Another flashlight convert

Today the exterminator arrived for his annual termite inspection. He was about to crawl under the house with his 3C Mag-Lite (which as usual had a weak yellow beam), and I handed him my Tesla-6.

"Try this", I said.
"Thanks but I've got a light", he said.
"Go ahead and try it", I said.
"God Almighty!!", he said after turning it on.
"How do I get one of these??!!", he said.
"It's expensive, about $170", I said.
"I don't care, I'll pay it", he said.

When I told him it was also rechargeable, I think he'd have stolen it if possible.

I gave him the Elektrolumens, BrightGuy and Flashlightreviews web sites, and recommended he might instead want a Streamlight Strion for a rechargeable duty light. He was very excited and said $70 was nothing, and he'd request one for everybody in his company.

joema said:

...and he'd request one for everybody in his company.

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They looking for help?

Yeah, lead them out of the darkness, show them the light and they will believe.
Great little story! What a fast "conversion". :goodjob:

I had my ducts cleaned (or at least, my house's ducts cleaned ) and the guys pulled off the registers and tried to peer down to see if they were dirty. I used my C3/Pilas/P91 and blew them away. I don't know why they don't have decent flashlights...

cognitivefun said:

I had my ducts cleaned (or at least, my house's ducts cleaned ) and the guys pulled off the registers and tried to peer down to see if they were dirty. I used my C3/Pilas/P91 and blew them away. I don't know why they don't have decent flashlights...

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Because most people don't even KNOW such things exist. I knew about Surefire and Streamlight from my LEO work but before that all I knew about was Mag and the big Pellican stuff for EMS/fire work.

The flashaholics here represent the top 1% of the general public, a fact we tend to forget sometimes here in our bright, warm, cheery, and bright little world (did I mention Bright?) :naughty:

See, some people appreciate good tools & technology! Other "John Does" are just soooo happy with their $12 M@gs and can't comprehend paying more (UNTIL they NEED a good light!). That fellow uses lights in his job and a good light could actually make his job easier and help him to do even a better job!

Hey - I like lights, I like tools, but I've still got some inexpensive hammers! There's some pretty pricy hammers on the market! I suppose if my job would be easier with one of those "rocket science, ergonomic, cure-all hammers", I'd get some of those too!

Your termite control guy sounds like a good person who appreciates the value of tools once they have been demonstrated and show a NOTICEABLE benefit in the field. But you just absolutely *HAD* to let him handle the awesome power of the Tesla6 didn't you that would be like me handing one of my super-incans to the pest control guy.... wait, I already did that with a Mag85.. oooh.. maybe I shouldn't say too much

I am one of those people whom it is VERY difficult to get money out of, but on the other hand I'm very willing to pay premium prices for power tools that can justify their existence. In other words, they have to impress me and do so QUICKLY. Preferably first time I switch 'em on and try them. $270 for the U2 didn't even slow me down (I paid MSRP and requested the fastest shipping possible because I wanted it on Day Zero) nor do I even feel the slightest hint of buyer's remorse, one year later..

joema said:

Today the exterminator arrived for his annual termite inspection. He was about to crawl under the house with his 3C Mag-Lite (which as usual had a weak yellow beam), and I handed him my Tesla-6.

"Try this", I said.
"Thanks but I've got a light", he said.
"Go ahead and try it", I said.
"God Almighty!!", he said after turning it on.
"How do I get one of these??!!", he said.
"It's expensive, about $170", I said.
"I don't care, I'll pay it", he said.

When I told him it was also rechargeable, I think he'd have stolen it if possible.

I gave him the Elektrolumens, BrightGuy and Flashlightreviews web sites, and recommended he might instead want a Streamlight Strion for a rechargeable duty light. He was very excited and said $70 was nothing, and he'd request one for everybody in his company.

Click to expand...

The church sure need folks like you :naughty:

I really love the convert stories, here and elsewhere, whensomeone has been "making do" with something that really isn't quite up to the job at hand and then (cue heavenly music) someone shows them something so much better for the task! I can always visualize that "wow, this is going to make my life so much easier" expression on their faces,

I supervise a piping crew that makes x-ray quality welds for installation at a chemical plant. The plant contracts to an inspection company for QC. They take x-ray shots of the finished welds along with visual inspection. I've been watching the inspectors use their mini-mags for years squinting to see inside the pipe at the welds. I finnally snapped and fixed their lead man up with a MJled.
His crew is amazed at the white light and new-found clarity of sight.........

I am chastized by my crew for coercing with the enemy.......

And they make me swear not to show the inspectors any of my REAL lights.....

I keep my borescope hidden also, he he..............

:laughing: great story! Just like the time my wife lent the telephone repair man my Peli M6...

I work with many in the skilled trades who've spent a bundle on tools, meters, and other equipment. Only a couple elevator techs had Pelican Stealths and one boiler inspector had a Magcharger and Strion. He since joined the CPF and modded the Mag and got a SureFire Dominator.

Most of the others had crappy lights and wouldn't consider spending as much on a good light as some other tool, when they really need one to do their job well. Even after being impressed enough to borrow my lights to complete a job, only a few bothered getting URLs for the CPF and dealer sites.

It's as though most guys don't consider how often they use their lights(constantly), even though they've worn out three or four Mags and hate how bulky and heavy they are. It's as though a mere flashlight isn't a real (manly?) tool worthy of much expense.

I just bought a handgun on tuesday ,and as part of the process, had to take it to the police department to be inspected. The policeman doing this was sitting at a rather dark desk, and he couldn't see the serial number. I said I had a light on me (which suprised him quite a bit),and I whipped out my SF G2. He was just stunned by the brightness of it. I was a little suprised by his reaction to this,and said "Don't all you guys carry Surefires or Streamlights?" He pulled out the dimmest little weaponlight from his pistol, and said that was the light he used. I handed the G2 to him, and gave my usual "sales pitch" about it-I think I made another convert,too.

zespectre said:

I really love the convert stories, here and elsewhere, whensomeone has been "making do" with something that really isn't quite up to the job at hand and then (cue heavenly music) someone shows them something so much better for the task! I can always visualize that "wow, this is going to make my life so much easier" expression on their faces,

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Though for every convert we make, there are five more that screw up their face and go "Huh? It does what?" or "You paid WHAT?"

I have a similiar 'convert' story.

The gas company changed out the gas meter in my backyard while I was at work (unbenownst to me). I get home and find a note on my door informing me that I need to call the gas company to have someone come back out and relight my pilot lights and turn on the meter.

I call them, and after dark a gas employee shows up. He is carrying a 3D Maglite with the most sickly beam I can remember. We first head into the backyard to turn on the meter. His beam is barely even lighting the way when I fire up my Streamlight 4AA ProPoly Lux. As soon as I turn it on, lighting up the entire backyard in the process, he remarks "dayum, that's a bright light! (remember we have Okie accents...lol)"

When I told him it only cost a few bucks more than a Maglite, I think he was ready to order one then.

On the other end of the spectrum. . .

For a while we were working side-by-side (station wise) with ACE/Caltrain where the trains are serviced. Most of the the crew were carrying in side pant pockets the plastic yellow Rayovac Industrial Flashlights while others the Mags.

I had on my person the SF.M6 and lighted the track-side of one of the ACE trains, since they were looking at something with their faint ambered lights. They looked at my direction momentarily and they seemed indifferent and went about their business.

Guess they're accostumed to what's available to them. . .Imagine that, not even a thank you for illuminating the area they were inspecting! ? To each their own. . .

zespectre said:

I really love the convert stories, here and elsewhere, whensomeone has been "making do" with something that really isn't quite up to the job at hand and then (cue heavenly music) someone shows them something so much better for the task! I can always visualize that "wow, this is going to make my life so much easier" expression on their faces,

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I feel the same way..and its also a good feeling to know that sometimes these lights can make a job Safer too!

CHC said:

On the other end of the spectrum. . .

For a while we were working side-by-side (station wise) with ACE/Caltrain where the trains are serviced.

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I was taking an Amtrak Northeast corridor train at WAS (Washington Union Station) and they were having troubles with the engine. They were trying to get the other engine to connect. They backed it up to the train and there is a giant pin that is supposed to drop when the connectors are joined, and the pin wouldn't drop.

These guys had the most pathetic yellow weakling lights I have seen. And they really could have used some *real* lights

cognitivefun said:

These. . .had the most pathetic yellow weakling lights I have seen. And they really could have used some *real* lights

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My point exactly and that is what I saw until I lit up their working area—of course as stated above, they were unimpressed. . .