How to avoid scratching an Arc LS lens????

[Cutter]

Hi all,

I have a brand new Arc LS on it's way to me in the mail as I type. I would like to keep the lens scratch free on this baby so would welcome any suggestions you all might have.

On "Sean's Flashlight Site", he states that he uses a Surefire E Series Beamshaper (F04) on the ARC LS to keep the lens from getting scratched.

I've also thought about possibly sticking a piece of WriteRight screen overlay (cut to appropiate size) over the lens of the flashlight instead. This way, no additional bulk would be added to the light although it would affect the beam somewhat (but might make it even smoother than it is). Has anyone tried this method, and if so, how well does the material stick??

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Dan out

 

[Roy]

Don't put in in the same pocket with your keys! I have my keys in my right pocket and flashlights in my left.

 

[McGizmo]

Dan,

There was a thread on this very issue not long ago. It's somewhere in the archives......

- Don

EDIT:

Other Post on lens protection

 

[Cutter]

Thanks guys.

Yeah...I figured it might have been brought up before. But it's a little difficult to try to do a search on something like this. What do you search on without coming up with 300 LS threads and then spending 4 hours sorting through them.

I'll go see if I can locate it. If anyone has any suggestions off the top of their head, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks,
Dan

**** Edit *****
I just saw your edit Don. You're a better man than I. I'll go check it out. Thanks a lot for that.

 

[Darell]

For what it's worth: The WriteRight has magic adhesion. Really, it sticks perfectly, and comes off 100% clean with little effort. I've never had any fall off or peel off any of the lights I use it on. Of course I don't use it on any lights that generate tons of heat.

It'll work, and it'll smooth the beam nicely. But it will cost you some brightness.

Carry the thing in a Niteize holster, and you're good to go.

 

[this_is_nascar]

I wouldn't worry about it. Use the light, but use common-sense as well. For example, don't keep it in the same pocket as your keys.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Why bother;
just buy a new if the old one is "kaputt" and scratched that is the only way to keep inovative ristakers like Peter going and funded to provide us with right on the leading edge technology. I guess what I am trying to say is, without upsetting anyone, use and abuse his lights the ones we have are already obsolete. I believe LS2 and LS3 are in the works.

 

[Cutter]

Don't worry Red Oak......you didn't upset anyone. However, not all of us have the funds to just continuously buy flashlights on a weekly or monthly basis. Doesn't mean we aren't flashaholics. Just not well funded flashaholics.

Also, some people may prefer the LS1 design (even if it's obsolete) to the LS2 or even the LS3 and would therefore like to keep them in as nice a condition as possible.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Hey Cutter don`t get me wrong I am not made of Cr123`s or Money, but i just bought a LS first for my Curio Cabinet and an LS second to beat around and i am of course trying to make up my mind how much money i have to steal from my childrens education fund: $150 for the LS2 or $ 200 for the LS3 so many choices. Just kidding, i can apreciate Peters amazing customer service and dedication to quality.

 

[Cutter]

No problem Red Oak....I understand where you're coming from. But I'll probably just buy one of these lights for my collection. So, I want to keep it nice but will want to use it as well. I'll have to heavily consider buying a "beater" to just use and not worry about as you mentioned.

But I have to weigh that choice over taking that money and getting other kinds of lights to add to the pile instead of a duplicate one.

And keep your hands out of the piggy banks. When your kids start applying for jobs, you don't want them to put on the application:

Education: None....dad bought too many flashlights.

 

[MarcV]

Originally posted by Gransee:
someone has an Arc-LS that has been in the family for 2 generations. It was used everyday to do the morning chores on a farm or something.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Then let's have a clickie switch option for this thing. It's tough carrying a normal load, something in both hands or under both arms, and then trying one-handed to ignite this beast when entering the out-building. The Streamlight Scorpion and most $2.00 double D lights are still superior just because you can turn 'em on more easily.

 

[snakebite]

i keep mine in the same pocket with a wallet.
no scratches yet.
and if you lube it properly it is easy to work it one handed unless you are arthritic or a weakling.

 

[MarcV]

Originally posted by snakebite:
if you lube it properly it is easy to work it one handed

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Yours maybe. Mine is nearly impossible to turn on, even with two hands. And I'm not your average weakling. Funny, it works okay with the AA and 2xAA holders, just not with the 1x123. Maybe I need to get out the sandpaper and rub some of the coating off? I did try grinding, with toothpaste, the threads and that did make it a bit smoother but not less resistant. For lube I'm using (after cleaning) silicone grease.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

How to avoid scratching an Arc LS lens???? by darell
Peter has a new, thinner battery retainer which, quite simply, solves this problem.In the meantime, you can do what I did: pee ...
(from Last Fifty Posts)

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">ohhh. I see. I thought maybe you and your daughter had come up with a new way of fixing the Arc while it was still in the toilet...

 

[Gransee]

Check the other thread guys (LS2 pics)... There is an ongoing discussion about the new LS quicky switch.

Marcv, the hard turning could be simply caused by an old style retainer that is too thick. Have you checked that?

Peter Gransee

 

[Darell]

Marc - what you say absolutely points to a thick battery retainer. If the AA packs work like you expect, then the problem is due to the shorter "nipple" of the 123 cells. Peter has a new, thinner battery retainer which, quite simply, solves this problem.

In the meantime, you can do what I did: peel away a bunch of the thickness of the retainer you have. You'll see that the 123 cells will work much better. Remember that the light will function perfectly with no retainer at all. The batteries will just rattle.

 

[Sean]

Were is the best place to get WriteRight?

I no longer use a beamshaper on my LS, once you use it on a Surefire it stretches out and won't fit properly anymore. So now I just put it in my other pocket.

 

[Cutter]

Here's one place to get WriteRight. I haven't ordered from them before though.
http://www.fellowes.com/store/index.cfm?selectProductCategory=107,1,105&pCat=107

 

[Gransee]

Eek! Please, use them well! I shudder to think that somewhere there are Arcs sitting bored in a display case. I have seen a picture of a collection in Japan with Arc LSs in the original packaging. And the packaging is just a ziplock!

Aaaaggh!

70 years from now, I want to be at a flashlight collectors convention and someone has an Arc-LS that has been in the family for 2 generations. It was used everyday to do the morning chores on a farm or something. That would be nice. Sure, the new Arcs (if we are still making lights) would be 10x brighter, but the old model would be cool to see.

Peter

Oh, btw check out the thread above. There are a lot of polishing compounds and what not that will take the scratches out.

 

[leddite]

well, obsolete or not, i'm going to take care of my gear, and i'll sell my heavily used but pristine lensed arc-ls on ebay for $10,000 in 5 yrs as a coveted item :>

that is, unless someone wants to be funding MY purchases so i can fund the makers? any takers? i need THOUSANDS of $$$ in lights. no? didn't think so :}

Originally posted by Red Oak:
Why bother;
just buy a new if the old one is "kaputt" and scratched that is the only way to keep inovative ristakers like Peter going and funded to provide us with right on the leading edge technology. I guess what I am trying to say is, without upsetting anyone, use and abuse his lights the ones we have are already obsolete. I believe LS2 and LS3 are in the works.

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