I personally have never had the pleasure of owning an acetylene lamp so I couldn’t possibly comment.  The nearest I ever got to getting blown up with carbide was shortly after I was appointed ink monitor at school.  (The duties mainly comprised keeping all the inkwells topped up in all the desks).  Falling to temptation – and no doubt some ragging – one day, I was encouraged to put some carbide crystals into the teachers inkwell – which foamed mightily.  That was the first time (but not the last) that my employment was terminated abruptly.