TK, you’re saying that Fritz wanted to make the light available as a fresh off the machine light, then he bead blasted his? I had the original pics from when Fritz listed this but have had computer issues and lost them.
Makes no sense why he would say that about no bead blasting, fresh off the machine look and then bead blast his own prototype… but that’s the thing about having a horrid memory, there’s a lot of things that don’t make sense.
The one with the beveled transition to the head looks more elegant to me.
Now you’re just teasing us…
I think it is a Fritz thing. It seems that he ploughs his own furrow, slowly, in a pedantic way, and communicates only when it suits himself. But never publicly, that is left for the minions to pass on.
I’ve had to deal with this attitude in a previous life, where the brilliant project (with a fixed timescale and serious amounts of deliverables) somehow was never quite ready to be signed off, just one more tweak required … I got the idea that the process was more interesting to the designer than actually delivering a result, never-mind signing off a declaration of design and performance (a serious thing that requires evidence, and balls). So had to move the designer sideways and finish the thing myself. Perfectionism is all very well, if the designer is swift, decisive and competent. And knows when to stop titivating.
And listens to the copious feedback here and elsewhere, from people who are enthused about this thing, and makes it correctly. Not meaning e.g. bead-blast, dark grey ano, etc.
Meanwhile serious people with jobs to do, factories and employees to keep busy, distribution chains to ready, money to be made, or just volunteering their best efforts, have to wait.
Be in no doubt, the bottom line is the money. This is not a charity. If things don’t stack-up on the spreadsheets it will not (or should not) happen. But I see no reason why they should not, even now.
Some involved must have the patiences of saints.
I’m not certain that Fritz is the (only) logjam in the works. Didn’t Lumintop have a variety of mini disasters and snafus with the GT that caused this project to take the back burner?
Personally I don’t care. If it was a presale where I dropped coin and waited for many months, then I’d be pissed. It’s happened with a semi-custom knife-maker that swore me off of his stuff for good.
Since what we have invested isn’t material or financial, just admire the scenery as we ride along on this twisty road.
You may have a point there. A name beginning with “N” is also key to this one.
This could make a good MBA dissertation on how really not to do things, in the wild wild wild wild west (actually East).
Fingers crossed, I’m still in for one. Always the optimist.
Ha
How will the purchase of these lights go?
1. Payment on PayPal?
2. Will we be contacted?
3. I have requested 2 lights, I would like one of each LED type.
4. When can we expect to have the lights shipped out, estimate is fine.
5. Will orders be taken by the post # on the list?
You are way too certain about how to do things right (where does that come from?), there is no handbook for this process. People involved just try to respond in a sensible way to each next event and hopefully in the end there is succes (more often than not a BLF-light has become a succes 
). Even having been in the process of having a flashlight made in China before does not guarantee that the next time the process will be similar.
If any of these details were known they would be announced and on the first couple posts.
From past group buys I can say that all members will be contacted. This is usually through a PM on BLF.
It’s highly unlikely orders will be taken by post #. If number #3 on the list does not respond, how long should we wait before going to #4 on the list? etc… That is not practical and just adds much delay. Trying to ship orders based on the list order is also not practical for the same reasons.
So we just have to wait until the details are announced.
Exactly. Why is everybody getting their panties in a wad over nothing?
It’s just frustration, likely the lack of updates for a while being the main culprit. Hopefully most everyone will be happy in the end.
Awesome, thanks for taking the time to clarify things for me. I appreciate all the work that has gone into this light and am excited to get such and amazing light.
Discipline. a British fault, but ingrained. And has worked well, in extremis.
I suppose it is an extreme version of arrogance, but when you really really know that you are correct, well, what should you do ?
Fine words butter no parsnips, as we say. Look it up.
Hmm, in that case, as a fine example of good old british “discipline” you should become the next BLF member to make the next BLF flashlight in cooperation with a chinese manufacturer, see how that works out
Not working out too well at the moment, with our Nuclear power station new-builds. (something I have a slight involvement with)
The Frogs are shambolic and incompetent with several failed projects. The Chinese haven’t even started to meet regulations. South Korea has stuff that could work and be delivered soon. Japan has tossed the toys out of the pram (i.e. Toshiba/Westinghouse can’t make the numbers work, and have failed in the USA)
I have dealt with Chinese manufacturers, respectfully, and not (yet) had to resort to the cane to motivate them. Though it has been tempting at times.
Always the optimist you say :person_facepalming:
I just took a look at the list. 1190 people!
If anybody can please 1190 people, I think there ought to be a Nobel Prize in it for them, and a well paid assignment to achieve peace in the middle east. Or maybe a sainthood. Or both.
Ok guys, I’m currently speaking with a Digikey technical agent to see if it’s possible to order multiple reels of the LH351D in the T1-T4 bin, or if not available from Samsung, T6-T7.
