Had one of those real-world flashlight use epiphanies

[Stress_Test]

Or rather, it was a case of non-usage.

I realized that carrying a killer, costly light for EDC can be fun, but sometimes it's better to have something cheaper that you don't value so highly.

At work today, me and another guy were up inside some big machinery looking at a gearbox. That particular area was supposed to be lit up better, but there must have been a breaker turned off somewhere. My coworker was doing a quick visual check. I had my TK11 (R2 edition) in my pocket, but I didn't pull it out and hand it over, because I was thinking that if he dropped it, it would be toast (long fall, lots of nasty stuff to hit, and possibly irretrievable).

So I was thinking man, this sucks, I've got an ***-kicking light with me and I'm too uptight about it to hand it over! :shakehead My other light was an E01 which wouldn't have had enough output to really help much.

All that has made me re-think my EDC choices. Maybe it's better, instead of EDC'ing the top-of-the-line ($$$) all the time, to instead have something that you wouldn't hesitate to hand to anybody anytime. And save the special lights for special occasions.

 

[Flying Turtle]

I understand your decision not to hand it over. I'd have probably done the same. On a few occasions I've opted to just carry my regular L0D instead of something brighter and costlier for fear of dropping or loosing it. I know some will say that's just silly, but what can I say. It's just this old dog's nature to baby his better toys.

Geoff

 

[Mach1]

If you are not willing to use it, what is the point of buying it and carrying it?

 

[NigelBond]

If you are not willing to use it, what is the point of buying it and carrying it?

He's not saying that he's not willing to use it. He's not willing to let you use it. To me that is totaly understandable. I remember once lending a light to somebody and it came back with the anodizing missing in patches because he was using it while using commercial oven cleaning solvents. Fortunatly it was just a cheapo ultrafire but still, i'd rather it hadn't happened.

 

[csshih]

Its not that he was not willing to use it.. He was not willing to let someone else use it,, there's a difference.

 

[dim]

I have no problems with replaceable flashlights such as a "generic" Fenix and the like. I mean, you paid your money...now enjoy...even if it does, occasionally, cost a few bucks to replace.

The problem I find in such circumstances are those "pick of the litter" and lottery winners. Even the cheapies with that perfect beam or great tint that would be difficult to replace no matter how much was spent to replace it.

I'll loan someone my L1T R80 with the icky tint, but not my EDC L1D Q5 Premium with its soft floody spot, bright spill and nice tint as it would difficult to replace that winner.

Legitimately, I can easily discourage the borrowing of my L1D "winner". -
I wrap a rubberband at the end of the main flashlight body before the tailcap so that my teeth have something to gnash against for "hands free" "mouth hold" (I do this often). I'll point out the rubberband to the would be borrower, stick the flashlight in my mouth, and demonstrate such a mouth hold while slightly but conspicuously drooling on the flashlight and suggest that it would be ill advised to borrow the flashlight as it's been "personalized" in such a manner. I'll usually get "that look" and a reconsideration. "Uh, thanx..nevermind".

BTW - As a practical matter, wrapping a rubber band around the flashlight for "mouth hold" really does work well.

73
dim

 

[bob4apple]

...stick the flashlight in my mouth, and demonstrate such a mouth hold while slightly but conspicuously drooling on the flashlight and suggest that it would be ill advised to borrow the flashlight as it's been "personalized" in such a manner.

WOW!

Yeah, that'll work, but when the time comes for you to borrow
something, do you expect them to lend it to a drooler- even if it's waterproof?

 

[NonSenCe]

Only carry what you can afford to Use/Loose/Break and Replace. (acronym:ULBaR! HaHaaahh..)

but it is also a good reason to carry a backup and a loaner lights.

breaking it yourself stings little less than someone else breaking it for you.

i normally keep an lanyard on small loaner/beater and teach the "user" like they are children.. "see this is a lanyard, and you stick your hand thru it and it wont fall off.. see!" hahahah

if it breaks by accident or stops working.. fine. it would of failed on me too soon.. and likely i would of been without light then, and been angry as hell in darkness.. better fail on your than on my needs..

but if u act stupid and you break it, you buy me new one.

 

[lrp]

I'd done the same thing! Personally, I use all my lights regardless of what I paid for them!

 

[Stress_Test]

Some of you guys hit the nail on the head. There are some lights that I have no problem with using myself, but I wouldn't want to let somebody else handle them.

And Dim has it right too, about the issue being not just the cost of the light, but the value, and ease of replacement. It took some time to get my TK11 (had to wait for the restock of R2s, and was also sent a TK10 by mistake), and also it has no issues (off center emitter or anything), so to me it has value beyond just it's monetary cost. Though to me the dollar cost was a pretty big deal! It's not that I couldn't afford it, it's that I'm usually very frugal by nature.


And as far as having to lecture to people or explain stuff before loaning out a light, I'm thinking about a loaner that requires no explanation or warnings. (except maybe something like "don't drop it... glass lens")

Having to give elaborate explanations just makes people think that you're weird(er than they already know you are!) :tinfoil:

 

[ToeMoss]

I think you should have just handed over the TK11 and asked your co-worker to use the lanyard to avoid dropping it.

 

[heckboy]

Anything that I loan out or hand over to a co-worker comes with "Pottery Barn Rules:" You break it you buy it. It's simple, clear, and anyone that works with and purchases their own tools should understand it.

Even with that understanding, would I hand one of my custom lights over to a dimwit? No.

Later,
HB

 

[hiker123]

I like "high value" gear. If anything happens to it - oh well - at least it wasn't "high priced" (though usually it is anyways ). Worrying about the cost of your gear seems like it would take the enjoyment out of it. I take good care of my gear but I want to use it every chance I get. Cost is always a factor in the "high value" equation.

I like other members suggestions before borrowing - you break, you buy. Maybe then they will treat it like the own (or better).
Cheers

 

[Benson]

And as far as having to lecture to people or explain stuff before loaning out a light, I'm thinking about a loaner that requires no explanation or warnings. (except maybe something like "don't drop it... glass lens")

EZ-AA? "Tighten for light, tighten more for more light." Or a single-mode. There's really nothing wrong with single-modes for most purposes.

 

[kelmo]

...So I was thinking man, this sucks, I've got an ***-kicking light with me and I'm too uptight about it to hand it over!...

Don't sweat it. There are many reasons out there to not hand over a light and they are personal.

The duty lights I carry at work are the ones I am willing to loan out. They are nice lights. But if the coworker is a jerk I will not loan it to them.

My personal EDC (not the duty light) is just that, personal.

You work hard to purchase the light of your choice, unless it's a life or death situation you don't have to share.

kelmo

 

[callmaster]

I carry a few EDC lights and yes, I might not give you my best one but I don't have a problem lending someone the other two. But when it's an emergency and there's murder done, etc. I don't really give a damn.

Bought the lights to be used, if not me. Then by someone else when it has to be used.

And that's that.

 

[carrot]

I've lent my Ti McLux around the bike repair club where I hang out.

Guys who know the value of tools can be trusted.

 

[MerkurMan]

I ran in to this situation the other day at work. I'm known as the "flashlight guy" and if anyone is in need of light, they come crawling to me. And up until last week, I carried a $20 Akoray with me, which I didn't think twice about lending out to anyone.

Well, fast forward to last Wednesday, I'd just taken delivery of my D10 R2, and I was still in protective-of-a-new-light phase, being careful not to mark or scratch it. Well, someone asked to borrow a light, so I apprehensively gave it to him. Turns out that he was fixing a clogged sink in the bathroom (which could be condemned as a hazardous waste site), and when he returned it to me, there was a spot of *something* on the ano. I shrugged and made sure that there weren't any scratches on the lens or dents on the bezel from a drop, and put it back in my pocket.

Later that day, I tried to remove the pesky brown spot, and nothing would touch it -- cleaners, toothbrushes, scrubbing. It took me having to use a fresh Olfa blade to "pick" it out of the valleys in the knurling. My teeth were clenched pretty hard, but I managed to not take off any of the ano, and the flakey crud was successfully removed. Now, I think I'll take the Akoray back to work and tape it to my toolbox with a sign above it saying "Borrow this!" :laughing:

 

[Stress_Test]

Hah! Good one MerkurMan!

The irony was that I actually had a couple of lights back at my desk to serve as loaners.... but they were back at my desk!!

And using a lanyard is no guarantee, because the light can still fall if the loop slips off your hand, which can easily happen if you drop the light then instinctively grab for it. A more fool proof way would be to use one of those ball shaped cinch things to snug the lanyard loop tight against your wrist.

 

[Rexlion]

Well, sure we understand you not wanting to loan out your bright shiny baby. But there's another way to look at it: you missed a chance to show off your bright shiny baby! You missed your co-worker doing a double-take... "Holy crap, this is one sweet light!" Showing off is worth taking a chance sometimes.

But then there's the chance he's too dense to notice what a nice light you've handed him. Those are the people you don't lend to any more!