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A blow lamp can also be piece of art. This is an oil painting of an US blow lamp (blow torch).

Blow lamps, or blow torches as they call them in USA, burning gasoline (petrol) and kerosene (paraffin) to create a concentrated flame of heat have been used since around 1800.

In 1882, a new vaporising technique, especially suitable for blow lamps, was developed. This led to a new, efficient design of the modern blow lamp as we know it today.

With the introduction of propane gas in the 1950´s as a much safer and cleaner heat and light source, the market for the gasoline/kerosene powered blow lamp diminished.

However, still today, there are several manufacturers producing the old brass blow lamp in countries like India, China and Korea, to be sold to markets where propane gas is difficult to find or is too expensive. And the design is identical to what it was more than 100 years ago.

This web site is dedicated to the Blow Lamp, an appliance that has survived with little change for over a hundred years, since the first commercial model was made. The early design principles are essentially the same today as they were then, a testimony to the insight of the pioneers in the blow lamp industry.

The site is divided into simple areas, you may browse through images of blow lamps from different blow lamp manufacturers and read about the company history, or you may follow links to other sites on the Internet, although there are only a few which relate to blow lamps.

This picture shows a section view of an early Sievert model U blow lamp. It is the same blow lamp that is illustrated on top of this page.

If you want to know more details, there is a section on the history and development of the blow lamp. If you are interested in how a blow lamp works and what it is used for, you can also find the answer in this site. Furthermore there is also a list of manufacturers and brand names. This list is by no means complete. There might be several errors as well as missing information. So please, send me any information that you have on updates or errors and I will make the necessary changes as quickly as possible.

Finally, there are pictures of blow lamps that I have not been able to identify. Perhaps you know who made these? There are no prizes, but if you know the answers, please let me know. And also, if you want to buy, sell or trade blow lamps, this site can be of help to you.

Acknowledgements

In producing this site I was helped with a lot of information from people like Philippe Touillet, Ron Carr, Keith Hawkins, Bo Ryman and Alan Moore, just to mention a few.

If any of the material used in this site is protected by copyrights please let me know so that I can remove it immediately.

Glossary

If you are looking for information on blow lamps in other countries, this short dictionary can come in handy:

Dutch: soldeerlampe

English (United Kingdom): blow lamp, blowlamp

English (USA): blow torch, blowtorch

French: lampe à souder

German: lötlampe, gebläselampe

Swedish: blåslampa, lödlampa, gasoljelödlampa

Spanish: lampara para soldar

Italian: lampada per saldare

This site is under construction

For some time now, I will be adding information and replace many pictures on a (hopefully) weekly basis. So check back regulary. If you go to News you will see the latest changes made to Blow Lamps Unlimited.