Somehow, shelf queens have a shorter life than my daily abusers.

I had a Mini ML that I got from 47s as a replacement for a dead one. Because I wasn't willing to ruin the finish, I kept it off my keychain and only used it except when I really needed the form factor. Currently I am going through my stuff trying to find it because it has been MIA and now that nights are getting longer, I actually find myself in places where darkness has dominated the area (AKA night, windowless rooms, parking structures with shoddy electrical.)


The light on my keychain that is without an O-ring due to wear and has a fair chunk of the anodizing scratched off? Havn't lost it yet, instead I deal with its 100Hz PWMed X-RE and poorly laid out UI.

Anyone else end up in this situation where trying to save a light ultimately causes its demise?

Sure, has happened to me several times, until I finally found the missing light.

Need to get natgeo to tag some of them. For scientific purposes to track the migratory paths of lost lights. I'm positive I've left them in one place only to find them somewhere else later.

This happens to me, mainly because I have small children around the house. Not only with flashlights...USB drives, pens, pencils, shoes...the list goes on.

Ya...it makes me feel like I'm losing my mind sometimes.

I think it is hiding. It knows that I'm going to put it on my keychain when I find it and that will be the end of its finish.

Hahaha! Inorite...

You can go to Lowes with a $20 bill and buy 4 lux-pro LP 130 key chain lights. $5 each.
^^ 60 lumens, adjustable beam, and who cares what it looks like...Runs on 4 supplied coin batteries. Stash the other 3 for when the batteries run down on the first one. It is actually a decent flood and better thrower.






Or spend the $20 and get 2 of these from Home Depot. Also mod-able.


^^ the Coast HP1.
Pocket sized 220 lumen focus beam gets it done.


^^ 75% flood


^^ 100% spot.



Uses a single AA. Mine has about 6 hours on an unknown how old AA I found stashed in a drawer and is still plenty bright.

The above pic with pocket contents is after carrying it with those items a couple of weeks.

My only problem bykfixer is when I stash the 3 of them will they be there when I go to look for them

What's a shelf queen?!

Jash said:

What's a shelf queen?!

Click to expand...

A serious product that is adored an relegated to occupying shelf space instead of being employed.

Precious!


Edit, good grief I missed sarcasm ship I thinks in retrospect.

aginthelaw said:

My only problem bykfixer is when I stash the 3 of them will they be there when I go to look for them

Click to expand...

Depends on your stash skills...and memory.

I stash stuff all the time. I'm pretty sure it's all still there...I just don't remember where there is.

I had lights get tossed on the ground due to my use of a lanyard which ironically is the opposite of it's intended use. The only reason why a light isn't being used is because it wasn't right for it's intended role, became obsolete, it's languishing in my preps or I have too many of the exact same item (either role or actual gear item). I don't intentionally keep safe queens but totally understand and respect that aspect of a gear hobby. It's common place with knives and guns as well.

I'm currently EDCing a L0D. The BLF A6 with the 18350 tube is starting to look quite appealing though due to stupid amounts of output with a driver worth the FR4 to build it. I really need this light to stop playing hide and go seek, the darkness is getting out earlier and earlier.

I've come to terms with just buying budget lights, I may make an exemption for keychain lights since I never lose my car keys.

I just packed up a bunch of my lights in 6" high boxes.
First static cling wrap goes around the body. Then a toilet/paper towel roll. Then bubble wrap.

Emitters and batteries were removed and also enclosed in protection, that is taped to the light they came from.
Some haven't been removed from the package yet.

Boxes are stashed under my bed. The more 'expensive' or rare ones are going in a safe along with ones still in original packaging.

Now I have 5 edc lights to keep up with (2 of which are nitrolons). I think that's a lot more manageable. And wear won't be a concern as I'll know my 'best' lights are safe n sound.

Now shelf queens are no longer likely to become casualties of life.

You removed emitters, crazy much?☺