Question on the finish...

I just received my Arc-LS today - oh the thrill to own my first 'real' flashlight. While unpacking the light I noticed the anodization is rubbed of the corners around where the lanyard attaches. Is this normal? I hate to fuss over such a small cosmetic blemish but wondered if other folks have noticed.

Mine came today. It has a bright spot at the 9 o'clock spot with the lanyard ring down at 6. Bare through to the aluminum as it had continuity. I may or may not send the tail cap back but the head is the brightest and whitest I have seen to date. Not a trace of blue or green at all.

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smcgrew said:
I just received my Arc-LS today - oh the thrill to own my first 'real' flashlight. While unpacking the light I noticed the anodization is rubbed of the corners around where the lanyard attaches. Is this normal? I hate to fuss over such a small cosmetic blemish but wondered if other folks have noticed.


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Are you talking about the aperture where the split ring fits in? Mine has a little wear around the edges of the aperture, but since I EDC my Arc LS I don't know if it's just worn due to daily carry or if it came that way. To be honest, I never pay attention to that sort of thing. When I got mine, I immediately added a Berkeley Point mini-clip to the split ring and clipped the light to my belt loop. The anodizing on the Arc is pretty durable so don't worry too much carrying it in your pocket along with other items.

No mine was on the rim at 90º from the split ring hole. After a while it will have character marks in other places so I'm not concerned. That plus the tail switch and the head must have come from the same piece of stock as this is the first HA light from any company where all the components matched color almost exactly. It is a gifted light. Knowing the characteristics of aluminum and anodizing that is an amazing thing.

yes - it is near the split ring. Actually along the leading edge where the lug cut is (right up against the switch).

I am debating sending it back - functionally the light is perfect and while I hate to fuss over such a silly cosmetic issue I wouldn't mind one that has all the anodization /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

-Steve

steve, mine came with the same area you described a little worn. i'd recommend you not to send it back though, because even if you get a flawless one sooner or later you're going to drop or scratch it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The area around the lanyard lug usually has deburring marks. The lug is done with a mill (instead of turned) and then the edges are deburred. The anodize it then applied over this so the coating is the full thickness. Any voids are incendental to this process and can appear anywhere. We have an inside term we are calling the deburring marks. Needless to say, we reject units that have excessive "fuzz" around the lug. Yes, this is a cosmetic issue (one of many). The >=LS4 is designed not to have any milled parts on the outside.

Peter

peter, regarding the lanyard lug, the lug on the TSP-123 on my arc LS was milled to the point whereby when i removed the kroll once for maintenance, i noticed the top of the lug where the rubber boot fits into was slightly shorter and the metal there looked very thin. i didn't see it as an issue, but i did notice on another arc LS i had the milled lug was slightly shallower, and so it didn't have the same problem. the other tsp also did not have any deburring marks at all, and was noticeably more well machined than the present one. though this is purely a cosmetic issue, perhaps it would be better to go with the better contractor? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif