Thread: Fire extinguisher

Well Ive never seen one before.

Looks to me very much like an old CTC (Carbon TetraChloride) extinguisher. If it is either dispose of the contents (properly and legally) and just use for display or dispose of the whole unit. Don't use it as an extinguisher, they went out probably 25 or so years ago due to the carcinogenic properties of CTC.

Does it appear to have a pump handle of any sort on it (sometimes a 'T' handle)


Martyn

No, it has no pump handle only a valve at the top to open it. I have rechromed it for my restoration for looks value only

Originally Posted by Bushie

Looks to me very much like an old CTC (Carbon TetraChloride) extinguisher. If it is either dispose of the contents (properly and legally) and just use for display or dispose of the whole unit. Don't use it as an extinguisher, they went out probably 25 or so years ago due to the carcinogenic properties of CTC.

Does it appear to have a pump handle of any sort on it (sometimes a 'T' handle)


Martyn

CTC, was very nasty stuff. Contact with hot metal produced a WW1 gas called Phosgene. Makes one green and bubbly from every hole. Ugly stuff.

Banned years ago, we only had inert models for instructional purposes by 1970 in the Navy. BCF and stored dry powder by then for us. Still killer stuff, just not as nasty when you die, that's all.

Originally Posted by lro11

No, it has no pump handle only a valve at the top to open it. I have rechromed it for my restoration for looks value only

Probably an early stored pressure model. Usually made of Naval brass, some engraved with makers marks and logo's. Looked very bling, all polished up in a row. Some were chromed for "severe" duty, most not.

All in all, a nice looking engineering ornament.

They were common in the sixties, came in a variety of sizes starting from one about like a baby's forearm upwards. They were widely advertised in all sorts of publications as handy for the home, in vehicles, and workshops and tool boxes.

We used carbon tet. as a degreaser, nothing else near as good. Dry cleaners used it as a you beaut spot remover. It was in the aforementioned fire extinguishers, and in glass body fuses on electric transmission lines.

Then someone worked out that it killed you.

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

We used carbon tet. as a degreaser, nothing else near as good. Dry cleaners used it as a you beaut spot remover. It was in the aforementioned fire extinguishers, and in glass body fuses on electric transmission lines.

That was the last thing I used a CTC extinguisher for probably around 1972/3.


Martyn

should I use it in my restoration? did other land rovers have it?