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To Buy or Not to Buy a McLuxIII-Ti-PD-S

xcel730

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Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
1,765
Location
NY
Hello Guys,

This is going to be my most expensive flashlight purchase to date (hopefully it will be my last). I've found a member here who's willing to sell his Ti-PD-S to and I'm having a very tough time deciding whether I want to buy it or not. I never thought I would be debating whether to spend over $500 for a flashlight.

I already have some very high quality lights, and I have a few more that are on its way to me. Currently, for my EDC, I carry a Novatac 120P in my pocket (I alternate it with my newly acquired BitZ, and soon my Lummi Raw AL), and a Fenix L0d in my keychains (until my Draco AlTin arrives). My Novatac is my most versatile flashlight, and it's perfect for both work and outdoor excursions.

Anyway, I've been drooling all over the McLux-PD-S, especially the Ti version. I found a lot of reading materials relating to McLuxIII that I'll be going through (dating back as far as a few years back) ... but it is to the point where it's too much reading, and not knowing what's relevant. If you McLuxIII owners could chime in and answer a few of my questions, that'll be helpful in my decision making process.

(1) The one I'm looking at is a mizer Ti-PD-S. I believe it is a P4 version. What is the high and low output level? Surprisingly, very few information relating to the lumens are found in the threads. I understand that those who buy a McGizmo light is not going for high lumens rating, but I just need a ballpark figure to know whether it's suitable.

(2) What's the estimated weight of the Ti-PD? My Novatac weighs in at about 3.3 ounces, and it's about as heavy as I want to carry in my jacket pocket.

(3) Do you guys actually use it or is it a shelf queen?

(4) Would you still get a Ti-PD considering all the newer lights currently in the market?

Please persuade or dissuade me one way or another. Thanks
 
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Cuso

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
May 18, 2006
Messages
1,733
Location
Florida
Re: To Buy or Not to Buy a McLuxIII-Ti-PD

Get-it...period. No need to ask questions...Just get it. The tells us how you like that Ti.:devil:
 

yaesumofo

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 21, 2003
Messages
3,701
Location
Eastern Pacific, LAX DM03 sw actual
Re: To Buy or Not to Buy a McLuxIII-Ti-PD

The TI PD is a fine flashlight. Absolutely worthy of EDC.
That said if you can get your hands on a Lunasol 20 It does everything a Ti PD will do and MORE. The Lunasol 20 is the direct down line replacement to the TI PD mizer or not.
The TiPD will have a warmer tint of emitter. while the Lunasol has 2 completly different beams both of which are on the cool side. Alone they are just fine. when compered to other emitters they can look very cool.
Read about them.
The point is that for something like $25 MORE YOU can have the most bleeding edge McGizmo flashlight out there. and it is a fine light.

Some people really like this style of light.
Some people do not. If you buy one you will easily be able to get your investment out of it.

I hate to screw up somebody's TI PD sale but to be frank (I have both a Lunasol and tipd) I prefer the Lunasol to the TI PD at the moment.
The Lunasol may be available if you post a WTB on the custom BST forums. Patience may be required but it may well be worth a wait.
Yaesumofo



Hello Guys,

This is going to be my most expensive flashlight purchase to date (hopefully it will be my last). I've found a member here who's willing to sell his Ti-PD to and I'm having a very tough time deciding whether I want to buy it or not. I never thought I would be debating whether to spend over $500 for a flashlight.

I already have some very high quality lights, and I have a few more that are on its way to me. Currently, for my EDC, I carry a Novatac 120P in my pocket (I alternate it with my newly acquired BitZ, and soon my Lummi Raw AL), and a Fenix L0d in my keychains (until my Draco AlTin arrives). My Novatac is my most versatile flashlight, and it's perfect for both work and outdoor excursions.

Anyway, I've been drooling all over the McLux-PD-S, especially the Ti version. I found a lot of reading materials relating to McLuxIII that I'll be going through (dating back as far as a few years back) ... but it is to the point where it's too much reading, and not knowing what's relevant. If you McLuxIII owners could chime in and answer a few of my questions, that'll be helpful in my decision making process.

(1) The one I'm looking at is a miser Ti-PD-S. I believe it is a P4 version. What is the high and low output level? Surprisingly, very few information relating to the lumens are found in the threads. I understand that those who buy a McGizmo light is not going for high lumens rating, but I just need a ballpark figure to know whether it's suitable.

(2) What's the estimated weight of the Ti-PD? My Novatac weighs in at about 3.3 ounces, and it's about as heavy as I want to carry in my jacket pocket.

(3) Do you guys actually use it or is it a shelf queen?

(4) Would you still get a Ti-PD considering all the newer lights currently in the market?

Please persuade or dissuade me one way or another. Thanks
 

jch79

**Do Not Feed The Vegan**,
Joined
May 2, 2006
Messages
3,661
Location
On the asphalt.
Dunno the answers to the first two questions, but:

(3) Do you guys actually use it or is it a shelf queen?

YES! :thumbsup: Don's lights are at their BEST when they're used! And those character marks just make it all the more special!

(4) Would you still get a Ti-PD considering all the newer lights currently in the market?

I'd get a Ti-PD because of the newer lights currently in the market! :sick2:

The Ti-PD, in ANY of it's variations, represents the very best in custom flashlights - despite what Don may say! :nana:

Get it, and if you don't like it, pass it on to another! :)

john
 

xcel730

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
1,765
Location
NY
I basically missed two Lunasol 20 flashlights in the past two days. Initially I thought, "it's a $600 flashlight, I have some time to think it over". Well, the first one sold in 5 minutes, the second one sold in like 10 hours.

Since we have so many McGizmo fans here ... I considering picking it up and if I don't like it, I'll sell it back here at the cost I paid.
 

precisionworks

Flashaholic
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
6,623
Location
Benton Illinois
When a McLight is listed at a reasonable (to you) price, the safest bet is to buy it. I regret not jumping on the LunaSol 20 when the listing appeared.

Buy it (whichever one you prefer), try it, flip it on BST if it isn't what you want. Pretty low risk & probably zero cost to give it a test drive.
 

jch79

**Do Not Feed The Vegan**,
Joined
May 2, 2006
Messages
3,661
Location
On the asphalt.
Re: To Buy or Not to Buy a McLuxIII-Ti-PD

That said if you can get your hands on a Lunasol 20 It does everything a Ti PD will do and MORE.

:thinking: How do you figure?

IMHO, they're two different lights, each with their own advantages and disadvantages over the other. :shrug:
 

The Coach

Enlightened
Joined
May 2, 2007
Messages
924
Location
New Jersey
I agonized over the price too, but I finally got one and now I have 19 McGizmos and I never leave home without my Ti PD-S in my Holester on my hip. It's worth every cent. :twothumbs
 

xcel730

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
1,765
Location
NY
I think ultimately, that's what I'm afraid of. If it's just one Ti-PD, no problem. 19?!? I'll be living off the streets.:eek:

I agonized over the price too, but I finally got one and now I have 19 McGizmos and I never leave home without my Ti PD-S in my Holester on my hip. It's worth every cent. :twothumbs
 

yaesumofo

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Joined
Jul 21, 2003
Messages
3,701
Location
Eastern Pacific, LAX DM03 sw actual
IMHO this is the right move wether you buy the tipd or the Lunasol.
Yaesumofo


I basically missed two Lunasol 20 flashlights in the past two days. Initially I thought, "it's a $600 flashlight, I have some time to think it over". Well, the first one sold in 5 minutes, the second one sold in like 10 hours.

Since we have so many McGizmo fans here ... I considering picking it up and if I don't like it, I'll sell it back here at the cost I paid.
 

starfiretoo

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Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
1,265
Location
KAUAI
Re: To Buy or Not to Buy a McLuxIII-Ti-PD

There is something about titanium that hooks guys:shrug: Same way gold affected King Midas. Diamonds affect females. Beware:devil:

Ti PD with SF battery 2.9 oz.

Whether you use it or not is up to you. I met a guy that wore a $50k (at the time) Patek Philippe everyday. I couldn't. Depends how you feel about using a $500-600 light.

The mizer on high is 300ma. The regular version is 500ma. McGizmo's newest lights run 400ma. The P4 would refer to Seoul SSC P4 LED.

The PD is the original work horse so to speak. For it to have increase in value after all these years even after newer versions have come on the scene says much about these lights. Period:thumbsup:
 

griff

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Joined
Mar 22, 2007
Messages
1,917
Location
Kansas
I've EDC my TiPD since day one! I liked it so much that I picked up
two more. The reason you don't see TiPD's for sale says it all!
Buy one try it out and if you don't like it I'll buy it from you!
Money back guarantee
 

xcel730

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Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
1,765
Location
NY
Griff, that's very generous of you. I'm now more tempted to get it. The version the seller has is a mizer Ti-PD-S. From my research, it seems like the mizer version spits out about 45 lumens on high. It's ironic how people are seeking higher and higher lumens output, yet McGizmo fans are fine with lower lumens. Anyway, I don't want to offend the original seller, so I'm not going to disclose the price here ... but you know the general figure. If I don't end up getting it from him, I could matchmake you guys if you wish.

I've EDC my TiPD since day one! I liked it so much that I picked up
two more. The reason you don't see TiPD's for sale says it all!
Buy one try it out and if you don't like it I'll buy it from you!
Money back guarantee
 

stevevh

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 6, 2004
Messages
269
Location
Dallas TX
Just do it!

Can't go wrong with any of Don's lights. Very functional art at its finest!!

Steve
 

AvroArrow

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Joined
Jan 21, 2004
Messages
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Location
Vancouver, BC
Ahh... where to start. The Ti PD-S (non-mizer) was also the most expensive light that I purchased at one point in time so I know the feeling. Prior to that, it was a HDS U60GT that I bought for about $150ish when they were being cleared/phased out about a year prior to my PD-S purchase.

1) As for output, check out this great thread by Codeman:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/157532

His pictures in that thread convinced me to buy a PD-S non-mizer from Don's last wave of Ti PD-S. BTW, a PD-S means that it has a Seoul SSC P4 emitter, probably a UW0I bin. The original Ti PD had varying bins of LuxIII emitters. As for brightness, Codeman's post should give you a rough idea of the output of the Mizer version. My non-mizer was very close in brightness to the 85P that I used to own. Their beam patterns are also similar. The low is about the same brightness as an Arc AAA-CS if you have one of those, but whiter obviously.

2) Weight is very similar. With my uncalibrated Mk.1 hands, the Ti PD-S is just a tad heavier.

3) I EDCed my HDS until I bought the PD-S, then it became my EDC until just a couple days ago when I received my LunaSol20, now that is my EDC.

4) Maybe... but that's only because of the release of the LunaSol20.

The Ti PD-S is a wonderful light. It's not the brightest, smallest, or technically most advanced, but that's not the point. I still have a HDS U60GT (modded w/SSC) and at one point had a 85P and 120P. I prefer the simpler UI and feel of the PD-S. If you do decide to get it, there are a couple things to adjust to compared to your 120P. You will have to twist the head to get constant on because the piston on the back is momentary only... and you'll have to work out your thumb a bit to keep it pressed down for more than 5 seconds. I didn't realize how whimpy my thumb was when I first got it. BTW, the one-handed twisting of the head can also take some getting used to. I got my Ti PD-S from Don's last wave and apparently it was better than the previous ones in terms of machining and twisting, but it was still kind of rough and takes a bit of effort to twist one-handed, at least until you break it in.

As for recommendation, my opinion is similar to what yaesumofo said. I also don't want to mess up someone's potential sale, but if you're going to be spending around $500ish for the first time, you may want to grab a LunaSol20 instead, either waiting for a good deal from BST (the last couple went for $600 I think) or wait until Don's next wave of LS20s. I find that the triangular low beam with its "no-hot-spot" flood light of the LS20 is more useful than the low of the PD-S because the side-spill of the PD-S on low isn't that illuminating. The high of the LS20 is very similar to the PD-S, but with a smaller hotspot and it's just barely dimmer than my PD-S. Plus the LS20 has even better machining so the twisting action is even smoother.

There are 2 potential drawbacks to the LS20, depending on your tastes. The tint is definitely on the cool/blue side on both the low and high beams, so if you're a white wall hunter, this is not for you. The other point is that it uses a NexGen driver so it only runs primaries, a rechargable Li-ion will fry it. The PD-S uses a GD driver that can take both primaries and rechargables.

I hope I haven't muddled up your decision more than it already is. :D I think you can deduce that I really like the LS20 and it's almost the perfect light for me... almost. Swap out the Golden Dragon for a warmer tinted Rebel 100 and add another 3mm Nichia (4 total) to make low a tad brighter and get rid of the odd triangular flood light and it'll be perfect for me. :devil:
 

da.gee

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Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
733
The Lunasol did not speak to me. I don't know why. When I hold my Ti PD-S I believe I have a great blend of art, design and function. Ti is the bonus.

I also have two other aluminum McLuxIII PDs and I like them a lot too! The McLuxIII is just a must have classic in whatever form you can get it.

P.S. It will sell in five minutes if you no likey. Quicker if griff or donn are watching.
 

js

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Aug 2, 2003
Messages
5,793
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Upstate New York
xcel730,

I wanted to add one bit of advice: forget how much you paid for the light once you've purchased it. Do a mental disconnect there, and try to consider the flashlight just in terms of the flashlight itself, without always registering the fact that you paid $500 or $600. Given that you have the disposable income to spend, don't worry about it. As long as you aren't going into debt to buy this, or stealing your kids back-to-school clothes money, just forget the price. It's a custom light made in very limited quantity. You simply can't compare the price of a Ti-PD or LS20 to the price of a SureFire or Fenix or Novatac. I mean, obviously you can, and you already have done so in some way or another, in the process of buying it. But what I mean is that you shouldn't try to think in terms of cost/value. Set that sort of thinking aside. That is not for someone who is considering a limited run custom light.

Because if you are constantly skewing your thinking in that way, you will mess up your assessment and appreciation of your Ti-PD once you get it. Whereas if you just imagine that someone had lent it to you or given it to you to use for a while, and you just let your experience unfold naturally and organically, then after some time, you will probably get to the point where you will say "Damn, this light is just so fine, I would want one at almost any price. It is definitely for me" or you will get to the point where you will say "Damn this light is really nice, but it's just not for me because . . ."

What you don't want to do is to ruin your evaluation of the light because you are constantly going "Holy &%^&*(! I paid $600 for a flashlight." This will put all the weight of expectation and stressful myopic vision against the enjoyment of your new light.

I know that the photos of the Ti-PD's or LS27/20 lights are definitely drool-worthy and they are unquestionably works of art. But they aren't meant to be shelf queens. They shouldn't be the lights that you drool over. They should be the lights that your hand misses when you don't EDC them, that become like a second nature, a trusted friend, that you don't even realize how great it is until you are without.

Get the Ti-PD. Just make sure you have the right frame of mind to give it a fair shake. Just my $.02. YMMV.
 
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easilyled

Flashaholic
Joined
Jun 25, 2004
Messages
7,252
Location
Middlesex, UK
I have many McG lights and many other high-end Ti lights (fortunately)
but my Ti PD-S is my favourite light of all time.

It will take something monumental to change this and nearly did
in the SPY007.

However, as beautiful as the SPY007 is, I'd probably reach for the Ti-PD-S
first for EDC.

Its bombproof, completely water-proof and I love the fact that it has
a retaining bezel-ring for the window (which makes it very easy
to change out the window, reflector and center the led if the user
so desires).

The LunaSols are very ingenious for their 2 different beams and fantastic
lights in their own right but I prefer the Ti-PD-S because I prefer
the fact that there is a bezel-retaining ring and also because electronically
its less complex and probably easier to upgrade.

I also find that the low and high provide for me personally everything that
I need in a beam pattern anyway.
 
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