Jotul F3 and a few questions (is it a genuine Jotul paint?)

[feeling7]

Hello everyone,

I am planning to buy a Jotul F3 stove and I would like to ask a few questions to you guys,
- What should I check and where should I pay attention to when buying a used model?
- How can I find out how old that stove is? Seller said there is no label with the serial number
- Which version is it? Jotul F3? Jotul F3 MF? (I assume definitely no F3 TD and no F3 CB (this one is for USA market I think)

Anyway my biggest concern is the paint finish, please have a look at the photos, is it a geniue Jotul enamel finish?
For me it looks quite too shiny/glossy but seller said it is original Jotul paint.
It is worth mentioning, seller replaced top plate cover for the new one as the previous one was damaged (photo number 9 "IMG-20231011-WA0011.jpg"), you can clearly see that the colour of the plate is different to compare with the rest of the stove.
Also, should I be worried if the top plate was already replaced? Someone probably overloaded this stove in the past I think,

I am afraid the finish is a cheap, not genuine Jotul paint which might knock out after a year or two. What do you think? The last photo is for comparsion only,

LINK - photos on google drive:

These second hand stoves are pretty expansive in my country, this one is for $800 US dollars,

Any suggestions would be highly appreciated,
Greetings from Central Europe,
Thanks!

 

[begreen]

The stove looks like the F3CB. I see the full secondary rack and the air controls are correct. There may be a different EU labeling for it? Is there a rear heat shield on the stove? If so, the label may be behind it on the stove back.

The paint looks ok, though we can't tell what was used. The base model is painted, not enameled.
Is this a rebuilt stove? It looks like new. As shown, $800 is a very good price if it was sold here.

 

[feeling7]

Thank you for your message begreen, I also think it's a different labeling in the EU.
Tomorrow I will check the stove in person,

Is this a rebuilt stove?

Seller said he cleaned and repainted stove but only inside, also replaced top plate cover but didn't touch outside finish at all, if true then it's very good I think.

Any other suggestions what should I be looking for?
Thanks again!

 

[begreen]

The insides look like they have never seen a fire. There is no soot on the underside of the lid or elsewhere.

 

[D. Hermit]

First, that is the original blue black enamel, and it looks to be in great shape.

Now, some points Im curious of. It does look like a rebuilt stove, and it looks somewhat ok. My only concerns with a quick glance is that it does not seem like they used much cement in the cement channels. The interior shot of the sides you dont see any overflow cement at all in that area.

And weird how they didnt paint the log retainer and the airwash, if they are unpainted they will rust quickly. If they are painted that silver color then just, why.

The insides look put together really well at first glance, I can not tell if they replaced the insulation thats supposed to go behind the side and rear burn plates, or the gasket that goes on the back wall that the secondary air baffle sits into.

As far as there being no name plate, its because the name plate would be on the original rear heatshield that came standard on this stove. It looks like your stove has a heat shield, so they may have painted over it. As far as the age, between having the old style door and ash door, Id say between 1998-2001. But the whole design of stove was basically the same from 1998-2020 anyway.

Just a quick note, the last photo with the stove with a fire is not the same stove as the other photos, thats just a stock photo of a newer F3 model.

Overall for $800, thats a fair price.

 

[bigealta]

Seems like a good price. I had the original 3 before they had the baffle and secondary combustion. Loved that stove. This one should be better than that original 3.

 

[bladeofanduril]

The coloring looks the same as the blue-black enamel on my F500, and the silver handles that come with enamel finish are also present. Looks like a great deal to me. Maybe bring a dollar bill with you and test the seal on the doors.

 

[begreen]

and the silver handles that come with enamel finish are also presen

Good clue. I had the F3CB in blue-black enamel, but it looked bluer. This might just be the lighting or the camera processing bias that has filtered it to look grayer. If this is the enameled version, that is a great finish and a nice find.

 

[feeling7]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your messages!

I wasn't entirely sure if it was the right choice, but your messages helped me a lot and I bought it last Friday.
I paid $765 US, the seller made an impression of being nice and trustworthy.

Stove is used but in really good condition. Seller cleaned it inside and painted it with silver paint (colour is not really important, but it is good that the paint protects the elements from rust). Outside finish is the original blue black enamel.
I cleaned it from the outside yesterday and it looks really nice. I attached a few photos below.

Now I'm just wondering whether to paint the wooden door handle or not. Could I use regular wood paint or something resistant to high temperatures?

Once again, thank you very much!

 

[moresnow]

Looks nice. The interior paint will be gone in a few loads. I would think.
Some stoves will eventually discolor wood door handles due to the heat.
Guessing the manufacturer left it unpainted on purpose. Dunno
Enjoy

 

[bigealta]

It looks really good. Let us know how you like it after you start burning in it. About 16" splits (dry, well seasoned) should be just about right for that stove.

I would not paint the wood knob on the handle. The oils from your hand will help oil it over time.