What's your unique maintenance routine?

Everyone has to have their own way to maintain their torches. I typed out a lengthy guide on the way I do mine, but when I hit post, it dissapeared. So I would like to hear how you all do it. You know, little tips and tricks. Tools used (rags, chemicals, toothpicks, toothbrushes, types of lube, order of steps and why.)


BTW, here is a funny picture I found on the Deoxit package.

First in the morning I relieve the pressure. Then I place the exterior into fast running water. I use a wrag and mild soap to wash all exterior surfaces. Then I completely dry. New dressings on the outside make the surfaces less slippery and also helps protect. I then like to lube the interior ( I find coffee works best for this ) .........Oh wait you mean my lights, sorry let me think about that.....

:laughing: now that was good.I believe in Italian maintenance=use it till it breaks!

I just use Wahl clipper oil. Lazy, but it works well enough. Not as good as DeOxit, sure, but I already had it, and I'm still quite a ways from running out. I clean out threads with the bottom area of my shirt, then with a toothbrush, then apply the oil, and wait for it to not be smooth twisting again (3 months or so).

At some point I'll go all out (see sig for a hint), but not yet.

Switch it on. If light comes out of it, use it.

If it doesn't check the cells.

If they're OK either maintain
or
hit with a hammer. Or use as a hammer.

Other than that, grease or Teflon tape the threads as required. Clean contacts as required.

Test primaries in lights I have used during the week every Friday (Or more often if used heavily). Charge used 18650s in Huntlight and U2 every Friday (Or more often if used heavily).

Clean and lubricate threads and seals on all lights every fall and spring. Clean contacts at that time as well.

I always have the same questions about maintenance!!! It is very hard to find a lubricant that says that "it is safe on o-rings". I am using a silicone grease at 90% but it does migrate a lot.
I would like to have a name of a lubricant that I can buy at Radio Shack.

In addition, if anybody has a link of a video showing a routine maintenance, I would love to see it.:twothumbs

HBlight
***No Guns***No Firearms***

I have to admit all the routine maintenance I do is oil my o-rings (about as frequently as I sharpen my knife since I have the oil out for that).

I carefully move the o-ring to ensure oil gets under it as well as a coating on the top. I've been very satisfied with Birchwood-Casey Synthetic Gun Oil although I do not have much experience to compare it against other products. I know SureFire recommends against using petroleum based lubricants on their o-rings so I just follow that on all my lights.

Any electronics that I "store" with batteries are stored with Lithium primaries or NiMh cells. I check the Lithium's twice a year (roughly March/September) to make sure they're ready for the upcoming seasons and I charge the NiMh monthly. I need to get with the program and upgrade to LSD NiMh.

Hitthespot said:

First in the morning I relieve the pressure. Then I place the exterior into fast running water. I use a wrag and mild soap to wash all exterior surfaces. Then I completely dry. New dressings on the outside make the surfaces less slippery and also helps protect. I then like to lube the interior ( I find coffee works best for this ) .........Oh wait you mean my lights, sorry let me think about that.....

Click to expand...

I've started cleaning the +ve battery contact on my torches with Pikal® metal polish from Japan, it's usually used to clean Electron Microscope parts (and Samurai swords!) It's rated as one of the best metal polishes & leaves no residue, but I post clean with Acetone anyway!

I could not believe how much oxide came off my P3D the first time I used it...

Owen