Why the interest in brass lights?

Howdy cpf'ers!

I was curious why brass is a desirable medium for flashlights. I understand that it is a rather unique departure from the usual aluminum, steel, titanium, etc... but why brass?

Your thoughts about brass, if you please.

Looks nice, tarnishes even nicer. Gets little dings in it that add character. Makes for very smooth threads. Has a timeless look to it that still looks as good now as it did 10 years ago. Machine's nicely.

I will say that it's pretty heavy and the smell turns some people off, but neither bothers me too much personally. Wish there were more brass lights on the market.

^^ What he said. ^^

It's nice to have a flashlight made out of an "exotic" material, plus it almost looks like it was dug up from the bottom of the sea.

Cataract said:

^^ What he said. ^^
It's nice to have a flashlight made out of an "exotic" material, plus it almost looks like it was dug up from the bottom of the sea.

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... or from the bottom of a treasure chest.

Dances with Flashlight said:

... or from the bottom of a treasure chest.

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That was implied

Dances with Flashlight said:

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What are those?

They look nice. I cant think of any other reason since aluminum is superior to brass in every aspect (in flashlight use).

Cataract said:

What are those?

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Brass Peak Eigers.

Brass is Classic

I had one several years ago, had a nice old patina to it. I sold it and have gone back and forth several times on purchasing another. The reason I liked it was the weight. I prefer a solid piece of metal with some weight to it, makes you feel like you're holding a tool and not a toy. With a heavy brass light you can feel when you're carrying it. I know some prefer a light that's, uh.... light. I can understand if you're hiking or out trekking away from civilization, you don't want to be carrying a heavy load.

Well, since I first saw them online in 2006; I wanted to get one of the the Indian Jeevan Sathi flashlights made by Eveready (India Limited.) They are somewhat similar to the American Eveready Captains of the 1960s (they even have something similar to the boat switch that is called the lock switch.) They cost the equivalent of under $10 USD (some under $5 USD) but they are only available in India, AFAIK.

ericjohn said:

Well, since I first saw them online in 2006; I wanted to get one of the the Indian Jeevan Sathi flashlights made by Eveready (India Limited.)

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Eveready jeevan sathi 2 d cell, yea that made you look!


WEB Site

How much heavier is it than stainless steel?

There are debatable technical advantages, but it's about the experience. Like drinking from a chilled bottle instead of a warm can, brass just feels better.

For example, its self lubricating. Brass rubs off onto adjacent metals (like threads) and makes movement smooth, like more than a whole tube of nyogel can with aluminum threads.

Weight and appearance, of course, add to the luxury.

alex21 said:

How much heavier is it than stainless steel?

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About 10%

IIRC brass has a self-disinfecting ability as well, in case you have Mysophobia.

Don't forget that brass has a very high flexural strength as opposed to steel or aluminum. Hence why they're used for smaller sized pins that requires lots of stress. You have a light that feels solid and heavy to the hand. Lets just say it's like holding a Lexus compared to a Toyota even though they are the same manufacturer.