Flashlights

[Darth-Baiter]

in my younger days, i got into pocket knives and flashlights.  i have since weened myself off and redirected my resources to bass fishing, but i do still carry a pocket knife and flashlight everyday.

 

i had to go find a dog turd in the middle of the night this past weekend.  my beloved and trusty flashlight is giving up the ghost.  it flashes on and off, and sometimes doenst turn on.  i am not kidding when i say i carried this thing for 20+ years.  i was once caught in an elevator in a total blackout, and the flashlight was way better than the janky cell phone i carried back then. the lady i  was trapped with agreed.  

 

i remembered Prime days.  i found the exact same flashlight for half what i paid for back in the day!!  i have since given away many pocket knives, but i still seem to have flashlight scattered everywhere.  i think i have two Surefires in my truck.  those CR batteries are legit!

 

i might still love flashlights, but the tech seemed to have left me behind.  i get all the free batteries i want from work, so the 2AA flashlight just works for me.

[gim]

I keep them scattered about too.  In the kitchen, basement, truck, boat, deer/turkey hunting gear, etc.  I also use a head lamp at times too like when fishing at night time.  I used to primarily use the mag light flash lights but I think there are better options out there now that cost less and emit a brighter beam on less battery power.

[Darth-Baiter]

Maglight had such a headstart on every other manufactuerer out there.  the wasted their lead on the competition.

they are the Blockbuster Video of the flashlight industry.  

 

i was at a work conference for the tunneling industry.  they were handing out 3 cell maglights as gifts.  i declined.  the poor lady said they literally couldnt give them away.  eventually, i think they did.

[Choporoz]

Received a Braun rechargeable LED spotlight as a gift last year and I love it.  Its bright enough to tick off the annoying 'neighbors' across the lake.

Plugging it in every few weeks is less cumbersome than looking for batteries in the dark.

[TnRiver46]

I’ve used this one my entire 16 year career crawling thru houses looking for varmints. Not the same model, the same very flashlight. We could write a long novel together about the things we’ve seen. Some animals may have been severely harmed with this light 

[Darth-Baiter]

my brother is a SWAT Lieutenant.  manufacturers are always sending him samples and his work conferences have great swag.  he had Streamlight Wedge that charged.  it was a lazer.

 

i should ave looked if there were any prime deals.  dangit.

[Spankey]

I’ve been in heavy industrial equipment repair my whole life (retired 1 year). Everyday (working day) the mini mag light and the leather-man on my side since 1979. Now that mag light and leather-man set on my dresser top since my last day of work untouched. 
 

But I have lights for fishing, hunting and around the house that I use regularly. 
 

If I could give a suggestion or a shout out for a light I highly recommend for all around use. LED Flashlight. Made in American. 
SENSIBLE PRODUCTS

HRF-1

 

I did not carry this all day long, but you could, not huge, I kept it with my tools. 
 

Has a high and low beam. 

Edited July 13, 2023 by Spankey
Added text

[Skunkmaster-k]

Never leave home without my flashlight and leatherman 

[Darth-Baiter]

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’ve used this one my entire 16 year career crawling thru houses looking for varmints. Not the same model, the same very flashlight. We could write a long novel together about the things we’ve seen. Some animals may have been severely harmed with this light 

i actually should buy a new Stinger.  i had the smaller one and it was soooo GOOODDDD.  it lasted decades.

[TnRiver46]

2 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

i actually should buy a new Stinger.  i had the smaller one and it was soooo GOOODDDD.  it lasted decades.

My boss has the LED one, I still prefer the incandescent. LED is brighter in one spot, the old bulbs light up the entire attic. 

[Darth-Baiter]

9 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

My boss has the LED one, I still prefer the incandescent. LED is brighter in one spot, the old bulbs light up the entire attic. 

i remember defrosting a iced up freezer with my incandecent Stinger.  that thing was a warm loving glow.

[Spankey]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

My boss has the LED one, I still prefer the incandescent. LED is brighter in one spot, the old bulbs light up the entire attic. 

I agree with you. I prefer the incandescent one also. The LED type when your battery gets low they have trouble coming on. The incandescent will come on, yes light but you’ll know your batteries are getting low. I believe they still offer both. I beat the heck out of them for years in my work setting. 

[12poundbass]

I wondering why you “had” to find a dog turd in the middle of the night. ?

[throttleplate]

8 hours ago, Spankey said:

I’ve been in heavy industrial equipment repair my whole life (retired 1 year). Everyday (working day) the mini mag light and the leather-man on my side since 1979.

 

Working as a heavy equipment mechanic i had the same mini mag, I wrapped electrical tape good and thick around the end of it so i could bite down on it and hold it in my teeth when needing light.

I always kept a couple packs of extra bulbs with me and had a bulb in the back screw off cap where you could store an extra. I dropped it many times over its life and was proud of its battle scars but the bulb would usually die an instant black burnout death.

 

 

[Spankey]

7 hours ago, throttleplate said:

 

Working as a heavy equipment mechanic i had the same mini mag, I wrapped electrical tape good and thick around the end of it so i could bite down on it and hold it in my teeth when needing light.

I always kept a couple packs of extra bulbs with me and had a bulb in the back screw off cap where you could store an extra. I dropped it many times over its life and was proud of its battle scars but the bulb would usually die an instant black burnout death.

 

 

I had a couple of tricks also but the best all around saver for me was the hexagonal shaped slip on accessory and homemade ones that you slipped on the head. Keeps it from rolling when you set it down on something flat. 
 

The other light I mentioned above has a great (strength) magnet built into the base. That made some repairs a breeze just from the convenience of being a spotlight. Wish I had that years ago but it is more of a high tech flashlight only been around short time compared to Mag Lite. 
 

They make or did make the StreamLight Brand stuff not too far from where I live. Never owned one. Was too cheap to buy one I guess. 

[Darth-Baiter]

13 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

I wondering why you “had” to find a dog turd in the middle of the night. ?

my dog ate something that gave him the runs.  he ran out at night and i had to see if the cleaner diet we restricted him to, was working. 

[TnRiver46]

I’ve heard you have to taste it to really know if the diet is working…….

[Darth-Baiter]

2 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’ve heard you have to taste it to really know if the diet is working…….

i evaluate on smell alone.  and texture if it is too close to call.  

[TnRiver46]

Almost had ya 

[Darth-Baiter]

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

Almost had ya 

i have learned to double read, sometimes TRIPLE read what you write.  you are a wiley one. 

[flyfisher]

I have a cheap rechargable LED off amazon and it does great.  I have the same one in UV as well for curing my fly tying resins and it works as good as any of the name brand ones for a fraction of the price.