East German Flashlight

This is an original East German Flashlight.  It is like new and is of the German design used in WW2.  It is a number of color lenses to change the light color.  It has an odd shaped battery but could be operated by connecting a number of single AA cells and connecting them in series.  I will get around to trying that someday just by taping the batteries together than wiring the terminals properly.  If I try it and it works I'll share the photos.

Here is a photo of the old battery that I bought at the same time I found the light.  With the voltage it seems that three 1.5v AA batteries in series can replace this.

Police Lights

Warrior by Powertac USA

Duty Flashlights are a solid purchase for most police.  Many citizens followed the lead decades ago when switching to the maglite design with a heavy club weighed down by lots of batteries.  One problem is that they became a legal liability when you smack someone with such a heavy object made of metal it tends to do a lot of damage.  For police the extra weight became a problem since more gear is added every day to the uniform.  The latest of course is a camera to video all interactions with citizens.

Here is a nice article about the reasoning for one police department switching to the Warrior by Powertac USA
http://www.officer.com/article/12281698/duty-flashlights-same-tool-smaller-size-law-enforcement-technology-magazine-january-2017

It also describes a number of other modern lights all of which are now going with LED lights.  This drastically increases efficiency in terms of weight versus lumens and the duration of battery life per charge.

U.S. MX - 991/U Military Angle Head Flashlight - Vietnam Era

If you were in the military before the advent of diode lights this is what you carried if you carried one at all.  It is a great working light though the volume of light is limited it does the job.

This is the classic angle head flashlight in use for decades.  It has a standard incandescent bulb, a set of filters for color and protecting night vision and detection under special conditions.  There lights are sturdy and usable for a long time.  Usually when they fail it’s the switch.

I have carried this light in my vehicle for the past twenty years.  I usually just put in some rechargeable D cells in it and leave it there and it has come in handy many times.  

It has a clip for hanging on a shirt or belt for hands free use and for carry.  It also has a lanyard loop on the back.  Newer commercial designs are smaller and lighter.  

Made in the USA.  This is one of my favorite lights.  It's military grade.

G.T. Price Products
Los Angeles 31, CA

This light came with only 3 filters, clear, white, and red.  So the blue one is missing.  Under the spring is an extra bulb.

Why This Site for Flashlights

I love flashlights.  It seems I've always been fascinated by them.   I started collecting old ones I came across and of course when some new designs came along I found myself intrigued enough to go ahead and buy one.  At this stage I think of myself as more than a flashlight enthusiast, more than a collector, but more of a connoisseur.  I truly enjoy a great design and function in a flashlight.

As as sportsman who likes camping and someone who has been on the road many times where a flashlight meant making life easier I learned to appreciate a reliable and well adapted light.  In the military we found having the right light another means of getting the job done.  In day to day living out in the country I find myself using a flashlight or two every day.  As I get older and my eyes don't work as well in the dark a flashlight is a necessary tool to prevent accidents and to just find things.  Even reading something is easier with the right light.  I own a whole bunch of them.  Each of my vehicles probably has half a dozen varied lights in it, and around the house there is probably one in every room.  They are my version of a security blanket.  With a light I own the night.

I hope to share some of my experience with them by showing you ones I've owned and also give reviews of new ones I come across and purchase.

Flashlights are a metaphor for humankind in their quest for fire and illumination.

Bottom line:  A good light is cool.


Thanks to David Misell the British inventor who patented the first flashlight in 1899.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashlight