Restoring an old rusty lantern.
We’ve all seen them, hanging on a hook in the shed or in the corner at a flea market. A poor unloved lantern, rusting away and looking long past it’s glory days
It’s easy to believe that they are beyond saving and not so long ago I may have thought the same.
By the end of this page I hope you too will think differently.
So we start with a fairly typical example of what you might find.
Things to check are that the cap can still be unscrewed and that the wick mechanism works. Although these are not terminal problems it makes life a lot easier if they are OK.
I usually take it apart and give it a good wash with detergent. sometimes you will be amazed how much is just dirt rather than rust.
A couple of small wire brushes are good for getting rid of flaky rust and you will start to see if there are any holes that need dealing with.
Holes in the font are probably the worst news you will get. If a lantern will not hold fuel it’s not much use really.
You can fix holes but it’s not easy and if it’s not a special lantern then it might not be worth the effort.
The more rust you can remove at this stage the better an acid bath will work.
Don’t panic, that is not as drastic as it sounds. I use food grade citric acid powder dissolved in hot water.
For small lanterns you can use a plastic bucket and about 250g of acid. For larger lanterns I use a 30 litre barrel, as you can see below, and around 500g.
The trick is to take the lantern out occasionally and scrub it with the wire brush.
After a soak of an hour or so it might look like this when scrubbed down.
It’s tempting to think the job is now done but each time you scrub the rust off you expose the layers underneath that the acid can get to work on.
After two or three cycles you lantern could look as good as this one. Yes, it really is the same lantern.
Once I have removed as much rust as I think is possible, then I give it a rinse in water mixed with some Bicarbonate of Soda to neutralise the acid.
If you haven’t got that to hand just wash it as thoroughly as you can.
At this stage you could just dry it off and treat it with a rust preventative coat of oil or wax, I generally use Waxoyl which works well.
Generally I prefer to paint the lanterns that I have restored though so for methe next stage is to ensure that it is free from oil or grease. A rub over with Naphtha is my preferred method.
Obviously, parts of a lantern are going to get hot when it is lit. The crown or bell at the top will get very hot and most paints will burn off.
I use high temperature paint which is designed for stoves. It comes in a spray can and is usually black or silver.
I find the silver stuff looks tacky so I use black as a base coat directly on the metal.
It is supposed to resist heat up to 600°C which is more than it will need for use on a lantern but I find it works as a great substrate for painting on top of.
It covers very well, contains rust inhibitors and has a matt surface that acts well as a primer.
I apply at least two coats. One with the globe plate flipped back and chimney propped up with a piece of wood and then a second coat with everything in the normal positions.
I paint the filler cap and, if needed, the burner cone separately. Do not paint them in situ or the paint will seize them to the lantern and it can be a devil of a job getting them loose again.
Once the stove paint is dry it needs to be properly cured with heat. A small lantern can be done in an oven, Start off low and raise the heat slowly and then cook for about an hour.
<< Important note >> Do not use this method if your lantern has any signs of soldered joints, it may just fall apart.
For larger lanterns, I usually use a heat gun used for paint stripping.
The top coat can be any colour you like but be aware that the paint on the bell will usually change colour because of the heat. Some paints may even burn off completely but the stove paint underneath should stay intact.
Allow time for the top coat to cure properly before filling the lantern. Many paints are not fuel resistant until fully cured. I usually wait at least 24 hours.
After it is cured I then usually give it a rub over with Waxoyl to give it a bit more protection and prevent new rust forming.
So, there you have it, a lantern brought back from the brink and ready to give years more of good service.
At the moment there are still many good lanterns out there that could easily be restored. Now that such lanterns are less commonly used and manufacturers cease production, some of these sad rusting examples are becoming historic relics.
I think it would be sad to see them become just a fading memory.
