The vintage California cop light company thread

bykfixer

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Thank you sgt253 for inspiring this.

It seems that after the Eveready Captains and BrightStar 3D lights of the 1950's and 60's were being replaced with a slew of solid objects that doubled as flashlights that had duty officers, firemen and those wanting a Timex good flashlight... take a licking and keep on ticking.

Now for clarity, I'm leaving out SureFire because that is when the game changed again. This thread is about cop lights that SureFires designs made go the way of the dinasaur.

We all know of Maglite and Streamlight. Many know of Kel-Lite, some know of B-Lite, LA Screw, Pro-Light and other California made flashlight companies that produced game changers.

This thread is meant to be a collection of information regarding those lights that now seem pretty irrelevant thanks to CNC, LED, rechargeable cells, portability and the fertile minds of numerous lab coat wearing folks. Hopefully folks will chime in and share their information or stories.

I'll start with the B-Lite.
It was a company that ran from 1975 to 1985 owned and operated by leather accessory maker John Bianchi in Temecula Ca. They were rock solid flashlights designed by Don Keller.
Like cop lights of the time they utilized alluminum bodies, plastic reflectors, slide switches and came in 2D to 7D along with a few C cell models.
I'll add more as I know more.

Another game changer was Pharo-Tech who built charging stations in the 1970's in limited quantities so that Johnny Law could re-use the fabled flashlight without having to carry several pounds of spare batteries. They made chargers for Kel-Lite and LA Screw lights. Possibly others. I'll add as I know more.
Pharoh-Tech was a product produced by Qualtech.

Edit: Info added here as a quote from LA Screw rep Ed Tor who owned a company called Qualtech who built the PharohTech.
Note Ed has given permission to use these words to help us correctly fill in gaps of history.
Note 2 there will likely be other quotes from Ed by myself and others as this thread progresses.

Ed wrote:
I wanted to thank you for correctly noting, when you started that thread, that Qualtech (you called us PharoTech, one of our brands) was a game changer for bringing recharging ability to the young, heavy duty flashlight industry. I DO know that the Qualtech model LT-10 provided the first opportunity for cops to have an equally heavy duty and reliable charger to match their heavy duty lights. Kellite.com states, "rechargeable tail caps were produced to fit the QualTech charger which converted the D cell Kel-lite into a rechargeable flashlight. This was the first aluminum rechargeable flashlight.
End quote

Lastly I'll answer a question many have asked... why did Don Keller leave Kel-Lite at its peak?
He wrote a note to flashlight museum to answer that and other questions.
It seems in the early days he had a partner to help construct flashlights. It also seems that the more they sold the more money was an issue. In time he made Norm Nelson a 50/50 partner. It seems money woes got worse even though sales were getting better. He and Don were philisophically going apart. One day a board meeting ended with Don being fired as the president and Norm promoted from vice president, thereby filling the void. Soon after Don resigned. And Pro-Light was begun while Norm eventually partnered with Streamlight.

I open the floor to member Liftd4 for his epic Maglite info. Hopefully others will add as well (hint hint Magellan etc)
 
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1pt21

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Cool info, thanks byk! That wouldn't happen to be the 'Norm' that we all know here on CPF would it??
 

bykfixer

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I don't know. Reading a web page from like 2009 or something I saw some pictures of stuff from "Norm Nelsons estate", so it caused me to think probably not.

I don't think everybodys favorite thread closer passed away that long ago.
 

LiftdT4R

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Great idea for a thread! I'll add some info here but I'm still researching a lot of stuff Maglite related and otherwise. Maglites were and are my main focus though. It's a shame there's not more info out there about all of these lights because they are affordable and interesting to collect.

I don't believe that Norm Nelson was on this forum although Don Keller was briefly.

I will say that a good three quarters of the "cop lights" from 1968 until 1990 had some level of involvement from Don Keller which is why they all happen to made in California as Don was a LA deputy sheriff prior to his involvement in the flashlight industry. It's easier to list the lights he was not involved with. ABTOMAT is the best resource for Kel-Lites but I've tried to contact him a few times as I've had some interesting recent finds that I just need more info on but I haven't had any luck.

I think a good start would be to create a list of the lights that fall into this era (1968 to 1990). Off the top of my head I have:

Kel-Lite, Stud-Lite
Tru Grit (really a Kel-Lite Knockoff)
Gem-Lite (really a Kel-Lite Knockoff)
Maglite, Vari-Beam
Bianchi
LA Screw, GT Price (LA Screw was bought by GT Price and both companies produced an identical Code 4 model)
Pro Light
Streamlight (mainly purchased Kel-Lite designs)

Anyway, I'll make my contribution about the brief history I have from 1973 to 1980.

On Mag's website they claim to have been in the business since 1955. In these early days Tony was producing 30mm artillery shells on a government contract for the most part. In about 1970 he started producing parts for Kel-Lite due to his close proximity to their headquarters. Tony was mostly an overflow supplier, filling orders when sales were high and parts supply was tight. Don Keller left Kel-Lite in 1973 or 1974 after being essentially forced out by Norm Nelson, someone who he brought in to help with sales, marketing, and supply chain expertise. Norm came from Per-Lux which was a truck lighting distributor and why Kel-Lite created a Stud-Lite that was marketed towards truckers. Don then bounced around from at least Bianchi and Pro Light until 1979 when he partnered with Tony Maglica to start Maglite. Don used Tony as a supplier for years so it was a natural step and they started producing the Maglite.

An interesting note is that all D cell aluminum flashlights were originally made out of 1 1/4" nominal, schedule 40, aluminum irrigation pipe. In fact if you look this pipe up, the wall thickness, ID, and OD will all match exactly to any early D cell Kel-Lite, Maglite, etc.. The reason batteries have extra space in older D Cell lights has nothing to do with cardboard cells or anything like that it was simply due to the fact that they were being produced from relatively inexpensive, already available aluminum irrigation pipe. It was not until 1984 when Mag Instrument introduced the Mag Charger that any flashlight company invested in aluminum extrusion to make a more optimized tube shape for the D Cell aluminum light. In 1992 this was then transitioned into the now current Maglite.

I'll save the trouble on looking up these pipe specs. They can be found here: http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?id=73&step=2&top_cat=60

Since that's probably more than anyone ever wanted to know about 70s and 80s flashlights I'll post a pic which is prob why everyone came here. It's one of the most prized lights in my collection. It's a 5C 1st Gen Kel-Lite with the very rare judo end cap that was from the man himself:

K41kvuI.jpg
 
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bykfixer

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John 3:16
Thank you!! Good read.

GT Price was famous for the right angle TL-122, boy/girl Scout lights and MX-991's, yet little is written about their straight tube lights (or at least that I can find).

Another member here, Bill Utely wrote a book called "flashlights", which covers Eveready and a whole bunch of companies early on up to 1980.
(Photo of cover removed: thanks photo-bukit)
Copies are still available. Pm me for info how to get one.
He spoke of a 2nd book of 1980 forward at one point but when I spoke to him he said "nah, too many other irons in the fire".

Another one I found on eBay fills in a few gaps as well.
(photo link being held hostage removed)
A blue cover with a yellow beam coming from a Donald Duck flashlight it's called "Collecting Flashlights (with value guide)

There's lots of stuff written about lights from those early days, but not a lot is written about the "California cop light" years.

Thanks for your input Lift'd. Makes perfect sense.
 
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LiftdT4R

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Thanks!! The second book I'd really like to get a hold of at some point. I think that's the one with a couple pages on Maglite, right?

GT Price, LA Screw, and Code 4 always confused me because I'm fairly sure they all produced the same design but one company seemed to exit and another one entered the market a pretty fast rate. Your info makes me think GT Price is the oldest and then came either LA Screw or Code 4. I think Code 4 may even be just the LA Screw brand. Either way Brinkmann ultimately wound up buying this design and still produces it to this day albeit in an LED version. I've included pics below of a 70s Code 4 and a current Brinkmann. Neither of these lights are mine.

XhNnOjN.jpg


XBYinxH.jpg
 
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sgt253

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In another, now closed thread, the discussion of LA Screw Products lights was in progress. One of our members EdTor, posted he was the L.A. Screw Products manufacturers rep. and also their distributor from 1979. He sold thousands of Smoke Cutters & Code Four flashlights. He bought the Qualtech (Luma Tech, Pharo Tech) factory which converted them and other heavy duty lights like Kel-Lite, Maglite, etc… to rechargeable lights.
I have very recently spoken to Ed. Ed has given me his permission to relay the information that he and I spoke of regarding LA Screw Products lights and the other police style lights he is knowledgeable of that are pertinent to this thread.



Are the chargers currently being produced? Yes (and no): They could be if needed but I have inventory on hand, even though I still make sure to go completely over each one so 'out the door' still takes a little time. There's no "Next Day" available.
In the case of the LA Screw Products flashlight, are there any replacement parts available? Yes, lots. I had a chance to read (some of) the posts and reflectors seem to be wanted. I have plenty of the original plastic and a metal replacement we (Qualtech) developed for the hot 10 Watt halogens as they melted the original reflectors. (BTW: The plastic reflector that LA Screw supplied as original in all their lights was never supplied with a bulb retainer though the lens does have threads for one. [I think they shopped that reflector from a already existing source.] The 'idea' they promoted was it allowed faster replacement in the field, which it did BUT... required holding the light vertical. Setting the bulb squarely in the reflector and KEEPING it vertical while screwing it back together. Otherwise, the bulb shorts across both contacts - NOT GOOD! I also read that lenses including the 're-reflector lens LA Screw used on the Smoke-Cutter is wanted. There should be no problem with them either. (BTW: that re-relector lens is the ONLY difference between their Smoke-Cutter and their police Code Four, besides the red anodizing color of course.) Qualtech also produced a batch of MagLite lenses equipped with a re-reflector which works well in smoke too. I still have stock. And no to someone who commented, Mag & Code-4 lenses are not the same diameter.

  • Do you have any Kel Lite parts? - Yes, Lots.
  • Do you have any complete lights for sale i.e Smoke Cutters, Code Fours, Kel Lites, : Yes but be specific
  • old Mag Lites?: Some, if you mean new MagLites of an "old" style? Please, more specific here too.
"Off point, but I also read on that forum that some think LA Screw's light products; Code Four, Smoke Cutter, Medical & others were from the '70s. I'd have to look up when they actually first began but they were BIG through all of the '80's. And one more thing; Brinkman was famous for stealing industry concepts.

Hope this helps, and feel free to share with the CPF people if you want."

Thank you to Ed for this information.
 

LiftdT4R

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Wow, awesome info!! It's great to have this all in one place before it is lost to time. This will certainly help collectors out quite a bit. A lot of times I think about what the collectors market will look like in 10, 20 or even 30 years and how rare or desirable certain lights will be. Some are hard to come by now and I imagine collectors then will be looking back on these threads for info.
 

bykfixer

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(link being of photo of Beavis n Butthead rockin out held hostage by photo-bukit removed)
Holy Head-bob sgt!!!!
Great stuff.

The whole way to work this morning I was envisioning an LA Sherrif with a 5 gallon hat lightly whacking a chunk of alluminum pipe against his palm thinking "hmmm, this would make a pretty good flashlight someday"....

Now I cannot comment on Brinkmann stealing ideas except to say that some of the items rumored to be stolen were Don Kellers ideas to begin with but he was the kinda guy who said "hey lets try this" then the idea was credited somewhere else. That info came from more than 1 source I've spoken with on unrelated conversations that eventually involved Don Keller's influence at many-a light making business. Now post Don Keller Brinkmann? That's a different animal altogether.
 
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bykfixer

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Here's one that was made for 1 year.... 1987. Packaging says 1986 but the story is the 50k or so SigmaLites ever made were sold in 1987.
Lots of hype took place with the company Lite-Tek but things never really panned out.

OhgsLie.jpg

The 2aa Sigma Lite signature edition.

There was a 2x triple A, a 2x double A bendy head and a 2x double A minimag (but better) style slated to be the next big thing and frankly they were pretty nice. Nice heavy weight parts n pieces and a novel idea... a tail cap switch. Find your beam and keep it that way. They were the answer to the shortcomings of the 2aa California Cop light called the minimag. Don Keller was also a player but did so from behind the scenes.Basically the lights did not pan out and that's too bad because they were real nice.
They came with a spare bulb... good luck finding those...
But mini mag and other bi-pins of that size will work.

My example belonged to a Frenso California police officer.
 
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LiftdT4R

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Very nice!! This was a Surefire before Surefire was even a thought! It's a shame Sigmalite went under really. From what I understand Don Keller got into these as a lead engineer and head of marketing but the partners he had did not know the ins and out of financing. They did not anticipate how long it would take to turn a profit and then had to fold after the first year. Had they been able to hold out longer people would likely be modding Sigmalites today instead of Surefires. I have some interesting Sigmalites coming that I'll post and I have some great Sigmalite literature as well. A very rare find and truly a part of cop light history. Hard to believe 1986 is vintage but it is!!!

EDIT: Forgot to mention that by the serial this is likely on of the last lights produced. There were about 100,000 units otal prodcued bu this includes AAAs and AAs so your is likely one of the last. It's easy to see where some of the design cues for the Legend came from.
 
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LiftdT4R

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Here are the couple of Sigmalite ads I have:

Ic5vDHQ.jpg


AEv8yL0.jpg


I think the majority of the ones produced were AA style. The AAAs were very few and far between. The Flex Lights were even more rare with only about 100 or so produced. The AAs and AAAs also had a Kershaw knives special edition. I have a very rare AA on the way and I'll post pics of it as soon as it arrives.
 
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bykfixer

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I wondered if the 786 in the 00078658 indicated the 'born on' month and year...

Anyway it's a nice n heavy light. Feels like it's made out of brass or something.

And yeah, the rubberized sleeve is pretty much like those late model Brinkmann Legends.

I'll put a Lamptronix bulb (F16 dash bulb) in it for the unique swirl that thick filament'd bulb puts out. It was made to be placed inside a lens'd housing to provide light to guages. When aimed at a wall the beam looks like a well defined hurricane on a weather channel radar map.
 

LiftdT4R

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Hmm, I hadn't thought of that but that makes more sense seeing how few lights were produced. I will let you know when the ones I purchased come in.
 

bykfixer

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^^ Or perhaps it's just coincidence... the 786 thing...

Either or it's the future centerpiece around an upcoming display of 2aa flashlights that were competition to the mini mag incan.
 

LiftdT4R

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I meant to ask ya too because I'm sure you'd know. Do you know what 2AA lights were around before the Mini Mag? I couldn't find too much.
 

bykfixer

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I meant to ask ya too because I'm sure you'd know. Do you know what 2AA lights were around before the Mini Mag? I couldn't find too much.

Lots of penlight variations were out there since at least the 1930's as companies were using magnifier tip'd #222/224 bulbs and formerly known as vest pocket batteries we now call the double A. I'm unaware if the mini mag introduced bi-pin bulbs but figure they must've already been around since Tony never reportedly sued all those companies doing bi-pins.
I suppose at some point BrightStar, or Rayovac etc did some PR based 2x aa's but all I've seen pre mini mag are penlights in the 2x aa flavor.

(Edit: Discovered info added; Tekna used N cells and a special sized 2xN sized cell for their small [read pocket sized] dive lights that were reportedly used by some police as backups)
 
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LiftdT4R

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Awesome info, thanks!! I always assumed that if there were 2AAs that they were mostly a novelty. Would that be a fair assumption? Hard to believe that all 9 lumens of the Mini Mag really changed the game on AA lights. I guess it's mainly because it was so rugged and reliable. You just don't see that in the earlier lights. I mean I have Mini Mags that are 33 years old, were tossed around for years and needed little more than the contacts cleaned.
 

bykfixer

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Scooped up an LA Screw 2 part 5D this morning at 5:15am before my morning coffee. Wasn't wearing my glasses either so it was a nice surprise when I saw pix later with my eyes open and glasses on...

Seems it's a non working item, but It'll give me something to add to the restore vintage flashlight thread.

[photobucket.com holding link to pic of the light hostage so it was removed]

Edit: After re-reading sgt's awesome post (#7) it seems the bulb fastener is not missing, as LA Screw apparently chose not to use one as this would facilitate faster field change. Bravo!! :thumbsup:
Faster field change ideas are cool.
 
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LiftdT4R

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Bykfixer, I have a spoiler alert here so if you want a challenging, interesting project, DON'T READ BELOW.







I just got a non-working one working again tonight. Heck of a coincidence! Let me tell you, they are a challenge but no fun. Half of the inside of this thing is cardboard so I can see why they are relatively rare now and didn't put up much competition against the Mags and Kels. If this thing were ever to get wet on the inside it would be toast! The contacts also have to be just right and make perfect contact otherwise no dice.

Shown below is my best attempt at a schematic of the light. Item highlighted in red need to make contact for the positive side of the circuit to be complete and items in yellow need to be connected for the negative side of the circuit to be complete. The two problem spots when I did mine were the two tabs that connect to the outside (negative side) of the bulb and the two tabs that need to make contact with the body. These tabs can be bent but be careful, they seem very flimsy.

IMG_1765.jpg


IMG_1763.jpg


So if I can I'd like to hijack your thread for a second and make it the Vintage California Aviator's Light Thread. These really are beautiful lights when they're done. This is a GT Price Code 4 as is shown on the end cap and the body. This one only throws about 10 lumens, probably less than most Mini Mags but this light was designed that way. The bulb is completely closed within a housing and a red filter.

IMG_1768.jpg


IMG_1767.jpg


IMG_1766.jpg


This was done because red light will not deteriorate night vision and so that there would be no glare from direct light. Commercial pilots favored this setup for reading instrument gauges and working in a cockpit late at night. The loss of night vision from a white light could be catastrophic if they were trying to land safely. The 10 lumens is plenty bright for close quarters like a **** pit. This one was carried by an American Airlines pilot who retired after 35 years. He thinks he acquired it in the mid 1970s when he started his career but was unsure of the exact date. This light saw a lot of action and interesting takeoffs and landings but survived in very good overall condition.

IMG_1769.jpg


IMG_1771.jpg


SGT, do you or anyone know when GT Price turned to LA Screw or were they the same company? Any idea of the age of this light? Also, if by any chance you could get the seals for the reflector from your parts connect I would be greatly appreciative. These have long dry rotted out.

/HIJACK
 
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