My new gritty Rotary...

[fmarinai]

[FONT=&quot]A greeting to all the participants in this section of the forum from Italy; even if it is the first time that I write something, I have followed you for several years.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I am a fan of flashlights (and, like many of you, with a thousand other interests ...) and I currently own 5 HDS, the first was a 140 Tactical Clicky purchased in 2012 while all the others are Rotary.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I have always bought HDS flashlight from European dealers, and it is precisely for the last purchase made a few days ago (325 Tactical Rotary) that I write this message: first of all, although of little importance, this was the first time I received a new HDS flashlight with the included battery totally discharged. OK, it can happen ... The most important "problem" concerns the rotary control: it’s totally gritty, I can feel and hear little micro clicks as I rotate it.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]The flashlight works perfectly, but it is the first time of all the rotary that I have I encountered this condition. Could it be normal for a newly purchased Rotary to behave like this? Among other things, it is the first time that I also find grease residues coming out of the rotary control.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Do you consider this condition normal? [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Thanks everyone for your support.
Flavio

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[Kestrel]

Hello Flavio & :welcome:
Sorry that I don't have any insight on the HDS, but after approving your moderated post this morning I wanted to note that I believe this to be a new CPF record re: 15 years between forum registration and a first post.

 

[fmarinai]

Hello Flavio & :welcome:

LOL

Thanks Kestrel !!!


Consider that, if I hadn't had a problem, I could have even improved this record ...


But I'm a careful reader ... :twothumbs

 

[KITROBASKIN]

And such excellent taste in flashlights. Let's hope a member can answer your concerns.

 

[jon_slider]

Do you consider this condition normal?

past posts about gritty rotary dials

 

[bigburly912]

I’ve never had one that wasn’t “gritty” that didn’t work itself out eventually. As for the grease, I’ve never seen that.

 

[nbp]

Some of the older ones are a little gritty, some seem not to be. It doesn’t affect anything, per Henry. It’s those little fingers clicking. The newer ones seem to be tweaked a bit and typically don’t click. The grease I would assume is just a little excess on the o-ring under the rotary dial working itself out as it’s twisted. I would just wipe it off and roll on.

 

[gottawearshades]

Is this one of the new rotaries with the coated tail? My latest rotary from about a month ago has what sounds like the same problem, almost like clicks all the way around. I was wondering if it was an issue with the new coating on SS tails.

I am afraid of disassembling it myself. Flirting with the idea of sending it in to be looked at.

 

[bigburly912]

It’s not a problem. Have you seen the inside of the rotary? Read NBP post above. It has fingers in it that roll over eachother when you turn it

 

[nbp]

Right, look at the disassembly pics in the link jonslider posted. You will see exactly why it makes those faint clicks when you see how the contacts drag across one another. Those who have taken them apart say it’s not easy and generally don’t recommend it. Sending it in may not change anything as it is a result of how the tail is designed.

 

[Tejasandre]

I had a gritty one, I passed it on. Still have 3 smooth action ones.

Wonder if the seller tried to grease it to smooth the grittiness, resulting in the excess grease.

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

I have 3 rotaries, the cerakote one is the smoothest, followed by my 18650 (aluminum cap), then my panda. I hope the grittiness on yours works its self out.

 

[fmarinai]

Thanks everyone for your answers.


I have read the old posts related to gritty Rotary (Thanks jon_slider) and your considerations: at this point, I now consider the condition of my last Rotary to be normal.


But.. I'll try to do something ...


My other 3 Rotary all have a very smooth mechanism, for this reason I found the functioning of the latest one strange (@gottawearshades: even if purchased a few days ago, mine doesn’t have a SS tail cap) and at the moment, using the latest arrival as EDC, I replaced the battery compartment with one of the old ones ...


In the meantime, I'm studying ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond’s old 2014 post about Rotary tailcap opening… I’ll let you know…

 

[redryder]

Sending it in may not change anything as it is a result of how the tail is designed.

+1. I had a gritty one that had sporadic problems with the switch. Sent it in for service, came back with an even more gritty rotary but at least the switch is fine.

 

[the.Mtn.Man]

I have a high CRI Rotary that's about 7-years old at this point that had a silky smooth dial. I sent it in recently for a firmware upgrade and repair (boot had split), and it feels a little rougher than it did before. It's perfectly functional, just doesn't feel the same.

 

[KaIIe]

Hello Flavio,

same here with my 18650 tube. Very gritty, you can feel and hear it rotating, other than my older ones, very smooth, completely silent and nothing to feel while rotating. Contacted Henry and send it in for service, from Germany...
Bought a new one from knives and tools few weeks ago, same grittines, even louder and it feels like a sandpit.
Loss of quality inn the rotary is really starting to **** me off at that price point.
But it's still the best light out there...
Greetings to Italy

 

[adamlau]

I wouldn't say mine are gritty, though I can feel a tactile stepping and what sounds like wire ping against the rotary wall on occassion. Par for the course!

 

[fmarinai]

Hello Flavio,...

Hello Kalle,


same dealer (K&T) for my latest gritty one.


I also have absolutely not changed my opinion regarding HDS quality, an HDS flashlight is always with me, sometimes side by side with other flashlights for more specialized needs.


If the latest addition had been my first HDS flashlight, I wouldn't have even bothered with the gritty rotary control, but it's the fourth rotary I have and all the others are very smoothy.


If you can, update me if you have solved it.


Greetings to Germany !!!

 

[Tejasandre]

Those aren’t the newest version fellas. I had a a gritty one too. Next one I bought directly from HDs was better. I think your supplier has a stock of older rotaries.

 

[adamlau]

Those aren’t the newest version fellas.

I have two ordered and received direct from HDS from the last quarter of last year. Both exhibit grittiness to some degree. It's fine by me, never thought to bring it up until now.