Making your gas light mantels last

[MW.TD5 Defender]

An old guy up the Cape back in 1994 told me this little tip.
In the morning when the light has cooled down, Remove the Glass and give the mantel a good spray with hair spray. I use a Home brand spray as I figured it would be the most sticky and gluggy.
Your mantel will last almost indefinitely. The light is a bit harder to light the next night as the match has to burn off the hair spray before it can light.
If you have a light with a "clicker" you may have problems, Just use a match it is easier than changing the mantel every other day.
On out recent NT trip the car got shook to bits but the mantel stayed intact

The can of hair spray I bought in 1994 last until 2006. It was sad to say good bye. It had been everywhere.

Mal

[Cap]

Good tip, thanks for that. Its a bugger trying to change them every time.

[barney]

you should only have to do it once on burning the mantle in. the spray, be it hair spray or deodourant, still forms a hard resin around the mantle and helps it stay together when jarred around in the back of your 4wd

[LoveMyV8County]

Yep, I use hair spray and it works well.

Unlike barney I do have to put it on again after each use otherwise the mantle falls to pieces on rough roads.

I have never had any problems lighting again either (mind you the piezo ignition fell off within a year of purchase so I use matches). I always thought the hair spray was flammable itself and actually helps light the thing?