HighlanderNorth
Flashlight Enthusiast
Most better quality lights are made of aluminum, with some also made of titanium. Titanium is stronger than aluminum, but I've noticed that it seems to get these little scratches all over it even when the light isnt EDC'ed. They are tiny little scratches BTW, but they are noticeable. From a materials perspective, I think its obvious that aluminum is a more desirable material for flashlights because its certainly tough enough for the purpose and its a much better conductor of heat and its lighter. I have 2 Ti lights, and I like them though.
I thought just for the heck of it, maybe a magnesium light would be cool, because its about 60% lighter than aluminum and its a little better conductor of heat than titanium. It would need to be anodized as magnesium is more reactive and more likely to oxidize than aluminum, but with a coating it would be fine.
But here's a crazy thought...... I'd like to have a beryllium flashlight. Its MUCH lighter than aluminum or magnesium, and its the 2nd overall lightest metal element in the universe next to lithium. Its also very strong, hard and tough. By weight, its the best conductor of heat. It's non-magnetic, Its used in ultra-high tech applications, like it was used as the heat shield on the Mercury reentry vehicles. It was made into brakes for Indy cars back in the day. The huge mirror for the new Webb telescope that will be launched into space will be made almost entirely of beryllium because of its extremely high melting temperature, its toughness, and mostly because it can handle temperature extremes from really hot to really cold without deforming or becoming structurally compromised in any way, and because its mega-lightweight. When alloyed with the relatively soft metal copper at only 4% beryllium, it supposedly makes that 96% copper alloy become as hard as spring steel, with much lower electrical resistance and much better thermal conductivity. Its also non-sparking.
The only problem(and its kinda a big one) is that beryllium is somewhat poisonous if you breath beryllium dust during machining processes or sanding or whatever. They say its the most poisonous of the "industrial metals". If its consumed it can cause disease. But people use beryllium copper tools every day, and as long as you dont breath its dust there shouldnt be any problem. Just like lead. You can safely use lead fishing weights, or you can reload lead bullets, etc., as long as you dont breath in its dust or residue and as long as you dont somehow consume it. Beryllium is also very expensive at around $380 per pound. I have a 2 ounce round cast ingot of 99.99% beryllium, and its kind of a dark-ish gray-silver color. I keep it in a glass jar just to keep people in my house happy(just like the 5 grams of uranium 238 and the sodium).
Nonetheless, I think it would be cool to have a coated beryllium light. I just wouldnt want to put it on a grinder or file it while breathing deeply. But to put into perspective that its not as bad as it sounds as far as being dangerous, many of you probably have wives, sisters, mothers, or girlfriends who have emerald or aquamarine jewelry right? Well, emeralds and aquamarine, as well as Morganite and heliodor or the extremely rare gem called red beryl(Bixbite) which is essentially red emerald(only found in Utah), are all in the Beryl family. Beryl is crystallized beryllium, and non-gem quality beryl is the main ore source of beryllium. Also, another more rare and more expensive gemstone is called Alexandrite. Well, Alexandrite is in the Chrysoberyl family, which is made of crystallized beryllium and aluminum oxide. So if its been safe to use as jewelry for thousands of years with nobody dying by wearing it against their skin every day, then a beryllium flashlight shouldnt be a problem!
I wont hold my breath though..... I'd settle for a zirconium flashlight.
What other materials would you like to see used to make a light out of?
I thought just for the heck of it, maybe a magnesium light would be cool, because its about 60% lighter than aluminum and its a little better conductor of heat than titanium. It would need to be anodized as magnesium is more reactive and more likely to oxidize than aluminum, but with a coating it would be fine.
But here's a crazy thought...... I'd like to have a beryllium flashlight. Its MUCH lighter than aluminum or magnesium, and its the 2nd overall lightest metal element in the universe next to lithium. Its also very strong, hard and tough. By weight, its the best conductor of heat. It's non-magnetic, Its used in ultra-high tech applications, like it was used as the heat shield on the Mercury reentry vehicles. It was made into brakes for Indy cars back in the day. The huge mirror for the new Webb telescope that will be launched into space will be made almost entirely of beryllium because of its extremely high melting temperature, its toughness, and mostly because it can handle temperature extremes from really hot to really cold without deforming or becoming structurally compromised in any way, and because its mega-lightweight. When alloyed with the relatively soft metal copper at only 4% beryllium, it supposedly makes that 96% copper alloy become as hard as spring steel, with much lower electrical resistance and much better thermal conductivity. Its also non-sparking.
The only problem(and its kinda a big one) is that beryllium is somewhat poisonous if you breath beryllium dust during machining processes or sanding or whatever. They say its the most poisonous of the "industrial metals". If its consumed it can cause disease. But people use beryllium copper tools every day, and as long as you dont breath its dust there shouldnt be any problem. Just like lead. You can safely use lead fishing weights, or you can reload lead bullets, etc., as long as you dont breath in its dust or residue and as long as you dont somehow consume it. Beryllium is also very expensive at around $380 per pound. I have a 2 ounce round cast ingot of 99.99% beryllium, and its kind of a dark-ish gray-silver color. I keep it in a glass jar just to keep people in my house happy(just like the 5 grams of uranium 238 and the sodium).
Nonetheless, I think it would be cool to have a coated beryllium light. I just wouldnt want to put it on a grinder or file it while breathing deeply. But to put into perspective that its not as bad as it sounds as far as being dangerous, many of you probably have wives, sisters, mothers, or girlfriends who have emerald or aquamarine jewelry right? Well, emeralds and aquamarine, as well as Morganite and heliodor or the extremely rare gem called red beryl(Bixbite) which is essentially red emerald(only found in Utah), are all in the Beryl family. Beryl is crystallized beryllium, and non-gem quality beryl is the main ore source of beryllium. Also, another more rare and more expensive gemstone is called Alexandrite. Well, Alexandrite is in the Chrysoberyl family, which is made of crystallized beryllium and aluminum oxide. So if its been safe to use as jewelry for thousands of years with nobody dying by wearing it against their skin every day, then a beryllium flashlight shouldnt be a problem!
I wont hold my breath though..... I'd settle for a zirconium flashlight.
What other materials would you like to see used to make a light out of?
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