Once upon a time a sheriff made a flashlight. A very sturdy one for a change.
It became known as the Kel-Lite. It replaced the baton on many a police officers duty belt.
By 1972 or 3 the Sheriff no longer worked for the company. That is another story.
He worked at Mag for a while. That too is another story.
He eventually headed up Brinkmann for a little while. Streamlight now owned Kel-Lite, which at first bragged about the Kel-Lite acquisition and had a "Streamlight west" division for a time.
Under Don Keller, Brinkmann was making flashlights . Good ones too.
The Legend series was basically a bunch of Mag sturdy lights with Keller ideas. Keller ideas going back in time while moving forward at the same time. They were in Kansas.
A later onLegend LX6 (it was a Rebel not a Legend) rivaled a SureFire 6P with a Streamlight style bi-pin bulb and an adjustable beam in the first generation. (That is another story for another time). That one one post Don Keller and was not US made.
The word Brinkman does not appear on the light.
The rear of the package tells the story.
Pretty standard size reflector (read vintage stuff fits), plastic lens (again vintage stuff fits), metal skull cracker head (read heat disipation) with a lightweight bezel. Note the extra bulb in the tail cap.
End user serviceable switch assembly. Switch is contained therein and fastened via a C clip instead of hex screw. Nice!
It has a typical bulb fastener similar to a Mag. Spring loaded for the PR bulb.
2 o-rings inside the head adds to the one sandwiched between the lens and reflector. Nice thick one at the other end.
Using it:
I noted the spring on the tail cap is real sturdy. Smooth at the tip, but stiff. Batteries are nearly to the end of the body. Typical for sturdy C/D sized lights.
The switch is typical Brinkmann. Thumb/finger press requires the tip to be used. This one has a small button so it makes using a finger tip seem normal. It protrudes enough from the barrel to be easily felt, but recessed enough to not suffer from accidental turm on.
Momentary is super user friendly.
Focus from spill to spot acts like typical camless types. Read more rotation required. But also read easier to fine tune.
Does the mule thing well.
The 2D krypton bulb in this one whoops the pants off Mag 3D xenons or 4D for that matter. I have a 4C using a 3C bulb and this thing is brighter.
Mega nice hotspot with a ton of spill in the adjustable beam.
At $20 shipped this thing is a bargain.
If you happen across a 2D Legend scoop it up, fast.
I regret that Brinkmann doesn't make flashlights anymore. They made some goodies in their hayday.
But that too is another story.
This one was circa 1991/2/3.
Edit: I cleaned up broken links and corrected some verbage.
12/28/22 edit corrected Legend LX6 was actually a Rebel, not a Legend.
1/25/23, nope it's a Legend according to old reviews. Thanks for leaving this post editable Mr Ed
It became known as the Kel-Lite. It replaced the baton on many a police officers duty belt.
By 1972 or 3 the Sheriff no longer worked for the company. That is another story.
He worked at Mag for a while. That too is another story.
He eventually headed up Brinkmann for a little while. Streamlight now owned Kel-Lite, which at first bragged about the Kel-Lite acquisition and had a "Streamlight west" division for a time.
Under Don Keller, Brinkmann was making flashlights . Good ones too.
The Legend series was basically a bunch of Mag sturdy lights with Keller ideas. Keller ideas going back in time while moving forward at the same time. They were in Kansas.
A later on
The word Brinkman does not appear on the light.
The rear of the package tells the story.
Pretty standard size reflector (read vintage stuff fits), plastic lens (again vintage stuff fits), metal skull cracker head (read heat disipation) with a lightweight bezel. Note the extra bulb in the tail cap.
End user serviceable switch assembly. Switch is contained therein and fastened via a C clip instead of hex screw. Nice!
It has a typical bulb fastener similar to a Mag. Spring loaded for the PR bulb.
2 o-rings inside the head adds to the one sandwiched between the lens and reflector. Nice thick one at the other end.
Using it:
I noted the spring on the tail cap is real sturdy. Smooth at the tip, but stiff. Batteries are nearly to the end of the body. Typical for sturdy C/D sized lights.
The switch is typical Brinkmann. Thumb/finger press requires the tip to be used. This one has a small button so it makes using a finger tip seem normal. It protrudes enough from the barrel to be easily felt, but recessed enough to not suffer from accidental turm on.
Momentary is super user friendly.
Focus from spill to spot acts like typical camless types. Read more rotation required. But also read easier to fine tune.
Does the mule thing well.
The 2D krypton bulb in this one whoops the pants off Mag 3D xenons or 4D for that matter. I have a 4C using a 3C bulb and this thing is brighter.
Mega nice hotspot with a ton of spill in the adjustable beam.
At $20 shipped this thing is a bargain.
If you happen across a 2D Legend scoop it up, fast.
I regret that Brinkmann doesn't make flashlights anymore. They made some goodies in their hayday.
But that too is another story.
This one was circa 1991/2/3.
Edit: I cleaned up broken links and corrected some verbage.
12/28/22 edit corrected Legend LX6 was actually a Rebel, not a Legend.
1/25/23, nope it's a Legend according to old reviews. Thanks for leaving this post editable Mr Ed
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