FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public

Looks very nice. Can’t wait. Glad I am in for a couple so far. One of the better looking lights I have seen in quite some time. Very minimalist looking but what is lurking under the hood is amazing.

That is a far cry from the raw machined looking finish of earlier pictures, but still looks nice.

The latest prototype looks good!

That latest prototype looks good!! Real good…… :+1:

It really does. A big change from the original, as Jason said, but a must have, by my way of thinking.

I really like the looks of this latest prototype.
Looks very pocket friendly. The clip should hold very well.
It looks like it will tailstand very well.
The button looks like it will feel nice to operate without being prone to accidental activation.
The optics are nice and open and not being blocked by the bezel.
I just hope it won’t be all glued together so the emiters can easily be upgraded. I plan on putting some rosy 219b’s in mine.

As far as I remember the raw machined lock where computer renderings.

First lamp from Fritz machined was bead blasted.
First prototype had a grey anodisation.

I still like the surface finish of the first proto most, I would vote for the darker color of the tailcap.
A dark grey.

Edit: I hope for better pictures. The first one is distorted from the phone camera. The lamp looks a bit fat :slight_smile:

How on earth do you have a prototype when the actual FW3A team hasn’t heard from Lumintop for some time?

Maybe the pics are from Neal direct from Lumintop?

bingo!

if I had one in my hands I would have posted a weird smiling guy picture ;)

Thanks for the pics Max.

If its not going to have the raw machined look, than I think a darker gray anodizing would suit the light better.

Will there be a LOTR edition of this flashlight, called “Eärendil”?
I could image a nice slogan on top of the cardboard box…

“Whereas Andúril, flame of the West, will fight enemies back,
may this light of Eärendil guide you in dark places, when all other lights go out!”

From the first post:

“For a lot of us mere mortals, seeing the cool things machinists make on their lathe is just a dream.
Hence the finish of the FW3A will be clear anodisation, no sanding/beadblasting before anodisation.
The idea is to give all the chance to have a light looking like it came of a lathe with the protection of anodisation.”

I’m sorry but I am rather disappointed with the new photos, I don’t think the taper from the head works, it doesn’t blend with the more industrial look of the tailcap and clip etc, I prefer the original design which I think is more honest, and minimalist.

I am particularly disappointed with the beadblast finish, which ISTM is simply a cheap way to cover up surface imperfections. I’d far prefer a raw “aerospace” machined finish, ideally with a true thick un-dyed HA-3 anodisation (which is naturally a dull gray-ish finish, and immensely durable).

This would require fine machining and careful handling of the parts. Some of the best machined and anodised torches I have are MAG-LITEs so I see no reason why this one couldn’t have a similarly good finish.

I will buy this, but I’m sad that it isn’t quite what I was hoping for.

I’m also keen to have this nice light. Please count me in!

It’s looking great.
Lets not spend more time debating the exact look of the flashlight body. This project is taking too long already. Many of us are liking the new look better. I guess it is impossible to satisfy everybody. LOL :smiley:

Also interested. Please add me to the list.

If you created the ultimate light, capable of producing an infinite amount of your preferred light quality in the perfect beam pattern for your intended use, at will, out of thin air, with the whole mechanism stored in another dimension so it has no volume or weight, we wouldn’t like it, because there would be nothing to look at or collect, only results.

What use are results?!! We want collectibles, and we want them in a rigidly defined schedule of unpredictability.

Great analysis Zmoose! :smiley:

I am really excited about this light. Any way you can post dimensions?

thanks