Review: $3.50 Clicky Tailcap SF-6P

Video review here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxI5CY4ikEE

CHEERS
-Cheapest way to upgrade a 6P to thumb-click.
-Nice heft and solid feel/weight.
-Feels as solid/robust as the OEM SF cap.
-Raised rim around switch helps prevent accidental activation and protects switch when dropped.
-NICE tight engagement with O-ring.
-Smooth lanyard hole.
-No sharp or jagged edges anywhere.
-After some rework (see video) the 6P body contacts the switch pill directly, so there is no electrical conduction through the threads. Ground current is conducted directly between the switch pill and the 6P body.
-The rubber switch boot is water-tight, splash proof at least. I suspect that it is more water resistant than the OEM SF twist cap, and can be cycled on-off while submerged. I completely dis-assembled the cap and put a heavy layer of O-ring grease around the rubber boot to water-seal it tight against the cap metal.

JEERS
-Excessive anodize build up on threads.
-Fresh out of the box it would not fit on my SF 6P. I had to really torque down on it to get the cap to "plow" through the anodize build up. My hands were sore and tired, but it was worth the effort.
-Click-switch was really "creaky / sticky" feeling when half pressed. I had to completely take apart the switch pill and place several drops of light oil into the switch to free it up. I am not sure how long it will last between re-lubes and a complete failure. By comparison the reverse clicky switch in my WF-501B is MUCH smoother and better feeling quality. That switch has not failed yet.

GENERAL COMMENTS
For $3.50 shipped its a cheap way to upgrade your 6P to a clicky. You could buy 10-15 of these for the price of one real-deal Surefire. If you just want a switch that works, forget this one and spend the $$$ for a Surefire and have confidence in their legendary customer service. If the $3.50 clicky seizes or fails just throw it away or do what I did and lube it with some light oil to free it back up. After generously lubing it, it is now very smooth... although reliability still remains a question mark. Likewise after plowing through all that built up anodize the threads are BUTTERY smooth... on par with the OEM 6P tailcap. I find it ironic that most of the complaints regarding Chinese made lights is loose fitting threads or not enough of them that engage with mating parts. This product suffers from the opposite.

Cosmetically it has a very different look and anodize color than my 6P. But heck for $3.50, I would rather praise it for being unique, different and NOT a clone of the existing 6P cap:thumbsup:. I think after a few dings and drops it will look much more at home on my semi-worn 6P.

For $3.50, don't expect much and you will be surprised with its feel, fit and heft. A little rework and inginuity makes it all worth while. It can be easily taken apart and modded. So if you find a higher quality switch-part you can mod it easily.

I am happy with this purchase, although I would hesitate to recommend it openly. Its NOT a drop-in replacement, at least mine was not. It took about an hour of fiddling with it to get it to work smoothly.

Anyhoot...:twothumbs:twothumbs

So would it fit in the V70 holster? You said they LOOK the same size but it is a little longer, can you measure it? Awesome review though!

yesterday I tried something.

I tried installing the Solarforce LS-1 momentary on tailcap in the body of this switch...(in order to make a protected tailstaning forward clickie)

No luck...I could not get the Solarforce board in...

BUT the said tailcap works just fine with my C2...

kramer5150 said:

-Excessive anodize build up on threads.
-Fresh out of the box it would not fit on my SF 6P. I had to really torque down on it to get the cap to "plow" through the anodize build up. My hands were sore and tired, but it was worth the effort.

Click to expand...

Are you sure it's the same thread form as the SF tail threads?

nzgunnie said:

Are you sure it's the same thread form as the SF tail threads?

Click to expand...

from my post above

BUT the said tailcap works just fine with my C2...

.

nzgunnie said:

Are you sure it's the same thread form as the SF tail threads?

Click to expand...

I don't have a thread gage to measure, but certainly I do think the threads are the same as the 6P body. They were just all gunked up with anodize coating. Turning it now is VERY smooth. If the thread pitch was off the parts would seize and grind together, so I do not think its a different thread (at least mine does not appear to be so). Its more a matter of tight manufacturing tolerances and finish coating build up.

:thumbsup:

climberkid said:

So would it fit in the V70 holster? You said they LOOK the same size but it is a little longer, can you measure it? Awesome review though!

Click to expand...

Thanks!:thumbsup:

Bezel to tailcap length is 134mm
OEM length is 128mm + 4.5mm for the button

I bought 3 and they're all perfect fit and no excessive anodize build up on threads.

I tried them on 6P, Calbelas 6P clone, Solarforce R2 with no problem on all of the P60 hosts. I might get lucky on a good batch?????

TDKKP said:

I bought 3 and they're all perfect fit and no excessive anodize build up on threads.

I tried them on 6P, Calbelas 6P clone, Solarforce R2 with no problem on all of the P60 hosts. I might get lucky on a good batch?????

Click to expand...

I'd like to think I was unlucky and got a bad one out of the batch.

Well I got to apologize big time for misleading the group.

When I emphatically stated that the said tailcap fits the surefire body I had made a BIG assumption. I had actually tested fit directly on the Detonator 1 cell extension I have fitted on my C2.

Strangely while it seems identical to the actual C2 body somehow it is different and it works. Stranger than this the Solarforce/G&P 1 cell extension also works with the Ultrafire switch in question.

So lacking my caliper I used a toothpick, a marker and a ruler to take some crude measurements.. Here they are.



So the tailcap does not screw all the way and obviously does not bottoms too. (I tested that with a washer 3,5 mm thick). It only catches 4mm of the Surefire body threads

Also the fit was tested with 2 Ultrafire tailcaps wielding the exact results. Go figure!

Hope I made up for the mess, Kostas

I would like to uptade the thread with some mor einfo....

Suprising my new surefire 6P (made in 2007?) will accept this tailcap lalright. My older C2 will not.

BUT I used caustic drain pipe cleaner to remove the anodizing from the tailcap threads and now it is alright.

(please take caution with the chemical...add small amounts to the water working up cautiously, and use eye and hand protection. I sed several q-tips as an easy way to control amount and application on the threads only)

guys more of my experiences here...

I managed to remover the finish of the threads. and that made a good but a bit tight fit to my C2....the last couple of revolutions had to be done with a bit of a strong twist.

All seem well till I tried to screw a TNC one cell extension and the original tailcap back in. They wouldn't start!

Being persistand with strong half turns they now screw alright without being cross-threaded.

Now I am afraid the Ultrafire C-1 has a different thread profile and that creates all the problems.

I have a started a new thread on the matter in another sub-forum to get a more informed answer,

Stay alert Kostas

Reporting back in on my cheap clicky...
After a month and half of regular use my $3.50 DX clicky has reverted back to it sticky/creeky feel, despite having lubed it previously. I have since happily reverted back to the OEM twisty cap. Truth is, I still do prefer a forward activation type switch to cycle through modes. I bought a mcClicky switch from lighthound (GREAT service BTW:thumbsup, but I don't think a mod is possible. The McClicky is a MUCH more robust modular assembly and therefore taller from button to spring tip.

So... I'm back to the OEM switch and the security/peace of mind that comes with its bomb-proof construction:thumbsup:

For $3.50, I feel I got my $$$ out of it, but I would never recommend it to someone wanting reliability. Putting this switch cap on a surefire practically (and I say that because mine never actually failed) defeats the whole reason for buying a surefire in the first place.