Unicorns and Grail lights, what's yours?

[Lips]

.
.

My perfect flashlight has a momentary push-button tail switch and a continuously variable magnetic ring. Sunwayman, Jetbeam, Niteye, Nitecore, and I think Niwalker have all released flashlights with these features. And I wonder: why does no other brand offer these features today? And why don't today's hobbyists demand these features? Do the flashaholics of the 2020s not know that these flashlights existed? I don't understand anything...

Nitecore SRT7i

 

[Lips]

Unicorn, literally. One of a kind gold plated Mr. Bulk Dragonheart.
View attachment 72085View attachment 72086

Brings back memories! I had the platting done for Mr. Bulk on all those lights back in the day! Sample bars (I still have) before they were done... I had to have one in Smoke Black Chrome; He relented and I got the whole run done at a shop in California...

 

[JimIslander]

Brings back memories! I had the platting done for Mr. Bulk on all those lights back in the day! Sample bars (I still have) before they were done... I had to have one in Smoke Black Chrome; He relented and I got the whole run done at a shop in California...

View attachment 72102

Wow! That was before my time. Is my goldie aluminum underneath?

 

[Orion]

<s>I'm pretty sure a sue happy company has a patent on rotary rings (Surefire)</s>. Also, from my understanding, they aren't very efficient, which partially defeats their purpose.

Can you speak a bit on the efficiency issue? What did you mean by "defeating their purpose"?

When I use my magnetic ring flashlights, I like that I don't have to revolve through "low, medium, high", but if it isn't quite bright enough, I can ramp it up a little, but then if I need lower light, rather than cycling to brighter modes, I can just turn the ring back down.

I have six lights that do this. Nitecore SRT6, Nitecore SRT9, Jetbeam RRT01 Raptor, Jetbeam RRT01, Sofirn SD05, and Olight Seeker 4. The best example is the Jetbeam RRT01 [not Raptor version]. It's fun to play with this in a dark room because I can produce the dimmest [and totally unusable] light. I look at the emitter glowing faintly and find it oddly satisfying. hehe

 

[defloyd77]

Can you speak a bit on the efficiency issue? What did you mean by "defeating their purpose"?

When I use my magnetic ring flashlights, I like that I don't have to revolve through "low, medium, high", but if it isn't quite bright enough, I can ramp it up a little, but then if I need lower light, rather than cycling to brighter modes, I can just turn the ring back down.

I have six lights that do this. Nitecore SRT6, Nitecore SRT9, Jetbeam RRT01 Raptor, Jetbeam RRT01, Sofirn SD05, and Olight Seeker 4. The best example is the Jetbeam RRT01 [not Raptor version]. It's fun to play with this in a dark room because I can produce the dimmest [and totally unusable] light. I look at the emitter glowing faintly and find it oddly satisfying. hehe

By defeating the purpose, I think a lot of people believe they're going to save on their battery by having the "exact" output they need and not more. The unfortunate reality is the circuits of these lights have more overhead than normal lights, meaning less runtime at a comparable output level.

If that's not a big deal to you, no doubt there's a satisfaction of having a physical means to finely adjust your light.

 

[AMD64Brunette]

Oh great.. I have a Emisar D4V2 yelling at me "Buy me."

How can I ignore it? Help!!!

Should I ignore it, is the better question.

Also, would brass or aluminum be a better choice?

New D4V2 brass with tint ramping and instant channel switching - Tint ramping & instant channel swiching LED Flashlights

<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>The light works with flat top, unprotected battery only, button top or protected battery may damage the light</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Anduril 2 firmware, user choose th

intl-outdoor.com

or

Emisar D4V2 High Power LED Flashlight

<p><span style="font-size: medium; color: #000000;">This is single channel version, for the dual channel version, please <a href="https://intl-outdoor.com/tint-ramping-instant-channel-swiching-led-flashlights/new-emisar-d4v2-with-tint-ramping-and-instant-

intl-outdoor.com

 

[defloyd77]

Do you like heavy flashlights?

If you're a germaphobe, plan on running the light on higher levels or just love the look, go copper. If you want something a bit more practical for EDC go aluminum. If you want to be a real CPFer, buy both!

 

[AMD64Brunette]

It's brass,not copper.

Thinking I'll go brass.

Order placed. Yay!

Anyone know what the best 18650 battery is to use with this light?
(Found a pair of Sony VTC6 batteries at illumn.com.)

 

[jon_slider]

The unfortunate reality is the circuits of these lights have more overhead than normal lights, meaning less runtime at a comparable output level.

I have never heard that before, and I think you might be mistaken.

My RRT-01 runs as long as my HDS, on its lowest output, "only" about 3 days... but who cares? its not like I only have one battery and am stuck in a cave without food nor water, waiting for emergency services to rescue me..

anyway.. this is the Grail thread.. not the Bash other Peoples Grail thread..

If you like Surefire, enjoy it. If you like Zebralight, enjoy it. If you like a Jetbeam Magnetic Rotary, enjoy it!

Here is my present grail, a MAO TS10 w sw45 LEDs:

What is YOUR grail light?

 

[rhodiuman]

HDS BeCu

 

[ilikeguns40]

My grail does not exist, however I could only imagine and hope one day.

Malkoff Ti MDC 519a dual fuel either AA/14500 or CR123/16340

 

[orbital]

+

Sandblasted aluminum 17500 twisty, TIR optic three mode 5000k
2~100~1000 , always starts on 2 lumen

twistys are much smaller, easily pocketable

edit: why aluminum, I'd get two,,,, or three

 

[defloyd77]

anyway.. this is the Grail thread.. not the Bash other Peoples Grail thread..

What is YOUR grail light?

If you think I'm bashing other people's grails, you are quite mistaken. It was a discussion about why rotaries may not be used more. I shall digress.

As for my grail, it doesn't exist and while I may conceptualize what I think my grail may be, it might not work out in actual use.

At the moment I find myself liking simpler lights like my Eagtac D25C and P200LR, so my grail might be a combination of those. It would have the D25C's formfactor, but 18350, have a forward clicky, have just 2 output levels with the head loosened slightly, about 5 and 50 lumens (or be programmable with head twists like the D25C) and a turbo with the head tightened. It'd have to be available with a good variety of high CRI emitters of course.

 

[jon_slider]

If you think I'm bashing other people's grails, you are quite mistaken.

I apologize for my misunderstanding ;-)

I hope you continue to enjoy your lights, and that you find the ones closest to your Grail features.

 

[Lips]

.
.

Wow! That was before my time. Is my goldie aluminum underneath?

It's Aluminum... Done April 2008


After going thru my photos I think that is the only one Dragon done in gold.


Funny story; Mr. Bulk told me not to get involved as I would regret it! I insisted and talked him into adding the Tritium slots back into the run. The threads had to be masked for coating and when they came back to me from California they were not perfectly clean. It took me 3 days to get specific parts of each light to fit together. Worked my a$$ off for free and got every light to fit perfectly. Shipped them to Mr. Bulk in Hawaii and got a call a couple days later. Bulk said they don't fit well together, what's up? I said they fit perfectly and that I had to work with each light to make it happen. Charlie Bulk replied "Oh great, we took the lights apart as soon as the arrived and mixed everything up to put the light engines in" and he reminded me that he said I would regret getting involved. He was right!

Same issue when I did a free run for David at 4 x 7's... The end of my fascination with Smoked Black Chrome coatings!

.

 

[JimIslander]

.
.


It's Aluminum... Done April 2008


After going thru my photos I think that is the only one Dragon done in gold.


Funny story; Mr. Bulk told me not to get involved as I would regret it! I insisted and talked him into adding the Tritium slots back into the run. The threads had to be masked for coating and when they came back to me from California they were not perfectly clean. It took me 3 days to get specific parts of each light to fit together. Worked my a$$ off for free and got every light to fit perfectly. Shipped them to Mr. Bulk in Hawaii and got a call a couple days later. Bulk said they don't fit well together, what's up? I said they fit perfectly and that I had to work with each light to make it happen. Charlie Bulk replied "Oh great, we took the lights apart as soon as the arrived and mixed everything up to put the light engines in" and he reminded me that he said I would regret getting involved. He was right!

Same issue when I did a free run for David at 4 x 7's... The end of my fascination with Smoked Black Chrome coatings!


View attachment 73285

View attachment 73286

View attachment 73287


View attachment 73288

View attachment 73289

View attachment 73290

View attachment 73291


.

Yikes! That's a lot of work to get mixed up!

Yes, according to the invoice list, mine is the only gold plated Dragonheart. Grail? I like it.