Unicorns and Grail lights, what's yours?

[Dknight16]

Barrel 10-1L Titanium TAD Edition. XP-L HI 5000k

 

[LiteTheWay]

Sunwayman V11R for me. Most adaptable light (ever) made. Too bad not made any more. The nearest now is the Jetbeam RRT-01 - a great light as already mentioned here - but does not take AA cells.

 

[jon_slider]

Sunwayman V11R

True multi fuel, but only 90 lumens on AA

fwiw, theres a very nice Titanium one in the classifieds, includes the AA extension

 

[jacobd]

Barrel 10-1L Titanium TAD Edition. XP-L HI 5000k
View attachment 66891

Man that etched topo pattern is SO cool. Great light

 

[Lawman VII XIV]

No such thing as a unicorn or Grail light for me. There have been one or two I've missed the bus on, but like buses. . .

You can only get sucked down so many collection rabbit holes before you have to wonder how many more will mean you have a problem. 😁

 

[bluflaam777]

No such thing as a unicorn or Grail light for me. There have been one or two I've missed the bus on, but like buses. . .

You can only get sucked down so many collection rabbit holes before you have to wonder how many more will mean you have a problem. 😁

friendship terminated. U have been reperted

 

[whiteshepherd]

I have a Edwardian 1876 from England with original bulb that works, and a handheld flashlight that came out of a WWII Japanese Zero. I have a leatherbound WW I English mounted cavalry light that still had letters in it that I bought from a hospital rummage sale used during the war. When I first started collecting flashlights I kinda wanted to have everything. Now I look for historical pieces. As far as personal use I have some flashlights that shine as bright as the sun. Don't really like those too much. I like a good light to work. But after a bit it gets TOO bright, and not comfortable. My favorite goto light is still my customized Forever Flashlights made in/during the Soviet Union that I upgraded with supercapacitors, and led drivers. Several good squeezes and you got a really nice bright light for 10 min. They are SO well built 50 years from now they will likely be someone's well used, and loved flashlight.

 

[Monocrom]

Please can we get photos of those sweet vintage lights?

 

[whiteshepherd]

Please can we get photos of those sweet vintage lights?

Sure I'll take some tomorrow when the lighting is good.

 

[jacobd]

I feel like my grail is yet to be created. I'd like a new custom light made, with the same thread pattern as the Mac Custom style lights.
My grail would be-

• Has a regulated, dual fuel driver using LucidRV (basically just H17fx that's dual fuel and regulated) that can use AA, CR123a or Li-Ion
• Titanium with both 18350 and AA bodies to swap in.
• SFT40 4000k or similar emitter in a deep McR20s reflector
• McClicky & o ring boot tail switch.
• Sapphire lens
• Crenelated bezel
• McGizmo style pocket clip

So very doable, nothing breaking the laws of physics lol, but someone needs to make H17fx with modern D3AA style regulation and dual fuel compatibility. I'd pay hundreds for it.

If Dr Jones ever reads this I'll pay your wages while you develop a new driver lol

 

[whiteshepherd]

Please can we get photos of those sweet vintage lights?

Here are some pictures of a few of my classic flashlights. You'll need to click on the pictures to get a good look at the details as the thumbnails here are cropped, and low rez. Left on first pic is my wooden Edwardian, followed by a black WW2 German trench light, WW I leather cased English mounted cavalry light (has a metal plate with address of jeweler in London, and officer name, there were also letters inside!), next is a standard issue stamped green US WWII trench light, the amber one to the right with the quartz lense is a German Bakelite hand crank flashlight with a stamped emblem for the Nazi commemoration of the Berlin 1936 international Olympiade (when the Soviet Union took eastern Germany these factories were all disassembled and moved to Russia to produce their own USSR hand crank flashlights), in line is another amber German officer Bakelite pocket light, lastly is the silver and black Ever Ready flashlight was made in 1899. Next pic, the silver Magna "electric" lighter and flashlight was a US Navy special edition. I have the details written down somewhere. But if I recall from memory this light was a special commission with detailed initials for the officers of the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier following the end of WWII that I got at an estate sale. Last two pictures are a beautiful, and detailed leather Imperial Japanese hand flashlight. Got in Japan. Was told the box came from one of the few surviving Japanese WWII zero fighter planes, and these flashlights were part of the standard Zero equipment early in the war that was kept in the cockpit for the pilot. Hope you all enjoy!

 

[ABTOMAT]

My ideal user light would be some kind of very modern US made pocket piece with a selector switch, like an improved Surefire U2 or HDS Rotary. Separate level controls are my favorite feature in flashlights.

As far as the collector stuff, my grails now are kind of divide-by-zero situation--I want the ones I haven't heard of before.

 

[whiteshepherd]

I feel like my grail is yet to be created. I'd like a new custom light made, with the same thread pattern as the Mac Custom style lights.
My grail would be-

• Has a regulated, dual fuel driver using LucidRV (basically just H17fx that's dual fuel and regulated) that can use AA, CR123a or Li-Ion
• Titanium with both 18350 and AA bodies to swap in.
• SFT40 4000k or similar emitter in a deep McR20s reflector
• McClicky & o ring boot tail switch.
• Sapphire lens
• Crenelated bezel
• McGizmo style pocket clip

So very doable, nothing breaking the laws of physics lol, but someone needs to make H17fx with modern D3AA style regulation and dual fuel compatibility. I'd pay hundreds for it.

If Dr Jones ever reads this I'll pay your wages while you develop a new driver lol

Made a custom flashlight for my brother once several years back for his birthday. I used a "buck" LED driver which could take from 3v-32v and auto regulated the LED. So you could use any combo of batteries you wanted. Due to the buck DC-DC conversion the higher the voltage in batteries the less current it drew while keeping the LED the same brightness. It's possible to do. Just someone familiar with the flashlight, time, and the right tools to do the driver conversion/replacement.

 

[Monocrom]

Here are some pictures of a few of my classic flashlights. You'll need to click on the pictures to get a good look at the details as the thumbnails here are cropped, and low rez. Left on first pic is my wooden Edwardian, followed by a black WW2 German trench light, WW I leather cased English mounted cavalry light (has a metal plate with address of jeweler in London, and officer name, there were also letters inside!), next is a standard issue stamped green US WWII trench light, the amber one to the right with the quartz lense is a German Bakelite hand crank flashlight with a stamped emblem for the Nazi commemoration of the Berlin 1936 international Olympiade (when the Soviet Union took eastern Germany these factories were all disassembled and moved to Russia to produce their own USSR hand crank flashlights), in line is another amber German officer Bakelite pocket light, lastly is the silver and black Ever Ready flashlight was made in 1899. Next pic, the silver Magna "electric" lighter and flashlight was a US Navy special edition. I have the details written down somewhere. But if I recall from memory this light was a special commission with detailed initials for the officers of the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier following the end of WWII that I got at an estate sale. Last two pictures are a beautiful, and detailed leather Imperial Japanese hand flashlight. Got in Japan. Was told the box came from one of the few surviving Japanese WWII zero fighter planes, and these flashlights were part of the standard Zero equipment early in the war that was kept in the cockpit for the pilot. Hope you all enjoy!

That is a very impression collection of historical lights.
Thank you so much for sharing them.