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Flashlight Enthusiast
It is my distinct honor and priveledge to be able to introduce to you a very special custom light: the Smooth Operator. The maker wishes to remain anonymous for the time being, but asked me if I would post a sort of review of this light, since I had it in my possession for a while as part of a trade of lights. Without further ado, here it is:
As you can see, this light started out life as an Aleph2 head, a 2x123 Aleph body, and a SureFire Z57 clickie tail cap. But it didn't stay this way. Oh no! It's destiny lay further on.
When I took this light out of the box and out of its plastic bag, and its shiny cool smoothness rolled into my hand, I was stunned. I kid you not. I had goose bumps. This light is an unbelievable pleasure to the eye and hand; pictures don't do it justice.
And then I turned it on! This light has my favorite LED beam I have yet experienced, in terms of beam profile and tightness, and the tint is quite good as well. This light has McGizmo to thank for that (and Chop). Don, if you're reading this, I salute you. The Aleph2 with LuxIII LE is awesome. Plus, I'm sure being driven at a full 1,000 mA helps matters. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif But it gets better. So, I played with it for a moment or two, then turned it off and continued to admire it, and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a magical blue glow around the bezel. I was already stunned; this simply enchanted me. It swept me back to childhood, when you first get a glow-in-the-dark toy, or a flashlight. It's a magical feeling, that glowing. And here it was again! OK. OK. I'm blathering. Look, here's another couple pictures to keep people interested:
The Aleph parts started as bare aluminum, and were then meticulously smoothed, filed, sanded, buffed, and whatever else, all of which took many hours, I am sure. And the Z57 was disassembled and caustic striped and then smoothed, filed, sanded, buffed, and so on. Then all parts were sent to be electroless nickel plated, and were subsequently baked to acheive a 50C rockwell hardness.
I like to think of my self as a non-flashy kind of guy. I like plain, functional things, and I go for the straightforward, no frills approach. Like my sig line, or my avatar. Not going to win any awards for creativity or ingenuity. Not like Ginseng's continually changing avatar pictures of his daughter with the very inventive and entertaining quotes that go with them underneath the picture. Nope. I usually just go for things like an E2e or a plain Sebenza.
But when I saw this light, the love of shiny things overwhelmed me, and I was certain that I would pay this person whatever was required for him to make me my own Smooth Operator, just like this one. Cost no object. $50/hr? No problem.
Well. I've calmed down a bit since then, and I have ruled that option out, but I still have to tell you, that this EN finish is a real winner. I am actually thinking of making my own EN finished, smoothed light, out of an E2e with a Balrog BE2 body, E2e head, and Z52 as the starting points. No time to do this at present, but it's on my mind for the future.
OK. Just have to say again, about the Aleph2 head and LE, with Aleph 2x123 body: WOW! If any LED light were ever to knock the A2 out of it's position as my favorite EDC, this would be the light. Don /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif you are the MAN!
One last photo of the SO:
Now perhaps Mr. Anonymous will want to post to this thread at some point, and receive some compliments?
As you can see, this light started out life as an Aleph2 head, a 2x123 Aleph body, and a SureFire Z57 clickie tail cap. But it didn't stay this way. Oh no! It's destiny lay further on.
When I took this light out of the box and out of its plastic bag, and its shiny cool smoothness rolled into my hand, I was stunned. I kid you not. I had goose bumps. This light is an unbelievable pleasure to the eye and hand; pictures don't do it justice.
And then I turned it on! This light has my favorite LED beam I have yet experienced, in terms of beam profile and tightness, and the tint is quite good as well. This light has McGizmo to thank for that (and Chop). Don, if you're reading this, I salute you. The Aleph2 with LuxIII LE is awesome. Plus, I'm sure being driven at a full 1,000 mA helps matters. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif But it gets better. So, I played with it for a moment or two, then turned it off and continued to admire it, and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a magical blue glow around the bezel. I was already stunned; this simply enchanted me. It swept me back to childhood, when you first get a glow-in-the-dark toy, or a flashlight. It's a magical feeling, that glowing. And here it was again! OK. OK. I'm blathering. Look, here's another couple pictures to keep people interested:
The Aleph parts started as bare aluminum, and were then meticulously smoothed, filed, sanded, buffed, and whatever else, all of which took many hours, I am sure. And the Z57 was disassembled and caustic striped and then smoothed, filed, sanded, buffed, and so on. Then all parts were sent to be electroless nickel plated, and were subsequently baked to acheive a 50C rockwell hardness.
I like to think of my self as a non-flashy kind of guy. I like plain, functional things, and I go for the straightforward, no frills approach. Like my sig line, or my avatar. Not going to win any awards for creativity or ingenuity. Not like Ginseng's continually changing avatar pictures of his daughter with the very inventive and entertaining quotes that go with them underneath the picture. Nope. I usually just go for things like an E2e or a plain Sebenza.
But when I saw this light, the love of shiny things overwhelmed me, and I was certain that I would pay this person whatever was required for him to make me my own Smooth Operator, just like this one. Cost no object. $50/hr? No problem.
Well. I've calmed down a bit since then, and I have ruled that option out, but I still have to tell you, that this EN finish is a real winner. I am actually thinking of making my own EN finished, smoothed light, out of an E2e with a Balrog BE2 body, E2e head, and Z52 as the starting points. No time to do this at present, but it's on my mind for the future.
OK. Just have to say again, about the Aleph2 head and LE, with Aleph 2x123 body: WOW! If any LED light were ever to knock the A2 out of it's position as my favorite EDC, this would be the light. Don /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif you are the MAN!
One last photo of the SO:
Now perhaps Mr. Anonymous will want to post to this thread at some point, and receive some compliments?
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