Removing the A2's lanyard attachment...

hogx1

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Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

Anyone have an idea of how to remove the lanyard attachment on the SF A2?


Sorry if this has been posted i searched and found nothing.
 

js

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

hogx1,

Funny you should ask. I just searched for this myself a couple days ago, and the recommendation was to use a small flat-head screw driver to pry the non-loop half up and over and away from (and off) the half with the loop.

However, I found that not even the tip of my small pocket knife would fit in the crack, and I sliped and nearly cut myself and also scraped along the HA (which held up like adamantite and doesn't show the sightest scratch--cool, huh?) So what I ended up using was a razor blade, which worked like a charm. Push in a little bit and gently pry up as described. The non-loop half should pry up and away easily. Don't use a lot of force, and wearing safety glasses or goggles is probably I good idea (I did) just in case you snap off part of the razor blade and small pieces of metal go flying.

So, there it is.
 

QualityAir

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

I did it with my screwdriver just a couple of days ago, just place the A2 in your bench vice and sharply drive a very small screwdiver in the 2 seams, and twist the blade.
it will just break right out, when I found it was just cheap plastic I was pissed since they charged me $180.00 for a little flashlight
 

hogx1

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

Ok i just used a razor blade, put the tip of an edge in one of the sems and twisted. The thing that concerns me is that (like QualityAir said) was that it took less force to pop the seam then it would take for me to snap a toothpick. I absolutely do not feel comfortable using it to hold my very expensive flashlight incase it slips out of my hands. Either SF has designed a genius clip that is super easy to take off but can withstand a lot of pull, OR the thing is garbage.
 

deranged_coder

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

The A2 lanyard attachment is similar to the L1 as far as I can tell (I do not own an A2). I just tried to pull very hard on my L1 lanyard and it will not snap off with some very strong pulls. I am very confident that should I let go of my L1 then the lanyard will keep it safe from hitting the ground.
 

js

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

QualityAir,

The method I am suggesting, leaves the plastic ring intact and re-attachable. And I would never put my A2 in a bench vise.

As for the lanyard ring being "cheap plastic", well, pretty much all structural plastic is "cheap" by some standard or other. If by "cheap" you mean it doesn't perform it's job well, I would have to disagree. It has held up quite well for me. It looks like nylon of some kind, and is a fairly high performance plastic. I would choose that material over metal for this application any day.

And I'm fairly certain that the $180 was for more than that little black plastic ring.

Now, please note that I am not trying to start a big discussion of whether or not the A2 is worth the price that SF is charging for it. Frankly I've had way more than enough of that discussion. All I'm trying to say is that the lanyard ring material was not choosen in order to cut corners and pinch pennies. It is simply the right material for the job. And it wouldn't have broken if you didn't "sharply drive" your screwdriver in the seam and twist. Hello? It's no wonder that it broke. If you had gently pryed it up it would have unclasped without any damage whatsoever.
 

js

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

[ QUOTE ]
hogx1 said:
Ok i just used a razor blade, put the tip of an edge in one of the sems and twisted. The thing that concerns me is that (like QualityAir said) was that it took less force to pop the seam then it would take for me to snap a toothpick. I absolutely do not feel comfortable using it to hold my very expensive flashlight incase it slips out of my hands. Either SF has designed a genius clip that is super easy to take off but can withstand a lot of pull, OR the thing is garbage.

[/ QUOTE ]

As has already been mentioned, the gently prying-up force (NOT twisting) lifts the "claw" on one part of the ring away from it's mating "hook" on the other.

This is very different than a pulling force applied to the lanyard loop. It takes a very hard pull to break the two pieces apart that way (and they will be broken in that case).

And, THIS IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE! Better that the plastic ring break than that your arm get ripped out of its' socket.

The ring is supposed to have a certain "break away" force level. It was designed that way.
 

deranged_coder

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

I was able to remove the lanyard ring from my L1 by using the tip of the small blade of a SAK and prying up. Here is how the lanyard ring looks when removed:

LanyardRing.jpg


I will go with option A, "SF has designed a genius clip that is super easy to take off but can withstand a lot of pull".
 

hogx1

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

[ QUOTE ]
js said:
[ QUOTE ]
hogx1 said:
Ok i just used a razor blade, put the tip of an edge in one of the sems and twisted. The thing that concerns me is that (like QualityAir said) was that it took less force to pop the seam then it would take for me to snap a toothpick. I absolutely do not feel comfortable using it to hold my very expensive flashlight incase it slips out of my hands. Either SF has designed a genius clip that is super easy to take off but can withstand a lot of pull, OR the thing is garbage.

[/ QUOTE ]

As has already been mentioned, the gently prying-up force (NOT twisting) lifts the "claw" on one part of the ring away from it's mating "hook" on the other.

This is very different than a pulling force applied to the lanyard loop. It takes a very hard pull to break the two pieces apart that way (and they will be broken in that case).

And, THIS IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE! Better that the plastic ring break than that your arm get ripped out of its' socket.

The ring is supposed to have a certain "break away" force level. It was designed that way.

[/ QUOTE ]

I gently twisted, no more force than a toddler could produce and it just poped right off. The ring is still in perfect condition, the hooks and slots are not damaged or bent at all, i can put this thing back on if i want later.

As for the plastic it seems high quality and durable, but i was amazed how easily i got it off with the razor blade. after looking at the whole set up it actually is a genius idea. The space on the light is no bigger then the ring so there is side to side motion but no up and down play for the ring. I just thinks it looks better with it off.

Thanks for the help everyone. Only had the light for a few hours but love it already.
 

js

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

hogx1,

When I insisted on prying up and not twisting, it wasn't a matter of force, but of the direction of the force. If you just try to separate the two sides of the seam, that is not nearly as effective as trying to lift up the non-loop side. Clear? Perhaps this is just an issue of semantics, but just in case, thought I'd explain.
 

hogx1

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

but doing it at the seam there is no chance of marring the finish, since its plastic on plastic. If I were to pry up on the opposite side as the loop it COULD scratch the light right? I tried going from the non loop side first, and found that after 3 tries either i was doing it wrong or just didn't understand how to do it right. When i went to the seam it practically opened itself.
 

js

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

hogx1,

You're not understanding me. I'm saying to insert the blade in the seam, so that the blade is parallel to the seam, and then move the blade in such a way that it rests against one side, and forces up the other. Seen from a certain angle, this could be described as "twisting", but seen from the top, it is "prying".

Take the screwdriver, for example. Suppose that that fit nicely into the seam. If you twisted it, as if you were tightening or loosening a screw, that would be bad, as it would try to separate the two pieces at the seam without lifting one up and away from the other.

But if you PRY with it, leaning it towards one side and away from the other, then that is good.

If you get the kind of results you describe, you are certainly doing the correct thing, and this is all just a miscommunication and exercise in semantics. But I just wanted to explain (again) for those who will read this at some point in the future, in an effort to remove their own A2 lanyard rings.
 

hogx1

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Re: Removing the A2\'s lanyard attachment...

JS, yes sorry I didnt understand, i thought you meant trying from the opposite side of the loop not on the seam.
 
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