Reading by paraffin lamp

[Iliade]

The soot deposits only happen when the wick is too long and flame too big. As long as you start with the flame at the correct size, when you run out of parafin, the flame should just self extinguish and no soot.

No scientific knowledge, just my personal experience.

The wick had burnt down asymmetrically causing the flame shape to change. It was burning fine when I was reading by it.

It was a cheap chinese copy of a Hurricane lamp though so what can you expect... I suspect that most of the people who have had bad experiences with hurricane lamps have been using chinese tat. For a start, good ones are brass, not plated steel.

My current boat has a Fastnet lamp which is lovely for atmosphere, but I can no longer comfortably read by a light that dim.

 

[Woodlouse]

For a CO risk I think paraffin lamps are absolutely minimal. I've had a CO detector onboard with three lamps lit and it didn't register a thing.

Excessive soot deposits can be annoying and tend to happen when the lamp is turned up too high when first lit. The flame gets brighter and higher as they warm up so start with a low flame then when it's hot turn it up till bright enough, else it'll make a right mess of the deck head.

As mentioned though, they produce a great light for atmosphere, but even with good, young eyes I still tend to supplement it with an electric light for reading.