Re: [CR] carbide lamps

(Example: Framebuilders:Alberto Masi)

From: <Stronglight49@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2007 03:29:50 EST
Subject: Re: [CR] carbide lamps
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


There are still calcium carbide lamps made today. They are used for attachment to mining helmets. Calcium carbide is very expensive these days. This is because it is so potentially volatile that in the US it must be shipped by ground (not air), yet it still has to be packed in specially government approved types of containers and handled similar to when shipping explosives.

Nevertheless, the Bicycle (later Motorcycle and Automobile) lamps did produce a bright white light which in the late 1800s could not be otherwise produced from a portable source. There were several major US companies which manufactured the lamps. They were typically made of brass and some of these were plated over with Nickel. The US company Union Carbide (which later would produce batteries) first made its fortune with the production of carbide granules for the lamps.

The vintage bike-mount lamps sure look cool. These will often feature a red and a green glass side-lens (like the starboard and port running lights on your yacht) in addition to a convex light-amplifying glass front lens. The lamps are wonderfully simple in their basic design. But, if you plan to buy one to actually use, or even test, be sure you find one with a working valve and all the correct and working internal parts. Then of course, there is the issue of finding the correct sized granules for burning in a lamp, and making sure the source is licensed to ship the product safely to you. Not something you'd generally want to buy from an amateur seller on eBay, but there are online companies listed on enthusiast mining and cave exploration websites... But, make sure you understand the final cost - with shipping.

Flame-On, Green Lantern!

Bob Hanson, Albuquerque, NM, USA

____________________________________ Also, it smells like a cat litter box. Only worse. I just had a demo from friend/CR list member/carbide lamp collector Michael Allison. Stinky stuff!

Matthew Bowne
Brooklyn, New York