Do you use your lights hard or do you pamper them?

[markr6]

My work flahlights get abused. My non work lights are taken care of. Not pampered.

That's a good way to sum it up. But I think we're screwed if we're trying to define "taken care of" vs. "pampered" vs. whatever else in this thread... personally, when I see "pampered" I think of keeping the torch in a glass display case and wiping it with a microfiber cloth every day :shakehead

 

[N_N_R]

Now there's something I'm definitely gonna pamper... my newly arrived Preon 2 *in love*. This thing is soooo beautiful, it doesn't only meet my expectations, but I'm so pleasantly surprised by it. I'll use it, of course, but I'll treat it with extra care... LOL. I hope I won't drop it so often as my other lights *facepalm*

 

[Tmack]

The only light I've dropped so far is my convoy m1 xml2 3a (home made) and it's my work light, so it's expected.
Somehow, none of my other lights have taken a plunge...... Somehow.

 

[bhonder]

I take care of them. These lights are already a expensive business, so don't want to scratch them.
Of course if it happens, it happens. Have quite a mark on my Fenix TK11. Dropped it ones on a stone-floor from about 1 meter. Now it has a little dent in the bezel.
Not something I'm happy with, but.. it happens. For the rest I try to keep my lights as clean as possible. Still have to buy some extra cases for storage

+1

 

[bhonder]

I don't even know how to formulate the question better

For example, I've seen so many cool pictures of guys and their brand new looking lights.

While I have like 15 flashlights, bought in different periods of my life and I've used hard all of them and most do have scratches, wear, scuffs, dents and so on...

So, do you buy a light and then pamper it, do you buy a light and immediately test if it's water/shock/everything proof or do you just go for the golden middle and let time and regular use show how tough your flashlight is?

For example, I bought a Fenix LD05 two weeks ago and despite my efforts, I've dropped it like 5 times so far, one of them in water, so it already has a few scratches...

Those things are tools, expensive, but tools. But they are not hammers or plungers, so why try to slam or dunk or sink them if designed to make light?

By the way we use them a lot. For walking and running in winter and in the country house nights during summer.

 

[will manners]

Depends what light it is i'm using. Generally I take care of all my lights, but mostly I take them hiking and they inevitably get dropped on the ground and they take a beating. Surprisingly my c20 looks the same as the day I got it. My MXDL on the other hand does not :devil:

I take it everywhere with me and since it's dirt cheap I don't worry to much about what happens to it. Despite its rough life I've had it for almost 6 months.

 

[Tmack]

My C20cvn is my edc, and is holding up very well. Not a scratch on it. Holster helps.
And the black anodized clip peels off, but I'm not a clip guy, so I always take them off anyway .

 

[markr6]

Every now and then I'll throw my Rayovac Indestructible just because I can. Inexpensive and bomb-proof!

 

[yoyoman]

I have enjoyed this thread and the many interesting posts. But I have a hard time with the analogy to tools, especially screw drivers. I don't use my screwdriver as a pry bar, but that's just me. So, if you'll humor me, I have another analogy. I drive a 1986 Porsche 911. Definitely not pampered. I drive it everyday and I don't wash it every weekend. I've never used a toothbrush to clean the wheels. But I do respect it. I never redline it until the engine is warm. But once the engine (actually the oil) is warm, I let it rip. There is a great road up a mountain near my house. But if I take the direct route, the engine isn't warm. So I take an indirect route to warm the engine and then enjoy the road.

Similar with my flashlights. Sometimes they get dropped. They may get scratched when i put them in a knapsack with other gear. I don't abuse them - I don't use them as a hammer for tent stakes. But I don't abuse them. It's called respect.

 

[blah9]

yoyoman, I agree. I'm the same way with my lights. Even though I dropped my EDC twice and it has some scratches I still respect it and try hard to not let something happen to it for no reason. I like the way you describe that same point of view.

 

[smokinbasser]

They are tools similar to pocketknives or anymore my cell phone. I can't predict when I am going to need X so better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Currently it is a Four Sevens Q-mini123 and a Photon as a backup if the main runs out of juice.

 

[H-Man]

I don't pamper my lights. I use them to work on stuff and toss them into the sink to clean them. We only have 3*10^9 seconds on this rock at best, I don't want to waste any of that time on trivialities like pampering a light, I see better returns from maintaining the light (My main light is a 47s mini123 Ti, I doubt I can break it without trying, my headlamp is a eiger clipped to a baseball cap, my bright light is a 1x 18650 1xXML T6 in a $10 solarforce body.)

 

[chnzwh]

As much as I love my lights, they are illumination tools after all and tools should get treated like tools; use and (sometimes) abuse is the way to go.

The character marks left along the way combined with the unique serial number on a light make it a piece of history for me personally.

 

[ven]

I have enjoyed this thread and the many interesting posts. But I have a hard time with the analogy to tools, especially screw drivers. I don't use my screwdriver as a pry bar, but that's just me. So, if you'll humor me, I have another analogy. I drive a 1986 Porsche 911. Definitely not pampered. I drive it everyday and I don't wash it every weekend. I've never used a toothbrush to clean the wheels. But I do respect it. I never redline it until the engine is warm. But once the engine (actually the oil) is warm, I let it rip. There is a great road up a mountain near my house. But if I take the direct route, the engine isn't warm. So I take an indirect route to warm the engine and then enjoy the road.

Similar with my flashlights. Sometimes they get dropped. They may get scratched when i put them in a knapsack with other gear. I don't abuse them - I don't use them as a hammer for tent stakes. But I don't abuse them. It's called respect.

Very well said mr yo yo,and a classic 911.............living in arguably one of the most beautiful countries............nope i refuse to be jealous, i am trying arrrgh *beep* it ,i am well and truly jealous :laughing: next thing you will have an amazing collection of flashlights too..............oh hang on you do

:twothumbs

 

[yoyoman]

Mr. Ven, I've lived in a lot places. None of them are perfect. Home is where the family is - that's the best place.

 

[ven]

Mr. Ven, I've lived in a lot places. None of them are perfect. Home is where the family is - that's the best place.

Again nicely said and thought,i best move my home your way :laughing:

I wish...........but yes its true,i am still in the Swiss Alps on the Furka pass in my classic 911 right now

:twothumbs

 

[LanthanumK]

I just scratched up all my good flashlights with a Swiss Army knife chisel to determine the relative anodizing hardness. Now my SureFire has my initials carved in the bezel. The anodizing was disappointingly soft on the G2X head.

 

[callmaster]

I dropped one of my hds lights out my 13th storey apartment window many years ago. That was probably the only time I've ever dropped my light. Slight scratches here and there but no serious damage.The light definitely hit the concrete pavement and bounced of other concrete type enclosures before rolling away into a drain.

My toddler has handled my hds lights a few times and kids tend to drop things from time to time. No big concern to me though, they're built to take more of a beating than that.

Sometimes you can't help dropping a light, but you won't find me abusing tools and electronics like the crazy people on YouTube. Just because it's able to take a beating doesn't mean I give it one. Same goes for my cell phone. It's waterproof, dust proof and whatever else. But you won't find me testing that to the limits. I'm just happy if someone spills water on my phone, it's not going to fizzle out and die.

I just don't put my stuff in glass cabinets with spotlights. I do take care of my stuff even though they're used hard. I'm guessing most of us do the same. Probably that bit of respect were talking about.

If I had to nail something in and it was an emergency, I'd have to weigh my options for the best tool for the job. If I didn't have a hammer with me, I'd probably go with my Leatherman surge, not my light.

 

[PTN]

firm and exacting use but also treated with care and respect.