Flashlights?

[KeyGrip]

Anybody else carry a flashlight (or two) with them? I keep one on my keychain and one in coat pocket regularly. I know some here carry pocket knives, but what about torches?

 

[Diamondback]

Yep--several, in different beam-colors, so as to lessen the impact on my eyes.

And one really-bright white one, about the size of a roll of quarters, for in case I need to blind somebody:

http://www.coastportland.com/displa...72%A1273%A1274%A1275%A1261%A1262%BF&mastCat=5

 

[SamMarlowPI]

i like the right-angle military ones...

 

[nobodyspecial]

Flashlights, specifically led lights, are one of the few consumer goods that technology has clearly improved. The lights are brighter, the batter life is longer, the size is smaller and the cost keeps coming down. I keep looking for clearance prices on led flashlights and keep one in quick reach at all times; in my briefcase, in my desk drawer, in my car and throughout my house. I can't say that I have a favorite, perhpaps the one I grab at the time I need light is my favorite. I'm never far from an led flashlight, a Swiss Army Knife and a multi tool.

 

[Mike K.]

but what about torches?

How about this type?

 

[panamag8or]

How about this? It has a belt loop and everything. The red light flashes, too.

For regular use, I have a big Maglight and a couple of the mini-mags.

 

[Atterbury Dodd]

A torch confession

I have a confession to make. I have the ultra strange habit of collecting vintage flashlights. 1910's-1950's. In fact at one point I was going to start a thread called: show us your vintage flashlights. They are so cool looking, someone should make retro LED flashlights.

I might add that this strange collecting habit was inspired by old mystery stories. You’ve probably read something like... "Frank beamed his pocket torch into the dark abyss... a strange murmuring sound came from the abyss. ""Joe, there's something down there! Joe! Joe? Where are you?"" There was a heavy thud. Frank blacked out."

 

[Feraud]

And one really-bright white one, about the size of a roll of quarters, for in case I need to blind somebody:

And why would you want to blind somebody? shakeshead

 

[nobodyspecial]

I have a confession to make. I have the ultra strange habit of collecting vintage flashlights. 1910's-1950's. In fact at one point I was going to start a thread called: show us your vintage flashlights. They are so cool looking, someone should make retro LED flashlights.

I might add that this strange collecting habit was inspired by old mystery stories. You’ve probably read something like... "Frank beamed his pocket torch into the dark abyss... a strange murmuring sound came from the abyss. ""Joe, there's something down there! Joe! Joe? Where are you?"" There was a heavy thud. Frank blacked out."

I think a lot of people collect flashlights. I have three versions of the Mallory flashlight, but I think the oldest would date to the 1960's, maybe the 1950's.

I assume you've seen the candlepower forum website?

 

[Atterbury Dodd]

I think a lot of people collect flashlights. I have three versions of the Mallory flashlight, but I think the oldest would date to the 1960's, maybe the 1950's.

I assume you've seen the candlepower forum website?

No I haven't. Sounds pretty interesting though.

 

[KeyGrip]

No I haven't. Sounds pretty interesting though.

There are people who modify vintage flashlights witht the latest LED and incandescent technology. They look stock on the outside, but man are they bright. http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/index.php?

 

[KeyGrip]

And why would you want to blind somebody? shakeshead

In case they are attacked. The actual effectiveness of this is a topic of much debate, but many people do it.

 

[nobodyspecial]

This site is closed to new updates, but the information there is solid and there are more links than you'll have time to surf on.

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/index1.html

 

[SinatraStyle]

I have a wind up flashlight that I keep in my car. That way I don't have to worry about the batteries dying, or disposing of dead batteries. It works great while camping too. LLBean carries them in a couple of colors.

 

[ohairas]

My husband is a flashlight collecting fool.. not vintage ones tho. He actually just got a new one this week!

We have "scull crushers" hidden all over the house in case of an intruder.
Nikki

 

[NonEntity]

I have a lot of flashlights. Got in to them when I was a little kid.

I keep a Maglite Solitaire on my keyring, a AAA Mini Maglite in my Ghurka shoulder bag, a AA Mini Maglite in the glove box, and a 4-D-cell Maglite on my gunbelt. It's as much a weapon as a light.

One of my favorites is a Tekna, among the very first that ran on a lithium battery, which is extremely long-lasting. It recently stopped working, so I bought the hard-to-find and expensive replacement battery. Still won't work, so the problem must be the bulb. Frustrating, but I have no right to complain after using it for over 20 years. Only used 3 or 4 batteries in that entire span.

My newest flashlight is a 3-watt aluminum Brinkmann LED that runs on 3 AAA alkaline batteries that I generally keep on the nightstand, though it has a clip which makes it easy to carry. The button is on the end and looks just like the ones you see on the CSI TV shows. It's super bright, though the light has an unnatural, bluish cast. The price on these ultra-bright LEDs has come way down; mine was only $30 at Target.

I have some other older ones by Ever-Ready, but probably the most interesting one is my Granddad's Ray-O-Vac flashight. It's copper and is shaped like a blunt bullet on the non-lens end, which does not screw off like most. He used it in WW II when rebuilding Pearl Harbor, but it could pre-date the war. To keep the Japanese from being able to see things on shore at night, all lights had to be shrouded, like auto headlights and even flashlights. I still have the filter designed to be put under the lens that makes the light very dim, indeed.

 

[The Wolf]

I tend to have some tiny pocket torch with me. I used to carry mini Maglites but for some reason I've had batteries go bad and leak inside so they are no longer reparable.
I have an penlight from the golden age and should probably keep an eye out for a couple more so I will carry vintage more often.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Diamondback]

And why would you want to blind somebody? shakeshead

Temporarily deprive a hostile of his primary targeting mechanism (his sight), and you buy time to break contact and evade.

And here y'all thought I believed every problem called for a lead-launch...lol

 

[nobodyspecial]

I had one of the original tekna lights and it was quite wonderful. The battery lasted a very long time, however when it finally went dead I could not find a replacement. Perhaps with the web I could find a battery now, but I may have thrown out the flashlight in the mean time. Back to the basement for a search.

 

[warbird]

I prefer Surefire flashlights. I carry one most of the time. Mine puts out 80 lumens and has a lithium battery, which lasts a long long time. It also has a button on the back to temporarily turn it on for quick assessing, or you can turn the back for constant light. They are also designed to be used in conjunction with firearms.

Surefire are expensive, but they are superior to anything I used before. They are also guaranteed for life.