Can someone tell me how to open my SF E2L KX2 head?

[Sgt. LED]

:thinking:I am wanting to do a little glow modding and dust removal on my new SF E2L head. This is my first SF and I admit I am very nervous about trying this. But putting some V10 glow paint around the base of that Cree is irresistable! Does anyone know about the nail-polish remover method and if it harms or discolors the HA III?

 

[Sgt. LED]

So I guess nobody knows huh? crap!

 

[Valpo Hawkeye]

Heat the head in some fashion, whether it's with a hair dryer, heat gun, baking it, boiling it (in a baggie), etc. Then, with gloves or strap wrenches, open the head. It's actually in three pieces, not two, so you may have to repeat the process. It'll make sense once you get the first section apart. Patience pays off when opening any SF head. No matter what, though, they're usually fairly tough to open.

 

[greenLED]

Does anyone know about the nail-polish remover method and if it harms or discolors the HA III?

The preferred method for opening SF bezels is applying heat to the threads. Look for threads started by grnamin; he even posted a demo video somewhere. Be warned, though, SF's been using "loctite" which is increasingly harder to break. Even if you are successful at unscrewing the bezel components, you might end up breaking the window or the opticalware.

I'd stay away from using acetone, as it may damage internal components, etc. Oh, and, no, HA is impervious to acetone.


...and Valpo sneaks a post while I pecked at the keyboard.

 

[MarNav1]

If you haven't done this before, I'd get a beat up head somewhere to practice with. It's very easy to scratch or damage something and Surefire heads(at least the newer ones) are notoriously difficult to open. I have tried several times (heat gun, boiling, strap wrenches, vise grips and leather) and haven't opened one yet. As Valpo said patience. I just sent them to somebody else to open. Even experienced modders have trouble sometimes with these heads. I just don't want ya to scratch or crack your new Surefire.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Sent to someone? Hummm sounds good! Who did you use, and would they make good if they broke -damaged- it? Didn't really think of that option before.

 

[MarNav1]

I've had grnamin do one, Milkyspit has done a couple, and I bought a couple that were already "cracked". As far as making good contact them and ask how they handle that, I didn't have any problems.

 

[Energie]

I got two E1L Cree from a german dealer. Both heads came off easy.
The beams are different in tint (one greenish, one white) and focus.
IMO the (mechanical) construction of the KL1 is better than the KX-1/2.

 

[WildChild]

I got two E1L Cree from a german dealer. Both heads came off easy.
The beams are different in tint (one greenish, one white) and focus.
IMO the (mechanical) construction of the KL1 is better than the KX-1/2.

Mine is also slightly yellowish/greenish and it has 3 bond wires, like the left head on your picture. In fact, all 3 bond wires Cree I saw were slightly yellowish/greenish. I recently got a Wolf-Eyes Defender II with a 4 bond wires Cree and it's perfect white!

 

[Energie]

The left head (3 bond wires) is the whiter one.

 

[MarNav1]

I got two E1L Cree from a german dealer. Both heads came off easy.
The beams are different in tint (one greenish, one white) and focus.
IMO the (mechanical) construction of the KL1 is better than the KX-1/2.

What's your secret Energie? I heated mine till they were burning hot, way too hot to touch and the rubber straps or leather either melt or slip. If I use vise grips they bite through and scratch the finish. The heads are all slightly rounded and everything i've tried just slips off.

 

[Sgt. LED]

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