No more flashlights with cheepe parts for me

I've decided that from now on, any flashlight I buy must have a metal reflector, and no cheep plastic. They are simply impossible to maintain or clean when they get dusty, dirty, or smudged. I've learned from Maglite that touching them with anything solid is a bad idea, but at least Maglite reflectors can be replaced once their ruined.




The last mistake I made with a plastic reflector, I thought that simply swishing it under some distiled water and mild soap without touching the reflective surface would be harmless... WRONG! Even after blow drying it with compressed air little specks, spots, and imperfections were left all over the surface, like the finish had somehow been eroded away.




Plastic reflectors seem to wear out on their own too. Even after replacing the worn out reflector in my Maglite, an NEVER touching the thing, it looks almost like the paint is subject to oxidation over long periods of time, because it definitely has spots and imperfections that were not there when I first replaced it :huh2: .




I've got to many other things to worry about than being "gentile" with my tools . No more flashlights with cheep parts for me. Reflectors had better be metal, or I'm not interested.

With few exceptions (and they are the crappy ones), metal reflectors also have a surface finish like plastic reflectors, and there is nothing inherent in metal reflectors which makes their finish any more durable than plastic reflector finishes. I only clean mine off with one of the canned air blowers. Otherwise I never touch it with anything, liquid or solid.

Since they are sealed, no contaminant should get get onto your reflector in use so you should have to clean LED light reflectors once, at most. If you're changing reflectors or bulbs in your maglite, then I'd do it very carefully under the most controlled and clean conditions possible since each change provides opportunities for crud to get onto the reflector. Another reason for LED lights over incands, for me...

Metal reflectors have the advantage that any photons which get through the reflective surface would in theory be reflected back rather than absorbed into the underlying plastic, but I don't think this has any measurable (and certainly no visible) effect for any reasonably applied reflective finish.

I'm under the impression that the reflective surfaces of all reflectors should be considered fragile, no matter what they're made of.

About your M/\G reflector, does that light see use around vapors of solvents, etc.?

EDIT: I type too slowly.

Sub_Umbra said:

I'm under the impression that the reflective surfaces of all reflectors should be considered fragile, no matter what they're made of.

About your M/\G reflector, does that light see use around vapors of solvents, etc.?

EDIT: I type too slowly.

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No vapors or solvents. It just looks like little bubbles forming on the reflectors surface, not a lot, but enough to notice. I'm surprised if no one else has noticed this on their old maglites that are lying around. I've had many of the old reflectors in old maglites just erode away and loose there sparkle after a few years. I've sort of come to expect plastic reflectors to have a relatively shorter life expectancy even when kept under good conditions and care.

Maybe the air in my house is toxic?

Modern_Major_General said:

Maybe the air in my house is toxic?

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You need to quite eating those burritos.

I'm surprised if no one else has noticed this on their old maglites that are lying around. I've had many of the old reflectors in old maglites just erode away

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I have no idea where or under what conditions you live, but I have had numerous Maglights for up to 20 years, some perhaps more as I cannot remember how long they have been around exactly. None of them have the condition that you describe. They are all perfectly fine. A few of those I still have are:

3 2 AA Minimags
2 2 AAA Minimags
3 5 C Maglights
2 2 D Maglights
6 AAA Solitares

Every one of those lights is at least 10 years old, most closer to 20. It has to be something you are doing, or something environmental if it is effecting every Maglight you have had.

Lee1959 said:

I have no idea where or under what conditions you live, but I have had numerous Maglights for up to 20 years, some perhaps more as I cannot remember how long they have been around exactly. None of them have the condition that you describe. They are all perfectly fine.

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I have to echo those sentiments in that I have one 4-D and several 3-D lights
that predate the "C" or "D" serial number prefix convention, and their
reflectors are all doing just fine. Additionally, I have a couple of Mini-Mags of
the same age vintage that also are doing fine.

George

My 4D Mag is at least 20, probably closer to 25 years old serial #40323291 has a like new reflector. But I hardly ever use it, can't remember the last time I changed out it batteries, got some Panasonic Alkalines in there now.

My 2D isn't as old as yours, but at least 10 years, the reflector still looks pristine, nothing wrong at all with it.

Lee1959 said:

I have no idea where or under what conditions you live, but I have had numerous Maglights for up to 20 years, some perhaps more as I cannot remember how long they have been around exactly. None of them have the condition that you describe. They are all perfectly fine. A few of those I still have are:

3 2 AA Minimags
2 2 AAA Minimags
3 5 C Maglights
2 2 D Maglights
6 AAA Solitares

Every one of those lights is at least 10 years old, most closer to 20. It has to be something you are doing, or something environmental if it is effecting every Maglight you have had.

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I don't seem to have reflector issues either...I do agree that the useless plastic lenses are very easily scratched, even with a clean microfiber cloth.
:huh2: