I gotta get a grip

Really. Two lights I like and use are too slippery and I don't know what I can do about it. My Dorcy Super 1 Watt and my Inova X0 are in need of improvement on the outside. Haven't dropped either one yet.
Someone posted that he had put shrink wrap on (I think) a Fenix L2T, but the stuff I looked at was more slick and plastic than I want. I looked at Plasti Dip in a spray can, but not rubber enough. I bought some Duplicolor spray on truck bed liner stuff and tried it on some 3/4" conduit and other metal scraps and pieces but it's also not as sticky as I expected. Plus my sweet little Inova light might end up looking kinda like someone tried to use a rattle can to paint a Beemer. :shakehead
What have you tried that works? Thanks.
Ken

Have you tried rubber bands?

No, but I considered electrical tape, adhesive tape or black duct tape. At least I could remove it with WD40 or acetone.
Something from Hogue or Pachmayr would be nice. (kidding)
Ken

Why not use Heat Shrinking Tubes, they come in various size and colour, removable without any hassle too, IMHO.


alvin

I have used bicycle inner tube for 1" diameter lights. You might try some thin walled surgical tubing for smaller lights (fishing gear sections of sporting goods stores often have this). It helps to get the light wet to get the rubber tubing to slip on.

Scott

I use bike inner tubes of different diameters. Excellent results on various lights (Tec 40; Attitude; AA and AAA lights). Go to a bicycle repair shop and ask if they have some old ones. You might even buy new ones; price per light will still be very low. Turn them inside out for smooth surface. Racing bike's inner tubes are perfect for AAA lights.

Good luck

Kees

Depending on how mad you want to go;

Squash/tennis racket grip tape - available in a variety of textures,

or even bicycle handlebar grips (like you'd put on a mountain bike or BMX) if the tube width of your lights is similar.

You wouldn't get many disputes about which light was yours......

All good suggestions. You will probably have you best luck with the inner tube since will not leave any residue like certain grip tapes used on some sports equipment like tennis rackets.

This is a little more extreme and permament - Also - only for metal lights - textured powder coat paint. The paint comes in a number of colors. I have done a few maglites, the grip feels like 100 grit sandpaper. This application requires a powder coat gun, and an oven to bake the powder.

On the Dorcy, there are 6 machined grooves that just love O-rings.....6 rubber or GID orings there and you should be good to go.

dragoman

Drop into a well stocked hardware store and pick up a roll of friction tape. This is a black cloth tape with a tacky surface for grip (this it not the tape with a sandpaper like finish). It goes on easy and removes without residue. Inexpensive too.

When I first tried it on a maglite it was a little odd. It felt so sticky and odd. But the grip was phenomenal! When you release your grip there is no residue left on your hand. After a while the the stickyness reduces and the grip is more comfortable and still mighty "grippy".

I ended up putting this tape on all my maglites and a number of other flashlights that had a smooth anodized finish. I love the stuff. I was a little concerned that the sticky surface on a pocket flashlight would attract all manner of pocket lint, hair, etc, but that was not the case.

Initially, I didn't like the stuff, now I consider it a manditory flashlight supply (like silicone grease and conductive grease).

Good luck, TR

axle grease....havent you seen sticky bombs in WWII?

try rubberbands before anything else....

+1 to Pizzaman's suggestion on the friction tape. It's great stuff.

I recently got an XO3 on a trade and the grip area had been wrapped with nylon cord- made for a very secure grip and looks GREAT.
You might try that with the cord of your choice.

savumaki said:

I recently got an XO3 on a trade and the grip area had been wrapped with nylon cord- made for a very secure grip and looks GREAT.
You might try that with the cord of your choice.

Click to expand...

I assume your talking about the XO3 I traded you . That was something I learned in the Navy while I was stationed on a minesweeper. The handrails on the stairs were all wrapped in cotton cord then painted to give a good grip to the handrails. I've also done that to a wooden boken for a better grip. The key is to find small diameter nylon cord.

I've tried the O ring option like dragoman states on my Dorcy. Worked ok when streched on with very thin o rings. Makes the unit a little too wide for my taste though.

One more thing, on the XO1 you might want to try a non skid surface application tape or stick on. I recall someone mentioned
something from Depot in relation to the Costco flashlight on Doug's site, flashlightreviews.com . Seems like several panels of a rounded rectangular shape would get the grip going.

Good bicycle shops carry foam handlebar padding. Very grippy and it's a "warm when it's cold/cooler when it's hot" thing. I've used it on quite a few 123 cell and similar sized lights.

I, too love friction tape and have for over forty years, but you do have to get used to the smell or else leave it out for a long time until the odor goes away.