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

Lumintop seems to get it pretty right when they’re collaborating with hobbyists. When they do stuff on their own, it doesn’t always make sense. The new EDC05C, for example (measurements by zeroair):

Battery: 14500 (only)
Emitter (front): XHP35 HI
Emitters (side): Nichia E17A (x4)
Output (front) claimed/measured: 500lm/426lm
Throw (front) claimed/measured: 120m/119m
Output (side) claimed/measured: 175lm/414lm

I cannot imagine any reason for this to be a 12 volt light. 500 lumens from a 14500 is doable using most 3V emitters - a single E21A would have worked for that. It doesn’t even maintain full, or near-full output when the battery is low. Points for using E17As though, at least assuming they’re high-CRI E17As.

But it seems like the design of that light was essentially random. Perhaps the company is run by a genetic algorithm?

Thanks for the update TK!

+1 … Thank you TK. . :+1:

Edit: Clip sounds alright too… no paint is a win!

  • Clip ring ’expansion’…. who knows???

Thanks for the update TK!

Sounds like it’s good enough. Time to start full production.

I WANT ONE!!! :heart_eyes:

Thanks for the update, TK!

Anyone want to speculate why they made the clip ring wider? I can’t imagine it’s literally just a random decision… maybe they were afraid it’s too thin and might break in some units when the clip is put under a lot of stress, especially when they can’t guarantee the quality of the steel is top-notch for every clip

That’s great news TK, thanks for the update.
Is the hole in the end of the clip on your sample? I’m not a fan but it’s not a deal breaker at all, there are more important checkboxes that this light comfortably ticks for me so send out the order PM’s :innocent:

Yes, it has a hole in the tip of the clip. I suppose it could be called a tongue piercing.

Thanks for the update. I have been waiting with baited breath. I assume we are very close now. Hopefully.

The only thing I can think of that would expand the clip ring is to increase the strength of the clip arm. Maybe they realized that if you put some good leverage on the clip arm as if you were fighting the light off your pocket it had a chance of bending both the arm and the actual clip ring.

I agree it’s not very visually appealing compared to a flush ring but in my experience a mfg who increases the size of a metal component is doing so at their cost rather than to save cost. TK noted the additional strength of the new clip and I’m thinking that’s got to be due to the additional ring size?

:smiley: :stuck_out_tongue: :stuck_out_tongue: :wink:

It very well could have not involved any overt decision. Keep in mind that although it is easily noticeable in the picture, and I’m sure will be easy to feel, the growth Toykeeper measured is only 0.3mm (0.012”) per side - equivalent to the thickness of 6 sheets of paper.

If they’re sending out a CAD pattern to a vendor without tightly controlling the tolerance, the vendor may err on the side of providing too much material, especially with as thin as I expect the ring is. Or the supplier may have just ignored a specified tolerance.

Even in the US I’ve had suppliers miss or ignore tolerances they didn’t think were important.

Sofirn had trouble with the clip supplier for the C01, by the way.

TK, any pics to share with the class?

Looks and sounds good. I’m ready to order.

Me too!

Where’s the order page? :stuck_out_tongue:

Bluzie posted photos at TLF!

You got a link??

TLF post

Bluzie posted here.

Thank you both.

So in his photo, left is proto5 and right is proto4?