U2 and my dog!!

Well, I woke up this morning to find my U2 laying in an odd place and when I picked it up, I found the the surface half sivler, my dog must have found it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/whoopin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif I don't understand how my dog chewing on it could take off so much HAIII, isn't it supposed to be somewhat HARD? I have dropped other HAIII lights and I can understand a 5 foot drop to pavement doing some damage, but a dog chewing on it?? Anyone else had a similar experience?

Your dog could be biting so hard the metal yelded causing the HA to crack.

You may want to check your dog's teeth in case they have been damaged...

Al

What type a dog? Some dogs are tougher chewers than others my opinion says.

Wow, is the black HA on the U2 weaker? Is it HAIII or II? Is black HAIII less tough than NAT HAIII?

I don't know how good HA flakes are for a dog either... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

I haven't U2 nor Dog /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif So no risk that misadventure arrive. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif But all my Flashlights are safely standing over a collector shelf /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Poor Dog, poor U2 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Weimaraner, on my avator.

IMHO (and I'm going to catch a lot of flak about this I'm sure), certain companies overhype HAIII to try to sell more flashlights. Maybe other people have had better luck, but the HAIII on my flashlights seems to wear off pretty easily too.

My U2 shows silver on the head crenalations, AND thats just from carrying in back pocket of bluejeans. I do more walking(99%) than sitting at work.

I consider it a mutual relationship- it slowly cuts holes in pocket, but jeans give it a fight/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

Jim

HA|||. Doesn't seem to be as tough as i initally thought when i get a HA3 flashlight. It still wears off but not as fast as type2. Usually Anadoising will wear the easiest on the edges.
BTW better bring your dog to do a dental checkup! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

post pictures! (dog and U2)

[ QUOTE ]
gessner17 said:
Weimaraner, on my avator.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah...I have avatar option turned off which is why I no see this. Does that breed have strong jaws?

My ArcAAA HAIII hasn't worn off yet and I've carried it on a keychain with lots of keys for close to 2 years...

Firstly, there is no such thing as "HA 2" or "HAII"
Level III is Hard Anodised.

Second, if the Hard Anodised is dyed then it will not be as hard as natural HA althought my understanding is that even "HA" is not raw in most cases.

I don't consider Black HA to be as durable as 'standard HA' although this could be because wear is more obvious (contrasting) when the HA is black.

Al

So the Weimar had your U2 for a snack /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

That reminds me of a male we had when I was a kid we tried to keep him in the basement at night /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif To keep him from tearing the door down we nailed old license plates on it and he would pull them off and chew them up /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif It didn't take long for him to get us trained that he wanted to be close by his family unit at night and a big steak bone to chew on to keep him happy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

You should let SureFire know the U2 is Weimar chew toy approved, I think it's high praise /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Later
Kelly


Edit

PS: Sorry about your light.

[ QUOTE ]
Size15's said:
Firstly, there is no such thing as "HA 2" or "HAII"
Level III is Hard Anodised.

Second, if the Hard Anodised is dyed then it will not be as hard as natural HA althought my understanding is that even "HA" is not raw in most cases.

I don't consider Black HA to be as durable as 'standard HA' although this could be because wear is more obvious (contrasting) when the HA is black.

Al

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Al,

For this side of the pond, Hard (natural) anodize is Type III, class 1. When dyed it is Type III, class 2. For "natural," it can be applied as a "flash" (what I would call the finish on my Li-Ion Heart) to serious depth/thickness up to about .003" which, IMO SF uses. (The anodizing process both penetrates and builds-up- the latter can play hell with close tolerance, threaded fits!) As I understand it, dying hard ano doesn't soften it, but I'm not the final word.

Type II, class 2 is what is seen on gaglites. (With the exception of "silver" which I think is class 1. (Undyed)) The "hardness" of the underlying aluminum alloy greatly affects the durability of the finish.

Non-dyed anodize finishes (class 1) frequently have a sealant applied to prevent them from adsorbing stuff later which could result in discoloration.

Of course, you are well aware that both SF and G@gs are made of Dural. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Larry

Thank goodness she didn't get my LION heart too!! I just remember my M@gs seemed much tougher and they were supposed to be less quality..Ohwell, at least most of damage is on the tail cap and not the bezel.

Type II is not "Hard Anodised"

Type III is "Hard Anodised"

Hard Anodising creates a hexagonal cellular structure of Aluminium oxide. Within each cell is a pore.
In HA the cells are larger and the pores are smaller. I bet this is one of the reasons why it is harder to colour.
Sealing pigment grains of a dye into the pores of HA involves dunking it into boilling water for a few minutes - the hexagonal cellular structure swells around the pores trapping the pigment grains of dye inside.

My theory is that without the dye, or with less dye, if one was to scratch the HA with a blade then at some point the "raised" areas will collapse into the pores before the aluminium alloy substrate yields. If the pores were filled, or sealed then it can not yield and so the force applied may be transferred more directly to the substrate.

Sealed HA has lower density (hydrated) oxide at the surface. Perhaps this is why it is not as durable as unsealed (natural) HA?

Bottomline: Don't let your dog eat your Black HA SureFire.

Al /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Larry, nice job laying it all out...

Al, nice theory but don't think so /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

more likely reason black HA seems to be less durable is as Larry pointed out. You have diffent levels of HA, from barely HA like on Lionheart to ARC/Surefire's level of HA. Which is more likely 3mils thick. Note this 3mils is counted on total thickness, which includes penatration into subsurface.

HA nat is honest, meaning you can generaly tell how thick anodic film by how dark surface is. Alloy of aluminum my effect that somewhat, but most generally. Qualitiy mil spec grade HA is darker.

When HA is dyed, a thinner HA ends up masked by dye pigment, be it black, blue, red etc.

thickness/penatration of anodic film is really main difference in types of anodizing.

Clear being lightest, color anodizing is medium thickness meaning anodic film starts getting gel like before dying. Hard anodizing being thickest, with current load 5x+ higher. Kinda like burning aluminum under the acid bath. this is what causes penatration. also acid bath is cooled to prevent acid attacking film that's already formed.

whewwww...

So are you saying that HA can't be the same thickness if it dyed?
It has to be thinner if it is dyed?
That doesn't make sense to me.

What I'm asking is do you think that SureFire is 'passing off' thinner HA when they dye it black? If that is the case why would they do that?

Al

Al, what I saying is, unless technology has changed since I worked in a plating shop. highly possible, been awhile ago /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

There is no non destructive testing for hard anodizing. unless you have access to exact part before HA. then one can simply measure part for increase in thickness.

you can aply dye to HA of vering thickness, this will mask actual thickness of film VS HA nat which one can usually tell thickness/quality by visual.

Since I'm not privy to Surefire's QC, can't really comment on that.

Look up mil spec for HA III, all different destructive tests including salt spray test etc.

Simple test for HA quality is scratch test with known hardness object like a high quality knife with close rockwell spec's. like 58-59 rockwell VS 56-61 rockwell

Pick a spot that will not show. stay away from edges. how surface holds up to knife tells the tale. everything from easy to scratch like M#glite to bounce off like most ARC's and Surefire. then you will get some inbetween where knife didn't scratch.you can tell knife is getting ready to break thru.

If you have not tried this, try it. works really well. when a knife point bounces off a nice pretty HA surface. gives you new respect for how tuff HA is.