To Ti or not to Ti... a question for you.

socom1970

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Alright, I hope I'm not gonna get a bunch of flak for this from my friends/co-workers who frequent CPF and know I am preparing to buy a McGizmo when the next wave comes (i.e: the Haiku). I want a McGizmo very badly. (Who doesn't?)

But here's the thing. $445.00 for a single-cell Titanium custom? Aaggh!! I know, I know. I felt that similar twinge when I considered buying other lights/mods.(i.e: SF (2)M6's, M4, M3, M1, U2, (3)A2's, E2DL, E1B, Mr. Bulk Dragonheart, Milky/Leef Gotham, MilkyHDS U60GT, etc...)

I do not own any Titanium lights. My best light so far is the M6 (with the FM 3x17670+LF HO-M6 LA). If it was made from Titanium, it would probably cost a couple thousand bucks. So, my M6 costs almost as much as a little Haiku. Hmmm...

Here's the question: Why should I buy a itty, bitty, little Titanium light like the :bow:McGizmo Haiku instead of spending the money on lights half the price with twice (or more) the performance and just as good of quality? It doesn't seem worth it just because they are made of Titanium...
 
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Barrie

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:eek::eek:
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Morelite

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You gotta remember that any McGizmo light is a custom light and customs are going to cost more than mass produced lights regardless of the materials used. If you could get a aluminum Haiku it might be half the price of a Ti version but it would still be more than a mass produced version.
 

Kilovolt

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Here's the question: Why should I buy a itty, bitty, little Titanium light like the :bow:McGizmo Haiku instead of spending the money on lights half the price with twice (or more) the performance and just as good of quality? It doesn't seem worth it just because they are made of Titanium...

I am really afraid that if you are asking yourself this question it is better that you don't buy this light. :naughty:

Those who have titanium lights (I have two) or watches (I have five) know the difference but generally don't say 'just because they are made of titanium'... ;)
 

brucec

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Here's the question: Why should I buy a itty, bitty, little Titanium light like the :bow:McGizmo Haiku instead of spending the money on lights half the price with twice (or more) the performance and just as good of quality?

Because you can buy 20 lights and still not own a McGizmo. :laughing:

Seriously, many consider McGizmo's lights the pinnacle of flashlight art. Just like Rolex or Omega for watches. You can buy cheaper better performing flashlights, but McGizmo's balance of form and function appeal to many people that are willing to pay the entry cost. If you are still weighing performance vs $, then you probably shouldn't buy them. But if you can afford them and more importantly, if you can appreciate them, then a McGizmo belongs in any Ti collection.
 

McGizmo

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It would be a bummer if you did purchase one and came to regret it. If that is a possibility or concern, don't do it.

I can't answer your question and I certainly wouldn't want to influence your decision. That is up to the lights themselves.

The question I have to ask myself every time is should I build a design and commit to a wave or waves. To date, my answer has been yes a number of times and I have had no regrets.

It would be very difficult for me to compete or perform in the less expensive realm of aluminum lights due to the scale and numbers involved there.

My titanium lights could be made at lower costs if the quantities were greater but if the manufacturing of them were to grow and become "legitimate" there would be added expenses in man hours, marketing, packaging, order processing and it is likely the selling price would go up even though the hard unit cost, went down. It's called overhead. My overhead is quite low and in fact I don't even have any hair on top of my noggin! (not much over head) I doubt that a "real" flashlight manufacturer could make and sell one of my lights as low as I do. There is also the reality of a small niche market for lights like these and a real manufacturer might not want to risk attempting to grow such a market or cater to it. I think by its very nature, the titanium flashlight is a low volume arena and one that I, as a little guy, can play in. I enjoy it and as a bonus, get to have some lights that meet my design and material goals and preferences. :eek:

You request answers to your question from others but the answer you need is the one you come up with and I am not sure how much the others can help you here. If you seek persuasion, be aware.
 

carrot

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It is absolutely worth it. I have no regrets about the 5 customs I have now and I doubt I will have regrets about the other two I have preordered. Worst case, you decide the light isn't for you and you sell it at little to no loss. Is a $50 loss worth it to say, "Well I tried it and it was great... but it just wasn't the right fit" over always wondering what-if? I think so.
 

Zeruel

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Worst case, you decide the light isn't for you and you sell it at little to no loss. Is a $50 loss worth it to say, "Well I tried it and it was great... but it just wasn't the right fit" over always wondering what-if? I think so.
:thumbsup: +1
 

Oddjob

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+2 to what Carrot said. Whenever I buy a high end light it is in the back of my mind that I can sell it for very little loss and as mentioned, any loss is worth trying out a light to see if it suits you. It's a bit cliche but you never know until you try.
 

mwaldron

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Well I have 2 TI watches (liked it so much I bought a 2nd when mine broke while it was being repaired) and I do see the advantages of TI as a material.

I'd love to have a LunaSol 20, and I'd love to someday soon see a Sundrop for myself.

I don't see ever being able to get one though. McGizmo makes great stuff, I have no doubt, but it's a cost-benefit analysis. The benefits of Ti are great, and McGizmo's designs are awesome, but I just can't see the outlay for the EDC light. I'm a computer geek, my EDC isn't subjected to harsh use but it still gets all the srapes, dings, chips and dents of use. I just couldn't bring myself to EDC a McGizmo.

If I bought one, I'd have a perfect EDC light that I'd never EDC. I'm not into self-inflicted torture!

Maybe someday some mass mfg will clone the LunaSol (Sorry McG) in AL, until then I'll have to be content with my A2's and keeping an eye on the A2L preorders.

Hey socom1970, maybe it's an Iowa thing, eh? :)
 

ehallspqr

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Socom1970. A couple weeks ago I was at the same cross-roads your at. There is no arguing with your logic, but we are entering into a whole different arena here, of emotional gut reactions, ethereal & abstract reasoning. Your trying to attach to much reason-logic to this and that is mostly not what this is about. You could argue that Titanium is the perfect material. Light weight, strong, corrosion resistant with good tactile hand-feel. You could say the McGizmo flashlights, at any given time, are at the leading edge of design and performance or that there is future investment value should you decide to sell later. Those are all valid points. But the truth is you buy a cheap flashlight based on performance and value to dollar and you buy an expensive Ti flashlight because you want exclusiveness, collectable-ness, Brand loyalty or you appreciate it as artwork. Then again it sometimes just comes down to "I want it". It sounds like you've been thinking about buying one for a while now. If you have the money to spare and you really do want it, I say buy it.
With a McGizmo, there is always somebody somewhere that will be glad to take it off your hands, maybe even for a profit. I suspect had you bought a Haiku from the wave that just past, you could have sold it for around what you paid or even slightly more. As far as the custom flashlights go, I think McGizmo really is the Rolex of flashlights. They are relatively affordable and one of the best known of the custom brands. It has both broad-base appeal to the flashlight collector community and a fanatical loyal fan base. There are more expensive and exclusive brands but they fall into a very narrow band of collecting. Like a Rolex to a watch enthusiast almost anyone into flashlight collecting knows about them and would love to have one in their personal collection. Take the plunge, into the next Haiku wave!
 

socom1970

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Well, as I just posted in Don's Lunasol 20 wave thread, I just acquired a Lunasol 20 today from a friend of mine. I definitely see the benefit of Don's lights. The titanium concept of lights is the best ever for me.

Now, I absolutely want a Haiku when the next wave hits. Everything about Don's LS 20 is as perfect as I could have hoped for in a perfectly balanced EDC. It is the light that comes closest to fulfilling the CPF enigma of "Small, bright, and long-running: pick any two." I think the LS 20 does an excellent job of meeting all three. I will be USING and EDC'ing my LS 20 as Don meant it to be.

Once again, thank you to all who helped me to understand the true nature and value of Ti lights, including my friend CJ, who allowed me to acquire his LS 20.

And, of course, thank you to Don (as I said in the LS 20 wave thread). If the quality of the work is an indicator of the quality of the craftsman, then you, Don, are truly a Prince among men.:thanks: :bow::bow::bow:
 

brucec

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Congratulations on your LS20! It really is a special light. As far as I know, it's the only single CR123 flood/spot light out there. And if that weren't unique enough, it also sports the PD and Ti construction too! Beware, though...I got my first McGizmo last November and I just bought my 4th. It would appear they are slightly addictive...
 

maxspeeds

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Congratulations on your LS20! It really is a special light. As far as I know, it's the only single CR123 flood/spot light out there. And if that weren't unique enough, it also sports the PD and Ti construction too! Beware, though...I got my first McGizmo last November and I just bought my 4th. It would appear they are slightly addictive...

Don't forget about it's older and bigger brother, LunaSol 27! As I do not own a LS20, I love my LS27 with it's 6 nichias and cree xr-e.
 

clintb

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I don't even own any McGizmo lights, but do own two that are Ti; an AlTiN coated Draco and a polished Olight Titainium Infinitium. I do want to get a McGizmo someday, but the Olight is doing very well at satisfying the need for Ti, for the time being. There's just something about the feel of Ti in your hands; how smooth it is, the look, the heft compared to Aluminum. I know it's not a McGizmo, but hey it's cool anyway.

I say go for it if you have the funds. McGizmo's are truly custom, fairly limited in number and totally unique. You'll have it in your hands just to feel it cause it's so darned cool. Do it, pull the trigger.
 

socom1970

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Don't forget about it's older and bigger brother, LunaSol 27! As I do not own a LS20, I love my LS27 with it's 6 nichias and cree xr-e.

I will not forget it's big brother now. I recently acquired a LS27 from BST and I like it as much as my LS20. I really like the combination of beautiful, smooth spill light and the throw from the Cree XR-E. And that Don can do that with a single cell light is beyond cool.:cool:

Brucec: You are right about McGizmos being addictive. I now have the LS20, LS27, Haiku, Sundrop 3S, and a 27mm Q5 2-cell thrower. They seem to be like flashlight diamonds. All glittering and sparkly...:drool: It is amazing. I now read my thread and realize that it's like finding "El Dorado" to an archaeologist. They are the best EDC's I could ever have hoped for.

Honestly, Guys and Gals, the main reason I will continue to buy McGizmo lights is because of Don himself. I had the high honor of talking to him during the time I was trying to send a Paypal payment to him for the Haiku and we had to work out some problems related to that (which got resolved, by the way).

After talking to him for a while about that as well as a few other things, I truly mean it when I call him a Prince among men. Don is the "Real McCoy": a man of Integrity, Honor, and Virtue. Knowing Don is the source of these beautiful lights makes me proud to buy and carry them.

I like all my lights to one degree or another, but my McGizmos are special in a way that I NEVER thought I would feel about lights. I know not everyone feels this way, but the McGizmos, especially the LS20 and LS27, are the closest to My Perfect Light that I have ever come.

I have read here on CPF that Don's lights are a cure for Flashaholism. I don't know if they are the cure or rather a whole new level of Flashaholism where only McGizmos are the only lights I will ever buy. Hmmm...:thinking:

To answer my own question: Definitely Ti, preferably a McGizmo!:thumbsup:
 
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carrot

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I like all my lights to one degree or another, but my McGizmos are special in a way that I NEVER thought I would feel about lights. I know not everyone feels this way, but the McGizmos, especially the LS20 and LS27, are the closest to My Perfect Light that I have ever come.

I have read here on CPF that Don's lights are a cure for Flashaholism. I don't know if they are the cure or rather a whole new level of Flashaholism where only McGizmos are the only lights I will ever buy. Hmmm...:thinking:

To answer my own question: Definitely Ti, preferably a McGizmo!:thumbsup:

+1

There's something special about the McGizmos.
 
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