Canister Stoves 101: Thread Care

Ever taken a good look at the threads on a canister?


Notice how they don't sharpen down to a "point" or line the way most threads do? These threads don't give your stove a lot to grip on to. Use them wrong, and you'll wear out your stove (literally).

I've assembled some basic tips for taking care of your stove's threads in Canister Stoves 101: Thread Care.  Please have a look.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving

Good stuff. I was trying to find a plastic plug that would fit over the burner female thread but so far nothing to hand, so I carry the burner in a small separate bag like you mention. I once lost the rubber o ring on a Coleman Max and used it a few times in the field before I could get to a hardware store. I am not sure if I ever had the right kind of o ring replacement but it worked well until Coleman stopped importing the special canisters.

I lose those plastic caps as well - it is a shame they don't come with a retainer loop, it could easily keep the cap from getting lost (though it might melt?).

Actually, a retainer loop or some such would be fine with most stoves.  There are a few with enough thermal feedback where you might have to worry, but not many.

If your cap has a tab on it, you could punch a small hole in the tab and run a bit of string through it and then tie the string around the canister's collar.  Might look a bit odd, but it would work.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving

HJ, good stuff as always. Its the little things that we over-look on occasion that can be the deciding factor on whether we have a good trip or one we would rather soon forget.

Thanks for taking the time to put this together and also for sharing this with us.

Hi, Rick,

Glad you found it useful.  Sometimes it's good to take the time to document the basics, particularly with tightening the stove.  I think a lot of people just crank the stove down hard thinking that will be best in terms of preventing a gas leak.  All you really have to do is engage the "O" ring.  The threads themselves are not what hold the gas in.  Ironically, over-tightening may actually contribute to leaking rather than preventing it.

HJ
Adventures In Stoving

thank you

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