Mysterious Implement: What is It?

Are the two large tubes connected - can liquid flow from one to the other?

The two tubes are held apart by juse a double clip. the tubes can be rased and lowerd or come apart very easily.

It is an alcohol torch, it is the prehistoric ancestor of the little propane torches plumbers use to sweat solder copper tubing and fittings. These were also used for any kind of general spot heating for craft and repair projects. Soldering, heating to bend, jewelery making, eyeglass repair etc.

Correct - have had one for 40 odd years and still use it regularly.

How does it (do they?) work? fO_o

Agree to alcohol torch; my Father had one, but I seem to remember a rubber tube on it to blow thru for the torch effect. (Or am I mixing two different tools? I was quite young then.) I didn't see it on the eBay link.

Both parts are filled with alcohol (Methyl not Ethyl!) or methylated spirits (UK).

The smaller neck that sits over the larger wick should have a cap with a tiny hole in it.

The larger lower wick is set onfire and this heats the neck above and as the heat travels down the neck, it causes the spirits inside to expand and gas through the tiny hole, this is of course then ignited by the flame below.

It usually gives a nice jet of very hot flame and is most useful for small soldering and fine brazing tasks.

I have had one for years and though it is not used that often, but when it is needed it works just great. For some small jobs its still the best as it leaves both hands free to handle the work if working over a flat surface for it to stand on.

If either flame goes out, it simply needs refilling!!

Do not try to use anything other than methylated spirits or the exact chemical equivalent. Petrol (Gas in the USA) will probably give you a private "Molotov Cocktail"!!! Something to avoid!!!

Andy, methylated spirits is mostly ethyl alcohol with perhaps 10% methyl alcohol and an added irritant (often pyridine) to discourage drinking. In the US it's commonly called denatured alcohol.

Methylated spirits / denatured alcohol is the correct fuel for this kind of torch.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denatured_alcohol

It is an alcohol blow torch. It is used for small jobs, and melting small quanties of metals, such as silver, for investment casting. For what it is, it is a very nice tool, and I was sad when I lost mine. Oh well! Since its invention it has been replaced by gas torches, because they are more "Hi Tech", but if I wish I still had mine. For small things, such as parts for jewelry pieces they are great, and I have also used one for small rings. For quickie soldering jobs, such as sizing rings, it is wonderful. My Great Uncle George (Who passed away about the time that I was born, and I,m older than dirt, as I have also been told.) had a hardware store on the south side of Chicago, and that was where mine came from (or so I have once again been told).

Jack (dBrnc0)

I do a little silver work and used it last night ( after hearing what it was used for from what must be the top of the gene pool ) It works good wow! thanks to all of you!

Thats one of its best jobs, high temperature in a tiny, controllable area....well done.

I'm glad that its still in use.

I used one of those to light a glass pipe when I lived in Philadelphia

I could never get the glass lit! Kind of like smoking a turkey. Cant get one of those lit either!

It's an alcohol torch.

Here is a DIY Alcohol torch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxLMlaKUGac