At what point is a "Custom", no longer a Custom?

F250XLT

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I know this has been discussed in the past, but I wanted to hear some fresh feedback regarding this topic...

IMO a custom light is one made by hand in small quantities, born from an original design. But I think there comes a point in time when that light is no longer a custom. Once it has been produced by automated machining multiple times, and is basically in "in stock" item, do you think it is still a "Custom" light? Why should lights be any different from knives? If the major components were made by the hands of the designer, it is a custom. If it was all machine made, it is a production run...no matter what the qty is.

Also, a manufacturer that offers "options" when ordering is not a "Custom" light IMO. It is a light that is customized, but definitely not in the same category as a custom.

Perhaps we should have a sub-forum called "Machine Made Original Designs" :laughing:
 

aau007

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You are getting granular with the word "Custom".

In my dictionary, "Custom" is make to order. Does not matter it is hand or machine made. "In stock" options are not "Custom" to me, they are just, Options, like when you buy a new car and select options. Custom can be all original from the ground up or can be modified from existing, as long as make to order and not on a ready to order option list.
 

shelm

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hds is custom and all hds related discussion belongs to custom section.
 

fishndad

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You are getting granular with the word "Custom".

In my dictionary, "Custom" is make to order. Does not matter it is hand or machine made. "In stock" options are not "Custom" to me, they are just, Options, like when you buy a new car and select options. Custom can be all original from the ground up or can be modified from existing, as long as make to order and not on a ready to order option list.

Yep! As soon as you alter from or ad to the basic form that is offered you have made it a Custom light.
Sounds trivial but thats it.
I would say that there are custom lights that are built with an incredibly high level of craftsmanship (HDS).
But they are no more custom than a Solarforce with a surefire drop-in.
There just better.
 

F250XLT

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Yep! As soon as you alter from or ad to the basic form that is offered you have made it a Custom light.
Sounds trivial but thats it.
I would say that there are custom lights that are built with an incredibly high level of craftsmanship (HDS).
But they are no more custom than a Solarforce with a surefire drop-in.
There just better.

Adding anything to a stock light only makes it a Modified version of the same stock light. I am talking about a true custom, not a lightly pimped stock light. And again, HDS is not a custom light.
 

fishndad

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Adding anything to a stock light only makes it a Modified version of the same stock light. I am talking about a true custom, not a lightly pimped stock light. And again, HDS is not a custom light.


I got this from Websters.
Custom Made=made to fit the needs or requirements of a particular person

So, looks like your right if you are refering to having a light Custom Made for you.
Otherwise a custom loght doesnt really exist.
If you bought a custom light that was made for someone else.
Is it still custom?
 

F250XLT

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I got this from Websters.
Custom Made=made to fit the needs or requirements of a particular person

So, looks like your right if you are refering to having a light Custom Made for you.
Otherwise a custom loght doesnt really exist.
If you bought a custom light that was made for someone else.
Is it still custom?


Not really caring what it states in a dictionary, looking for opinions from CPF'ers.
 

fishndad

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Not really caring what it states in a dictionary, looking for opinions from CPF'ers.

You have gottin 3 CPFers replys. it just doesnt seem you agree.
You did say (IMO a custom light is one made by hand in small quantities, born from an original design).
Its just thats not what custom means. You dont have to get upset.
 

scout24

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Small or one person shop, original design, premium materials, the product of sweat, obsession, and passion for what they do. Be it parts or a complete light. That's my definition, yours obviously differs. In the end, i'm curious as to your motivation for asking...
 

F250XLT

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You have gottin 3 CPFers replys. it just doesnt seem you agree.
You did say (IMO a custom light is one made by hand in small quantities, born from an original design).
Its just thats not what custom means. You dont have to get upset.


What gives you the slightest idea I am upset :laughing:, please don't start making assumptions that are way over the top. Again, I am looking for opinions, and thank you for sharing yours.
 

F250XLT

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In the end, i'm curious as to your motivation for asking...


I have no motivation other than being bored at work, and trying to get some back and forth going...Everyone is going to have their opinion, and it doesn't sound like mine differs much from yours.
 

fishndad

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OK
Yea i would agree that custom is handcrafted vs assembly line machining goes.
There are brands like HDS or Peak that i would still keep in the catigory of custom.They seem to put the Quality and detail
into there products that would be expected from a custom producer.
Using an autocad design and programming it into a machine, coming back from lunch and you got 20 bodies doesnt mean its not custom.
 

ChrisGarrett

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I have no motivation other than being bored at work, and trying to get some back and forth going...Everyone is going to have their opinion, and it doesn't sound like mine differs much from yours.

Well, since 'words' are defined by their context, I guess it 'can' mean different things to different people.

I'm going with you though, on the 'made to order' definition, be it machine made, or hand made.

Somebody paints a picture by hand, it's a picture, not a custom picture.

You pay somebody to paint your family's portrait, it's a 'custom' portrait.

'Made to order' = custom in my mind, whether by machine, or by hand.

Chris
 

Jimbo75

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I know this has been discussed in the past, but I wanted to hear some fresh feedback regarding this topic...

IMO a custom light is one made by hand in small quantities, born from an original design.

Perhaps we should have a sub-forum called "Machine Made Original Designs" :laughing:

Since we are dissecting the word custom, what are your thoughts on the term made by hand...

Also if a factory torch has been customised by a custom maker to specifically suit a persons needs, does it become a custom....or are you just a customer of a custom maker...:confused:.
 

brighterisbetter

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BIB's .02

In my vernacular, "custom" is synonymous with "unique" or "one-of-a-kind". If they're two-of-a-kind identical specimens, then it's a grey area whether they're "custom" or "production" - irregardless whether they were both made by hand by the same person. Limited runs also are a grey area as well, for instance....prototypes. Are they "customs"? Or is a prototype a class all to itself? What would a McGizmo Ti 27LT proto (4 pcs made if memory serves correctly) classify as?

I think by definition, any of PhotonFanatic's one-off's are undeniably "custom" whereas CoolFall's Spy's and Tri-V's...while certainly drool-inducing and highly sought after and in limited quantities...are "production".

In the end, I think your OP is a thought-provoking one, and opinions are surely to differ from one individual to the next. In the meantime, I'm sure the mod's will do a great job making their own determinations which sales threads belong in which sub-forums and which threads will get moved to somewhere more appropriate. Would be interesting to hear some of their inputs here as well.

For the record, in my opinion doing an emitter swap hardly qualifies the light as a custom.
 

nfetterly

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For the record, in my opinion doing an emitter swap hardly qualifies the light as a custom.

What about a McGizmo AL PD with Grey HA, PEU trit bezel and a emitter swap to neutral XM-L with amperage bump.

FWIW I consider the Spy series custom as I consider McGizmos customs. PhotonFanatic's one off's are just out of this world.



I was wishing I knew how to do multi quotes - then after replying here I saw the multi quote button....
 

brighterisbetter

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What about a McGizmo AL PD with Grey HA, PEU trit bezel and a emitter swap to neutral XM-L with amperage bump.
If those characteristics make it a one-of-a-kind then yes I would agree that is a custom light. I was more or less getting at seeing an EagleTac or something in the B/S/T thread with a HighCRI emitter swap, instead of on the Marketplace where I think it would be more suited.
 

brighterisbetter

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Curious to everyone's thoughts on how they'd classify Malkoff products. Whether they started off "production", then evolved to "custom" and finally matured into "production"....and at which pivotal points/products would signify those distinctions. :popcorn:



I'm starting to favor scout24's definition more and more
 
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