Flashlights – tools or jewellery?

There's a thread over in LEDs about justifying the cost of a particular flashlight.

Justify. Mmmm... That's a difficult word. You mean in terms of global warming? Or between you and your putative Maker when you stand at the pearly gates?

Lots of interesting things in this thread.

There's this other kind of issue floating around in there. Flashlights as tools versus flashlights as jewellery.

Since somebody pointed out that you can pay a great deal for a handmade knife I've had to revise my opinions regarding high-priced flashlights a bit. I can understand somebody wanting a nice knife or tuned gun.

Some very expensive flashlights are not handmade however, they are mass-produced.

I guess the main thrust of the question (about justifying the cost) is: does it represent value for money?

In terms of aesthetics, no-one can judge what a particular appearance or notion of style or intrinsic material quality is worth to anyone else. So this is an intangible.

Many other features of a flashlight are measurable, such as runtime, total light output, size and weight. These 4 are the primary characteristics of a torch. You can boil these down to photons/lb or photons/cu. in. There are some secondary characteristics: - beam angle, peak intensity, ergonomics, colour rendition and more.

When comparing flashlights there is often a lot of discussion about rings in the beam and other 'artifacts'. In day to day use these are largely immaterial. In fact users often seek to put a 'hotspot' (common in incans) on the point of visual focus.

Much play is also made from time to time about reliability issues. If a torch fails, then it can be irritating and inconvenient. For those torches (very few) used in safety critical applications, the answer to reliability problems is regular inspection and competent maintenance. (It's the nut behind the butt) Redundancy also helps if this can be arranged. (2 headlamps min. on most cars!)

It seems to me that there are many lights on the market today whose prices are influenced more by their appeal as jewellery, and perhaps by some other 'big ideas' than their usefulness as tools. A flashlight is, after all, among tools, only slightly more complicated than a hammer.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not disputing anyone's right to buy jewellery, but I do question the advisability of deluding yourself that you have bought it on the basis of its superior functionality.

Further to that, in my opinion (in general) the level of craftsmanship (and value for money) involved does not approach that of custom knife makers and gunsmiths. And on the mass-produced front, just look at how much digital camera you can buy for the price of an expensive torch. It'll have a real lens in it too, with multiple elements!

What do you think?

w

I can't say for others but the lights that I buy are tools to be used for specific tasks. However how it looks do take a part in selection but its not the primary for me. Being an illumination tool, first and foremost the quality of output is important. This refers to tint, pattern, type of light (flood/spot/or somewhere in between) and level of brightness. Quality of finish comes next.....

the most important things that I need in a flashlight are:

high quality materials.
reliability.
duarability.

I think that runtime and output may change becouse of what do you use your flashlight for...

I also think that if you have an high quality materials in your flashlight you will have reliability and durability too...

finally: I don't want a flashlight that seems a jewel...the mag-lite style is perfect for me becouse I don't want to worry about my flashlight look when I'm working to something in the night...

however I don't really know if these things can justify the high price of some flashlight.
but this is only my opinion
for someone that collect flashlight the external style or something else may be more important than reliability or ...

:thinking::wave:

wakibaki said:

Re: Flashlights – tools or jewellery?

Click to expand...

In my opinion a flashlight is a tool regardless of whether it is considered to be 'jewellery' or ' have value* greater than / beyond its ability to perform as a tool for its intended purpose'
[* 'Added Value' could be as jewellery/art, as status symbol, sentimental value, as an investment, as a collectable etc]
However, a flashlight can be jewellery rather than a tool unless it performs no practical illuminating function.

wakibaki said:

Many other features of a flashlight are measurable, such as runtime, total light output, size and weight. These 4 are the primary characteristics of a torch. You can boil these down to photons/lb or photons/cu. in. There are some secondary characteristics: - beam angle, peak intensity, ergonomics, colour rendition and more.

Click to expand...

Having determined that flashlights are tools - I consider that ergonomics is the primary consideration in tool design.

Ergonomics is the 'applied science concerned with the characteristics of people that need to be considered in designing things that they use in order that people and things will interact most effectively and safely.'

To put it another way - a flashlight should be designed and produced such that it can be used to perform the tasks it is intended for.

Design considerations are then balanced:
(for example - I threw this together quickly so its not complete)

Size is related to many ergonomic characteristics as well as being an ergonomic characteristic itself.
Output (total output in lumens) is important so far as it relates to the various characteristics of the output and beam

Durability & life-span of the flashlight are features relating to the intended use. I've left this off the chart above although it relates to the size and switching and output and grip etc.

The most important thing about a tool is what it is for - what it is used to achieve. The ends justify the means.
It's form follows function but that doesn't mean the form can't be 'jewellery' or other added value attribute.

Leave it to Al to post something incredibly insightful.
:thanks:

ooo... logic, complete with venn diagram.

Please don't tell anyone that I wear a photon necklace some weekends. I may want to run for senator one day.

This one looks like jewelry to me.

To me it's more a difference between tools and toys. I can honestly say that some of my lights are not tools. But, I don't display them like you would with jewelry.

Geoff

It's a tool first and formost. Even if it's highly polished or made out of exotic alloys, it's still a tool. That said, it can also be similar to a jewel to the individual. A casual passer by might see a Draco and say, 'wow, that's really bright and really small' without realizing anything else about the fine machining, material, special li-ion battery, function, ergonomics, ect. Sometimes it's only a jewel to the beholder or to other people with similar intrests.

It's no different than a technician who just steped off the Snap-On truck with a new set of metric Flank Drives wrenches. The owner will appricate the build quality, strength, ergonomics, easy of cleaning, warranty..ect and so will his peers. While to most of the world...'they're just wrenches...what's the big deal?'

Likewise the average gun owner would think that I had come from a different universe if he knew what I spent on competition gun builds. Sometimes a certain machining cut alone might cost hundreds of dollars. Most of the time these custom featurs can be measured in weight, lock time, feel, consistancy, accuracy, but often the performance is a blend of aethestics and performance.



I believe justification works itself out automatically to people of particular interests and necessity.

what have my flashlight (fenix L2D CE), my firearm (glock 17) my knife (spyderco/byrd raven) and my watch(es) (g-shocks) all in common?

you guessed it: they are all tools, no jewelery at all


regards, holger

If it can be worn? by a person then I guess it could be deemed jewellery?
Jewellery (spelled jewelry in American English) consists of ornamental devices worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals. Costume jewellery is made from less valuable materials. However, jewellery can and has been made out of almost every kind of material.
" But one difference is" a flashlight has a function,it can be a tool as well.It all comes down to your perception of jewellery or tool?

Flying Turtle said:

To me it's more a difference between tools and toys. I can honestly say that some of my lights are not tools. But, I don't display them like you would with jewelry.

Geoff

Click to expand...

I'm with you on this one. There's a fine line between tool and toy. I consider MY flashlights to be both. If I need light, I tend to grab a certain light most of the time. Like at night when I go in the backyard or garage to get something, or to dig around in the back of my car for stuff. I have a tool that I use for illumination. However what about the handful of other lights that I have? Have I ever even thought about the utility value of my ROP? Unless utility includes impressing my buddies, I really never thought of it as a tool. I did not build the light with the thought of shining it into the distance to locate something or to illuminate the road up ahead. I live in a well-lit, modern, suburban city. In this case, its essence is to entertain as a toy.

I believe this somewhat applies to my guns as well. What have I used my gun for the most? Target shooting, pistol matches, trap shooting. Why do I do those things? Because its fun. It entertains me. Tools or toys? Or both? When it's utility is measured by how well it functions and it's function is to entertain, then it's pretty much a toy. When it's function is to purely provide illumination, then it's a tool. There is nothing keeping it from being both however. If someone where breaking into my house, I'd grab tool to defend myself. The tool would be a gun. Most of the time my guns are toys, with the function of entertaining me. It COULD, but never has yet, be a defensive tool.

A Ferrari is a tool used for transportation. But why didn't the owner buy a Civic? Because the Ferrari has the primary utility of being a toy. It entertains the owner, it impresses his friends, which in the end makes him happy. It's tool factor may be a secondary characteristic, but it's primary function is purely entertainment. When you think about it, it doesn't perform it's tool function very well at all- 9 mpg for a 2 seater?

Tool.

I work at night as security in low income (mostly) apartments in Orlando and certain outlying areas.

I spend at least 35 hrs a week in the dark, often alone.
(just my HK USP9, vest, pepper spray, electrified baton
, 3 knives and a light to keep me company)

I don't have "backup" and PD response time is never less than 10 mins. (usually takes 3 mins at least for the idiot at dispatch to understand " I'm a security officer in Jackson Square and 4 black dudes are trying to whoop my ***!")

A bright light is

1 a weapon that I can keep in my hand at all times
2 can confuse my opponent and (help) allow me to control the situation
3 just bought one with strobe. I sure love how angry people turn into a "deer in the headlights" when you hold down that button. Buys me .5 - 1 second to assess the situation
(weapons, number of individuals, description, state of mind, ect.)
4 a really bright light keeps your opponent from seeing you, in other words, I'm a white man with a badge and a gun in the ghetto, the first thing they think when they see me is
"COP!!"
having a blinding light helps slow down their realization that I'm not (or prevent it altogether)

Hey!!! what is that light Tanasit put in his post? Did everyone miss that? :thinking:

luminata said:

Hey!!! what is that light Tanasit put in his post? Did everyone miss that? :thinking:

Click to expand...

The yet to be released EOS by Lumencraft.

For me: They are Tools and then Toys. I agree with Flying Turtle

Flashlights Tools or Jewelry?


Speaking for myself, almost all of my lights get used at work and yes some of them have a high price tag no question there. When I buy a light I'm looking for the following:

1. Reliability
2. Durability
3. High Lumens/CP Output

I need in a light a long track record of quality craftsmanship and a great history of providing customer service. Shelling out $200.00 for a light that suits my standards and has the features I want, that is something I have no problem with.


Being that there is so many flashlight companies out there these days and a wide variety of upgrades and modifications that can be done to them, flashlight collecting is now like gun, knife and movie collections and so on.


Besides flashlights I collect firearms that are used weekly for my hobbies and at work. I upgrade these items and modify them as well. I need all the same qualities from gun makers that I would expect when buying a Surefire light so to speak.


Yes, I own some lights that are for nothing more than showing off purposes and shocking people at parties, functions etc. That is just for a good laugh and to see people shocked at the power.


Some people carry there EDC flashlights on lanyards for work purposes, but I would go as far as saying I do not see people wearing any lights as something just to show off.


Collection Lights: $200.00 less/more.
Work Lights: $150.00 less/more.
Modification Kits: $130.00 less/more.
Being able to shock a crowd with the power of light: Priceless

There are definitely different types of flashaholics/collectors. Mine are ALL tools and every scratch or scuff is a badge of honor that the light has served a purpose.

Some people have lights as tools and lights as shelf queens. That is their perogitive and more power to them if they can afford it.

And some people have mostly shelf queens, aka jewelery. That is also their perogitive and I have no problem with it. I admire many of the custom lights as they really are "cool" looking.

But in my mind, if all you want is a shelf queen that will never be used, why even buy a flashlight? Why not just have a machine shop cut a chunk of aluminum into a really cool flashlight "shape" and then chrome or anodize or paint it and set it on the shelf as "modern art?" I mean, does a shelf queen really need a reflector, lens, electronics and a working switch? Nope. Might as well have an empty tube that has cool machining on the outside. It would be much cheaper.

For me it is both. The less demand the more expensive. I have no problem with custom light but not expensive mass-produced.