Recently I lost my aluminum Kronos X5 on a trip (I blame the clip). I filed a lost-and-found with American Airlines, but I don’t expect anything to come of that — probably some lucky person in Chicago O’Hare, where I sat during a layover, is smiling.
Anyway, I need to replace it, because the X6 is too big to be a comfortable EDC. I see the Astrolux version at Banggood, so maybe I’ll just pick up one of those unless there’s a another custom build coming up that would be a good replacement. However, both the copper and aluminum are currently about the same price. Which should I get? I really liked the aluminum’s weight and the ability to turn it off by twisting the tail cap, but the copper is so pretty…
Aside, when I travel and take a flashlight, I put my name, address, and contact info on a piece of paper inside or on tape on the battery, with “reward for return if found”
Haven’t lost a light since I started doing that so don’t know if anyone would bother contacting me, but a little hope is worth encouraging. Some people are honest out there.
I still bemoan my Arc LS that disappeared from checked luggage at Denver airport sometime around 2003.
I lost an expensive Benchmade automatic pocketknife to a loose clip one day. Was about a decade ago, maybe 12ish years now. I even knew the clip was loose and hadn’t bothered to tighten it up. I replaced the knife and now I keep a much closer eye on my pocket clips, but I still regret losing that knife. Sorry for your loss.
I have a Nichia 219c 5000K in it currently, and tried an XPL 7A prior. The beam profile is still great with a domed emitter… Beam is slightly wider, with a good transition from hotspot to corona, I will get a wall shot comparing them up later…
Oh, hmm…just noticed the public code is still good for the aluminum Kronos X5/X6 set, although about $7 more than it was. Seems silly to order just an X5 now. But what am I going to do with the spare X6? Too bad I can’t get two X5s for that price.
Comparison pic of X5 with Stock Emitter XPL-HI on left, and Nichia 219C 5000K (domed) on right
The 219C is not as intense as the XPL HI, but the hotspot is smaller with a more even primary spill around the hotspot.
I forgot to add, if you do not like the K5 clip linked above, the Skilhunt H15 clip also fits. You can get them if you email service@skilhunt.com and ask for a H15 clip. The shipping costs more than the clip, so you may want to order more… The H15 clip is very nice on regular to thin clothing.
I don’t know if the X5 is the brainchild of someone who has thought long and hard about what he was going to create or that it was a spur of the moment idea to build another X6, but smaller. The result however is one of the nicest lights I own. Combining some of the better aspects of lights that were intended well but got cought up in cutting various corners. It is a kind of light that grows on you. And it is a shame when you loose one. For that reason I never carry such a light with a “clip-on-clip”. But always with a clip that has a base ring around the tube, like some Solarforce, or a clip that has to be screwed onto the tailcap. So I carry my lighter (Alu) lights with a Ti clip from Rey. The SS X6 is even to heavy for that clip, I carry that around with a big old Ti Nitecore clip.
Sorry to hear about your loss… at least my story had a happier ending.
Last night, I dropped my flashlight somewhere along the side of the road where I had been walking. The light was my heavily-modded TrustFire F20 that has been my EDC for nearly four years now: TrustFire F20 mod with reflector bonus!. Since that thread, the light has been completely gutted. I think only the lens is original. Aftermarket reflector, XM-L2 emitter, Nanjg 101AK driver in three-mode group, and replacement switch.
It was getting dark, so I walked back to the house and got my S3 XP-G2 triple, and walked back near the area I had last used the light. Finally found it deep in the grass in the ditch.
Makes you realize how much you can get attached to a particular tool. I doubt I could buy this same light in the same quality as this original Manafont item. Even if I could replace it, I still couldn’t get back that patina; four years worth of pocket-carry wear to the anodization…
