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

would be weird if has to buy clip separate.

I guess it would depend on the cost. If the clip where to cost $30 to $40 then I could see them offering it separately.

The prototypes for the FW3T v2 look incredible. I like them a lot more than the basic FW3T.

I got my FW3A TK edition in the mail today and went to work on it! I swapped in some LH351D, one each in 2700K/3500K/5000K. I have about a half-dozen FWxx variants that I’ve done some emitter swaps on but I wanted to do something different with this one. (Sorry for pic-heavy post!)

I picked up a SS bezel from Neal’s and tried my hand at heating it with a torch to get some color. It’s a bit inconsistent and I heated it too much in some spots but overall I’m satisfied with the result! I also tried the same with the clip but I had a very hard time getting any color out of it. I assume it’s plated, probably with nickel. I didn’t really feel like sanding and polishing it so I just heated it until it was glowing cherry red and ended up with a nice bronze color. Not too bad! Hopefully I didn’t weaken the steel too much.

I typically like to use drilled optics with trits but I tried it this way and I think I prefer this method. It looks much better from the front. I also swapped out the factory 10511 for a 10507 because I expected the LH351Ds to be quite floody.

Three different color temp 90+ CRI LH351D.
My other FW3x’s have “FW3A” printed on the MCPCB and the hole for the alignment screw is not drilled all the way through like this one. Functionally it makes no difference; it’s just something I noticed.

FW3A TK edition; FW3T Stonewashed; FW3A OG Grey

It’s very difficult to capture the color of the emitters while shooting directly into the head of the light. This is about the best I could do after merging five exposures.

The LH351Ds under the 10507 are very floody. The hotspot is about twice as large as the SST20 with 10511. The LH351D hotspot has a very clearly defined edge where the SST20 blends smoothly into the spill. This might be due to the different optics.

The color temperature has a very cozy warm appearance with a slightly rosy tint. Unfortunately I don’t have a spectrometer, but I do have Cine Meter II and a Luxi sphere (calibrated). I can’t measure CRI but I can measure CCT and tint. Tint values seem to be on some arbitrary scale, but it’s fine for making qualitative comparisons.

Here are the measured CCT and tint values for this light with some others for comparison. Tint values are given in amount of green, so more positive is more green and negative is more magenta. Measurements were taken at about the middle of the ramp, so 1x7135 for the FW3As (I never run my lights on turbo).

FW3A TK LH351D mixed
• CCT: 3700K
• Green: +10

FW3T SST20
• CCT: 4000K
• Green: +12

D4V2 SST20
• CCT: 4000K
• Green: +15

D4sV2 XP-L HI
• CCT: 3800K
• Green: +42

Sofirn SP36 Andúril LH351D
• CCT: 5300K
• Green: +16

Fireflies E07 219b SW45k
• CCT: 4500K
• Green: –3

What size trits did you end up using for that?

1.5X6mm work best

Looking great, it really expose the light out of the trits. :+1:

These are 1.5x6mm.

That looks great! Might have to try combining with a drilled optic next time.

With the short tubes, the clip and the bezel, the FW3A looks like another flashlight :+1:



That’s my current configuration, 18500 tube, deep carry clip, SS bezel :wink:
It is great indeed :wink:

Mmmm… that shiny copper one does look really nice!

Where does that deep carry clip come from?

Maybe I’m wrong, but those shiny copper FW3A’s seem to be going away. I went looking last weekend and fleabay was the only place I could find them. Just checked, and it still says one left, same as when I ordered, but I ordered two, and the shipped notification email has arrived…. Notice it is from Shenzhen.
The bead blasted copper didn’t seam to take off, you can still get them.

Maybe I’m wrong, but is that prototype FW3A V2 Lumintop’s first production light with tritium slots? (assuming it does go into production.)

Edit:
It looks like it’s got both a (magnetic?) brightness adjustment ring, and an on/off switch.

The FW21 has trit slots and it’s already out (21700 version of FW3A)

I got it here

Carclo doesn’t melt in UV? I am asking because I know that Yajiamei singe optics are melting.

The threaded ring is what screws in the switch assembly, that all it does. The tail and battery tube are one piece.

I think the Carclo handle about 150°C 120°C.
I don’t know what material the Yajiamei singe optics are made of.

They said me once that’s PMMA.