Possible Surefire Lanyard Clip Problem

I am not sure if this qualifies as a problem, but I would appreciate your insights. I have carried around some of my Surefire flashlights by their lanyards and on occasion a light has just fallen off. At first I could not figure out why. Now I see that it is when the spring loaded clip flips such that the gate is flat on the "connection ring." Once weight is added the gate simply opens. I have short two short videos in QuickTime (.mov) format if you would care to see.

If this issue has been addressed on another post my apologies, otherwise, thanks for the help!

M3: http://www.uvm.edu/~rlday/surefire/M3.MOV
6P: http://www.uvm.edu/~rlday/surefire/6P.MOV

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

Welcome to CPF and stay a while !!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As to your question ... no idea /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif, but others will help you out.

bernhard

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

Welcome to CPF!

Thank you for posting the videos - they are very useful. I have heard of this happening before when messing around with the flashlight, but not in use (may be there are cases?). If this is happening to you more than you'd consider to be chance or accidental then perhaps you could benefit from a different clip or clip design.

May be we can have posts with alternatives to SureFire's clip.

Al

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

Wow guys, thanks for the quick responses! I have been reading on the forum for sometime but this is the first time I've felt I had an issue important enough to post.

This has not happened to me at anytime when I would have lost my light permanently. I once dropped a light on my driveway, and another time on my kitchen floor while carrying it by the lanyard and perhaps swinging it too much. Obviously not an issue, but I could imagine my frustration if I was leaning over the back of a boat working on an outboard and got to watch my light sink to the bottom of the lake.

I agree on the clip change idea. In fact, I've tried it. Some of my older surefire spare carriers had a simpler clip that you had to use with a small key ring. The clip is just a bent piece of spring steel. I find that the same thing can happen, but it takes a lot more force to get it to.

Any other clip ideas would be fantastic. I'm also glad to make anyone aware of the light loss risk if they were not previously.

Thanks again!

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

Swap it for a small ring?? I know the "key chain" ring come in lots of sizes. I was thinking the little one used on small Swiss Army Knives?? Should be able to get them at a hardware store Lowes HomeDepot places like that. Just A thought.
Topper /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

Greetings and welcomings iii. III hohohope uuu l-l-like it here. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif Nothing personal - iiit's jjjust mememe-do-rae. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

I ike toppers Key ring idea. (going to hardware shop for rightsize keyring).

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

Yeah the key ring idea is great. Thanks guys!

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

Sorry what follows is a bit of a rant but I'm glad to see that I'm not the only person who has identified this problem.
In the last 6 months I have had an M3 and a G2Z hit the concrete because their lanyard clips have failed (one bent open, and the other new style clip just opened up when the lght twisted on the end of the rope).
SF lanyards are a real let down, if its not the clip that gives up then its the locking sliders as they seem to shatter internally when used regularly (at least 4 so far). SF have already sent me one replacement lanyard but as far as I can see in their current form they literally let great products down.
Ensuring there is a small split keyring between the clip and the light does seem to prevent the clip opening as the light is turned.

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

The geometry of any torsion or standard spring gate clip needs to be evaluated in conjunction with the devise it is clipped to. In some cases, the gate will easily capsize and the clip can come off in normal use. In other cases, the gate will not be subjected to capsizing forces and can be considered secure in a dynamic environment. As suggested, cliping to a larger diameter split ring will reduce the liklihood of capsize. If you don't need quick attachment, perhaps a quick link would be better than a clip for the lanyard attachment. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

my other surefire clips are junk.

here is what Surefire is sending out now. Huge improvement!!!

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

That is the clip being discussed. As Don said, if it's clipped to something like the two-stage TailCap lanyard ring then it'll be far less likely to detach by accident compared to being attached to the thinner ring of the 'wire' ring. Putting a small split ring between the TailCap ring and the clip could be enough of an improvement for those who are experiencing this issue.

Al

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

Thanks for the warning. don't want to drop my M6.

I've removed the clip completely and attach via the small ring only. very secure!

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

That is what I plan on doing in situations when dropping the light may result in lots of damange or total loss. Most of the time dropping a light would just mean bending over to pick it up and maybe a ding in the finish, both of which I can live with.
The M6 is a fine machine though, I wouldn't want to drop that.
Speaking of fine machines...Just out of curiosity, has anyone seen beam shots from the beast? I have seen it illuminate a dark cave (photos), but I'd be interested to see it shined into an open field with a target of some kind, something where its ability to shed a lot of light at distance is well displayed.

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

Why don't you search in the HID Forum for threads about the Beast?

Re: Possible Surefire Problem

I just wanted to say I got a Z60 lanyard for my A2 (I have one from before they came w/one) and the clip isn't a problem w/it.

Rob