Use

A plumber in USA is using this blow lamp for pre- heating of pipes as part of the soldering operation. Picture from a Clayton & Lambert catalogue.

The blow lamp was basically designed to produce a concentrated flame of heat to be used for soldering and brazing in the industry.

However, people soon found this tool also suitable for a lot of different applications. This also led to the development different designs of blow lamps of which some are specially designed for a specific application.

The following list has been gathered by Ron Carr, editor of The Torch, and contains blow lamp applications seen in ads, patents, catalogues and brochures. There were numerous other applications for the blow lamp in the industry.

Applications

Heating soldering iron is maybe the most common and well-known application for the blow lamp.		The blow lamp is used to heat up the glow bulb on a Lanz Bulldog tractor in Australia that is equipped with a crude oil engine.		The Swedish Army is preparing to warm up the truck engines on a cold winter morning. The blow lamp heats the water in the engine block.		Here the blow lamp is used to get the tar into the underside of wooden skies.

A special tool together with a blow lamp is used to join saw blades.		This blow lamp is used to heat up a melting pot. The picture is from a Sievert catalogue and the pot was sold as an accessory.		This roof layer is using a Sievert self heating soldering iron to solder the roof seames.

Users

More unusual applications and users

A small blow lamp can also be used to power a model steam boat.		To warm up the engine on this aircraft in Canada, two blow lamps were needed to blow hot air via a long pipe.

This picture shows a more unusual way of using a blow lamp - for cooking pig feet at a street restaurant somewhere in China. Bon appetite.		For a collector of blow lamps, this is not a happy sight. However, it shows that there is still practical use for old blow lamps. But if you are going to convert one into a table lamp, please do not drill any holes in it.		It is handy with a blow lamp when it is cold and you can not get the car to start. The idea is to warm the engine to get things to rotate a bit smoother. Let us hope there is no fuel leakage.

A most unusual way of using a blow lamp is shown on this US post card from 1939. A magician aims a burning blow torch at his face. The post card has the tile "The Fireproof Man". Don't try this your-selves!		This US blow lamp by Turner has a very special application. It is used for detection of refrigerant leaks. A hose is connected to the pipe on the burner and if there is refrigerant gas present, the flame will change colour.		Blow lamps can be used for torture and murder. At least in this book from 1945.

The blow lamp can also be a form of art

This is how one artist captures a Primus blow lamp.		This painting of another Primus blow lamp is done by Andrew James Sullivan.		The Primus blow lamp seems to be quite popular with artists. This is how a photographer sees the blow lamp.		La lampe a souder - a French painting by Arman.