What was the absolute first Surefire LED light?

[Fallingwater]

I'm curious. Did they start with Luxeons?

 

[Carpenter]

I don't know for sure, but I think it was the A2

 

[matrixshaman]

Not an SF historian by any means but I'm fairly sure they were Xenon and I've seen some of the first talked about here and pictured. Maybe a search with the right words will find it. A Surefire 6 was the first I believe. I think they had Surefire Laserproducts inscribed on them back then so maybe search on that.

So no they didn't start with LED's - so this may or may not have been what you were looking for - but I did verify now that the SF 6 was the first Surefire. However the first LED SF I don't know about - just guessing by the numbering that maybe the L1 was the first?

 

[DaFABRICATA]

What about the KL2?

 

[Zoofa88]

By March of 2001 the M500 WeaponLights were available with navigation LEDs.

Neither the L1, the A2 nor the KL1/KL2/KL3 had been introduced at that point, so I'm pretty sure the M500 was their first LED light.

 

[Size15's]

SureFire's first white LED light was the KL2 bezel for the M3.
Shelby Chan photography:

I remember getting a proto-type way back in the mysts of thyme
19 LEDs... I seem to recall no flashlight manufacturer had done anything like that before.

Edit: I'm not aware of the M500 with navigational LEDs being available before the KL2.

SureFire's first LED light for their 3DL IR illuminator - replaced by the M1.

Al

 

[Zoofa88]

Very nice pictures...

SureFire's first white LED light was the KL2 bezel for the M3.

Does the KL2 fit the M3? I thought it only fit standard size products like the M2. (Edit: Nevermind, I was confused with the KL3).

Edit: I'm not aware of the M500 with navigational LEDs being available before the KL2.

Navigation lights for the M500 were mentioned on pages 5 and 7 of the 2001 SureFire WeaponLight price list. I don't think the KL* heads came out until 2002.

SureFire's first LED light for their 3DL IR illuminator - replaced by the M1.

You know what? I think *this* is the winner. I don't know exactly when the 3DL shipped, but they were in use as early as 1998.

 

[light_emitting_dude]

I never knew they started out with cluster LED's. Very interesting!

I can't fathom what the next 10 years will bring.

 

[DaFABRICATA]

So did I win a prize???

The KL2 fits on the M3 body.

 

[Brock]

Al I still have one of those 18 clusters going strong Nice smooth wide beam.

Al I am drawing a blank, what was the rechargeable one with a single 5mm led as the "low" setting. I think that was the first production run with an LED wasn't it?

 

[Size15's]

Very nice pictures...

Yep. That's Shelby Chan.

Navigation lights for the M500 were mentioned on pages 5 and 7 of the 2001 SureFire WeaponLight price list. I don't think the KL* heads came out until 2002.

But when did the change occur for the M500?
I'm pretty certain that I had a KL2 bezel before it did. Whether it was a proto-type or production KL2 I can not recall.

Al I still have one of those 18 clusters going strong Nice smooth wide beam.

Al I am drawing a blank, what was the rechargeable one with a single 5mm led as the "low" setting. I think that was the first production run with an LED wasn't it?

The KL2 has nineteen (19) LEDs mate
Get one of your children to count them - they'll have better eyes that yours no doubt. :nana:

I have a N90 proto-type with low output LED for the 9N/9AN. It never made production. Pretty nice though.

 

[NA8]

SureFire's first white LED light was the KL2 bezel for the M3.
Shelby Chan photography:

Al

That's what I like about Surefire, not that flashlight "A" is better than flashlight "B", but that they're in the game and producing interesting, well built, products.

 

[Fallingwater]

SureFire's first white LED light was the KL2 bezel for the M3.

Thanks. What about single-high-intensity-emitter lights?

 

[Size15's]

Thanks. What about single-high-intensity-emitter lights?

Original KL1 I believe.
Closely followed by original KL3
(See Shelby's top photo)

 

[McGizmo]

Were some of the prototype beasts with LED clusters done before the KL2?

 

[woodrow]

SureFire's first white LED light was the KL2 bezel for the M3.
Shelby Chan photography:

I remember getting a proto-type way back in the mysts of thyme
19 LEDs... I seem to recall no flashlight manufacturer had done anything like that before.

Edit: I'm not aware of the M500 with navigational LEDs being available before the KL2.

SureFire's first LED light for their 3DL IR illuminator - replaced by the M1.

Al

Wow, I remember REALLY wanting one of those for my M3! Thanks for the pics. Edit: I do remember how excited I was to get the new KL1 when it first came out.

 

[Fallingwater]

Original KL1 I believe.
Closely followed by original KL3
(See Shelby's top photo)

Luxeon?

 

[Size15's]

Luxeon?

Yep.

Were some of the prototype beasts with LED clusters done before the KL2?

I don't recall.

 

[Tempest UK]

Very interesting thread Always great to look back through a bit of SureFire history.

Regards,
Tempest

 

[Crenshaw]

was waiting for size15s to say something....

hmm, i cant see the pictures though....

Crenshaw