Originally Posted by bostontrevor
I once went on a night ride with a guy with a carbide lamp. It was pretty awesome. I still don't know if it was legal, but way cool. I'm not entirely sure what it was burning but dude had some sort of fuel cell in the back of the bike with a rubber hose up to the lamp itself.
Perfectly legal and still obtainable. Some cavers still use them as a primary light. I have a Justrite lamp, and 2 carbide bicycle lamps (nonfunctional). I also use Bangsite in a carbide cannon.
Calcium carbide is a "salt" of acetylene. Add water, the water pulls off the calcium ions and makes calcium hydroxide and acetylene. The acetylene is directed to a jet that is ignited and, viola, light! The more water dripped on the carbide the more acetylene is produced and the lamp gets brighter.
Stuart Black
"It's all chemistry."