Been dusting off the 'ol shelf queens

[Bimmerboy]

I'm having some much needed fun with lights again these days, and after many years of a bunch of lights sitting unused in a 3 level display case, I've been taking 'em out again and playing around.

It's not like I don't have an EDC light, or don't use my Surefire C2 with XM-L drop-in all the time (especially in the back yard), but it's been nagging me lately just how far I've been removed from the hobby. All I can say is freakin' life, and how fast time goes. It's gotten to the point where I'm forgetting what's in my mod parts inventory, don't know what condition all my old li-ion batteries are in, how to work some of my lights (lol), and even forgetting some of the lights I have. There are also mods that need finishing, mods that now need more mods, and never-started mods that were planned long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away.

I've got a fair amount of nice lights, many with a lot of custom parts, and they're not being used for fun. We need fun!! Yes, I love keeping my stuff in mint condition, and a few of these lights I would be crushed if they got lost or damaged, so I never take them out. But, the question has been growing in my mind "what the hell do you have this stuff for if you're not even gonna' touch it?" Anyway, I've been going through inventory, pulling out all kinds of lights, and enjoying them again. Soon, I'll even be taking out the "holy ones"!... haha.

So, who else has barely touched shelf queens sitting around doing nothing? Any plans to get 'em out? Do it! You'll finally get the value, and satisfaction they were meant to provide.

 

[Bimmerboy]

BTW... any pics of this activity are highly encouraged!

 

[wicky998]

Even if you don't use them and life gets the best of you for awhile , the joy of going through them, getting that excitement back of grabbing the bug of the addiction once more and relearning lights and what you once had planned to do and so on is probably the most fun of it . Enjoy your lights and this ever so great hobby/addiction lol


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[Kestrel]

One thing I do with my older SF's is to LEGO them around bit incl. their dropins - a fun way to end up with a 'new' light to use for a while

 

[nbp]

Agreed man! This is the reason my collection rotates a lot and things that aren't getting love get replaced with other things. It kills me to have cool stuff that just sits on the shelf. It's way more fun to play with them. Grownups need play too; it's science.

 

[thermal guy]

As a single dad of 3 I can attest to life getting the best of you at times. It's then you see what your made of. Don't stop, don't give up, and don't give in. It's my motto. Oh and play with lights. It helps😁

 

[Chauncey Gardener]

Last month our oldest informed me he was going to start decorating for Christmas so the collection needed to be removed from the living room.

I decided to dust em, lube em, charge em and relocate em to a place where The Lovely Mrs. Gardiner and I could continue to enjoy them. Preferably, a place where they could remain for the unforeseeable future.

VOILA! Here's a picture of their new location.

Full disclosure - 99% are Shelf Queens. They all have batteries (otherwise they wouldn't be flashlights. They'd just be metal tubes) but they don't see any use.

They're art. They're mine. They're enjoyed each and every day and they ain't going anywhere. Sure, a handful (perhaps five) are rotated into use. But that's it. For me, they're providing all the value and satisfaction needed.

I did, however, recently purchase a neutral SST40 head for one of the G5's. So it's been receiving some outdoor time.

Don't judge me.

 

[aginthelaw]

Did you pack them carefully or did your wife throw them in bins and take over your office? I was going to divorce her after that but I've got revenge on my mind... I bought more lights and I'm waiting for them to arrive so i can open them in front of her

 

[LED Monkey]

No shelf queens but some get more regular use than others. But even older ones do come out for a little exercise from time to time and they're all still working (knock on wood) , I hope I didn't just jinx myself! And if I put them all on a shelf the wife would know how many I have lol

 

[Bimmerboy]

I must say... a bunch of great responses. Various outlooks, all hitting the mark, though Ag's post I may have to ask for further clarification at the next FCW... lol.

Also wanna' point out this troublemaker for a moment. :nana:

Full disclosure - 99% are Shelf Queens. They all have batteries (otherwise they wouldn't be flashlights. They'd just be metal tubes) but they don't see any use.

They're art. They're mine. They're enjoyed each and every day and they ain't going anywhere. Sure, a handful (perhaps five) are rotated into use. But that's it. For me, they're providing all the value and satisfaction needed.

Awesome reply! That's a value I wasn't considering when posting this thread. They ARE art, and your display is beautiful, and looks so pleasant to sit by. LOVE it!

 

[bykfixer]

I rotate one use only type flashlights all the time. What I mean by one use only is a light used to fulfill a task. Say, for changing the oil on the car, taking a stroll around the block etc. At those times a light gets plucked from the shelf to be used with my edc for backup.

Often it's definitely a time when the virtue of the light is either discovered or re-discovered. It's kind of like taking the wife to poker night with your buddies and finding out she's pretty dam good at poker. Or you take her that one evening you need rent money because you know she's pretty dam good at poker.

And unlike Jay Leno's car collection, carrying one of them around the block is a lot easier.

 

[Sovende]

No shelf queens but some get more regular use than others. But even older ones do come out for a little exercise from time to time and they're all still working (knock on wood) , I hope I didn't just jinx myself! And if I put them all on a shelf the wife would know how many I have lol

Well, this is pretty much my situation (AND applies to most things that I have "collections" of) 😉. I have yet to consider the flashlights that I have as an "official collection". If I were to dig around the house, garage, truck, Man Cave, etc., I'd prolly come up with more than I thought I had. That would mean having the whole lot, even if only briefly, in a single location AND dramatically increase the chances that the "Fun Police" would catch sight of them. Things would spiral downward from there (we're trying to "down-size") 😬. For me, the best approach might be to wait for the next "Fun Police convention" (when she gets together with here sister(s)) before doing a flashlight census. The OP's topic has spurred my interest but alas now might not be the best time 🤔.
Sovende

 

[ven]

Love it CG, awesome :rock:
Cool thread, for me its kind of like an owning thing as well as enjoying(applies to other stuff to). I try and rotate , use(be it babied in some cases) . As with tools, i like decent ones and it makes me enjoy using them more. Same with flashlights(tools also), as well as liking variety/options/LED choices, CTs , different sizes, fuel tanks and materials. LEGOing stuff is also cool and keeps things fresh and interesting.

Admittedly it can be a little time consuming and overwhelming at times(maintenance wise), so tend to check V and top up 10 or so lights at a time. Then work through them over a week or so, many chargers in action at the same time.

The solution to using more, buy a dog, move near an old mine/cave/forest and abandoned railway.........preferably all of them How cool would that be!!

 

[LeanBurn]

I don't have enough lights (I think I have 7 lights total) to qualify an of them as a shelf queen as they get pretty regular use, unless you count my Maglite 2D and its sub 30L output..which. I dust it off once a year for St. Incans Day, then back it goes.

 

[wicky998]

Love it CG, awesome :rock:
Cool thread, for me its kind of like an owning thing as well as enjoying(applies to other stuff to). I try and rotate , use(be it babied in some cases) . As with tools, i like decent ones and it makes me enjoy using them more. Same with flashlights(tools also), as well as liking variety/options/LED choices, CTs , different sizes, fuel tanks and materials. LEGOing stuff is also cool and keeps things fresh and interesting.

Admittedly it can be a little time consuming and overwhelming at times(maintenance wise), so tend to check V and top up 10 or so lights at a time. Then work through them over a week or so, many chargers in action at the same time.

The solution to using more, buy a dog, move near an old mine/cave/forest and abandoned railway.........preferably all of them How cool would that be!!

Lol ven , my next move is a dog for sure


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[Chauncey Gardener]

Anyone that's thinking of adopting a dog instead of a doggy, shouldn't get one.

 

[akula88]

One of the reasons why I sold some of 'SF collectibles' years ago, such as E2e-Winelight, -Satin Gray, and -Camo; was that I had a hard time making them part of my rotation. They were so nice, and it was not in my character to expose them to 'roughness of usage'.

Modularity is one of the character I love about SF. Right now, I have my rotation for EDC, for desktop and bedside duties, and other 'locational' uses.

Older lights/heads gets to have lesser use, but still are with batts and ready for use. Newer or mod'd heads are brought into the 'frontline use'. Body gets to be the same, but with some have upgraded tailcaps. UI had always been a consideration, and I dislike the five-mode cycles. The simplier the better.

 

[Bimmerboy]

Reporting back. So far I've now dusted off, and played around in the house, and backyard with the following old lights:

LED:
The beautiful Fivemega 14760 Minimag loaded with CGpeanut/DJpark POP 3 sandwich (still has one of the most advanced UI's). Think I ordered the 660mA drive level.

CPF Edition TNC Keylux. Also lovely to behold, and VERY well made. Fairly dim at 200mA to the old LuxI, but should be easy on batteries... lol.

Surefire T1A Titan, with stock SSC P4 emitter.

Surefire E2E with 2-level with Steve Ku drop-in.

Surefire E1E with 3-level neutral Steve Ku drop-in.

Two CPF Edition VB-16's. One with stock LuxIII, one modded with SSC P4.

Solarforce Masterpiece Pro-1 head on a rare Solarforce 2x18650 body, and Surefire clicky.

Pentagonlight MOLLE (brown version) modded by DatiLED. Inspired by this, I just bought an un-opened pack of authentic, different color filters made for this light.

Incandescent:
A strong little hotwire I call El Diablito - Red Minimag with Aurora ceramic pill, metal relector, and two 14500's currently (no pun intended) pushing a TL-3 bulb. Can easily swap to Carley H1499's for more power. With it's crenelated stainless bezel, it's the spitting image, tiny brother of my 170W firestarter, Beelzebulb.

Fivemega 3x18500 with 11V FM axial bulb. A lovely body with 22W of incan goodness in a fairly compact package.

Many of these lights are still decently bright, and quite usable by today's standards. Impressive given their age.

Still have a bunch of stuff to drag out. More to come!

 

[Grijon]

This thread is great!!

...Reporting back...

Thanks for doing so

Many of these lights are still decently bright, and quite usable by today's standards. Impressive given their age.

Light is light, right? I've been rediscovering some old Maglite incandescent fun here lately, and a significant part of my enjoyment is thinking "this is how it was in the 80's"

Still have a bunch of stuff to drag out. More to come!

Keep it coming!

 

[bykfixer]

Not long ago I dusted off my first 6P that has an M61wll in it. It still had the stock twisty.

I dug out a Z59, swapped it out and it is now my coffee table light. So sometimes dusting off an old light means an old favorite becomes a new favorite.