The Malkoff Front Porch

[Lights and Guns]

I hope you'll post your opinion of how well that works for you after application / testing, and if you're happy with the results, perhaps what specific tape you used. Thanx!

Here is what I came up with. Took me about 3 minutes. The wrap solved my problem, it’s no longer slick at all.

Also find it much more comfortable to hold because I wrapped it about 3 times, making the diameter of the light body a bit bigger.

The only thing I’d do differently then this time is not leaving any space between wraps.

If you go over the wrap and make it tight, with every wrap maybe 50% of tape on tape and 50% off (if that makes sense) so the tape won’t have any edges as a weak point.

You can see in the picture on my last wrap I left some spaces between the wrap as I went around the body of the light. That opens the door to potential problems such as the tape peeling from both sides, whereas if you went over the tape every wrap 50/50 your covering the tape with more tape and not leaving the sides of the tape exposed so would make it much more durable (think baseball bat wrap)

I went ahead and walked around and tried the light out in multiple holds and man… it’s perfect.
I even went as far as to wet my hand and grab the light without drying my hand to simulate using it in the rain / around water…. and the tape seemed to grip my hand even better when wet!…

Needless to say for $4 roll of tape I am not upset… even if this stuff wore out after a couple months … I have enough tape to rewrap the light at least 3-4 more times…

With that said, the only thing to wait and see on is the durability of the tape. I used this basic bat tape for now.

However if this doesn’t end up working out for whatever reason, the next tape I’ll be buying is self-fusing rubber/silicone grip tape…

Hopefully this tape will hold up over time.
But if anybody wants to correct the slipping issue for a cheap and easy fix I’d say this tape would be the answer… the only thing I don’t like about it is the grip tape has a unique smell that I don’t necessarily care for.

Ordinarily I wouldn't be bothering to correct the issue, but this light's amazing and absolutely love the form factor / output along with the UI.
So, this is my attempt at correcting the one thing I didn't like about the light. (Slippery finish)

The grip wi the this tape isn’t SUPER grippy, but the light doesn’t feel like it’s slipping in my hand at all or nearly as much as it was without it.

With that said I think the rubber/silicon grip tape would probably be more grippy. - might give that a try in the future if this tape needs to come off for any reason in the future. - but for now I’m happy with how this came out.

 

[Dave D]

It's disappointing that anyone has to go to the lengths of applying grip tape etc to make a flashlight functional!

I do find it strange that when Gene was interviewed, he stated that 70% of their customers are LEO or Military, so why did he even bother to change the MD bodies to this slick design?

 

[Guitar Guy]

I actually like the new style pineapple bodies, and don't see a real difference in grippability compared to the relatively mild knurling on the older bodies, but I'm not using it with wet or greasy hands either, so if enough of you are complaining, then it must be an issue.

I'm wondering if you got the skinniest available inner tube for a 10 speed bicycle and cut a small section to slide over the body, if it would be tight enough to stretch over the tube and add some grip without slipping. Or, maybe just the right style of handlebar grip for a motorcycle or bicycle could be installed. Would probably have to be glued.

Or, learn how to do a knotless paracord wrap. I've done these on numerous Maglites, hammers, hatchets, shovels, garden hoes, lawn mower handles, hand tool handles, etc. Once you get the hang of it and make them ultra tight, they stay put and add grip & comfort. If you strip out the inner strands of the cord and just use the outer sheath, it lays pretty flat. Or you can leave the inner strands for more bulk. For the pineapple grip, I'd probably wrap it first with electrical tape to flatten out the surface, and then use the hollowed out paracord. Don't know, just a few ideas.

Several different styles of wraps here.

Did these real quick one day out of some scrap pieces of cord a few years ago. There still in use, as pictured.

 

[intake_monk]

I'll probably try that paracord setup also. Here's my goofy frankenstein 18650HD+MD21700 setup. The ring is from here, and it's also using the Olight clip linked earlier in the thread.

With this setup you can do cigar grip, you can do a regular full hand grip, and twisting the light for hi lo makes a satisfying ratchety feel when the clip rubs along the knurling on the hound dog head (probably not good for the finish though). Also pocket carryable by using the cap portion of the clip.

 

[Lights and Guns]

It's disappointing that anyone has to go to the lengths of applying grip tape etc to make a flashlight functional!

I do find it strange that when Gene was interviewed, he stated that 70% of their customers are LEO or Military, so why did he even bother to change the MD bodies to this slick design?

You’re right, but at the end of the day… this light provides me with what I need output and runtime wise. Along with knowing it’s USA made / produced and it honestly is a tank of a light.
Spending $4 for some grip tape and taking 3 minutes to wrap the handle with some is hardly a “chore” I enjoy tinkering with things and get a level of satisfaction when I’m able to tweak something and improve on it myself…

I’ve been carrying the light for the past few days now and any slip issues have been solved. The light feels great in the hand and no matter how many times I turn it on and off my hand doesn’t move, the light stays put…. Problem solved for 3 minutes worth of worth and $4 of money…

I’d say that’s well worth it.

Sure I wish gene could have come up with a more grippy finish in the first place, but where else can I get a light that can compete with this 1 in particular? Not many out there that provide all of what this does. From factor / ui / output / runtime / track record ect… ect…

 

[NH Lumens]

View attachment 51835

The 21700 body with an 18650 head is an interesting combination, but some tailcap options would be useful. How does it work when gripped like this?

 

[Dicaeopolis]

It's disappointing that anyone has to go to the lengths of applying grip tape etc to make a flashlight functional!

I do find it strange that when Gene was interviewed, he stated that 70% of their customers are LEO or Military, so why did he even bother to change the MD bodies to this slick design?

I do like the slick bodies for some applications. I would ideally like to see him offer one two choices, one slick and another grippy more along the lines of an Elzetta body. I use a slick 16650 old style body every day and use the pineapple body on a HOT or Hound Dog after the clocks change at work. I take that light out of my pocket probably between 100 and 200 times a day. I carried a newer ribbed MDC body one day and it was so much slower and tugged at my pants cloth all day long, but there are times when I like the ribbed body or a grippier MD2-4 body.

 

[intake_monk]

The 21700 body with an 18650 head is an interesting combination, but some tailcap options would be useful. How does it work when gripped like this?

View attachment 51883

View attachment 51884

View attachment 51885

It's not fantastic as I had it.

The ring is held by elastic tension so you can move it lower onto the body to facilitate that grip better. I had it where it was because it cleared the knurling and settled on the smooth area nicely.

I'm not sure if it's the geometry of the switch or my palm, but the switch is too recessed to activate with the meat of my palm when holding it like this. I abandoned the cigar grip, and jammed my palm into it with my body weight behind it, and couldn't wiggle enough skin/flesh into the recess to depress the button.

Edit: OOF gonna cut my nails when I get home - yikes.

 

[NH Lumens]

I'm not sure if it's the geometry of the switch or my palm, but the switch is too recessed to activate with the meat of my palm when holding it like this. I abandoned the cigar grip, and jammed my palm into it with my body weight behind it, and couldn't wiggle enough skin/flesh into the recess to depress the button.

That's been my experience as well trying to use tailcaps with fully recessed switches with the Rogers-Surefire technique.

I can kind of make it work with the tricap, but not reliably. What's needed is a non-shrouded tailcap for this technique, and boot protrusion and stiffness can be used to tweak sensitivity. Otherwise I resort to the ice pick grip.

 

[md17]

So, while it’s not an official test, here are two shots of the hound dog on 2 18650 vs 1

2 18650

1 18650

 

[thermal guy]

Ya you’re not going to see much difference. Maybe 150-200 Lumens.

 

[md17]

Ya you’re not going to see much difference. Maybe 150-200 Lumens.

I don’t have to be concerned about damaging anything using only 1-18650 do I?

And what makes the hound dog 18650 differ from the regular hound dog if the newer version can also run on 1-18650. Is it a different beam pattern?

 

[akula88]

My first Malkoffs :

1. VME head and AA/14500 body. This is hosting a custom Sportac XHP50.3 Hi

2. Malkoff 18650 body to host a variety of heads.

The 18650 body is about 5/16" taller than the stock Surefire E2L-A

 

[thermal guy]

And it begins 😁

 

[F89]

Does anyone know if the 3 mode lights still use visible PWM?

I have an older M361N (XPG2) that has really obvious, to the point of occasionally annoying PWM on the lower modes. From memory the EDC lights were the same.

Generally I don’t mind PWM if I can’t see it in use but the frequency on these Malkoff 3 mode drivers is too much for me, so I’m hoping they’ve changed.

 

[md17]

Anyone have a picture of an md3 with the Thyrm LPC?

 

[ilikeguns40]

have you ever tried google search?

 

[md17]

have you ever tried google search?
View attachment 52180

Apparently not. Thanks.

 

[ilikeguns40]

It’s a great combo, but the cloud defensive clip is much better IMO

 

[md17]

It’s a great combo, but the cloud defensive clip is much better IMO

I’ve been trying to carry the md4 for a week or so in different jackets, but it’s even just a bit big for that, so I am going to get the md3 body. Some reading was saying that it cuts battery life by about 50% with the 18500. Hoping it’s not that drastic.