Carbide Cap Lamps/Lampstick

Carbide Cap Lamps

Lampstick - Justrite.JPG - JUSTRITE LAMP STICKS - To hasten the conversion of candlesticks to carbide lamps for underground lighting, major carbide lamp manufacturers made lampsticks that would fit their lamps and were often given away to the miner who purchased a new carbide lamp. Resistance to change was strong, and the inclusion of lampsticks was a significant marketing ploy by the manufacturers. While a number of blacksmith and home made lampsticks are known, the lampsticks manufactured by the carbide lamp companies are featured here. Justrite was by far the most prolific in producing specialized lampsticks to fit their various lamp models. On a lesser scale, both Shanklin Manufacturing Co. and the John Simmons Co. made lampstick models to fit their lamps as well. The four lampsticks in the photo were made by Justrite to fit their specific lamp models. The top Justrite lampstick in the photo is the No. 30 model made in 3/16 in. steel wire, copper plated, and 9 1/2 in. long. This lampstick was designed to fit the No. 91 half-shift lamp. However, the earliest Justrite catalog of 1912 shows a similar unnumbered wire lampstick attached to the No. 99 cap lamp. The second lampstick from the top is a later model of the No. 35 lampstick with the open lamp attachment. It is made of 1/4 in. steel, 9 3/4 in. long, and was designed to fit the No. 103 (with spiked steel hook) and No. 204 (with handles) half-shift Justrite lamps. The third stick from the top is the early No. 35 lampstick made of 1/4 in. steel, 9 3/4 in. long, with a closed lamp attachment. It was designed to fit the No. 101 and No. 103 (with spiked steel hooks) and No. 202 and No. 204 (with handles) half-shift lamps. Other than the obvious spiked hook and handle differences between these lamps, they're otherwise essentially the same lamp. The 101 and 202 lamps are made with 26 gauge brass whereas the 103 and 204 lamps were made from the thicker 22 gauge brass and thus are heavier. The fact that Justrite numbered two different looking lampsticks with the same number 35 is indicative of the confusion in trying to understand the various models of lamps and accessories made by Justrite. A photo of this lampstick attached to a No. 101 stick lamp is shown elsewhere in the cap lamp pics. The fourth stick from the top is the model No. 94 lampstick designed specifically to fit the No. 93 Anaconda Special carbide lamp. The No 94 looks like a bigger brother of the early No. 35 stick with a length of 11 in. and a larger closed lamp attachment to fit the bigger and heavier Anaconda Special. A photo of this stick attached to the Anaconda Special lamp is shown elsewhere in the cap lamp pics. See Pohs, Miner's Flame Light Book, pp 552-553; Bohannan, Eureka #36, pp 31-24; and Kouts, Miner's Carbide Lamp Reference, Justrite Catalogs.

Lampstick - Justrite | JUSTRITE LAMP STICKS - To hasten the conversion of candlesticks to carbide lamps for underground lighting, major carbide lamp manufacturers made lampsticks that would fit their lamps and were often given away to the miner who purchased a new carbide lamp. Resistance to change was strong, and the inclusion of lampsticks was a significant marketing ploy by the manufacturers. While a number of blacksmith and home made lampsticks are known, the lampsticks manufactured by the carbide lamp companies are featured here. Justrite was by far the most prolific in producing specialized lampsticks to fit their various lamp models. On a lesser scale, both Shanklin Manufacturing Co. and the John Simmons Co. made lampstick models to fit their lamps as well. The four lampsticks in the photo were made by Justrite to fit their specific lamp models. The top Justrite lampstick in the photo is the No. 30 model made in 3/16 in. steel wire, copper plated, and 9 1/2 in. long. This lampstick was designed to fit the No. 91 half-shift lamp. However, the earliest Justrite catalog of 1912 shows a similar unnumbered wire lampstick attached to the No. 99 cap lamp. The second lampstick from the top is a later model of the No. 35 lampstick with the open lamp attachment. It is made of 1/4 in. steel, 9 3/4 in. long, and was designed to fit the No. 103 (with spiked steel hook) and No. 204 (with handles) half-shift Justrite lamps. The third stick from the top is the early No. 35 lampstick made of 1/4 in. steel, 9 3/4 in. long, with a closed lamp attachment. It was designed to fit the No. 101 and No. 103 (with spiked steel hooks) and No. 202 and No. 204 (with handles) half-shift lamps. Other than the obvious spiked hook and handle differences between these lamps, they're otherwise essentially the same lamp. The 101 and 202 lamps are made with 26 gauge brass whereas the 103 and 204 lamps were made from the thicker 22 gauge brass and thus are heavier. The fact that Justrite numbered two different looking lampsticks with the same number 35 is indicative of the confusion in trying to understand the various models of lamps and accessories made by Justrite. A photo of this lampstick attached to a No. 101 stick lamp is shown elsewhere in the cap lamp pics. The fourth stick from the top is the model No. 94 lampstick designed specifically to fit the No. 93 Anaconda Special carbide lamp. The No 94 looks like a bigger brother of the early No. 35 stick with a length of 11 in. and a larger closed lamp attachment to fit the bigger and heavier Anaconda Special. A photo of this stick attached to the Anaconda Special lamp is shown elsewhere in the cap lamp pics. See Pohs, Miner's Flame Light Book, pp 552-553; Bohannan, Eureka #36, pp 31-24; and Kouts, Miner's Carbide Lamp Reference, Justrite Catalogs.

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