what does "anodized at the tailcap for lock-out" mean?

I read this phrase on selfbuilt's review for the Klarus ST10.

"[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Screw threads are anodized at the tailcap for lock-out"

What does that mean?

Newbie question
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Anodizing blocks current, so when a tailcap is anodized, current cannot flow from the switch, through the anodized threads where they would complete the circuit with the flashlight body. An un-anodized tailcap will complete the connection as soon as it is threaded onto the body, whereas, and anodized tailcap needs to screw all the waty down until the bottom of the swtich makes contact with the body of the flashlight. Simply loosening an anodized tail cap by about a 1/4 turn will break the connection and "lock-out" the switch. Doing the same with an un-anodized tailcap would not accomplish lock-out.

BTW, if the body threads are anodized but the tailcap threads are not, or vice-versa, lock out is still possible. Both thread sets need to be un-anodized to prevent lock-out.

Current can't pass through threads if they are anodized, so you can unscrew tailcap in order to prevent accidental activations.

Ok, so anodizing is like an electrically insulating coating.

Are there flashlights that aren't anodized that use a clicky button? I mean, I assume that they would all have to electrically isolate the tail from the body, or else the flashlight would be ON all the time, right?

coachclass said:

Ok, so anodizing is like an electrically insulating coating.

Are there flashlights that aren't anodized that use a clicky button? I mean, I assume that they would all have to electrically isolate the tail from the body, or else the flashlight would be ON all the time, right?

Click to expand...

that's kind of the principle that twistie lights already work on. the clicky works because it is an intermediary between the negative terminal spring and the tailcap. unanondized or not, tailcap tightened down all the way or not, the current still needs to travel from the positive terminal, through the driver and lamp assembly, into the body of the flashlight, into the tailcap of the flashlight and on to the switch. if the switch is closed then it goes into the negative terminal via that rear spring...if the switch is open then it has no place to go.

coachclass said:

Ok, so anodizing is like an electrically insulating coating.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure that was the original intention, but it is the effect. The main purpose of anodizing is protection in various forms. It's also a good way to prepare the metal for painting in some cases. It hardens the surface; in a way, you can almost think of it as extremely thin case hardening, although metal treaters will quite correctly jump on me if I extend that comparison too far. The fact that anodizing happens to provide a mechanism for switch lockout/battery saving seems (to my limited view) a nifty side effect of its intended purpose.

For future reference CPF Terminology look up LOTC.
Norm