HDS Systems EDC # 19

[Strintguy]

Ummmm, love that blue!

 

[F89]

My currrent HDS lineup. Have had two Twisties including the very cool 85Tr and and bunch of other Clickies including a Ti Clicky come through my hands but these are what I have now.

Clicky N170 w/ Prometheus clip I torch flamed

Clicky 325 NRA Blue Cerakote w/ Ti Moddoo clip

Rotary N200 Orange Cerakote

Nice set you have there. That blue one looks pretty special.
Is that orange cerakote a sterile bezel? I got a deal too good to pass up on a NOS orange clicky (200 XPG) a while ago. It has a non printed sterile bezel, it's also had a couple of LED changes but it'll spend the rest of its days fitted with the sw45k R9080.
The cerakote has a really nice feel to it, smooth yet grippy.
Have you tried anodising with some 9V batteries (stacked in series for colour of choice) and a plastic container of water and bicarb soda? It's another cheap and easy way to play around with titanium.

 

[Hogokansatsukan]

Whenever I put my HDS back in the holster I got from Hogo, I carefully slide the clip over the holster's edge. Before I used the clip, the light once tried to work its way past the spare the battery and slip out the bottom of the holster. Luckily, I noticed before the light made it all the way out, but from that point on, the clip is part of the system.

--flatline

Is yours one of the early ones without the lip sewn in the bottom? Send it back. It's a free fix. It shouldn't do that. Some years back I started sewing a lip in the bottom to prevent just such a thing after a lot of use.

 

[nbp]

Nice set you have there. That blue one looks pretty special.
Is that orange cerakote a sterile bezel? I got a deal too good to pass up on a NOS orange clicky (200 XPG) a while ago. It has a non printed sterile bezel, it's also had a couple of LED changes but it'll spend the rest of its days fitted with the sw45k R9080.
The cerakote has a really nice feel to it, smooth yet grippy.
Have you tried anodising with some 9V batteries (stacked in series for colour of choice) and a plastic container of water and bicarb soda? It's another cheap and easy way to play around with titanium.

Thanks. Yes the orange bezel is sterile. Technically this is one of the "seconds" Henry was selling cheap a while back. I could only find a tiny speck of cerakote missing when I got it so IMO Henry's fussiness was 100% good for me! I have not used the battery and bath method, only the propane torch on a few items. I did a McGizmo Clicky pak that turned out really nicely - pix are around here somewhere in the McG photo thread.

 

[flatline]

Is yours one of the early ones without the lip sewn in the bottom? Send it back. It's a free fix. It shouldn't do that. Some years back I started sewing a lip in the bottom to prevent just such a thing after a lot of use.

When you first started selling HDS lights and you offered a free holster to your first X customers, I was one of those customers. The light rests against the end of the leather that makes the loop for the spare cell.

I did not find your shipping address on your website, but if you'll please PM me you shipping address, I'll happily ship you the holster for the fix. I look forward to getting many more years of use out of this holster.

--flatline

 

[Hogokansatsukan]

When you first started selling HDS lights and you offered a free holster to your first X customers, I was one of those customers. The light rests against the end of the leather that makes the loop for the spare cell.

I did not find your shipping address on your website, but if you'll please PM me you shipping address, I'll happily ship you the holster for the fix. I look forward to getting many more years of use out of this holster.

--flatline

Yep. That was an early one. PM sent!
ex LEOs don't like their phone numbers or addresses anywhere online. Saves paperwork and carpet cleaning.

 

[Hogokansatsukan]

My currrent HDS lineup. Have had two Twisties including the very cool 85Tr and and bunch of other Clickies including a Ti Clicky come through my hands but these are what I have now.

Clicky N170 w/ Prometheus clip I torch flamed

Clicky 325 NRA Blue Cerakote w/ Ti Moddoo clip

Rotary N200 Orange Cerakote

I held that blue one once... I think it shipped late because I didn't want to let it go...

 

[nbp]

Haha. Don't you save one of every flavor of special run for yourself?!

I said run, not rum..

 

[HDS_Systems]

… I do know if Henry doesn't have the tails by the 21st of this month, he is in for a bad week at SHOT show with me! I'm a real nagging ******* when there are delays and he'll be stuck with me in the car on the way to, at, and on the way home from Vegas! I can't help it. It's just how I am.

Hogo was true to his word and browbeat me mercilessly. In self defense, I browbeat him back - I told him to either put up or shut up - fix the problem so it will go away and never come back. He agreed.

We spent some long hours figuring out the details and putting together a plan of action. We did break for barbecue ribs and microbrew stout on several occasions so we would have the strength to continue.

You will be seeing a number of new items and improvements - things people have been requesting - coming along. We just cannot say what they are until they are released. OK, I can tell you that the headlamp is definitely on that list and has been scheduled in. Watch the web site for announcements.

Henry.

 

[F89]

Hogo was true to his word and browbeat me mercilessly. In self defense, I browbeat him back - I told him to either put up or shut up - fix the problem so it will go away and never come back. He agreed.

We spent some long hours figuring out the details and putting together a plan of action. We did break for barbecue ribs and microbrew stout on several occasions so we would have the strength to continue.

You will be seeing a number of new items and improvements - things people have been requesting - coming along. We just cannot say what they are until they are released. OK, I can tell you that the headlamp is definitely on that list and has been scheduled in. Watch the web site for announcements.

Henry.

Sounds like good news.
Also, love stout.

 

[Lurveleven]

You will be seeing a number of new items and improvements - things people have been requesting - coming along. We just cannot say what they are until they are released. OK, I can tell you that the headlamp is definitely on that list and has been scheduled in. Watch the web site for announcements.

That is really great news Henry. Can we expect releases in first half or second half of 2018?
Headlamps is what I use the most, so I'm really looking forward to that one and hope it will take 18650. I guess it has come a long way since the 2016 shoot show prototype.

 

[Lurveleven]

I thought I would make a little list here of things that folks have wanted from HDS, and let me know if I'm missing anything...

Hogo's Top 10 Requests.

10. Fix the damn grittiness of the rotary tail in counter-clockwise mode (and please don't then make clockwise gritty in the process)
9. Key-chain style HDS
8. GIVE ME SOME REAL THROW!
7. Titanium, brass, copper, stainless, and unobtanium lights!
6. Where's my damn 18350 tube!
5. Where's my damn 1AA tube!
4. I want a diffuse reflector. Stop teasing by making them and then not making them!
3. More LED variety!
2. Headlamp. HEAD LAMP!!!

And Number 1...
1. Where the heck is the light I ordered 3 months ago!

Have I missed anything?

I haven't seen the diffused reflector, but I love the Surefire F04 diffusor, so a HDS with built in diffusor lens would be really great. It would probably be less costly to offer compared to the diffused reflector since you don't need to make different types of reflectors. A diffused HDS would be a dedicated indoor light for me.

More throw, yes please! I have different HDS lights for different uses, and would love one geared for max throw (XP-L HI natural). For me this would be a dedicated outdoor light and I would have it in 18650 config to be able to comfortable hold it with gloves, the CR123 edition is too small for that. So for me it would be OK to have a dedicated 18650 light. Currently I have to carry a non-HDS light to cover this need. I use my lights mostly on the extreme ends of the spectrum, ultra low (<1 lm) and low (<30 lm), or high (with decent runtime, i.e. in the range 2 to 8 hour runtime) and momentary turbo/burst where the LED is pushed to the max for a really short while. A burst of 10 seconds I think would be sufficient for checking out a point of interest or to blind someone in a self defense situation. Need a longer burst, just reengage it. Light can have temperature control to protect the light against excessive bursting. By having a dedicated 18650 light, a burst mode would not be a problem for the battery and would also not negatively effect the runtime much. Maybe it is just me, but I don't use the medium modes much, for head lamps on the other hand I find that I use medium modes a lot.

Hogo, there is one request left out from your list, I don't know if it has been requested before, but I would love to see a HDS with a side switch in addition to the tail switch. With individual programming I could set up the tail to always be momentary max and the side switch to turn on at the rotary setting. Holding the light in a underhand grip, tail switch is not ideal. Having a side switch where you can hold the switch for momentary max from any mode is the perfect UI for me. But I know this is a long shot, and probably ends at the bottom of the list.

 

[ironhorse]

Very good to hear from the man, himself from time to time.

 

[emarkd]

Thanks for chiming in Henry! Really looking forward to sending you more money this year!

 

[neutralwhite]

diffuse reflectors need to come back !

 

[Hogokansatsukan]

Hogo was true to his word and browbeat me mercilessly. In self defense, I browbeat him back - I told him to either put up or shut up - fix the problem so it will go away and never come back. He agreed.

We spent some long hours figuring out the details and putting together a plan of action. We did break for barbecue ribs and microbrew stout on several occasions so we would have the strength to continue.

You will be seeing a number of new items and improvements - things people have been requesting - coming along. We just cannot say what they are until they are released. OK, I can tell you that the headlamp is definitely on that list and has been scheduled in. Watch the web site for announcements.

Henry.

To let everyone know, this is going to directly effect a few things. First, I will no longer be a dealer and purveyor of HDS lights. I have already taken them off my web store. If I'm now going to be working for HDS Systems, it seems unethical for me to be a dealer, or at the very least it would be inappropriate.

After this last High Noon Group buy, I will no longer be organizing any group buys. I had already purchased some LEDs for a limited run for after the High Noon, but this will be run differently (quite differently) but more on that when the time comes. They will be purchased directly through HDS Systems and not me, and not open to just anyone who wants to order one. Again, more on that when the time comes.

I will have to more professional on the forum. Not happening. It's not who I am.

Do not think I made this decision lightly. I've been back in school and have a year under my belt (how a year fits there with all the flab hanging over the belt as well I have no idea.) So, Hogo will forego another degree (I have two already and one is none and two is one so...). I just know that HDS has so much untapped potential, and I've been privy to a lot of the inner workings for years (some of which has created a large permanent knob on my forehead from banging it on the leather bench.) Well, as Henry said "Put up or shut up" and I wasn't exactly expecting that. And yes, rum being part of the compensation package certainly did help to persuade me. Yes, he had me at rum.

The goal here is to let Henry do what Henry loves, designing and engineering lights. I will be taking care of production, keeping tabs of the forum, customer service, helping with new product ideas, and other things to help HDS Systems becoming bigger and more responsive to customers. As such, any future production delays will be MY fault. The first thing I did when Henry hired me was fire him from production. I mean, you absolutely don't want me engineering a light. The best I can come up with is oil, a rag wrapped around the end of a stick, and a match. High tech for me would be igniting it with a 9 volt battery and steel wool. HDS would end up standing for "Highly Dangerous Stuff". Nope. Henry will now get to do what he loves doing, and we all get to benefit from it, and I can use my skills in the best way to benefit HDS and its customers. When Henry talks to me about all the different components and how they all work together with the software... Well, go read Macbeth to your dog. Your dog will have far better comprehension about the play than I do regarding what makes these lights work. I just know enough to not let the magic smoke out of the light, because when that happens, the elf inside the light dies and you can't revive him. (Don't worry, I won't be putting the electronics together!)

What about Thor's Hammer Custom Leather? It will continue as it always has. Nothing there is going to change. It started as stress relief, and I'm sure will be needed more than ever in the future!

 

[Random Dan]

Congratualtions Hogo! I'm excited to see what the future holds :thumbsup:

 

[Ozythemandias]

This is exciting news and I hope it works out for both of you (and by extension, ourselves).

 

[Tachead]

Thank you. I do try to make the best holsters.

As for most preferring clips, I can give you actual numbers. The number of people who order a clip for the HDS light is 15%. Now, the universal clip is ugly. I mean UGLY. If this were a girl, she better have one heck of a personality. So, some might feel as I do and choose not to dance with this dame even though they want to dance. I personally don't dance as it messes with the titanium in my leg. So, while "many people" may prefer pocket clips, it's only 15% who buy them... but again, she is one ugly broad. Of course, that is my opinion... about it being fugly. The 15% is fact. So, the vast majority actually don't prefer clips, or just don't want to dance with the ugly girl (she does have a very strong personality though!)

I prefer to carry my knife with the pocket clip (Benchmade Mel Pardue automatic)... which recently fell out of my pocket while I was climbing in and out of my MUTT and was returned to me by a nice neighbor after it had been run over several times in the middle of the street (true story). A little cleaning, bending, and now it is happily back in the same pocket... but I'm keeping a weather eye on it in case it decides to go on walkabout again.

But I digress. With a 15% sales rate on the current clip, a production run with different heads does not make a lot of financial sense. Yes, the increased cost could go directly to those who want them, but isn't the light expensive enough?

All that being said, Henry is working on it. He's been sketching and thinking (thank goodness not while we were driving back from Vegas as he was the one driving... well, he was thinking, not sketching at the time). I was taking notes that I sent to him after he dropped me off at home. It will take some time and testing and prototypes, but you have been heard and hopefully we will see a viable solution in the future.

And in case anyone is wondering, yes, I am that blunt with Henry. I don't hold punches and I speak my mind with him and there were probably more than a few times he would have liked to shove me out of the car while doing 75 to SHOT. It's why I had my seat belt on. I would say my mama didn't raise a dummy, but I have a brother.

Yeah, I think only 15% opt for the universal clip because it is the overweight snaggletooth crackhead of clips lol. And, it interferes with the rotary mechanism to boot. If it were the petite skinny blond of clips I bet hit would sell well. Especially if it were independent of the rotary mechanism. Plus, you have to take into account all the people who haven't bought a rotary mainly because it doesn't have a descent clip(I fall into this category).

As for how popular clips are, I think you have to look at the fact that nearly all other popular brands of EDC lights include nice clips with their lights or at least offer them as an option(and most are bezel down). Even with out statistics, I think this implies there is a valid reason for this and that is that they are popular.

Ouch, sorry about you Benchmade. Glad you found it though.

Glad to hear Henry is working on it. Tell him thanks and make shure he knows we all appreciate his efforts. I, and am sure many others, also appreciate your efforts Hogo and really appreciate you taking the time to keep us informed and be our ambassador with Henry. You guys are awesome👍.

 

[peter yetman]

Good luck Hogo and Henry. It sounds like natural evolution. It's the best way, force it and it only works for a bit.
Congratulations.
P