Most every flashlight here gets a name so we'll call this one the "EDC 416" because it's made from 416 stainless steel. This alloy is noted for good machinability, so it seemed like a good choice for my first stainless light.
The goal from the outset was a small light for general use around the house. In this application, a searing spot can be overkill. A reasonably bright but smooth flood would fill the bill, so a Ledil Rocket M optic was chosen to spread out the photons from a single-level XR-E Q5 powered by an AA. The Rocket has an integral base that was clipped off and then trued up on the lathe so it would fit neatly over the LED. Since the purpose of this optic is diffusion and its surface is pebble-grained, there isn't much point in covering it up with glass to protect it from scratches. Instead, the face of the optic is pushed against an o-ring inside the front retaining ring to achieve a seal.
Stainless is a poor conductor of heat but that isn't much of a problem with a single XR-E. Its other major disadvantage is weight. To keep the light from being a boat anchor, an effort was made "add lightness" by removing as much material as reasonably possible. The body was deeply grooved to take out some weight while preserving enough girth to feel good in the hand. With battery, the weight is 6 ounces. A similar light made from aluminum weighs 4 ounces, so the advantages of stainless were gained with a tolerable weight penalty.
Because the wall of the head is quite thin, it would have been difficult to provide an o-ring seal for the front retaining ring. The threads are very fine, though, and with a heavy application of Nyogel, it should be sufficiently water resistant to do fine at normal surface pressure.
The finish is bright but less than perfectly polished. All the parts were turned with a red Scotch Pad followed by some lapping compound. The head and tail cap were then bead blasted to make the finish less monotonous and to give the head a surface that can be more securely gripped. The result is a combination of appearance and utility that makes the effort worthwhile.
Here's a beamshot:
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