gcbryan
Flashlight Enthusiast
Here's a Christmas gift idea for most any guy that you need to buy something for...flashaholic or non-flashaholic. An older retro style "vintage" 2 D flashlight. They're fun to shop for as well!
You can either go to eBay or just look though the Goodwill type of stores in your area. Ebay is more fun! My criteria are lights that look like they are from 1950 to about 1970. They have to have some paint design on them (as opposed to all shiny aluminum), a sliding switch with a momentary button and the reflector needs to be in good shape.
It's nice if they have a lens or bulb but you can fairly easily replace those things. Clean them up a bit with alcohol and Q-tips, drop two 2 cells in and in some cases a better bulb (available at most ACE Hardware stores) and my preference is to also add some diffusion film to the lens for a better beam pattern.
You end up with a light body that is nice to look at and that has a nice warm even beam as well. Put it in a nice box and I think most any guy would appreciate it. I've even gotten a few of these for myself lately just as a nice addition to the more modern lights I'm now used to.
These can't just be Mags or cheap looking plastic lights of course but take a look on eBay under "Vintage Lights" sometime and you will see some interesting lights! Local consignment shops would be good as well if you have the time and patience to drive around (I don't)
You can either go to eBay or just look though the Goodwill type of stores in your area. Ebay is more fun! My criteria are lights that look like they are from 1950 to about 1970. They have to have some paint design on them (as opposed to all shiny aluminum), a sliding switch with a momentary button and the reflector needs to be in good shape.
It's nice if they have a lens or bulb but you can fairly easily replace those things. Clean them up a bit with alcohol and Q-tips, drop two 2 cells in and in some cases a better bulb (available at most ACE Hardware stores) and my preference is to also add some diffusion film to the lens for a better beam pattern.
You end up with a light body that is nice to look at and that has a nice warm even beam as well. Put it in a nice box and I think most any guy would appreciate it. I've even gotten a few of these for myself lately just as a nice addition to the more modern lights I'm now used to.
These can't just be Mags or cheap looking plastic lights of course but take a look on eBay under "Vintage Lights" sometime and you will see some interesting lights! Local consignment shops would be good as well if you have the time and patience to drive around (I don't)
