Anodizing on flashlights. How can you tell a difference?

I wouldn't consider that a definitive test either. Whether or not it changes color with heat will have more to do with the type of dye the anodizer used then it will the Type classification.

Haha, I see. I guess no lights would have to be baked to determine this. :smiley:

Is it simply the thickness that determines the type of anodizing?

However, the process does change between the two.

Source: Anodizing - Wikipedia

There are a lot of things that determine the type. Thickness, Weight, Process, Type of Acid, Rate of Growth, Current Density, Bath Temperature. The thickness is, however, one of the few observable/measurable qualities, and as such, is usually the confirming test for Type III.

Interesting, thanks.

I guess the only realistic way of measuring would be through experience.

For example, my grey SF L2N I think has type II anodizing because I already can see some rubbing off, although it’s only been on my desk.

Anodize of any type should not "rub off" very easily. You have to remove the aluminum oxide in order to remove the anodize - which is amazingly difficult to do.

Yeah, I meant to say that I’m seeing some patches of metal on the edges of the light.

Here’s a shot:

Interesting.. didnt know all that.

Whenever I see a light that doesn`t look like good quality anodizing, I usually just called it HA II (though now I now that it doesnt exist).

For me it was just guessing.. I thought there was something like: 1=paint, 2=shiny paint like substance 3=thick layer

but I stand corrected..

What do you think could cause an anodized coating to fade with only exposure to skin oils and a couple showers? I have one which has lost quite a bit of its color (click for bigger versions):


This shade of turquoise is a relatively subtle color though, so look what happens if I change its hue by 60 degrees to show how the same fading would look in blue: (all I changed was hue, nothing else)


Was this even anodized at all? Could it have been anodized and dyed but not sealed? Any other ideas what would explain this?

Seems like this is a complex issue. Pretty interesting discussion so far though.

Does this mean we can have white coloured anodized type 2 lights?
If this is possible, I want to request that every light from now on is white anodizing.

Anodizing dyes are technically not opaque - they are translucent. Because of this, white is pretty much impossible - it will always be tinted toward the color of the base material - in this case, grey.

PPtk

knee jerk, totally non expert, probably wrong first thought:

paint

That's a fine example of REALLY crappy anodizing...

Damn. Well if a white light ever comes out I’ll probably get that.
ChiX’s cerakoted lights come to mind.

Not an impossible theory.

:bigsmile:

You want the hardest most durable finish you can put on aluminum, and it happens to be white? Here you go..

http://www.whyco.com/images/Cerafuse_aluminum.pdf

I could try to explain how tough this stuff is, but I wouldn't succeed. You have to see it to believe it. It is absolutely unbelieveable.

Wow, from what I’m reading, it’s 3-4 times harder than HA-III anodizing?

Yep. One other nice feature of the coating is that it will survive to whatever temperature the aluminum itself will survive. In other words, the coating will not be damaged, degraded, discolored or removed by heat until the point at which the aluminum melts.

Cool stuff.

PPtk

The process of applying CeraFuse involves plasma discharge with temperature over 5000 Celsius… I wonder how much it costs to apply this to lights. How practical is this?