RARE MAGLITES

[sween1911]

Unique red color 5D....

All that survives of my dad's 80's 5D

Not until I read Jay (LiftdTR4)'s blog did I realize that the Mag 5D that my dad had back in the mid to late 80's was special. He got it from my uncle for Christmas. We had a couple other newer red ones and I could tell the color was different but figured it was just a color variant over time. It eventually fell victim to alkaline leakage and was thrown out. I really wish I'd tried to save it, or at least saved the whole head.

The light he had was colored very much like the burgundy one in Jay's blog page...

Maglite: More than a Cop light

A blog where I'll display my vintage Maglite Collection, including some very rare lights, and for other collectors to discuss information on lights, parts, history, repairs, and restoration.

maglitehistory.blogspot.com

Here it is next to a newer bezel from red 3D...

 

[knucklegary]

Here's a 6C

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A 5C

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And a few other C's

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Dan, when you have time how about restoring these photos?

 

[bykfixer]

@sween1911 I have a promo light enroute and will use your photos to see if the Winston promo lights had their own shade of red or used stock red.


Later in the day.....

Well the Winston was more orange than an XL200 and ML25 but....

It may also have been different than vintage red as well, but maybe not. Too close for me to call.
Hope you don't mind me swiping a copy of your photo Sween1911.

 

[knucklegary]

I like the Winston color, it's kind of a fire burnt orange red

 

[raggie33]

i was so prould of my AA maglight i recall throwing on ground to prove how tough it was and the candle mode was cool. but once leds came out i lost intestest

 

[Monocrom]

i was so prould of my AA maglight i recall throwing on ground to prove how tough it was and the candle mode was cool. but once leds came out i lost intestest

You can still do candle mode. Plus now, with the latest batch of twist-on LED full-size models, candle-mode is actually blazing bright!

 

[xxo]

Get yourself a LED AAA Mini Mag and/or a 2C dual mode ML25, they still do candle mode but they are really to bright to look at directly - better to use them with a 3D printed diffuser.

 

[knucklegary]

Unique red color 5D....

All that survives of my dad's 80's 5D
View attachment 29224

Not until I read Jay (LiftdTR4)'s blog did I realize that the Mag 5D that my dad had back in the mid to late 80's was special. He got it from my uncle for Christmas. We had a couple other newer red ones and I could tell the color was different but figured it was just a color variant over time. It eventually fell victim to alkaline leakage and was thrown out. I really wish I'd tried to save it, or at least saved the whole head.

The light he had was colored very much like the burgundy one in Jay's blog page...

Maglite: More than a Cop light

A blog where I'll display my vintage Maglite Collection, including some very rare lights, and for other collectors to discuss information on lights, parts, history, repairs, and restoration.

maglitehistory.blogspot.com

Here it is next to a newer bezel from red 3D...
View attachment 29225

The "R" replaced "TM" after 1987 and if no "D" in serial dates it pre '92

 

[knucklegary]

How rare is color merlot?
3D, high serial number, guessing 2008-'09..
Did ML offer color grape on other models as well? (mini's?) A one year run?

Must of been a good year for CA wine grapes

 

[earcandy]

A red 2D with a TM bezel. It was already well-worn when I got it. It's one of my favorites.

 

[earcandy]

An early 4D (1981?) with TM bezel and "paten pending" barrel. It's also seen some use. A previous owner carved his name on the barrel (not visible in the photo) and the tail cap threads were a bit buggered up, presumably from old alka-leak. The switch was jammed when I got it (no "click"). I feared more alka-leak, but all I found was a thick green patina inside the switch. It cleaned up well and it "clicks" now, but I don't know that I would trust those tail threads. There's only about a turn and a half to secure four D cells plus the spring pressure.

 

[knucklegary]

Check if helicoil makes a threaded insert. Early barrels have plenty meat, should be able to tap and thread..

 

[earcandy]

Check if helicoil makes a threaded insert. Early barrels have plenty meat, should be able to tap and thread..

Not a bad idea. I hadn't even considered that.

 

[bykfixer]

If it won't thread all the way down without a spring the threads can be cleaned with a right angle dental pic. If it's because the spring is so tight you can cut a coil and re-bend the tip with linesman pliers.

 

[earcandy]

If it won't thread all the way down without a spring the threads can be cleaned with a right angle dental pic. If it's because the spring is so tight you can cut a coil and re-bend the tip with linesman pliers.

The end cap will thread smoothly enough, but there's enough metal missing from the barrel threads that there's not much left to bite. I tried a different end cap and it wasn't any better.

 

[earcandy]

A 2C Mag-Lite with a 3C Kel-Lite. I am a Kel-Lite fan, but I only have a couple of them. A 3C Kel-Lite is actually shorter than a 2C Mag because of the Mag's internal switch. The Kel-Lite dates to about 1971 with the serial number on the barrel, but the Barstow tail cap is later, circa 1974, and the color doesn't match the barrel. Perhaps the original was lost and replaced. The 2C Mag-Lite has a TM bezel with a low serial number and a "paten" barrel. I have seen several D-cell Mags with a "paten" barrel, but never another C-cell.

 

[knucklegary]

Not a bad idea. I hadn't even considered that.

If don't have the means.. I can measure thread size and pitch tomorrow. Need to dust off few webs and get into my machinist tool box.
If it's out of helicoil range there's other options, but you'll need a metal lathe. Still it's not a big deal, a good machine shop can (should be able) shoot it out in less than hour

 

[ABTOMAT]

A couple things I've noticed about Kel-Lites. One is the flashlights in the field don't always match the official description of markings/dates. There definitely was some mixing and matching during the production runs. The second is I think that scheme they describe is just for the D-cell lights. I've never seen a normal C-cell flashlight without a Barstow tailcap regardless of how the light was marked.

 

[bykfixer]

Agreed. I have a few variously marked C size 1st gen and all have Barstow. I thought I had a blank one but it was a D size.
I do have one with a tailcap rumored to be Tony Maglica made.

 

[earcandy]

My 3C tail cap looks similar, but it does not have the Kel-Lite flashlight-shaped logo.