How do you like your flashlights? (condition) does damage upset you?

Off-topic Chatter
15

I like mine to look pristine but HA3 anodising helps a lot with that. My two Zebralight H60s still are in good condition despite having over a decade of near daily use.
Even cloth can rub off soft anodising.

I’m more of a budget buyer but that said, I would like my new blue FT03 to stay pristine for as long as possible. I have a Sand Emisar D4v2 on the way which I hope I can keep looking like new, but due to the colour I won’t be surprised if the anodising is a bit soft.

To conclude I’m in the “wear and tear is fine” camp and I think the more used a torch is, the better a purchase it was. I view them as tools rather than art.

16

I try and keep mine in as new condition as possible. I have a few that are used heavily and roughed up but mostly I prefer that the flashlights are in almost perfect condition. I use a Astrolux S1/BLF A6 every day and it’s in good condition. Only one chip

17

Light is a tool for me, not bling to be babied. A used tool will show honest wear.

The only lights I want to keep pristine are the ones I didn't like for whatever reason and decided to sell.

slmjim

18

My lights are JUST like my guns: ALL are clean, accurate and always ready for use despite the “condition” they are in. Some in the safe rarely see light, a few are around for varmint use, and some are standby’s for REALLY bad, wet, cold hunts. AND… I ALWAYS modify them.

I’m not a gunsmith, but I build quasi-custom rifles (flip barrels, tweak triggers, reload for accuracy, etc.). That said, a $600 rifle in the hands of a “shooter” WILL outperform a $10,000 rifle in the hands of (most) “collectors”. And so I AM a fan of the good $600 rifle (and hint… BLF member) :wink:

With my guns, I have a few “safe queens” which only go out on “blind” hunts (or the occasion range day out at the ranch to check the “zero”). They may be 45 years old (like my Browning 2000 20g), but near mint because I do my level best to keep them clean— BUT when I USE a gun, it’s going to get dinged eventually.

Then I have a few guns that have been thrown across the ditch, hit the ground falling down the side of shale rock mountains on elk hunts, dropped in the lake goose/duck hunting, and generally they are WELL used. But, I will (every year) always CHECK them out completely, oil them up, re-blue (and sometimes refinish) them and keep them in good repair.

My lights are the same. There are a few “shelf queens” for sure, but they are thinned occasionally when a good gift is needed (usually to another hunter). Then there are the ones that live MORE inside the house in about every room (* and my wife expects them always working as she LOVES them and gets pissed when they aren’t “where they’re supposed to be!”) There are a few cheap ones when it comes to lights though (usually old first “deals” bought years back with laptop pulls in them) that I typically keep in the garage, barns, and cars for back-ups. And finally there are the true “workhorse” lights I use for hunting, fishing, and general outdoor use.

So condition is something I try to keep up, but a GOOD old light is worth 20 new ones that stop working the first time they are dropped; and it’s not about cost as much as it is about accuracy and reliability. That said you don’t need to spend a lot to get this, just enough to know what you have (for whatever the use my be) can be counted on and is always READY for use.

So it’s NICE to know the JUNK from the GOOD stuff BEFORE buying it. With lights… that’s why I like you guys here at BLF… because Amazon reviews can’t do it like BLF can when it comes to calling it ALL out on any particular model. :+1: :beer:

19

Well it definitely upsets me when they come pre marked…Mateminco.

20

I like and attempt to keep them looking mint.
With varying degrees of success.

21

When I get a new light, it take it apart (as far as I can) for a full inspection.
Looking for loose bits and pieces, filing a bit, sanding a bit, cleaning a bit everything.
Put new new grease on the threads. Checking for loose rings, wires, et cetera.
Then I put it back together, give it a fresh battery and put it in a holster (or back in the box).
You might say, I like to keep my lights a immaculate as can. But that goes for all my tools.

I have some EDC lights, but I also have an “EDC pocket” in every coat.
Which means that dirty doggy toys go into other pockets, not in that one.
After use, I clean my lights before putting them back into where they came from.
Shit happens, and lights do fall (once in a while) but I try to avoid that as much as I can.
Same goes for all my other (power)tools, I clean them up before I put them back in the (tool)box.
Same goes for the interior of my car. Sometimes I eat in my car, or the dogs, or my wife :person_facepalming:
But I clean up the next day. The carpet has scuff marks, where my wife sits, but that’s about all.

Being a toolfreak, when I see something I want, I’ll try to take it from you or give something in return.
And I know I have a better chance (if I want to swap something) if my offer looks as good as new.
Also it has happened that I gave a light to someone who desperately needed a light, then and there.
I want them to realise they got a gift, not just being lucky because it was on its way to the dustbin.

22

I have three or so lights that I use daily. The rest are in boxes or are used for demonstration purposes only (like the MF04S.)

When my daily use lights become faulty, I replace them.

Lets face it, this is a hobby, no one really needs an MF04S or an MF05. The world managed just fine without them.

23

I believe it only looks like that cause it isn’t real beskar ! :wink:

24

.
Great idea !! Rat Rod Flashlight :sunglasses:
.

25

I remember the first week I got my FW3C, I have a little drawer unit under my monitor 4 inches high, whilst reaching for something I knocked the light off and it fell 4 inches on to a metal object :person_facepalming: and put a small dent in the bezel…. this was while it was all shiny so it showed. Since the patina has formed you can’t see it.
I have this dilemma with my beautiful brass ft03 which I won, I feel like it should/deserves to be used, but if I dropped that I would literally cry! an everyday light/tool it is not.
At the moment it sits on my desk like a big shiny trophy. I kinda prefer patina, but there is no way I’m stripping it.

26

Yes.

27

I buy my lights to use. I don’t go about beating them up or faking wear on purpose but what happens naturally happens.

28

I never worry about cosmetic appearances on flashlights, guns, or even my cars. What I do care about is that they work as well as they should. It’s not as if the things I have are collectibles.

29

When I get a new light I tend to treat it with silk gloves until the first real bang. That’s the only one that really hurts. After it’s not factory new anymore, it joins the ranks of the regular collection. By this point, I pick based on beam pattern and tint, not host condition - minimal wear or battle scarred, it’s all the same for me.

30

I’ll trade you the kid for that flashlight in pura beskar.

31

A couple scratches in ano are fine but “patina” on shiny rose gold looking copper is disgusting. If i wanted smelly green shit on my hand id stick it in the lizzard toilet.
:smiley:

32

I keep them as nice as I can for as long as I can, they still get used.

33

I agree it's that hard hit that leaves a big gouge that you can't miss and can feel even after you tried to smooth down the rough edge . I don't mind a worn down used or scratched look as long as it happens over time . But one that's been hard hit or like people have mentioned ,One that comes from the vendor pre-munched can be a drag .

For years my lights were on the top shelf of my desk all lined up in a row ....just waiting for the errant toe stubbing or an accidental knee jab to send them all into a domino death spiral ..Shelf queens beating each other for time at court or the greater place of honor .

In real life I'm more concerned with my edc's screwing up my phone

34

I like most stuff to look used. Don’t care if my iphone get scuffed up and scratched. I think things like that look more beautiful the more used they look.