Advertising Light: Old Style

 It's a collectible and it still works well.

If you want a new D cell light now your best bet is a Maglite.

Multi_tool LED Light

I bought one of these for less than $6.  and it has a workable LED in addition to screwdrivers and cutting blades all on a keychain.  Not bad.  I keep one in the car.

You can see the LED button in the center.

Here is a versatile tool from Swiss-Tech with the same functions.

Panasonic Flashlight - The Light

I used this light regularly around the house.  One interesting aspect of how it worked it lit the red lens holder at the top.  It is translucent so you could see the light from the side through the red plastic making it easier to find if you set it down when on or if someone else was with you they could see it from the side.  The switch worked perfectly as if they had put in a high quality switch.

This was a very good light for well over a decade until some batteries leaked in it.  The bottom spring corroded and I never got around to figuring out a repair.  Too bad because it was a smooth and very reliable light.  You can't access the rear spring since this is an enclosed base on the light making it difficult to reach for cleaning or replacement.  Because of this it may be a throwaway.

In the future if you want a Panasonic light you'll have to find something else since this is no longer available.

I haven't bought one of these yet, but a flashlight that works with either D, C, AA, AAA is an invaluable survival tool.  This one is on my wish list.

Garrity Life-lite

This is a great light.  It was my mom's for well over a decade.  It is permanently sealed and somehow the battery stays strong close to 15 years later.  I checked the reviews for the current ones and though the light is still made it appears the quality may have suffered in the later versions.  For now I still have a Life-Lite that is well used and still going strong.

Weight 5.9 oz

It is well suited for a simple handhold.

Old Style: Director-Lite

The standard two D cell plastic safety flashlight is a work of beauty and technology.   The simplicity of the design and the ergonomic perfection is why these lasted for decades as the standard of functionality.

Here is a photo of a one of the standard versions.  I haven't been able to find any on ebay or a web search so the remaining ones out there just don't rate sharing.  As for age, I haven't been able yet to locate the year of manufacture so I'll guess at the 1960's-70's.

The current version of a 2 D cell flashlight that comes closest to the old style is the MagLite.

Fighting Flashlights - Mag-lite

Self Defense with Flashlights takes many forms.  One way developed by the company Mag-lite out of Ontario, California was to create a light that doubled as a self defense tool especially when batteries were installed.

Below is a 2 Cell version of the Mag-lite.    There are versions that have 3 and 4 cells as well.  Each is longer and therefore heavier giving much more leverage.  Police and security guards have used these to great effect over the decades.  I knew a utility worker that carried one and he protected himself regularly with one of the 4 cell versions.

These lights can be found on Amazon in all types of designs, colors,  and configurations.



I find the 2 or 3 cell Mag-lite to be the idea length.  The 4 cell light is more towards a heavy club and is not something you'd carry around but might keep in your car.  The old incandescent version is a workable light but the LED versions generate much more light.

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