Are Twisties All Backwards? **Update** [YES]

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Tommygun45

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I am not sure why it took me so long to realize this, but when I went to use my Preon Revo today I tried turning it to the right. I kept turning until the head almost came off.

Isn't it always "Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosie?" Do different twisties like the Peak's twist the 'right' way? Is there some mechanical reason for them turning left to be activated?

My MD2s turn left to tighten as well. However my Rotary turns right to go to higher and higher, which seems intuitive.
 
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combinatorix

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

It's a matter of perspective. Your lights are in fact righty tighty, but from the perspectives that:

-When you are looking at the head, you are turning the head to the right into the body

-When you are looking at the tail, your are turning the tail to the right onto the head.
 

Tommygun45

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

Right, but when I am using the light I am pointing it away from me, as if I were screwing in a screw. I intuitively think, turn to the right to tighten. I am usually not looking at the business end of my lights when I turn them on.
 

eh4

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

If you use your light with your left hand then it's always the same, gripping the light with your pinkie finger/palm you'd tighten the light by twisting it with your thumb and index finger along a curve From your thumb, along the meat of your hand, Towards your index finger, it's the same whether you are holding the bezel "maglight style" or "tactical style". -That's "Righty-Tighty" -You'd loosen the bezel and turn it off by twisting the light to describe an arc that moves From your index finger, along the meat of your hand, towards your thumb (Lefty-Loosey)

If you use your light in your right hand it's the exact opposite and always the same... Index-towards-Thumb is Clockwise, i.e. Righty-Tighty, i.e. On.
Thumb-towards-Index is Lefty-Loosey, i.e. counter clockwise, i.e. Off.
Doesn't matter if you hold the light forwards or backwards, there's only two kinds of twist, clockwise and anticlockwise.

The dyslexic folks among us have had to work this stuff out over and over and over... (and over, ;-) ).
 

Tommygun45

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

If you use your light with your left hand then it's always the same, gripping the light with your pinkie finger/palm you'd tighten the light by twisting it with your thumb and index finger along a curve From your thumb, along the meat of your hand, Towards your index finger, it's the same whether you are holding the bezel "maglight style" or "tactical style". -That's "Righty-Tighty" -You'd loosen the bezel and turn it off by twisting the light to describe an arc that moves From your index finger, along the meat of your hand, towards your thumb (Lefty-Loosey)

If you use your light in your right hand it's the exact opposite and always the same... Index-towards-Thumb is Clockwise, i.e. Righty-Tighty, i.e. On.
Thumb-towards-Index is Lefty-Loosey, i.e. counter clockwise, i.e. Off.
Doesn't matter if you hold the light forwards or backwards, there's only two kinds of twist, clockwise and anticlockwise.

The dyslexic folks among us have had to work this stuff out over and over and over... (and over, ;-) ).

Ok, I know its late but that just confused the heck out of me. I guess to enhance my original statement.. Since its a Revo its on my keys. Therefore no matter what, I can't turn the body of the light while holding the head still because that will rotate my entire set of keys. Does that make sense?
 

ARA

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

Just to add to the confusion it also depends if you're screwing the tailcap onto the head/body or the other way around.
 

bansuri

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

I prefer the action of the Liteflux LF2,3,5, and LF2X, tighten to turn off. Their implementation added some complexity in the form of a multi-ring insert that allowed 2 stages of switching as you unscrewed the head.
It seems that there could be an arrangement where the ground signal goes through the threads to the head and when the tube makes contact with the board it switches off the circuit.
I like it because off is OFF, or maybe my mini-mag roots are showing.
These are old lights from a company that doesn't even make lights anymore so they're no longer a viable option. Hopefully we'll see some more TIGHTEN->OFF lights in the future.
 

leon2245

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

I am not sure why it took me so long to realize this, but when I went to use my Preon Revo today I tried turning it to the right. I kept turning until the head almost came off.

Isn't it always "Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosie?" Do different twisties like the Peak's twist the 'right' way? Is there some mechanical reason for them turning left to be activated?

My MD2s turn left to tighten as well. However my Rotary turns right to go to higher and higher, which seems intuitive.


Titaner, SF Titan, solitaire, & others discussed here:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?312247-Lights-that-tighten-to-turn-OFF


Always on the lookout for more like these.


OP if you edit your title/post to read "are all twisties tighten-for-on?" instead of "...backwards", those who prefer T-F-on might not get as mad at your request.
 
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subwoofer

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

All twisites use standard right hand threads. You are just using looking at this (and the light) the wrong way round!

I agree, when turning on a twisty one handed, it feels like you are turning the head the wrong way, but this is not the case. The part of the light closest to you is the body not the head. To turn on the light you are in fact turning the body to the right (by turning the head to the left).

Try holding the head of the light in your left hand and turn the body using your right hand - you will find you are turning the body to the right. This is a normal right hand thread.

If you are not sure about this, get hold of a normal nut and bolt. Hold the bolt in one hand with the head towards you and the nut away from you already started with a few turns. Now try to 'tighten' the nut with the same hand (as if you were using a twisty one handed) - which way did you turn this normal nut? Exactly the same way you turn the head of your twisty.
 

eh4

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

Hold it behind your back while you are doing it.

Or go find some dirty greasy knuckle buster that can't be seen and can only be reached by snaking your arm around, under, behind, twist on it for a while with dirty oil and crud getting into the scrapes in your hands before figuring out you've been twisting the wrong direction... drop the nut, curse a bit, do it backwards again, really think about the nature of left and right and the two sorts of twist. Figure you've got it figured out for good, go back into the knuckle buster -do it backwards again, lose the nut. lol.

this is funny:
put your arms pointing down, thumbs towards your body,
cross them so they are palm to palm, now weave the fingers of your two hands together.
Next twist your arms in and up, bringing your hands to your face.
Look at your hands, mentally select One finger and try to move it.
;-)
 
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Tommygun45

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

Geeze. I hope no one was getting mad at my post. I'm certainly not trying to rustle any feathers here I could really care less. In general I dislike twisties but I do see their purpose for an aaa or keychain light. I also have yet to use an RA Twisty, so maybe that could change me.

Good explanation guys thanks, and it makes sense, but simply as a personal preference I think I would like a twisty that, well, I guess was backwards. Using unstandard left hand threads if you will. I think that activation in the A2L is perfect for instance. I understand its different, because its the tail and not the head, but to me, from a simple I know nothing and I am picking this thing up for the first time... Turn the tailcap to the right to activate, turn it to the left to de activate. HDS Rotary, same thing.

To me the 'action' part of the light, or the part you are supposed to move, isn't the entire body, its either the tailcap or the head because they are smaller. Especially with keychain lights because the body is attached to your keys.

Additionally, when I am turning whatever activation mechanism the light has, I will likely be turning it when I am pointing my light at something that I would like to illuminate.

Now I wasn't saying tighten to turn on or loosen to turn on was better, I was just assuming that in my case, tighten to on, I would rather it twist the part thats meant to be twisted (ie. not the body) to the right, while pointing it at something, than left, and was wondering if any lights out there are like this. (Other than the A2L and HDS Rotary.)

Titaner, SF Titan, solitaire, & others discussed here:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?312247-Lights-that-tighten-to-turn-OFF


Always on the lookout for more like these.


OP if you edit your title/post to read "are all twisties tighten-for-on?" instead of "...backwards", those who prefer T-F-on might not get as mad at your request.
 

TooManyGizmos

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

~

Honestly ...... you just need to practice the operation more .

Once you get accustomed to it ... it will become second-nature and sub-conscious .

I don't think you offended anyone here . I just don't think they feel your pain .

You need to go practice - then let us know if you're better in a couple weeks .

Also .... it seems your primary light needs to be a CLICKY .

~
 

Kestrel

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

No worries all, conceptual aspects such as this topic are purely along the lines of personal tastes; folks really enjoy a good debate. Ford vs. Chevy anyone? :aaa:
Also .... it seems your primary light needs to be a CLICKY.
LOL, then we can have a spirited discussion about forward-clickies vs. reverse clickies. ;)
forward clickies are better btw ;-)
 
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shane45_1911

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Re: Are Twisties All Backwards?

I think we take ourselves and this obessively strange hobby of ours, a bit too seriously sometimes.

It is refreshing to see a bit of frivolity and poking fun at ourselves once in a while. :)
 
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