Proposal for a BLF defense flashlight

Sometimes your would-be attackers aren’t even the two-legged variety, amazingly enough.

Back when I had a little terrier-mix and would walk him around the nabe, some Big Dog (by the brown+black coloring, looked like a rott/dobe mix of some sort, definitely a mutt) came after mine and wanted to eat him. Only thing I could do was kick him right squah in the nuts. Had nothing else on me. Good thing the mutt didn’t turn on me instead, ’cause maybe I just got in that lucky shot.

Different time, the neighbor across the street had 2 rotts, too, and when I just let my dog out by the tree to do his thing, I see them come running up. Two of them. Hell, I just grabbed a big-ass golf-umbrella and was gonna spear one of ’em with the pointy end when the owner yelled at them to stop, and amazingly they did. He saw I was already winding up, didn’t say a word.

Even now, what would I do, beg the beastie to wait ’til I fished my Sanremu outta my pocket and opened it up? Kinda get weird looks walking with a Fairbairn Sykes sticking outta my pocket, so…

So hey, full steam ahead with the Bat Utility Light. 2 legs or 4, crack ’em over the melon with it.

Suggestion? If you’re gonna do it from scratch, just hollow out an Al tube to be able to stick a “flashlight module” in the end, then intentionally leave enough space to you can “cast” Pb or solder into it to hold the tube.

“Whoops, wanted to use a 26650 light, but all I got’s this teeny 16340 light. That’s why it’s got 2lbs of Pb at the swinging end…”

There ya go.

As a Peace Officer I can tell you “NO”. Legal to buy and legal to possess does not equally to legal for other uses or even carry. Walmart sells baseball bats, I can not randomly carry one around. It’s primary purpose is in question when it looks like a weapon but has a superficial secondary use. A good example is using a tire iron as a key fob. Spray paint legal to buy, illegal to huff. Another fine item that burns a few are Tire Thumpers. Legal to sell in many states that consider it a weapon. The use of an item is also a considering factor. Once again tire irons, screw drivers and hammers are generally legal to buy, posses and use. Carry one in a city and arrest could be a real possibility even without a self defense use. I only need probably cause to arrest. To convict the State needs beyond a reasonable doubt. So you might beat the rap but you can’t beat the ride.

Don’t need no stinking flashlight when you got Ninja Man in pajamas

As a peace officer you should know the law better. Your argument makes NO sense from whole picture of situtation. The PRIMARY purpose of buying bat flashlight at Walmart, HomeDepot, etc…… is to use as illumination. No one goes into store on intent to buy a striking weapon? Come on guy. Use common sense.

Walking at night( to car, excercise, etc… ) one might encounter a rapist, mean attack dog, serial killer, etc…. What recourse does one have to defend themselves during attack? Defend yourself with what you have. In this case a flashlight that can be used as defensive tool.

You either defend yourself with what you have. OR you become a STATISTIC. There is your answer on why you need bat flashlight.

My points exactly why you need defensive tool bat flashlight. Your encounter involved dogs. Imagine if you encountered a robber, serial rapist, murderer, etc…. You might have not been so lucky.

For anyone making argument of legality THINK TWICE. Key points to remember:

Do you want to defend yourself in life threatening situation?

OR become a morgue STATISTIC?

Feel free to chime in.

BTW. A hardened steel Bat Flashlight would be ideal with limited edition colors.

Well said officer. Lots of things get sold that aren’t legal. Great line here BTW, “So you might beat the rap but you can’t beat the ride.”. However, when you come on a middle age or elderly gent walking his dog in the dark, has there ever been an instance where he got the ride for having say, a 3 battery maglight? I could see it being a huge mistake carrying a bat flashlight into a concert during daylight hours, but clearly context is everything and I doubt mr taxpayer (who may also be a lawyer) would ever get the ride.

My daughter moved back in and has PTSD. She rarely sleeps at night. She takes the dog out for walks. I’ve bought flashlights for her, but also both stun guns and mace (like Kimber Pepper blaster 2s) although she rarely takes that stuff out. She almost always has the flashlight. I’d get her a big one, although I suspect she wouldn’t take it out.

I think his point was it doesn’t matter necessarily what you bought it for.

What matters is what is your intended purpose in carrying it around is.

You’re carrying a bat?…. ok. You’re carrying it late at night and not to or from the baseball diamond? …. maybe not ok.

A reasonable police officer could conclude that your purpose in carrying the bat-light is to use as a weapon. And that would be true… after all the whole point of this thread is to discuss flashlights that could be used as weapons.

And if you’re carrying a weapon then you may be in violation of various state and local laws on carrying or displaying weapons. Depending on your location, there might be more restrictions on carrying simple bludgeoning weapons than there are on firearms. Best to double-check applicable law in your jurisdiction before walking around with one.

The conversation is turning into a joke. Going out for late night walks, dog walks, exercise one needs flashlight for illumination to see in dark areas. The police have to know the laws as pertained to each state. The Bat Flashlight is a flashlight for illumination in dark. The secondary purpose is a defensive tool if needed to ward of any attackers if needed.

Any police officer that does not know that SHOULD NOT be in law enforcement. Common sense.

If items are outlawed then do not sell them or allow to be purchased.

So we would rather see morgue statistic then allowing someone to be able to defend themselves against attackers? Be it animal or other violent human beings.

Try to filter the law to VICTIMS of violence that are no longer with us on this earth.

Back to subject: I suggest limited editions runs with hardened steel strike bezel head and high lumen count.

Probable cause? for carrying a flashlight at night? Give me a logical break? OK?

The USA are funny

You can’t bring a baseball bat, but a gun is ok …

Yup.

I remember years ago when I was taking martial alts and found there are heavy restrictions on anything resembling martial arts weapons. You can carry escrima sticks (wooden stick) or nun chuks ONLY to or from your dojo. It’s illegal here to carry them anywhere else.

There are fewer restrictions on carrying around firearms. After all… in the U.S. you have a constitutional right to carry a firearm. But no such right applies to carrying around a club.

You’re still missing the point.

From a legal perspective in many areas it does not matter that the object has more than one purpose or that being used as a weapon is secondary. All that matters is that the object looks like a weapon and one of your goals in carrying it is to use it as a weapon.

Of course this will vary by jurisdiction and by the police officers who happen to see it. In many areas I’m sure it’s perfectly legal to carry around a bat light. And those people might well enjoy a BLF special edition self-defense light.

It’s a bit more complex than that generalization

Unlike other countries, the laws vary from State to State. The US is a representative republic.

At least in theory…

Your lack of common sense may give you a ride one day. You contradict your first line and a half with your last sentence. Check your local laws and carry what is legal and traditional; pepper spray, stun guns and firearms. All very effective when used right. Skirting tradition self defense items and methods may paint you as the aggressor looking for a fight or just a paranoid nut job off his meds. Your short rant here is disconcerting. Considering you have 10 bat flashlights to protect yourself from your local rapist, mean attack dog, serial killer, etc…. With your level of concern you should be able to spot ninja’s at night a hundred meters and never need to use all those defensive flashlights.

If anyone is truly interested in self defense a flashlight should be near the bottom of the list. Those who live in freer areas I recommend a good handgun with a lesser item like pepper spray. Then, training, training, practice, situational awareness and a good dose of common sense. Those in less free areas pick what is allowed then repeat; training, training, practice, situational awareness and a good dose of common sense. Gimmicks are not good self defense items, they may delay your ability to really defend yourself or give a false sense of security.

Hey Texas Shooter, I am not here to argue with you. Not worth the time or effort. TOTAL WASTE of time.

OP started this thread NOT me. I am interested and all the BS legality issues arise. OP asked who was interested. I happen to be 1 of them other BLF members here interested. Debates on legality is A JOKE!!!

Thread is about who wants 1.

If this ‘project’ ever get’s off the launch pad count me in… I am interested & will defiantly buy at least one. :wink:

That’s a good point. Instead of making this light a “batlight”, why not make it a “gunlight”? You could hide the shotgun barrel behind the reflector. Power off a single 18650 for the light, with room for a half-dozen shotgun shells in the spare space. Single-click turn turn the light on/off, double-click to fire the shotgun. Perhaps a triple-click for an electronic lock-out of the LED, to keep it safe.

I haven’t followed this whole thread, but to me the batlights are ridiculous. The light is in the wrong end and they don’t look like anything but weapons.

I have a 6D cell Maglite, it looks like a torch because it is a torch, yet I could stop a herd of stampeding mammoths with that thing.
Most effective stance is to hold the light with your finger on the button, and the weight resting on your shoulder. It is perfectly balanced like that, practical as a torch, yet ready to swing very effectively.

Try that with a batlight and you are illuminating something behind you, and look ridiculous. You can’t illuminate something in front of you and still swing it effectively, and if you do hit something with it it’s now broken.

I would support a 6D Maglite look-alike in thick steel, designed to dissipate heat from a modern drop-in and accept 2x26650 but also come with sleeves to take 2x18650. It should have shortcuts to 1000+ lumens (preferably much more, like an L6) , strobe, and moonlight. The rest of the length can be a sealed compartment for red traffic wand/spare batteries/sand/lead/grenade……

Defiantly? “I don’t care what the laws are… I’m gonna buy one, damnit!!” :smiley: