Nice comparison photo!
Is there a preferred method of polishing frosty optics?
There’s no magic, just use finer and finer sand paper, I’d start with 1000 grit and go up to 7000, end with plain copier paper for the mirror finish. Try not to touch the reflector cups while sanding, if they got scratched/fingerprinted you will loose light.
Ah glad I asked, I would have polished everything! Are the reflector cups the areas in the red circles?
No.
I think for good polishing you need to take out the optic. Then put the sand paper on a very flat surface and sand the optic on the sand paper. Once taken out you are in danger of touching the back side which should stay extremely clean and preferably never touched at all.
Gotcha, thanks!
Is it only coming with the frosted optics? I remember seeing a few posts about Carclo options for this so I may just order a different for it at some point.
That looks like a D4S (dwarfs the FW3A) in the comparison photo.
I believe so. If I remember correctly, the normal un-polished version produces an ugly beam but is throwier. A frosted one looks nicer and can be polished to give a bit more throw while still maintaining a pretty beam.
10511 frosted makes the nicest beam
(what hodor said)
Q: FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public - #3711 by ToyKeeper and FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public - #3459 by ToyKeeper
A post with more about optics: FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public - #1127 by ToyKeeper
Hello,
Interested in this light. Please add me to the list for 1/ea
No doubt, it dwarfs it for sure!! :+1:
The S2+ is much closer in size, just longer.
Looks great!
The D4S is much larger in the photo, but the shadows on the sides of the FW3A give a false illusion of being even slimmer.
Copy the photo, reduce the contrast, increase the exposure illumination and see the difference.
Is there a video on how to polish a frosted optic?
The link in Joe’s post seems to suggest you can just rub it 
I know I’ll find a way to mess it up w/o visual instructions. LOL… I am special.
Pro tip: Buy spare optics 
Yep, that picture certainly does make the D4 look huge.
EDIT: It is huge compared to the FW3A after all. The picture is of a D4S…. a 26650 light. See POST BELOW by iamlucky13 for explanation.
Except for length the FW3A is closest to the size Convoy S2+ no doubt.
And without the bezel & head of the D4 it probably would be closest.
That picture is a huge optical illusion.
…
D4
Bezel diameter: 28.0 mm / 1.102 inch
Head diameter: 30.0 mm (widest point) / 1.181 inch
Body diameter: 23.9 mm / 0.941 inch
18650 length: 93.7 mm / 3.689 inch
28.0 x 30.0 x 23.9 x 93.7 mm
…….
FW3A
25.5 mm x 92.5 mm
1.004 x 3.642 inches
…….
S2+
24.13 mm x 121.92 mm
0.95 x 4.8 inches
I have so many triples without frosted optics. Is there something about this flashlight that distorts the beam that much more than a D4, Oveready Boss, my modded triple Eagletac D25C, or other random triple mods?
^ Those dimensions are for the D4 (18650 powered). The picture shows the larger D4S (26650 powered).
For a comparison with the D4, see the photos of the 2nd prototype on page 1 of this discussion.