# Any news or update on Aladdin lamp mantles?



## Solar_Toad (10 mo ago)

so, wife and I saved up a considerable amount to purchase two, new aladdin lamps

we live mostly solar off-grid now, and are building our new home to be totally off-grid.

lights are a big consideration in modern American life, and were going to be a fun and functional statement in our new home.

we lost a mantle tonight. no big deal....... I thought. I hopped online and spent over an hour searching. all I could find was "vintage" mantles that were decades old, at an average price range of $40 to $50 when shipping is factored in.

my lamps both use Lox-On mantles.

as my search progressed, I stumbled onto the information that there is apparently a shortage of mantles... but it seems to run all the way back to 2010. am I wrong here? has it really not been resolved after 12 years?

has anyone found a reliable, and preferably reasonable price supplier?

has anyone tried the Coleman ker-O-lite mantle replacement trick with any success?


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## BadOregon (12 mo ago)

You can try Lehman's. They are currently backordered, but say they should get some fall of 2022. Other than that, good luck.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

Any way to make your own?


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## Solar_Toad (10 mo ago)

Evons hubby said:


> Any way to make your own?


unfortunately, no.

there is a _supposed_ option to use a Coleman Ker-O-Lite mantle, then carefully adapt to install on the aladdin mantle metal frame.

I can't find any video or comments about anyone who has actually done this successfully. I found one video, of some guy who installed a _totally different_ Coleman mantle on an aladdin mantle frame, then improperly lit it to full bore, instantly blazing it into oblivion.... so not a useful video.

knowing what I know about mantles in general, with what sparse instruction on the Ker-O-Light adaptation is out there, combined with the $25+shipping of the Coleman mantle... I'm just going to stick with factory aladdin, even if hard-to-find and expensive.



BadOregon said:


> You can try Lehman's. They are currently backordered, but say they should get some fall of 2022. Other than that, good luck.


I looked at that, last night. I will probably buy a few when they are actually in stock, however, stumbling around in mediocre lighting from "traditional" lamps for 2 to 3 months doesn't work for me.

I just bit the bullet spent big, bought "vintage" "new old stock" mantles in bulk. by the time I sell 3 of the mantles, and some of the extra wicks, my cost per mantle for the 7 that I keep will make them $25 each, a cost I am satisfied with.

they should arrive by the end of next week.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

We used to source them from Kirkman:









Vintage Aladdin Mantle- Made in USA - The Source for Oil Lamps and Hurricane Lanterns


Vintage Aladdin Lox-On Mantel- Made in USA For Models #B-A or 12



lanternnet.com





Last year, Kirkman was limiting the number you could buy at one time. They are now out of stock, but give them a call. It's a family-run business, very up-to-date on info, and very easy to work with. They'll let you know if the mantles are just on backorder, or if (God forbid!) they are now extinct.

ETA: I was mistaken. It was Imperial Lighting that had the limit on mantles.

Looks like they have some that they sourced out of Brazil:





Aladdin Lamp Lox-on Mantle Original Thorium Formula - Imperial Lighting Co.


Aladdin Lamp Lox-on Mantles Part # R150 is the heart of your Aladdin Lamp. The Lox-on Mantle is used in Aladdin Lamps made from 1928 to present.




imperiallightingco.com


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

p.s. I never ran into the "shortage" until a couple of years ago.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

We have several mantles in boxes in our pantry. I think you will like the vintage mantles better than the new ones. Vintage mantles put out more light than the new ones. The reason is the old mantles used a different chemical to coat the mantle. However, the chemical the old mantles used was radioactive, which is the reason the new ones use something different.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

One thing we use on all of our Aladdins is a bug screen on top of the chimneys. All it takes is a fly inside a cool chimney to ruin your mantle.


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## homesteadforty (Dec 4, 2007)

Glad you found what you needed. I thought about an Alladin or two when I started but I was making decisions based on needed outside input and cost. I ended up going with kerosene lamps and candles. The lamps still require kerosene of course but I get 30'+ of wick for about $10.00... that lasts a long time. We've cut back on using the lamps because of the kerosene cost and if push comes to shove, we'll just go to all candles.

I can get candle wick for next to nothing and we dip/mold our own. I trade my beeswax candles for paraffin. In a serious pinch I'd break out the Betty lamps.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Comparing kerosene wick-only lamps and candles to an Aladdin lamp is kinda like comparing apples to oranges.


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## homesteadforty (Dec 4, 2007)

Cabin Fever said:


> Comparing kerosene wick-only lamps and candles to an Aladdin lamp is kinda like comparing apples to oranges.


Yeah... especially the price (but I get your point  )


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

homesteadforty said:


> Yeah... especially the price (but I get your point  )


If you want to read for hours and not strain your eyes into oblivion, the extra cost is worth it.


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## Solar_Toad (10 mo ago)

Updating my own post:

The mantles that I bulk purchased on ebay arrived. Knowing how fragile and expensive they are, my wife and I filmed the opening of the package. we then filed the opening and inspection of each individual mantle box and mantle. lucky we did, because 4 of them were damaged. when I notified the seller his response was basically "they were fine when I shipped them. I inspected all of them. it must have been the post office, file a claim with them" 

because we filmed it, it was obvious that the damage was not caused by postal service. it was also obvious that he had not "inspected them all" prior to shipping, because Aladdin folds the tops of the boxes a very specific way, to hold the support cardboard in place.

After a bit of back-and-forth with the seller, and refusing his offer to discount them a paltry amount and then have me pay to ship back the damaged mantles... he finally agreed to issue a full refund and pay his own cost of return shipping on the entire lot.

If we had not had the video as evidence, a very detailed, well shot, close up, video, we would have been out hundreds of dollars on useless mantles.

I guess it is back to waiting and hunting.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Solar_Toad said:


> Updating my own post:
> 
> The mantles that I bulk purchased on ebay arrived. Knowing how fragile and expensive they are, my wife and I filmed the opening of the package. we then filed the opening and inspection of each individual mantle box and mantle. lucky we did, because 4 of them were damaged. when I notified the seller his response was basically "they were fine when I shipped them. I inspected all of them. it must have been the post office, file a claim with them"
> 
> ...


If you're willing to pay around $50 a pop, they still have them at Imperial Lighting. Granted, they aren't cheap, but nothing is, these days. And they use "the original 60 candle power thorium formula."

ETA: I just checked the "modern" mantles, and they're back in stock at Imperial. A 2-pack for $80 plus S&H.






Aladdin Lamp Lox-on Mantles 2-Pack Carton Part # R150 - Imperial Lighting Co.


Aladdin Lamp Lox-on Mantles Part # R150 is the heart of your Aladdin Lamp. The Lox-on Mantle is used in Aladdin Lamps made from 1928 to present.




imperiallightingco.com





@Cabin Fever, I've not seen the bug screen you mention. Is it something sold online, or is it a specialty item you fabbed up yourself?


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Cabin Fever said:


> We have several mantles in boxes in our pantry. I think you will like the vintage mantles better than the new ones. Vintage mantles put out more light than the new ones. The reason is the old mantles used a different chemical to coat the mantle. However, the chemical the old mantles used was radioactive, which is the reason the new ones use something different.


Hmm... how radioactive are they? Do I have to store them in a lead box?


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Pony said:


> If you're willing to pay around $50 a pop, they still have them at Imperial Lighting. Granted, they aren't cheap, but nothing is, these days. And they use "the original 60 candle power thorium formula."
> 
> ETA: I just checked the "modern" mantles, and they're back in stock at Imperial. A 2-pack for $80 plus S&H.
> 
> ...


I believe we got ours from Lehmans Hardware. That was 20 years ago. It appears they no longer make the insect screen model that we have, but I found one for sale at Ebay (below).
NOS Aladdin Oil Lamp Brass Insect/Bug Screen Original Box P409902 See Pix!! | eBay

The new insect screen model, apparently, is the one below:
https://www.amazon.com/Aladdin-Heatshield-Insect-Screen-Mantle-Saver/dp/B078XJ9JZV/


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Pony said:


> Hmm... how radioactive are they? Do I have to store them in a lead box?


I believe they are only exhibit radioactivity in an unused condition. Once the mantle is first burnt the radioactivity is gone. So, when we light a brand new mantle, we do it outside. This is my understanding, I could be wrong. We don't let it bother us.


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