Balder SE-1 Must Die!!!

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

After purchasing my very first Balder, the new sexy little HD-1, I decided to try another Balder that’s already been through the trial phase.
I settled on the HD-1s bigger brother, the SE-1. I figured being a little more robust and a little less experimental it might handle 14500s a little easier.

Now, this little chat doesn’t have anything to do with the technical functioning of the light, but, with a poorly thought out design.

The first thing I noticed was the pocket clip. What engineer cobbled together this poorly planned baggage? The clip is attached bezel up so that nearly half of the light is protruding from ones pocket. The gap between the clip and the body is almost wide enough to stick my pinky through with the tip of the clip resting on the tailcap so it can scrape off the anodizing when screwing the tail. With most of the light sticking out of my pocket and nothing but air securing the pocket to the clip…disaster.

Okay. I’ll remove the clip. I have lots of lights with no clips that I like to drop in my pocket with a short lanyard hanging out the side for easy withdrawal. Hey!!! What’s this??? There isn’t any hole anywhere to attach a lanyard. How the heck am I supposed to carry this thing? Who sent this ill designed contraption to market?

Well SE-1 your future is decided. You will live on my desk ignored. Your AW 14500 will be ripped from your abdomen and replaced with a cheap alkaline. You will lay there unloved until the battery eats out your guts like a cancer. Funeral? I don’t think so. I will leave your corpse on display for my other flashlights to see, letting them know that nonconformity is not an option.

2

Ouch! I love my SE-1 but I do understand your points on it. If it had a tail standing tailcap with a lanyard hole it would be almost perfect. :)

3

Just had an A-Ha moment! A fenix LD20 tailcap will actually fit on it. Sadly it will not work without some modification, filing and soldering.

4

When I heard they had moved the clip to bezel - up carry . I knew they were making a mistake .

In a thread by a Balder rep I suggested that the light should have a reversible clip .

Someone here filed a ring into the tailcap to move the clip to bezel - down carry .

I had assumed that the SE-1 was / is still available with a bezel - down clip , because this is the one I have and recommend ad nauseum .

It should be noted , however , that the bezel - up configuration does make this light ideal for clipping to the bill of a cap for hands - free use ...

5

…but ridiculous to carry.

6

Actually , you are so right , my good man .

Send it to me and I will gladly dispose of that ridiculous light for you .

7

Especially if it is a neutral XML version , that makes this travesty of design even more hurtful .

8

How generous of you. :) I am closer to you though. :P

9

It is a neutral XM-L and I’m totally pissed off. I emailed Hank Wang to update the photo on his site.

10

Here's tip for the lanyard tying challenged .

Make a simple loop of some type of cordage an appropriate length through an O-ring . Slip the O-ring over the light and BLAM!

Two minute lanyard .

11

Or just carry a different flashlight that was designed properly. The Balder is relegated to desk duty.

12

That is EXACTLY why I haven’t bought that light. I keep looking at it but the poorly designed clip just turns me off. Every time I see it I wonder if you could chuck it in the lathe and cut a groove in the tail cap or head. But like everybody else, if you’d like to get rid of it . . . . :slight_smile: I might even give you a fair price for it if I could cut another clip groove.

13

The price of the light isn’t worth the shipping.

14

I'd be happy to take that balder off your hands, Ouchy. I always wanted one and dont like clips and rarely use a lanyard. PM me with a price to take it off your hands. ;)

...seriously.

15

I will pay you shipping :bigsmile:

As for clips… well, I have to type of clips:

  1. EDC, pocket clip
  2. cap clip only

All other type of clips are useless for me. Well, maybe as anti rolling system.

16

Hank Wang at Intl-Outdoor emailed me to let me know he updated the SE-1 photos on his site which show the new clip configuration. Maybe EDC Plus should do the same.

17

Another option would be a lanyard ring, just a thin circular piece of metal that goes underneath the tailcap and has a hole in it for a lanyard, I have one that works on the SE-1.

18

I ordered two of these. One from IOS, the other from lighthound. The one from IOS was supposed to be bezel down. Well, I wound up with two bezel up carry. So, I am the one that did this mod. I got out my small set of files & filed a groove at the tail end for a bezel down carry. I didn’t do the other one but plan on it in the future. Someone said without pics, it didn’t happen. Well, it did happen. Since I am auto body by trade it was a simple bit of body work.

Keith

19

Well can we see some pics? Just snap a pic and email it to me and I'll upload it. :D

20

Sorry you’re not happy ouchy…I’d take it off your hands. I’ve been wanting/needing a light that will clip to my hat brim.