Dilemmas

[ven]

Thank all for comments
Carry for me in work does involve climbing in and under machinery so for example in work a holster would probably get torn off eventually. Pocket carry can hurt!!! Walk around inspections are not an issue , only when doing maintenance type work where literally can be on hands and knees climbing under stuff.

Guess I have been lucky in only loosing one light (P1A which was found weeks later). But that was the reason I used a cheaper light for work edc at the time. (Small pocket edc for general uses and run in free AA's). Now I use eneloops (14500&18650 as well) in work and have a section in the tool box for chargers/cells....and more lights .

I find winter time a lot more edc friendly with zip up inside pockets. Come summer time and shorts /T -shirts (ok coats anoraks sometimes as the UK) But actual edc size becomes a little more of an issue.

Now I can carry a c2 in my coat and within reason go unnoticed!. Come time to hang the coat up, 16340 /18350!size tends to be more favourable (or smaller but not too much run time/output compromise) due to pants carry and the higher risk of loosing it! They is a concern on more expensive lights for me to, but I don't want a cheapo with poor UI in the same breath. Going to have to weigh up some decent summer clothing good pockets (I certainly need deep pockets ) .

Holsters can make too bulky but offer added protection over just a thin pocket , as I am the type that things bump into me!
Many a time my pockets have emptied out in the car or house when sat down! Of course knowing this I am always checking , but I do need to also look into better methods of carry , even externally (like kydex as one example) on the waste/hip.

 

[KBobAries]

I have Nitecore, HDS, and Surefire (stock). My lights are users and if one is in better shape than another it's probably because it's newer. I recently bought a Nitecore MT10A because it will eat any AA chemistry battery and its sole purpose is to ride in the glove box as a backup light so it will undoubtedly look new for a long while but I won't hesitate to use it if/when it's needed.

I don't abuse or baby them but most of my lights are well scratched and have a dent or two. That fact has kept me from buying extremely high-end or limited run lights. Anodized titanium and other specialty metals are gorgeous but can you imagine a SPY 007 dented, scratched and sporting a cracked lens? Probably make me and others here :mecry:.

I've recently started down the semi-custom path with custom drop-ins. I'm doing these up properly or so I think. Bored 6P hosts, after market heads/bezels, and tailcaps. I'm waiting on some parts so at the moment only 1 is finished. I've already started carrying it at work. It's going to suck and probably make me say a lot of bad words the first time I drop one and either scratch it or bend one of the cooling fins but that isn't going to stop me from taking one to work or on a hunting trip. Acceptance is the key.

I suppose the only things I'm OCD about are the 18650 batteries and taking extra care not to overcharge/discharge them or get them too hot.

There's one exception to all of the above. A Liteflux LF2XT that's pristine in its box. I verified the LED worked when I got it but never programmed it. I didn't set out to make it a safe queen; it just worked out that way because I never got around to using it. I was in that phase that hits some of us when new to flashlights; buy one of everything. lol. The LF2XT got pushed aside and now it's a collectible so I'm hesitant to touch it and reduce its value. I saw one sell a while back as "lightly used" for $280 so I'm thinking $300 will get me most of the way toward a McGizmo. I waffle over which model but it will be a user.

I do have some collectible things (1920s vintage fountain pens) that I seldom use and am extremely careful with but with regard to flashlights I'm definitely in the user group. I have no problem if some choose to buy a limited run light and use it once a month nestled nicely in a velvet pillow while they tie their shoelaces. On the contrary, I LOVE looking at the photos of custom lights that are posted here. :twothumbs

It's just not for me.

Dan

 

[eh4]

What about primarily collecting dropins?
You have your shelf queens that can hold them, but take them out and use them in your 2 or 3+beaters...
Fancy ights that can always be upgraded seem much more reasonable to me than fancy lights that are difficult to upgrade, require expert modding, or are just about fixed as they are.
It's a thought anyways.

-Ahh, KBobAries just mentioned that.

 

[iacchus]

Use them hard. The harder the better. Treat them with the respect due, but use them.thats what they are there for.

 

[Crazyeddiethefirst]

I used to buy a light, evaluate it, keep it to use or sell it. Worked great. Then I stopped selling, but kept buying. Now with more lights and batteries than I can use in my lifetime, Nothing has changed. None of my lights are pure collectibles. I used my ti sinner(till I traded it), still use my PK FL2,and my V11 Mirages. I do match the light to the use:i.e. if working on my sons Jeep, I have a light that provides the necessary lighting that is not ultra expensive. If going to a black tie event, the "show off" lights thy will also get me out of dodge fast. I rarely have less than 3 lights on me at all times, and my keychain(Niteze with 14 mini carabiner clips has 3 lights & 3 spare cells. If I run in the store, car key and one light with one spare battery. If I roll my car in the middle of nowhere, the entire key ring goes (all lights & batteries, knife, whistle, fire starter, two multitools, etc). Because I am a retired flight nurse, my first aid kit(backpack) always had two hi CRI lights in it. I have a lot of copper and titanium because if they scratch up too much, a little metal polish & power buffing can return them to like new. I have maybe 16 to 20 limited edition lights from a Four Sevens CR2 to PK's FL2 and a lot in between. To me they are tools for use. Having said that, I take good care of my tools. My craftsman tool bench has peg board above it and every tool has a place. Above my wood working bench are all my tools for that craft and again, every tool has its place. There is no rust on any blades and although some of the tools are obviously worn, they are never neglected. Yes, if I drop an expensive lightI cringe, but I get over it and either try to repair it or accept that is just the way it is-oh well, I bought it to use, not just to resell it...
Occasionally I will realize a light is not where it should be and my OCD comes out-I have been known to go crazy looking for a light. I actually lost my first light in years about 3 months ago, wouldn't you know it was the PVD Titanium Olight i7r that has been one of the lights on my keychain for a year or two. Limited edition too. After 8 weeks I gave in(Andrew & Amanda had a one day special for only $39) so I replaced it. Sure enough, 3 days later found it in rocks where the Lexus parks. It had been driven over multiple times, but it works fine. Cracked lens so it got shipped off to Going Gear for a new one, then back to its place....

 

[ven]

Interesting reading guys, thanks for sharing agree on certain tools for certain jobs and now i need to rain it in a little and get more use out of some. There are no shelf queens for me tbh, however a lot wont get used due to their specific type(not taking a tk75vnQ70 in work as too big,too bright.............too good! :laughing:

My work lights(have maybe 8-10 as not counted), 2 are the L2T/p1d which the latter is solid and is housing a sportac triple(perfect wok light for me!)


On friday alone i dropped it twice on to a factory floor from over 3ft! did not even flicker once............

I have an L2T black(stainless ones are at home which were bought intentionally for work...........) with a nichia 219 triple sportac. This is a works back up for the back up for the..........

Engineering manager on Thu came round with quality doing tool box inspections for an audit(knew they would pick me, knowing me), basically checking for things that should not be there(tablets etc). So with a grin and a "hope you have shades" i said go ahead. Each draw was gone through, the top has most of my lights on the left partition..........."wow , very impressive...........why do you need so many torches?":huh: I just grinned as could not be bothered going into tints etc at the time............

So dedicated lights, now with a gizmo i EDC'ed it today when out and about..........as said use it or loose it and boy is it small anyway!! (i actually used it in B&Q to find a toy Callum had lost under a pallet) oh and for the guys on the other side, just in case B&Q is a hardware type store, DIY stuff.

Up to now the HDS as been more round house used, checking where a wall is getting knocked through and looking at the floor boards(i used the bricks for a few pics!)


Having had a little fright a few month back, i had my coat pocket undone on the inside and my v11r mirage fell out in work unnoticed.............For once and me being me i forgot something so returned to my locker................to find my v11r in holster on the floor:shakehead I would have been seriously *beeped* if that was lost to say the least.So i am wary even more so now carrying lights and seem to regularly check the inside pocket..............

I was *beeped* when i lost my heavily worn looked P1A! It really does my head in and when i have read about members loosing their TOOLvn.............geeez i would be:hairpull:

Cheers:thumbsup:

 

[Crazyeddiethefirst]

Reading about your V11Mirage reminded me of when I first got bit by the bug and would read about people having triples of one light & thinking they were just bragging about how many lights they could afford. I did not understand that there are certain lights that just work so good you never want to be without....Except now I have 3 V11 Mirages, three Titanium D25CVN's, Three M11r's, three 6P's, three satin grey E2e's, three E1e's....you get the picture...

 

[ven]

:laughing: i do with you ed, the picture has been printed out and hung up!!!!

I dont have that many duplicates, have the Thrunite T10's and Fenix e25's............couple of L2T stainless solarforces . Oh couple of d25c ti's too off the top of my head!.

I kind of have a different mind set now with my lights(money does stop it though depending on cost/light) and thats if i like a light enough, get 2 , use 1 and store one as back up.............
Contradiction as well, i also like to get something different than the same too..................so i am in a pickle! :laughing:

Like you i probably have too many lights, i will never get value out of all of them so rotate some, gift others..........

On the v11r, its my only SWM and love it, the UI is awesome, size is great and as you know cell flexible ...............love the ano too on the mirage versions