of these for a vintage backpacking trip video. Been in a garage for years, fired up first try!
I have a forty year old 123r, it still works. I used it when I was young for camping. Last year I cleaned it and I was still able the cook water with it. It now has a more decorative function.
Only attach the valve key when you need to. Keep it on there and you’ll get burnt. Lol
Grab a Coleman 530, you won’t regret it! Nickel plated brass….awesome :) anything vintage Coleman is awesome. 502, 500 and the reliable modern 533 all rock.
I have an old one we had in the mid 1960s. I think it was US Army issue. This inspired me to dig it out and play with it.
Thanks for sharing this video! Not sure if anyone mentioned this, but there's an oblong hole in the inner plate where you can stow the pot handle. There's even room in there for a small box of matches. Might also mention if you don't have any primer fuel handy, you can crack the valve and allow the pressure to be neutral in the tank, then on a cool day you can warm the tank enough with your hands to get just enough gas out of the nozzle to preheat and start the stove. I've many a day in the field with this model and never a failure. It and my 533 are at the top of the packing list 🙂
I own 3 SVEAs; 2 123's and 1 123R. They are all working fine as I know at this point but haven't fired them up in a couple of years. I ordered some parts for 1 or 2 of them several years ago to get them running better. These little units are spectacular!
I've always wondered about these stoves . Everyone I've heard run sound about the same with the fluttering. Thank you for posting this video Ernie !! I appreciate all you do I'm here ! Take care and stay safe my friend !!
Years ago we called them One-twenty-three. I have started using a 6 oz pump hand sanitizer, 70% alcohol. burns hot and clean and easy to find. I have both versions I think I paid $8 USD for my first one and both versions still going strong. After 50 years I have had to replace the screw lid gasket. To improve tank pressure on a cold day in any type of stove put an insulation pad under the stove. I use a 6" x 6" cork square.
I’ve had mine for a couple years now. Great stove, but if you’re cooking with it you will have to be careful that heat can creep up. Like many comments I also added a carbon felt “ Donut “ . Just wish it would simmer a little better for some of the things I like to cook. 🔥🇨🇦
For modern users and I’m not plugging a product. The SVEA fits perfectly inside a Snow Peak titanium solo just the lid has to be kept separate. I found that out by total fluke
Very cool, thanks for sharing this unique stove. I’ll have to get one also.
Awesome stove, I have a complete Svea123 and love it. I use a piece carbon felt at the base of the valve stem for preheating keeps the alcohol from running down the sides of the stove. All the svea style burners sputter until they get hot, then go a roar once up to temp.
I've noticed the same with my MSR Dragonfly, which is based off Svea. That top should get red hot. Once they get hot they should stop sputtering. Cool stove. I love vintage outdoor gear.
Yeah same with my Optimus Polaris
Same I have one 1970 beautiful condition thoroughly cleaned still sputtering when initially heated up. Cool stove but would not likely take it camping too heavy! Lol cold soak thru hiker but love my stove collection. Around 100 lol stove junkies also MD btw
I love this stove in cold weather!
I have one which I bought in the mid eighties. It is the business. You should take the key out to stop it getting hot. Use liquid alcohol or the warmth of your hands to get it going. If doing the latter open the fuel cap to equalise the pressure before you start.
I have had mine since 1973.....It was $39.95.
My dad had one in the 80s I don't actually know whatever happened to it. But to me, they remind me of 6am bacon sandwiches just outside the old canvas tent. Happy memories.
My Svea 123r, with the pump, was my first purchase from REI back when you had to be a member. It was 1975 or 6 and I was in the Boy Scouts of America. One of the reasons it was so popular was its true 4-season capability. It was winter and I scooped up a mound of snow in the included pot-cover, lighted the stove and had it boiling in 3 minutes. By the way, your handle should store inside the windscreen in the slot. I still use this stove.
I drilled 3 small holes around the burner bell, put 3 threaded rods and tiny nuts to hold them.
Heated them with a torch and bent them up.
Acts as a pot stand without the brass cage, and a still use the brass cage if I want.
Full stove for a weekend=12oz.
I got mine back in 1970.I carried a sigg,aluminum bottle to carry my gas.Unlead back than. I used a eye dropper to pour gas by the neck
I have my 123/r I bought in 1973. It works like a champ. Will never fail.
I have a Stansport-branded clone of the Svea 123 from the 1970s. I'm pretty sure that it was made in Taiwan, but looked and worked just like the Svea.
I've had mine since '79. I don't carry it much anymore but it still works great anytime I do. (the pot handle actually fit inside the windscreen before the pot goes on top for storage) I really enjoy your videos.
Used a SVEA 123 for winter and spring mountaineering in the '70's. It started leaking gas while boiling water and set fire to everything around it. Gave it a toss away from the tent, but really could have been a disaster. Used an Optimus after this incident.
My SVEA 123 traveled literally thousands of miles in my Kelty D4 backpack in the late '60's early '70's, most trips ranging 50 to 100 miles... some further. It was purchased from REI Seattle in 1969, and nothing even came close to it then....... or now. Actual white gas existed then..... It vanished from the market in '73. Before that most service stations had a barrel of it. At first I distilled ordinary gasoline to create my own white gas, removing all the additives, lead, etc in the process. It worked fine and was cheap. My rig was an old pressure canner on a hot plate with a fan cooled copper "worm". The rule with the Svea was ALWAYS clean the tip before use, and the stove key had wrenches built in to remove the tip and other components if necessary. The tip cleaner and wrench handle for the pot fit in slots inside the stove, the pot forming a cover to keep it all together.
The original directions called for warming the stove tank in your hands, then opening the valve so fuel would trickle out the jet from the pressure generated from your body heat. This would fill the cup, and we would ignite it with a flint stick. I soon "graduated" to a pipette which I would dip fuel out with and place it into the cup, and one of my buddies carried an eye dropper.
It is an extremely powerful stove, and seems to be very fuel efficient. It will go days on what is in the tank, and on our trips I carried a half pint or pint fuel can, depending on the length of the trip.
About 15 years ago I went on a canoe trip with a younger friend who had all the latest and greatest modern gear...... much of which does not impress me a lot, but some of which is great. He had an MSR Whisper Lite. A beautifully compact elegant little stove....... I had my 123. After the trip he bought a SVEA 123 and got rid of the Whisper Lite. The problem with the MSR was that you could not walk away from it while cooking something. Because the pressure is pumped, the stove would burn lower and lower while simmering things. You had to pump it regularly. The SVEA would just roar merrily away at whatever setting you were on. His problem could have been alleviated with a much larger fuel bottle and not much fuel in it I suspect so that there would be air space to hold the pressure.
The real issue with the SVEA 123, Optimus 8R, and similar stoves is the burner design. It is extremely loud. If I could graft the MSR burner onto the SVEA, I would have the perfect stove. Currently, I use a tiny folding butane stove. The convenience and light weight of the butane bottles and the stove, just makes sense these days. The ONLY practical fuel for the SVEA is Coleman Fuel, and that is not cheap. It is however clean and doesn't carbon up the jet like white gas did. The sound level is one of the main reasons I use the butane stove. The roar of the SVEA is amazing in the silence of the woods, and it is a relief when you shut it down.
Hi @stonetoolcompany3649--I have some info that may make you very happy. There's a fella who goes by BernieDawg who designs swap-in parts that quiet these stoves considerably:
th-cam.com/video/a68vBekfEx4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=M6aPEzjF_qyL4O3C
I purchased mine in 1981. I have only had to replace a leather gasket in the valve in all the time that I have owned it. It works well in the relatively low mountains we have in Texas. Btw, yo naci en Puerto Rico, pero yo no soy in hombre Boricua. Mi padre nacio en la Republica Dominicans.
I moved into a notorious hippy house 50 years ago. I found my Svea 123 . Made in Sweden! Works great. Still have handle, cup, instructions AND even the Pokey tool to clean the jet!
I have an original Svea 123 and it works exactly as yours. It sounds like a let engine when it's running. The original came with a separate cleaning needle for the nozzle and the key was also a wrench to disassemble the nozzle for cleaning.
Agree with Aaron Ginther...it's easy to cut a carbon felt washer for the priming bowl--which lets you use regular methanol or ethanol to prime. The felt soaks up the fuel which avoids spills. The pulsing burner is typical of all the roarer burners (8R, Optimus Polaris, etc.). BernieDawg quiet cap is a nice option on this stove--same performance at a fraction of the sound. Not cheap but it works great.
A+ on the BernieDawg Quite cap
I bought the Optimus 12R 50 years ago and still take it out occasionally. They are great stoves.
I have the Svea for backpacking where fuel is unavailable, scarce, or fire restricted. A Coleman Dual Fuel for vehicle camping for the same and weight is not an issue. And my favorite, the Firebox for everything else. First used the Svea back in the late 70's camping Powerline Pass in the Chugach's behind Anchorage, AK and then later on in Denali National Park. Took the AK RR train from Anchorage to Denali and got off at the entrance and took the bus and got dropped off. Hiked a bit and camped on a grassy hillside. Woke up in the morning and peeked out of the tent to find I was surrounded by a herd of caribou grazing through some not 30 feet from me. I was in awe and felt so alive.
Greeting from Louisiana, I just got one of the Taiwan models for Christmas today. Looking forward to trying mine soon. Thanks for the video!
Got my first one back in the late 60's and it is still going strong. Back in the day we called them One-, twenty-three , not one ,two, three. A tough little stove not recommended for extreme cold. But I have used mine on backcountry trips at 20 to 30 below F. In cold weather they need to insolated the bottom from the ground. I carry a square of cork 1/4" thick which does a great job. And of course always use a wind screen They fit nice in nesting Sigg pots from Switzerland . Sad to say the new owners of Sigg no longer make pots and only make waters bottles. The same Swedish company made some small pressurized stoves that are real work horses. Two about the size of the Seva 123, With options like silent or roar burners as well as choice of white gas or kerosene. I had mine all ready to go for late October bike trip and at the last minute switched to an Optimus 00 ( you old timers remember them) which is pressurized and a wee bit more stable and holds more fuel.
Brought back memories. We bought one of these when my wife and I started an AT through-hike in 1973.. Like Mike Roy said, that sputter/roar of the SVEA took me back. We had also been influenced by Colin Fletcher. Wish we had had alcohol gel back then. It was always a thrill to overflow the priming dimple and have a flame-fest in the lean-to.
I had one of those when I started backpacking in the mid 1970's, and it worked great (had the fuel pump to avoid need to prime)! When I started mountaineering, I traded up to an MSR Model 9, the grandpa to the XGK and Whisperlite models which came later. These were real high-altitude blast furnaces :)
Great video! The quiet cap for this stove looks interesting.
No need for a quiet cap, it’s supposed to be loud and roar like a v1 rocket! Regards from deepest Dorset England 👍
I love the Svea stoves! Grew up backpacking Glacier, Yellowstone, n other parks in the Northwest.. My pops still has his original Svea stove we always used. Very dependable, rugged and even iconic design, IMHO. It's fuel and design limit the performance in high elevations and low temperatures, especially compared to todays stuff.
I always thought you were meant to add gas at the burner and let it run down the neck filling the trough below and essentially covering the entire neck and base pre ignition. This heats the whole thing up and just prior to the fuel being burnt from the bowl in the burner you turn the key slightly and it fires right up.
To start my 123R I no longer heat the tank with fuel in the lip around the base of the jet stem. I pretty much crack the valve open and heat the top of the tank with a jet lighter like the one you used in the video. In our climate it takes about 15s to start the stove.
My favorite stove. I have a slant valve and a r model. The slant you can preheat in just your hands, after you neutralized the tank pressure, in 1 or 2 minutes.
The r model. I Frankensteined it. By pulling the cleaning needle and getting the old school pricker. And hand pump, which makes the r better.
Right now is the time to get a pump, they are cheaper on ebay. They used to be a 100+.
Your stove will lose the klick count on the needle and then not shut down.
You can also wrap lamp wick and tie it around the stem for better pre heating with less fuel.
The big plus is you can cook for 60+ minutes , with a half cup of fuel. Its one of the coolest stoves. I have ever used
Pretty nice stoves, I like that design.
I use a Gustav Barthel Juwel 34 from the 60s. This is the successor of the Juwel 33, this was also used by the german mountain troops in WW2.
It’s about the same design, but tank and windscreen are made from Steel and no internal cleaning needle.
The Juwel does also that sputtering.
The alcohol gel is unnecessary. A few drops of fuel in the depression around the burner assembly works fine and is the method specified by Optimus. I've never seen an external pump either used or available for pressurizing. I've used this stove everywhere and in all temperatures. It works great! Carrying extra fuel in an MSR fuel bottle is no hassle, too.
When I was a young man these stoves were considered "The Bomb" and we all wanted one. I still have mine, but since my backpacking trips have mostly turned into day hikes I have switched to the lighter alcohol stoves. I still get this one out from time to time just for fun. Mine sputters too, but I love the sound. Thanks doc.
Occasionally they were LITERALLY (to those of you who don't use the term in a literal sense, you can look it up in an older dictionary) the BOMB!
Hello Daniel,
Thanks for your clarification. I have never heard of one of these stoves exploding, but I suppose if one became hot enough it could. What I meant to say was these stoves were GREAT and we all wanted one. It is true that younger backpackers may not of understood what I meant.
To prime you can use alcohol like Heet which produces less carbon, or hand sanitizer. My SVEA instructions say fill tank to 1/3 capacity maximum. I like this and the MSR Whisperlite up here in Alaska for very cold weather when canister type stoves like Jetboil do not work well in the cold.
Haven't watched it yet, but have owned either a svea , or the boxed optimus equivalent for ...hmm, got my first one in the late 70's ..and it still hunts with me every fall.
You can also just heat the tank with the palms of your hands and the fuel will come up and spill into the reservoir, then light it. No need to manually fill it. I believe Stansport started making them in the 70's. I just lit mine, last time it was used was in 1981, still had gas in it from then, fired right up.
I bought a 123 in 1974. I used it a lot for about 20 years but now i use easier to operate stoves and I keep it on the shelf over my workbench, and fire it up once a year just for the (good) memories. The flame will be erratic if there is any fuel burning in the priming cup.
Great, now I am going to start buying more vintage stuff...LOL
Excellent review, thanks for all the hard work sharing with us...
Used an Optimus 8R (Hunter) for over 2 decades. Never let me down.
Just bought a Svea because i miss my old trusty hunter. Ssme tech basicly.