Challenge Week #5: Do the Twist!!

Stress_Test

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So, after a hiatus, let's jump back into another Challenge!

What is it now you ask? This!

1eZsJbo.jpg


That's right, you can only use whatever combination of lights that fit within the area of a CD!! Just kidding. You'll notice that these are all "Twisty" lights, and that's the theme for this week!

For anyone who wasn't aware, a "twisty" light refers to any light that is turned on and off by tightening or loosening the head (typically), and don't have an actual switching mechanism. Some lights blur the line by having the ability to be used both ways; SureFire being a common example.

For the purpose of this Challenge, we'll go with the purist (purest??) form of twisty, one that has no switch and is only activated by screwing the separate parts of the light together, like so:

8BCnp8b.jpg


So, why the twisty? They have the advantage of simplicity, and thus reliability, because there's no mechanical switch to wear out, break, etc. Barring an outright failure of the circuit driver, or the LED itself, there's just not much to go wrong. Also, twisty lights tend to be smaller because they don't require any extra length to accommodate a switch mechanism. The design lends itself well to the AAA and AA category, and these lights are typically so small they can still be carried in almost any situation regardless of dress. I bet many CPF'ers carry a small twisty somewhere on their person, not for everyday use, but a robust last-ditch backup (I do, anyway... a titanium Quark Preon, on a neck lanyard under my shirt when I go anywhere).

Disadvantages? Well, the head of the light has to be unscrewed enough that it won't accidentally activate while riding in a pocket, but not unscrewed so far that it risks working it's way off completely. Also, on a lot of twisties, by the time the head is unscrewed one full turn, it's already starting to expose the o-ring, so water sealing becomes compromised. Lastly, twisties can be difficult to operate one-handed, and sometimes accidental mode skipping becomes an issue, depending on how much slop is in the threads.


So, for this week, the challenge is to use only the twisty style lights. An ode to simplicity, if you will, in a world overrun by complicated electronic gadgets and doo-dads.

The challenge "rules" can be found in the first post of this thread here:

Link to the Rules list from Challenge#1


That's it! Have fun!
 

Jean-Luc Descarte

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Ohohoho, nice! I bet this TURN of events is gonna throw some participants for a LOOP :p

However, I'm tapping out of this one. I've in practice completed this one back in week #2 when I only used a Lumintop EDC01, and while that week was fun, I'm not keen on re-running a challenge.
 

Katherine Alicia

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:awman: I really wanted to use my Surefire twisty as well, not to worry though, my C01S is good little light and plenty bright enough for most needs, single hand use and small enough to take anywhere.

I`m in! :cool:
 

ghostguy6

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I guess Im out this week. All the twisty's I own are hybrids and don't qualify.:oops:
 

Olumin

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I'm in with a Mini Mag and a Titan plus. Will be interesting to run these two as primary lights for a change. The Titan should be plenty bright enough for pretty much everything however, so I'm not too worried.
Really hoped I could cheat and use a 6P or M6 for this challenge when I first read the title.
 

Katherine Alicia

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I'm in with a Mini Mag and a Titan plus. Will be interesting to run these two as primary lights for a change. The Titan should be plenty bright enough for pretty much everything however, so I'm not too worried.
Really hoped I could cheat and use a 6P or M6 for this challenge when I first read the title.


yeah, I was hoping to use my 6P or M6 too, thanks for the Minimag idea though I`d totally forgotten about those! :thumbsup:
 

bykfixer

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Time to rehab this little 1aa map reader from the second war to end all wars.
B82-A1-A49-4993-4-AD3-8-C1-B-65-DEE55-F51-D6.jpg

Totally silent, early twisty.
The plastic cap has a wire that touches the #112 bulb, passes through the cap and touches the light when the cap is fastened down.

8-FDE9-DDE-71-B4-48-EE-810-B-86-DC0-F9-C97-CC.jpg

The inside of the cap.

A8-AFB84-F-763-E-4-C7-A-AADA-3-F1-CF0-C9-FC2-A.jpg

Where it touches.
The inside of the light is really dirty but at one point I did have it working. Another bath inside with tarn-x and a spring cleanup should get it going again.

C0531875-86-FA-438-C-933-A-63-F9-C25-CA51-C.jpg

My night light will be the so-called "lipstick" light that also uses a 1aa battery and 110/112 bulb. The twisty switch is at the rear. It's actually a twisty that clicks. Twist it counter clockwise to activate. A click locks it either on or off. It's infinite, in that you don't twist one way for on, the opposite for off but just twist counter clockwise every time. I got it off eBay back when I was building a Tom Thumb flashlight collection.

4-FC6-B597-0311-429-B-92-DA-1-CAE6-F899-BFC.jpg

It puts out about as much light as an incan Maglite solitaire but the beam is pre-focused to spot every time.
 
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cave dave

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This one is easy for me! I've gone weeks at a time before using only my keychain light. Formally a E05, currently a Ti3 V2.
Does the Maglight 2C ML25LT count? I don't see why not. It's my throwy-est twisty at 172 lm, although I have a Maratac 1C 2 mode that I think is brighter if you use the 4xAAA holder. I usually use a single eneloop AA.

It's not true there is nothing to wear out, the circuit board traces can wear off from the twisting action and cause connection issues. The Fenix E05 has a better design with copper contact pads not just circuit board trace and has been bombproof for 6 years. I've also had two Peaks fail, a CMG infinity fail, and a 4-7s mini that required constant cleaning to work properly. I have had more twistys fail than clickys. If a clicky fails you can often just do the usually cleaning and replace the switch. The rubber boots on a clicky are the real weak point as they seem to tear/ fall apart.
 

bykfixer

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I'll be using an ML25 for my "strong" light this week Cave. It's the brightest twisty I own.

Now in addition top to bottom
A983-D828-5349-4705-83-AA-49762-E3-F716-E.jpg

- A Rayovac Indestructable 1aaa twisty head
- An Elzetta G-EDC AA twisty head
- A Coast G9 twister tail
- A triple a minimag spectrum warm
- A polished alluminum Maglite ML25 gen 2 with borofloat lens
 

LeanBurn

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I have 3 contestants: Thrunite TiS, Sorfirn C01, Fenix E01. I will reveal the most used at the conclusion of this week's challenge.

Thanks for a new game.
 

Sambob

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I'm game..I'll be using the Mag-lite
solitaire
Mini-mag 2-AA
ML 25
Being that these are the only twisty's I own
 

scout24

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I'm in. :) Bykfixer- I like that WWII Map Reader. A lot. Any more info on it? I'll be using a Sofirn C01S HCRI, and this light that is usually relegated to indoor night time use. Laulima Hoku.

 

Dark Attic Works

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Here's my lineup for the week! L to R:

1. Prometheus Beta QR. I think this has a Nichia emitter (it was a gift so I'm not sure of the specs)
2. Lumintop Tool AAA with Thrunite Ti5 guts and XP-L HI 2700k
3. Thrunite Ti3 V2 Cool White
4. Thrunite TiS with green XP-E2
5. Olight i3UV EOS
6. Homemade little twisty with Yuji 5mm LED.

Should be a fun week!



 

bykfixer

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Scout, I never did find any details about the little map reader. Just that it was from about the time when WW2 was going and it was speculated that it was used for wartime activities. Back when I was researching, everybody I'd ask about it would say in effect "I've heard of something like that but never saw one before".
I probably bought it at eBay thinking it was a Tom Thumb light.
 
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bykfixer

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The brightest vintage 1aa light I found is a lensless Rayovac Sportsman from the 1960's but it doesn't qualify for this one being it uses a slider to operate. It uses an E10 bulb #112. Radio Shack made some with krypton gas that can probably be found at eBay but mine is using a Holland made Norelco because those have the best beam I have found.

I'm really stoked to have a reason to use some of my favorite twisty's. One of my two EDC lights has been the twisty aaa by PK so using that won't even be cheating.
 

cave dave

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I took the Maglight 2C (single mode) and Maratac 1C out tonight for a walk around the neighborhood and used the Maratac first and thought the beam was a bit too spoty and could use some DC-Fix diffuser and then I switched to the Maglight 2C and and that was way way too spoty and bright and ringy at the edges, de-focusing did not help. I've never used it to walk around before. I found the best way to use the Mag was to not even shine the spot at the ground, just point it at the horizon and walk using the spill. The cars coming my way were annoyed and slowed way down though, so I switched back to the Maratac which now seemed floody in comparison. Then finished up with the Keychain light an AAA ThruNite Ti3v2 on Med and Max, which was by far the best to walk with and the Neutral light was more pleasant to the eyes.

I just realized I have a magnetic tail cap for the Lumitop Tool AA that will turn it into a twisty.
Respectable performance on an AA, but really shines on a 14500. So that may be the main go to light outdoors.
Modes (1 x AA Ni-MH) for XP-L (mine is the dimmer Nichia 219c)
3.7 / 28 / 140 / 270 lumens

Modes (1 x 14500)
16 / 85 / 360 / 650 lumens
 
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scout24

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Good call on the twisty tailcap for the Tool... :thumbsup:
I took the magnet out of mine, it was annoying as hell in my pocket. :)
 
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