Foo - Any clean burning lamp oils?

I'm burning paraffin right now and it's got that weird smell. I tried buying whale oil but apparently that's illegal and the federal agent wasn't too thrilled when I said I just needed 30-40 ounces out of the whale.

I burn paraffin (kerosene) too and it does have that smell. Lehman's, the store in Ohio that has all that great old timey stuff that the Amish still use has some lamp oil that they say is super clean burning. I've never tried it.

I think one of those Alladin lamps with the mantel that gets very hot and burns very bright might burn more efficiently than a wick and keep some of those stinky pollutants out of the air.

Is it some kind of metal catalyst?

There are lamps that burn olive oil. A local craftsman sells them here - try google.

This is the stuff we use at work (restaurant): http://www.ambria.com/item_result_group.aspx?cat=5&scat=2

It burns very clean, never smells funny. You might have to go through a food supplier to get one of the big gallon liquid refills though. Not sure if another company makes anything similar.

Ultra-pure lamp oil. It works quite well.

However, if you're putting it in your mouth for fire-blasting...don't use it. You'll want regular lamp oil.

Kerosene...how primitive...;)

Hmm... so I can basically put olive oil in my oil lamp, sweet. I'll have to get a new wick.

I love the smell of burning lamp oil in the morning. . .


. . . .no really! I like it. Reminds me of my childhood.

Hmm... so I can basically put olive oil in my oil lamp, sweet. I'll have to get a new wick.
Um, please do a little googling first. The lamps I've seen were made especially for olive oil.

Um, please do a little googling first. The lamps I've seen were made especially for olive oil.

So you're saying I can't just put oil in my lamp now..

So you're saying I can't just put oil in my lamp now..
You can do whatever you wish. I'm just one of those prudent types. :)

Kerosene? I've always seen that lamp oil or mineral oil or whatever used.

You can do whatever you wish. I'm just one of those prudent types. :)

So you want my house to burn down...

Just in case you can't catch a whale (http://glassdimensions.com/s.nl/sc.9/.f).

The thing is, I am already using liquid paraffin and there is definitely a smell...

Slvoid,

The French developed a wonderful smokeless and odorless lamp oil. There is only one issue with it though, it's highly explosive



Nitroglycerin!

Kerosene? I've always seen that lamp oil or mineral oil or whatever used.
Kerosene is a mineral oil; it comes from crude oil, same as petroleum. It's also called paraffin, or more properly paraffin oil*, but I think that's mostly a British usage.

*edit: or as slvoid says, liquid paraffin. Slvoid, are you English or is that what's on the label of the stuff you buy to burn in your lamp?

If you go the olive oil route, put a pinch of salt in it and it won't smoke.

*edit: or as slvoid says, liquid paraffin. Slvoid, are you English or is that what's on the label of the stuff you buy to burn in your lamp?

Pardon? WTF?

Rendered Cat Fat.
Reference to another post here in foo. ;)

Pardon? WTF?

You called it paraffin. That's what they call kerosene in England. I have an English lamp that says "use paraffin only" on it but in America, it's usually called kerosene, unless it's sold in those little bottles that just say "lamp oil" on the label.

I'd like to try one of the mantel-type oil lamps such as Alladin makes. I think the higher temperature would not only give a brighter light but would burn cleaner too.