So... How badly are your lights nicked up?

I have a Streamlight XT/HP Stinger that has taken several direct hits on asphalt and concrete from waist high and took the impack pretty good. Got a few nicks from it but nothing major, still on the original bulb going on 2.5yrs...

Also have a Streamlight TL-3 that I dropped twice the same night on concrete but it's bezel got nicked up pretty good by it, I think my XT/HP faired better... The TL-3 is still on it's original bulb.

Dave

Not very. My Gladius has one scratch, and it came with that. My Orb Raw and LionCub have a few, but they are both bare alum. and that's to be expected. Nothing else really has any.

Never dropped any lights yet, but I did fall on my side on the U2 in holster. Result, U2 is fine, but I have a large black and blue bruise on my hip.

I treat my lights like royalty, yes they are tools, but I take good care of them.

My U2 has HA rubbed of around the corner of the bezel forom EDCing. But the rest of my lights, including spotlights are in mint condition. The clip on my HDS is showing aluminum from rubbing on denim.

None of my lights have any dings or scratches.

If you are going to spend $100+ on a light, treat it good!!

If I am going into a rough situation with a light, make it a $8 MiniMag.

The beuaty of owning several lights that you use equaly is that they stay looking new for a long time with minimal TLC. The only thing I do is the occasional NyoGel 759G. GOOD STUFF!

-PSM

I recently gave away one of my old 2 D Mags, it was so used that the black
anodising had worn off making the light a grey silvery color, the lens ended up being a yellow color, the light had that many dings that replaced the original
knurling of the body,

None of my 'good' lights have ever taken a major hit... some have the high areas of anodizing worn off from carrying, but that's about it.

I've bought lights discounted because there was a small, but noticable nick or two and as long as there aren't any sharp edges where my skin usually contacts the light, I'm fine with that.

my magcharger is about 8 yrs old and has about 8 or 9 chunks out of the rim around the lens from dropping it on concrete and pavement. suprisingly enough ive only replaced the bulb once and that is just because it burnt out. then my stinger has a lot of dings on the end from wearing it on my belt with an open end carrier. the head had a lot of dings also but i upgraded to the HP head and installed it in my wifes car so it dosent get used as much as it used to. i got smart when i got the strion by getting a closed end belt holster for it.

The 3D and 3C M*glites have DB-3 Watt drop ins with UCL Lenses. The light on the top is a Streamlight Stinger.




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Mine are in pretty good shape. I'm a 'sheath guy', as opposed to a 'clip guy' and that probably helps a lot. If I like a light I usually cobble together a sheath before I ever carry it.

I also use chair leg and cane tips or caps from spray cans to protect the lenses (and sometimes the switches) of lights that rattle around in kits and drawers. I usually drill a tiny hole in the cap that covers the lens so I can be sure that the light is off when I put it away.

Covering part of them with bicycle inner tube also helps keep me from dropping them so often.

most of mine look like crap, no shelf Queens around here any more I just haven't had time to drop all of them yet. I have some that still look brand spankin new and I admit I get more use from some than others but they will all git there turn "in the trenches" so to speak it is just a matter of time.
Topper

My Peak Matterhorn 3-LED has some of the anodizing rubbed off the sharp edges on the tail lug and head. This isn't bad for being in a pocket with coins for several weeks.

My KL1/E1e combo (this was before the "E1L" was sold) acquired a few "character marks" when I dropped it on the concrete sidewalk. Alcohol was a factor. I filed off the rough edges of the dings and now they don't look too bad.

My 3 year old SF E2 was my primary flashlight for ~3 years, and is pretty ugly nowadays. Any edge where the HA could wear on something has aluminum shining through now, as well as gratuitous chips on both ends. It has been launched off of the top of planes, as well as plunked in a bucket of hydraulic fluid. Of course, it dealt with my abuse for those 3 years without even faltering, until the bulb finally gave up the ghost about a month ago.

Of course, I have a new A2-HA-WH, which I love dearly, and it is my new EDC. Once I get a new bulb for my E2, it will become my backup light

I got a decent amount nicks on my KL-1/VG 1x123 setup, from it's first fall mostly, but a couple more too. My basic 60 has two barely visable nicks of HA off it even though it has got dropped from 5 ft or more, smashed between heavy
anvil road cases etc (my main EDC). Henry must use HA-XV :shrug: VDG

Mine are all clean looking. I keep them separated during transport and nothing else in a pocket that could scratch them.