What are you tips on lighting a liquid fuel stove?

[atraildreamer]

We used car gas stoves for all our motorcycle trips for many years and my friend used the gas to prime the stove, which always produced a more or less huge flame at the start, and he got kicked out of a (managed) campingplace once for doing this.
I always used alcohol to prime the stove and this kept the stove clean and worked as low-key as I love it to do.

The Optimus had a built-in cleaning needle that worked when you turned the fuel control all the way open.

I used Amoco (remember them?) lead-free, white gas in the stove. It worked just fine.

I stopped at an Amoco station, handed the Aluminum, 1 Quart, fuel bottle to the attendant and told him to "Fill it up", (now this is really going to date me!), it cost $0.24 CENTS, to fill. I gave him a quarter and told him to "keep the change!"

[LoneStranger]

I read this thread the other day and was surprised not to see anyone mention using alcohol to prime a white gas stove to save fuel and reduce carbon and yucky smell output. This video demonstrates the entire process.

[camper10469]

I have the old model whisperlite International. *Be warned... there are two different pumps on whisperlites. The old pumps (sold pre 80s) were much better at adjusting simmer. The newer pumps (sold in the 90s) are ON and OFF, thats it. I have the old pump on both my whisperlite and the international. If you have the newer pump... stand back when lighting the stove. Expect tall flames.

The principal behind all of these liquid fuel stoves is the generator tube must be hot so it turns the liquid to gas as it passes through the hot generator tube. Thus priming. If its very cold out, you must heat the tube longer or you will get tall yellow flames.

For my whisperlite international, I pump a min of 25 strokes, untill I feel a moderate amount of resistance. before lighting anything.... gently ever so slightly open the valve and as soon as I hear the hiss... TURN IT OFF! too much fuel in the primer cup is asking for flame wars. Light the primer cup n wait till the flame starts to go down. NOW slowly open the valve n she is good to go. If you get yellow flames.. you didnt heat the generator tube enough. Just repeat the process again n it will light blue n true.

Practice in a safe place before you go out. BTW leave the stove outside so it will get nice n cold as if you were in your camp site. That will be a much better test.