Had a good 700m thrower but now it's a flood

scviper576

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Nov 26, 2012
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Manila, Philippines
I went to clean the reflector in my light not knowing that the silver coating would come off and leave a yellow coating so I sanded down the reflector and now it has a flood beam. Does anyone know how I can make it a thrower again without buying a new reflector?
1c966e2e0eba4c334ce61ca909399d5d.jpg
what I did to the reflector
2298143a5af681e85c9c641eb99e0c2a.jpg
and what the beam looks like up close
c1a3fd75abdcd4df7d25d47b7e7c9bad.jpg
what the beam looks like across the road
6376ceee4e9171f68334c7ac7d1d770e.jpg
 

Dovii

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Not guaranteed, but you can try

600 sandpaper then
1000 sandpaper then
1500 sandpaper then
2000 sandpaper then
Rubbing compound then
Polishing compound then

What do you suggest I use to polish it to a mirror finish? I used 360 sandpaper and waxed it after
 

scviper576

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Nov 26, 2012
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Manila, Philippines
Not guaranteed, but you can try

600 sandpaper then
1000 sandpaper then
1500 sandpaper then
2000 sandpaper then
Rubbing compound then
Polishing compound then
Thanks because finding a minus aspheric lens is not going to be easy in the Philippines because the way this light is shaped a plus won't fit. I can just see it cracking when I snug it together and there goes the Waterproof with a plus.
Not guaranteed, but you can try

600 sandpaper then
1000 sandpaper then
1500 sandpaper then
2000 sandpaper then
Rubbing compound then
Polishing compound then
 

Swedpat

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Jan 5, 2008
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Boden, Sweden
Interesting. Maybe you could get a new light and have this left as a flooder? If you have need for that I mean.
 

iamlucky13

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Oct 11, 2016
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What model light, and what did you clean it with? This info could potentially help others avoid the same issue.
 

Fireclaw18

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Mar 16, 2011
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Unfortunately, no amount of polishing is ever going to restore the reflector to the level of reflection it had when it had its coating. Sadly, with that reflector the light is probably always going to be a flooder.

Your options:

1. You could try polishing the current reflector. You might be able to convert it from a pure flooder to just a mostly flooder. It won't be a thrower though.
2. You could try installing an aspheric lens in place of the stock lens.
3. Perhaps you could order a replacement reflector.
4. you could locate a plating shop and hire them to recoat the reflector (this will probably cost far more than you paid for the light).

IMPORTANT NOTE:
NEVER directly touch a coated flashlight reflector with anything with the sole exception of air (compressed air is ok). Pouring over the reflector or soaking it in Liquids like alcohol or distilled water might also be ok, but might leave spots. NEVER EVER touch the reflector with anything else. No fingers, no cloth, no brushes... nothing. The coating is extremely delicate. Even just lightly brushing it with a finger might be enough to permanently damage it.
 
Last edited:

scviper576

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Manila, Philippines
I think if I use automotive wet/dry sandpaper and sand it in a bucket of water using 1000 and 2000 grit I can get it smooth. Then use a car polish to make it shine more.
 

FRITZHID

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Jun 20, 2011
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Icelandic wastelands of Monico, WI
Unfortunately, no amount of polishing is ever going to restore the reflector to the level of reflection it had when it had its coating. Sadly, with that reflector the light is probably always going to be a flooder.

Your options:

1. You could try polishing the current reflector. You might be able to convert it from a pure flooder to just a mostly flooder. It won't be a thrower though.
2. You could try installing an aspheric lens in place of the stock lens.
3. Perhaps you could order a replacement reflector.
4. you could locate a plating shop and hire them to recoat the reflector (this will probably cost far more than you paid for the light).

IMPORTANT NOTE:
NEVER directly touch a coated flashlight reflector with anything with the sole exception of air (compressed air is ok). Pouring over the reflector or soaking it in Liquids like alcohol or distilled water might also be ok, but might leave spots. NEVER EVER touch the reflector with anything else. No fingers, no cloth, no brushes... nothing. The coating is extremely delicate. Even just lightly brushing it with a finger might be enough to permanently damage it.
To reiterate fireclaws reiteration of my original post.... You've screwed that reflector. Easiest and prob cheapest option is to replace.
 

TheBelgian

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Dec 12, 2014
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Guess
With fine grit (maybe go even as far as 5000, don't if they have sandpaper this fine) and good polishing you can get things to a mirror finish (sharpened my knife with 5000 grit and polished it. I can see myself in the cutting edge). You could possibly even get it better than factory. In the factory they just plate over a roughly milled reflector surface with a reflective coating, but you always end seeing sort of concentric rings because there is still relief in the coating from the rough machining underneath.
Your handpolished reflector might be better. It may only cause a imperceptible increase in throw though.
 
Last edited:

jorn

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Nov 8, 2008
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Norway
with some autosol and a drill with a polishingpad it will be better than the 1000 grit. But you will never get it close to the stock, coated reflector, not a chance. but there are plenty of reflectrors on the marked. Maby you will find one that fits. That will be the cheapest and best solution preformance wise.
 

scviper576

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Nov 26, 2012
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Location
Manila, Philippines
This is what I had 2 days ago
8980a299321023b181487e96027d31bf.jpg
this is tonight after more sanding with 1000 grit sandpaper and polishing it
3f073380902af6fb8eb1cc30992555d1.jpg
this is what the reflector looks like now
3c412906ab2cfa353dcd5579bb74d647.jpg
 

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