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malkoffdevices.com
malkoffdevices.com
... I soooo wish he would Come again with anything new.
ok, i'll bite...
Great write-up, thank you.oookay,
You asked for it ...
in the early days of white led, we had to build our own lights - because there simply was no maker to give us good lights.
(then somewhen Fenix stomped the market with their L1P / L2P, wow that was great)
in 2004 I built my 1st 6P 18650 conversion.
Back then there was no stadard, like today, with bored out hosts and P60 inserts.
that is when I got my liking for that size and especially for the converted 6 P.
so I for sure have a bias towards that host and anyting will be compared to that!
Unfortunately the Malkoff body happend to fall for that also.
actually I am deciding to stay at 18650, or to switch to 21700.
the both hosts in question on the right:
View attachment 58226
KDLITKER:
+ VERY CHEAP,
+ still impressingly nice machining, finish good,
+ watertight (when testing batteries, I put the light(s) into a bowl of water for cooling)
+ a tad shorter than the Malkoff,
+ good grippy knurling,
+ the Kdlitker 3-level insert kicks azz,
- adding the forward klicky was a PITA, i killed 1 of the 2-pack. But the 2nd works fine now
+ did I type cheap?
Malkoff:
* extremely expensive (which I knew before).
* only shipping method offered - here to Europe - adds another 50,-- to the total
* customs add another 80,-- €
* EXTREMELY Expensive
* machining is very good, finish is really nice,
* very slippery body (I learned that in the threads, but after ordering unfortunately)
* the superfine threading at the back cap - 9 full turns - drives me crazy. Why is that not the same as the threads inside the head for that insert fixing "screw"?
* at that back end not watertight (for the cooling water bowl).
I am disassembling/wiping/reassembling the whole light the last days, whenever another layer of fog builds up at the front glass,
* the recessed pushbutton is tooooo recessed, at least for me. (and I dont think I can adapt to how it is situated with more use. I simply have to open my hand to get the thumb deep enough into the recession. And I dont want to open my hand when holding a light)
* there could have been a few flat areas added at the end of the body as anti-roll "device". The end cap has them, but the body is wider at the end.
That for example were a nice hidden feature, I would appreciate from a high end product.
* that special insert + head... i again thought that does a special purpose. But inside the head is just a flat tube, and so head and insert are not pressed together, to improve thermal path (like the heads where the insert is loaded from the Front).
I added good 5 mm of aluminium tape around the insert, which is a PITA (again), to help getting the heat away. And know it does not work good, when sooo much space has to be covered.
To be totally clear: That "mounting" is something i accept from cheapo chinese but not from such highly recommended custom maker. That should have been mentionned from the fanboys, like the slippery knurling.
* the l-m-h, high CRI insert makes a fine high cri, but is way too dim. Even the non high cri version were to dim. No match for the really bright Kdlitker.
that is imho the 1st argument for the 21700: more power!
So higher power insert "needed"
Yes, correct, the "dim" brightness, that was clear from bedinning, I know.
That was why I never opted for a Malkoff till now.
Makes it even worse for me, that I finally did it - it was simply MY wrong decision.
the rest - watertightness, slippery body, bad thermal mounting/aluminium tape, maybe also the (for me) "wrong" threading of the end cap ...
... were OK with a cheapo light/body, but not in the price region that custom part is situated in.
Here I expected far more - my bad
Did I type you all spend too much time at the Computer, when only coming for the looong story?
Malkoff:
* extremely expensive (which I knew before).
* only shipping method offered - here to Europe - adds another 50,-- to the total
* customs add another 80,-- €
* EXTREMELY Expensive
* machining is very good, finish is really nice,
* very slippery body (I learned that in the threads, but after ordering unfortunately)
* the superfine threading at the back cap - 9 full turns - drives me crazy. Why is that not the same as the threads inside the head for that insert fixing "screw"?
* at that back end not watertight (for the cooling water bowl).
I am disassembling/wiping/reassembling the whole light the last days, whenever another layer of fog builds up at the front glass,
* the recessed pushbutton is tooooo recessed, at least for me. (and I dont think I can adapt to how it is situated with more use. I simply have to open my hand to get the thumb deep enough into the recession. And I dont want to open my hand when holding a light)
* there could have been a few flat areas added at the end of the body as anti-roll "device". The end cap has them, but the body is wider at the end.
That for example were a nice hidden feature, I would appreciate from a high end product.
* that special insert + head... i again thought that does a special purpose. But inside the head is just a flat tube, and so head and insert are not pressed together, to improve thermal path (like the heads where the insert is loaded from the Front).
I added good 5 mm of aluminium tape around the insert, which is a PITA (again), to help getting the heat away. And know it does not work good, when sooo much space has to be covered.
To be totally clear: That "mounting" is something i accept from cheapo chinese but not from such highly recommended custom maker. That should have been mentionned from the fanboys, like the slippery knurling.
* the l-m-h, high CRI insert makes a fine high cri, but is way too dim. Even the non high cri version were to dim. No match for the really bright Kdlitker.
that is imho the 1st argument for the 21700: more power!
So higher power insert "needed"
Yes, correct, the "dim" brightness, that was clear from bedinning, I know.
That was why I never opted for a Malkoff till now.
Makes it even worse for me, that I finally did it - it was simply MY wrong decision.
the rest - watertightness, slippery body, bad thermal mounting/aluminium tape, maybe also the (for me) "wrong" threading of the end cap ...
... were OK with a cheapo light/body, but not in the price region that custom part is situated in.
Here I expected far more - my bad
Did I type you all spend too much time at the Computer, when only coming for the looong story?
doh,
the more I think about it, the more I get unhappy.
And do not forget:
that is not the cheapo chinese "clone" of anything, as the fanboys like to state all the time,
that is a highly regarded (and well expensive) custom label product.
that head is even worse as my initial thoughts,
because of the front glass that is isolating the insert at the front (from the thermal path to the head).
and then the narrow retaining ring at the back.
the insert is simply cooking itself and can not get the heat away good.
An "easy" fix might "just" be a thicker (?) retaining ring that encases more of the insert
a solution far from perfect, but at least useful
(and not adding much more labor or cost)
.. tell me when I am unfair here ...
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