ven
Flashaholic
Mr fixer has the coolest threads
, great info and pics guys..........love it!
This is a cool light Mike..........
, great info and pics guys..........love it!This is a cool light Mike..........
The vintage California cop light company thread
- Thread starter bykfixer
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
Edit: quote from Ed Tor added to clarify that some Code 4 lights were modified to be used as traffic wands. It seems there was an LA Screw/Qualtech mod to some Vare-Beams that also made it to a few GT Price owned Code 4's.
Liftd's 'Smoke Cutter' is NOT a SMOKE CUTTER. That is a VariProbe head assm. (with a small piece missing where you push it in and pull it out that now only has a screw.) The VariProbe red center mechanism does block a lot of the 'scatter light' you need when walking in the dark but it does NOT re-reflect it into the main reflector like the SMOKE CUTTER.
I REALLY hate to disagree with you guys, really do, but all I can do it tell you what I learned or was told by the mfg. as their rep. dealer and fellow mfg. The VariProbe attachment was marketed as a 'built-in' traffic baton although nearly everyone in the field recognized it for it's OBVIOUS use as Lift'd detailed; preserving night vision, I'm not sure LA Screw ever promoted it as such. There were two versions: The first one was a threaded piece of red plastic that screwed up and down. The latter one pushed in and pulled out using an O'ring for resistance.
(Note: I changed the personal name to the user name where applicable to avoid violating a policy here at CPF)
End edit
Neato! A Ven sighting in the California Cop light thread.
You know me dude, I like yacking about old flashlights.
But I would like to say this thread was not intended to be my thread. No it was intended for those members who collect flashlights from an era that led to much higher standards in regards to the ordinary flashlight. All of this was taking place about the time Frank Nastasio was adapting the urethane roller skate wheel to skateboards. America was going through a rough time with that Vietnam war raging on and there were a number of other culteral changes taking place.
It was also a time I was growing up on the east coast of the US and all things California were out of reach of most folks... chrome engine parts, mag wheels, skateboards and California Cop lights. Now that I'm an old geezer I get to click on Buy it Now and bring a small piece of 1969 through 1979 into my den through a chunk of modern day fire on a stick that could bash out an oncoming perps headlight and still blind hippy hoodlums smoking grass behind the local high school. What a great time it was.
I'm not alone in that stoke so that's why I created this thread. When sgt placed the LA Screw rep's comments I felt like "yeah... this was what this thread was for."
Now that Lift'd has been bitten by the collecting bug of lights besides his awesome Mag collection the thread became even richer with great info that history has largely failed to write down. Well here is the history book. Available only at Candle Power Forums.
Diverting to the aviator theme, while drifting towards "good doubles A's before the minimag".... the JustRite Pilot Penlight.
Invented in about 1940 and perfected over time I like to call it the Prelude to PK's A2 Aviator by SureFire.
(Links to pics were interupted so I removed them)
Top is WW2 era. Bottom Korean War era.
The original was a plastic bodied number with old school sliding metal parts using a simple construction and #222 magnifyer tip'd bulbs.
By the 50's it was all alluminum with a twisty tailcap'd switch with signal ability.
White or red beam was achieved with a sliding switch that slid a red filter across the #222 or away from it.
Oh, and JustRite was a Chicago area company for what that's worth...
Liftd's 'Smoke Cutter' is NOT a SMOKE CUTTER. That is a VariProbe head assm. (with a small piece missing where you push it in and pull it out that now only has a screw.) The VariProbe red center mechanism does block a lot of the 'scatter light' you need when walking in the dark but it does NOT re-reflect it into the main reflector like the SMOKE CUTTER.
I REALLY hate to disagree with you guys, really do, but all I can do it tell you what I learned or was told by the mfg. as their rep. dealer and fellow mfg. The VariProbe attachment was marketed as a 'built-in' traffic baton although nearly everyone in the field recognized it for it's OBVIOUS use as Lift'd detailed; preserving night vision, I'm not sure LA Screw ever promoted it as such. There were two versions: The first one was a threaded piece of red plastic that screwed up and down. The latter one pushed in and pulled out using an O'ring for resistance.
(Note: I changed the personal name to the user name where applicable to avoid violating a policy here at CPF)
End edit
Mr fixer has the coolest threads
This is a cool light Mike..........
Neato! A Ven sighting in the California Cop light thread.
You know me dude, I like yacking about old flashlights.
But I would like to say this thread was not intended to be my thread. No it was intended for those members who collect flashlights from an era that led to much higher standards in regards to the ordinary flashlight. All of this was taking place about the time Frank Nastasio was adapting the urethane roller skate wheel to skateboards. America was going through a rough time with that Vietnam war raging on and there were a number of other culteral changes taking place.
It was also a time I was growing up on the east coast of the US and all things California were out of reach of most folks... chrome engine parts, mag wheels, skateboards and California Cop lights. Now that I'm an old geezer I get to click on Buy it Now and bring a small piece of 1969 through 1979 into my den through a chunk of modern day fire on a stick that could bash out an oncoming perps headlight and still blind hippy hoodlums smoking grass behind the local high school. What a great time it was.
I'm not alone in that stoke so that's why I created this thread. When sgt placed the LA Screw rep's comments I felt like "yeah... this was what this thread was for."
Now that Lift'd has been bitten by the collecting bug of lights besides his awesome Mag collection the thread became even richer with great info that history has largely failed to write down. Well here is the history book. Available only at Candle Power Forums.
Diverting to the aviator theme, while drifting towards "good doubles A's before the minimag".... the JustRite Pilot Penlight.
Invented in about 1940 and perfected over time I like to call it the Prelude to PK's A2 Aviator by SureFire.
(Links to pics were interupted so I removed them)
Top is WW2 era. Bottom Korean War era.
The original was a plastic bodied number with old school sliding metal parts using a simple construction and #222 magnifyer tip'd bulbs.
By the 50's it was all alluminum with a twisty tailcap'd switch with signal ability.
White or red beam was achieved with a sliding switch that slid a red filter across the #222 or away from it.
Oh, and JustRite was a Chicago area company for what that's worth...
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sgt253
Enlightened
Stay tuned ladies and gentlemen there is more on the way...
Until another epic post by sgt:
The 5D LA Screw light arrived.
This thing is a great flashlight. Holy cow!! Frankly it was nicer than I expected.
Not mint, but definitely not a beater either. A few nicks in the finish were all this one has wrong with it.
First thing I noticed is the switch mechanism separates from the body. Then I noticed this particular one does not hold to on. Don't know if it's broke or if it's designed that way. You can pull back, push forward or push into the body to get light. ...
Brb...
Ok I'm back from helping Mrs. Fixer get groceries..
So anyway my thought was this light can be a direct drive if that's your thing. Twisty head on/off.
Works like a charm and gives you a stubby 2D or use the 3 cell extension so... you can have a 3 cell, 2 cell, stubby direct drive or a really bright 5 cell.
The uber reliable meat in the sandwich disk that acts as a bridge between the bulb and batteries. I won't show close ups but suffice to say if you keep it clean it should last a lifetime.
The bulb slips into the reflector and will stay put without a fastener. But it's best to replace the bulb vertically. What I liked was it saves seconds and adds reliability by removing a part that can fail in time.
(Link to pic removed as it was being held hostage)
The lens is plastic. This one cleaned up near perfect with no haze and no discernable scratches.
This shiney thing cleans up the beam nicely but gives a nice hot spot too.
Hopefully sgt can speak to the LA Screw rep Ed and get the skinny on what that switch is or isn't supposed to do.
(It's a toggler that was not popular so not many actually went onto Code 4's)
Lots of proprietory-ness to this one. But a very impressive combination all adds up to a real nice tool that was built to hold up to a lot of abuse. (Edit: the no water tight provisions part removed as this light uses gaskets instead of o-rings. I had previously stated incorrectly that this light needs o-rings. Sorry for any issues caused)
The 5D LA Screw light arrived.
This thing is a great flashlight. Holy cow!! Frankly it was nicer than I expected.
Not mint, but definitely not a beater either. A few nicks in the finish were all this one has wrong with it.
First thing I noticed is the switch mechanism separates from the body. Then I noticed this particular one does not hold to on. Don't know if it's broke or if it's designed that way. You can pull back, push forward or push into the body to get light. ...
Brb...
Ok I'm back from helping Mrs. Fixer get groceries..
So anyway my thought was this light can be a direct drive if that's your thing. Twisty head on/off.
Works like a charm and gives you a stubby 2D or use the 3 cell extension so... you can have a 3 cell, 2 cell, stubby direct drive or a really bright 5 cell.
The uber reliable meat in the sandwich disk that acts as a bridge between the bulb and batteries. I won't show close ups but suffice to say if you keep it clean it should last a lifetime.
The bulb slips into the reflector and will stay put without a fastener. But it's best to replace the bulb vertically. What I liked was it saves seconds and adds reliability by removing a part that can fail in time.
(Link to pic removed as it was being held hostage)
The lens is plastic. This one cleaned up near perfect with no haze and no discernable scratches.
This shiney thing cleans up the beam nicely but gives a nice hot spot too.
Hopefully sgt can speak to the LA Screw rep Ed and get the skinny on what that switch is or isn't supposed to do.
(It's a toggler that was not popular so not many actually went onto Code 4's)
Lots of proprietory-ness to this one. But a very impressive combination all adds up to a real nice tool that was built to hold up to a lot of abuse. (Edit: the no water tight provisions part removed as this light uses gaskets instead of o-rings. I had previously stated incorrectly that this light needs o-rings. Sorry for any issues caused)
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sgt253
Enlightened
Here is some additional information from Ed Tor, a former LA Screw Rep:
"Some history as I remember: L.A. Screw Products Inc. was the first company name to my knowledge. At least that's what it was in '79. They started as a machine shop specializing in contract production using mostly screw machines, a type of metal lathe. Tony Maglica and LA Screw followed a similar evolution into flashlight production. Code Four was always just the product name of LA Screws' black police light. They also made the red Smoke Cutter, silver Medical and (short-lived) gold Sea Probe. The difference with the Medical (for EMS) besides the silver color was a patterned reflector that produced a smooth beam with no 'hot' or 'dark' spots long before Streamlights lamp/reflector module did. The Sea Probe was certified to, I think, a 300' depth for divers but it was not different otherwise than the Code Four except color. It was short-lived (I think) because the market was too small though LA Screw blamed it on divers not carefully tightening the sections against their flat seals. This was true too I'm sure considering their modular lights had four or five seals to tighten 'just right.' L.A. Screw only made 'D' size lights (with one exception) in 2 cell through 7 cell. They only turned 2, 3 and 4 cell barrel sections because of their unique modular design which allowed them to couple a 2 & 3 cell to make a 5 cell, two 3 cells for a 6 cell and a 3 and 4 cell for the 7 cell light. This kept the modular switch near the balance point on the longer, heavier lights. Police officers who wrenched their wrists using the larger lights for hours with the switch at the head from Kel-lite , Maglite, etc. recognized this was a real value. The switch, also being a separate module, could be completely removed in the unlikely event of failure and the light screwed back together to turn it on. By just backing one section off by 'a hair' would then turn it off in the same way the MiniMag works (maybe that's where they got the idea). This "Fail-Safe" feature, as the U.S.A.F. deemed it, was a major reason it was accepted for their Security Police use (along with Qualtech's charger, metal reflector mod. & 10W halogen bulb mod.) after extensive testing at Wright Patterson AFB and others. The one exception to all 'D' sized lights was a 2 cell (and I think a 3 cell) 'C' sized baton & light. The baton was wood affixed into an aluminum piece that flared in size to fit a std. 'D' sized switch module, then reduced back down to the aluminum, knurled handle which 'C' sized batteries. The reflector was a std. one for 'D' size but turned down and fit into the face cap. The 'head' maintained the same size as the barrel. The light output (from a PR-2) with next to no reflector was abysmal."
"Some history as I remember: L.A. Screw Products Inc. was the first company name to my knowledge. At least that's what it was in '79. They started as a machine shop specializing in contract production using mostly screw machines, a type of metal lathe. Tony Maglica and LA Screw followed a similar evolution into flashlight production. Code Four was always just the product name of LA Screws' black police light. They also made the red Smoke Cutter, silver Medical and (short-lived) gold Sea Probe. The difference with the Medical (for EMS) besides the silver color was a patterned reflector that produced a smooth beam with no 'hot' or 'dark' spots long before Streamlights lamp/reflector module did. The Sea Probe was certified to, I think, a 300' depth for divers but it was not different otherwise than the Code Four except color. It was short-lived (I think) because the market was too small though LA Screw blamed it on divers not carefully tightening the sections against their flat seals. This was true too I'm sure considering their modular lights had four or five seals to tighten 'just right.' L.A. Screw only made 'D' size lights (with one exception) in 2 cell through 7 cell. They only turned 2, 3 and 4 cell barrel sections because of their unique modular design which allowed them to couple a 2 & 3 cell to make a 5 cell, two 3 cells for a 6 cell and a 3 and 4 cell for the 7 cell light. This kept the modular switch near the balance point on the longer, heavier lights. Police officers who wrenched their wrists using the larger lights for hours with the switch at the head from Kel-lite , Maglite, etc. recognized this was a real value. The switch, also being a separate module, could be completely removed in the unlikely event of failure and the light screwed back together to turn it on. By just backing one section off by 'a hair' would then turn it off in the same way the MiniMag works (maybe that's where they got the idea). This "Fail-Safe" feature, as the U.S.A.F. deemed it, was a major reason it was accepted for their Security Police use (along with Qualtech's charger, metal reflector mod. & 10W halogen bulb mod.) after extensive testing at Wright Patterson AFB and others. The one exception to all 'D' sized lights was a 2 cell (and I think a 3 cell) 'C' sized baton & light. The baton was wood affixed into an aluminum piece that flared in size to fit a std. 'D' sized switch module, then reduced back down to the aluminum, knurled handle which 'C' sized batteries. The reflector was a std. one for 'D' size but turned down and fit into the face cap. The 'head' maintained the same size as the barrel. The light output (from a PR-2) with next to no reflector was abysmal."
So that explains why the switch was between the pair of barrels when the light arrived.
(Note it arrived with the 3 cell barrel up front)(I prefer the 2 cell barrel up front for better balance)
Thanks for the added info sgt.
(Broken links to pix removed showing the light vs Maglites)
Using the tailcap in this setup does not turn the light on/off but rotating the head does in cases where only one barrel segment is used.
Correction to my other post to indicate this light has 'gaskets' at connection points. I missed those earlier. But sgt's post caused to take a closer look. They are thin, yet very flexible. Between these and the gasket around the lens (if everything is nice n clean) I can definitely see this light being very water-tight.
Whoever owned it took real good care of it.
(Note it arrived with the 3 cell barrel up front)(I prefer the 2 cell barrel up front for better balance)
Thanks for the added info sgt.
(Broken links to pix removed showing the light vs Maglites)
Using the tailcap in this setup does not turn the light on/off but rotating the head does in cases where only one barrel segment is used.
Correction to my other post to indicate this light has 'gaskets' at connection points. I missed those earlier. But sgt's post caused to take a closer look. They are thin, yet very flexible. Between these and the gasket around the lens (if everything is nice n clean) I can definitely see this light being very water-tight.
Whoever owned it took real good care of it.
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Wow!! That is some very awesome info!! This is the kind of info that would def be lost to time if it weren't for threads like these. Do you know if Ed has any pictures of these lights? I've never seen a Medical or a Sea Probe but I would love to. I have seen Smoke Cutters and Code 4s. Also does he have an idea when LA Screw sold their designs to GT Price? Thanks again for the great info!
sgt253
Enlightened
More info from our CPF member EdTor about LA Screw Products flashlights:
Some corrections and additions:
1. I wrote "The one exception to all 'D' sized lights was a 2 cell (and I think a 3 cell) 'C' sized baton & light." I should have wrote; The one exception to all 'D' sized lights was a limited 'C' sized light family which included a 2 cell 'C' sized light made as the handle of a 'standard' police baton & ALSO what they called their "Back Up Light." Their Back Up Light was made, initially anyway, in 2, 3, 5, and 7 'C' cell models and all had a leather lanyard at the tailcap as standard. The switch was also in the tailcap. Again, these were the same small diameter end to end so L.A. Screw cut down the reflector to near nothing which produced a horrible light output. Maybe that's why they slipped my mind -- they really had next to no market.
2. I also forgot to mention that L.A. Screw had a blue anodized light in their 'D' line-up called the Power Probe. It was the same as the black Code Four except blue for non-law enforcement markets.
3. I also wrongly implied you could turn off a switchless Code Four by "just backing one section off by 'a hair'" True, but that "one section" has to be the head, not the facecap but the head. That's because you are backing off from the Shock Plate Assembly (also called the Contact Plate) and its little contacts at the outer edge that transfer ground to the base of the bulb.
1. When I wrote previously my mind was influenced by the fact that Mag does this differently and by loosening its tailcap would kill the light. Not so with Code Four. This is because Mag chose to machine their threads first THEN anodize (which is an insulator) and that required them to machine off the anodizing from the face (butt?) of their barrels and mating surface on their endcap in what is called a 'second operation.'. Most Mag owners learn quickly that the tailcap MUST be tight or no light. Alternately, L.A. Screw anodized first THEN machined their threads in a second operation. That made the entire surface area of the threads electrically conductive. This also allowed the use of those flat cylinder seals.
4. Shock Plate Assembly - Yes, the disk is made from some highly compressed, super strong material but to merely call it "cardboard" implies something FAR less that it's true nature. In 38 years (Yes, I still use them) I've never seen (or heard) of these swelling or responding to moisture as you would expect cardboard to do. I have seen, though rarely, these plates get bowed from the impact of batteries when the light is dropped. The hammer effect of just 2 'D's dropped face first on even a carpeted floor will crush the end of a PR bulb. The Shock (Contact) Plate is well named.
1. One word of caution: on the front of this Contact Plate the positive (center) and negative (outer) contacts come VERY close together as they must to mate up with the bottom of the bulb. Several things can make them touch and short the battery -- NOT GOOD!
1. The plate getting bowed or domed (as above)
2. Using a bulb retainer on our (Qualtech) metal reflector mod. NOT from us. This is because the retainer pushes down on the negative plate as much or more than the base of the PR bulb and works against it making contact. It also deforms that whole U shaped negative contact and makes it short-out against the positive. That is WHY Qualtech turned down the shoulder of our bulb retainers to prevent that, but others supplied the mod. too, like Brinkman, without turning it down.
3. One of the little negative contacts (on the battery side) mentioned above (3.0) might snap off. Now you only need one of those contacts for electrical ground BUT they also mechanically hold the whole negative plate to the Shock Plate. With only one the plate could move and short against the positive.
1. Shock Plate contacts shorting:
1. On an old L.A. Screw made double-sided switch -- the internal contacts were so heavy all you might loose was one or both springs (tailcap & switch) as they heated up and collapsed. Both replaceable easily and cheap (then).
1. This actually caused Qualtech the most problem as our conversion to rechargeable endcap spring sets deep into a Lexan insulating sleeve. When the spring overheated the sleeve melted into it. The conversion endcap had to be rebuilt or replaced.
2. If contacts short on the newer one-sided button module the switch will 'pop' like a fuse. I think G.T. Price made the switch (pardon the pun) to a cheap, JUDCO brand switch and fit it into the 'original' switch module. JUDCO supplies millions of these little DC switches in the automotive and other industries. The most familiar ones might be the dome and map light switches in cars from the '90s onward. Initially, when G.T. were talking about this switch switch we reminded them that cops want a blink option. They didn't even get the blink mode right with first ones blinking OFF from ON.
You asked about the time line and relationship between L.A. Screw & G.T. Price.
* All the before mentioned lights were manufactured by Police Equipment Div. of L.A. Screw Products Inc. since at least 1978 and probably earlier. They were at 8401 Loch Lomond Dr., Pico Rivera, CA
* Qualtech was founded in 1975 by its inventor Mr. Onno Prinsze in Scottsdale AZ. Sales began in 1976 converting 'C' & 'D' sized Kel-lites and Maglites. They also starting producing their own rechargeable named Pharo-tech.
* George Price and his 'point man' (national sales mgr.?) Ed Hecock of G.T. Price Products Inc. entered into the 'scene' in some capacity as early as 1985. They may not have owned it at this time. They were then at 2223 East 37th St. L.A. CA.
* By 1991 literature shows G.T. Price Products Inc. as the mfg. of Code Four and the others lights. They were then at 2320 Valencia Dr., Fullerton, CA
Some corrections and additions:
1. I wrote "The one exception to all 'D' sized lights was a 2 cell (and I think a 3 cell) 'C' sized baton & light." I should have wrote; The one exception to all 'D' sized lights was a limited 'C' sized light family which included a 2 cell 'C' sized light made as the handle of a 'standard' police baton & ALSO what they called their "Back Up Light." Their Back Up Light was made, initially anyway, in 2, 3, 5, and 7 'C' cell models and all had a leather lanyard at the tailcap as standard. The switch was also in the tailcap. Again, these were the same small diameter end to end so L.A. Screw cut down the reflector to near nothing which produced a horrible light output. Maybe that's why they slipped my mind -- they really had next to no market.
2. I also forgot to mention that L.A. Screw had a blue anodized light in their 'D' line-up called the Power Probe. It was the same as the black Code Four except blue for non-law enforcement markets.
3. I also wrongly implied you could turn off a switchless Code Four by "just backing one section off by 'a hair'" True, but that "one section" has to be the head, not the facecap but the head. That's because you are backing off from the Shock Plate Assembly (also called the Contact Plate) and its little contacts at the outer edge that transfer ground to the base of the bulb.
1. When I wrote previously my mind was influenced by the fact that Mag does this differently and by loosening its tailcap would kill the light. Not so with Code Four. This is because Mag chose to machine their threads first THEN anodize (which is an insulator) and that required them to machine off the anodizing from the face (butt?) of their barrels and mating surface on their endcap in what is called a 'second operation.'. Most Mag owners learn quickly that the tailcap MUST be tight or no light. Alternately, L.A. Screw anodized first THEN machined their threads in a second operation. That made the entire surface area of the threads electrically conductive. This also allowed the use of those flat cylinder seals.
4. Shock Plate Assembly - Yes, the disk is made from some highly compressed, super strong material but to merely call it "cardboard" implies something FAR less that it's true nature. In 38 years (Yes, I still use them) I've never seen (or heard) of these swelling or responding to moisture as you would expect cardboard to do. I have seen, though rarely, these plates get bowed from the impact of batteries when the light is dropped. The hammer effect of just 2 'D's dropped face first on even a carpeted floor will crush the end of a PR bulb. The Shock (Contact) Plate is well named.
1. One word of caution: on the front of this Contact Plate the positive (center) and negative (outer) contacts come VERY close together as they must to mate up with the bottom of the bulb. Several things can make them touch and short the battery -- NOT GOOD!
1. The plate getting bowed or domed (as above)
2. Using a bulb retainer on our (Qualtech) metal reflector mod. NOT from us. This is because the retainer pushes down on the negative plate as much or more than the base of the PR bulb and works against it making contact. It also deforms that whole U shaped negative contact and makes it short-out against the positive. That is WHY Qualtech turned down the shoulder of our bulb retainers to prevent that, but others supplied the mod. too, like Brinkman, without turning it down.
3. One of the little negative contacts (on the battery side) mentioned above (3.0) might snap off. Now you only need one of those contacts for electrical ground BUT they also mechanically hold the whole negative plate to the Shock Plate. With only one the plate could move and short against the positive.
1. Shock Plate contacts shorting:
1. On an old L.A. Screw made double-sided switch -- the internal contacts were so heavy all you might loose was one or both springs (tailcap & switch) as they heated up and collapsed. Both replaceable easily and cheap (then).
1. This actually caused Qualtech the most problem as our conversion to rechargeable endcap spring sets deep into a Lexan insulating sleeve. When the spring overheated the sleeve melted into it. The conversion endcap had to be rebuilt or replaced.
2. If contacts short on the newer one-sided button module the switch will 'pop' like a fuse. I think G.T. Price made the switch (pardon the pun) to a cheap, JUDCO brand switch and fit it into the 'original' switch module. JUDCO supplies millions of these little DC switches in the automotive and other industries. The most familiar ones might be the dome and map light switches in cars from the '90s onward. Initially, when G.T. were talking about this switch switch
we reminded them that cops want a blink option. They didn't even get the blink mode right with first ones blinking OFF from ON.You asked about the time line and relationship between L.A. Screw & G.T. Price.
* All the before mentioned lights were manufactured by Police Equipment Div. of L.A. Screw Products Inc. since at least 1978 and probably earlier. They were at 8401 Loch Lomond Dr., Pico Rivera, CA
* Qualtech was founded in 1975 by its inventor Mr. Onno Prinsze in Scottsdale AZ. Sales began in 1976 converting 'C' & 'D' sized Kel-lites and Maglites. They also starting producing their own rechargeable named Pharo-tech.
* George Price and his 'point man' (national sales mgr.?) Ed Hecock of G.T. Price Products Inc. entered into the 'scene' in some capacity as early as 1985. They may not have owned it at this time. They were then at 2223 East 37th St. L.A. CA.
* By 1991 literature shows G.T. Price Products Inc. as the mfg. of Code Four and the others lights. They were then at 2320 Valencia Dr., Fullerton, CA
Offgridled
Flashlight Enthusiast
This is a great thread thx mr fixer [emoji106]
More epic epic-ness! Thank you sgt.
The light I acquired has what appears to be a plastic (non cardboard) material. It reminds me of a carbon fiber or fiberglass melted into a solid mass. Perhaps a resin those items are made of... seemingly plenty sturdy and plenty heat tolerant.
The contact plate (shock plate) and both sides of the switch assembly are made of this material.
Either I'm just missing it or my light does not have Code 4 on it anywhere.
Now for the switch switch:
Did they appear the same Don/Ed or was there a difference in appearance/operation
post switch switch?
(Wow how many times can you repeat a word in a sentence and it actually works? lol)
The light I acquired has what appears to be a plastic (non cardboard) material. It reminds me of a carbon fiber or fiberglass melted into a solid mass. Perhaps a resin those items are made of... seemingly plenty sturdy and plenty heat tolerant.
The contact plate (shock plate) and both sides of the switch assembly are made of this material.
Either I'm just missing it or my light does not have Code 4 on it anywhere.
Now for the switch switch:
Did they appear the same Don/Ed or was there a difference in appearance/operation
post switch switch?
(Wow how many times can you repeat a word in a sentence and it actually works? lol)
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irongate
Enlightened
All I can say -wow -what a wealth of information and knowledge!:twothumbs
archimedes
Flashaholic
Sorry to jump in here, but @sgt253 could you please clarify the exact source of this information from a second party .... Is there some reason this other CPF member is not posting about this directly ?
It may be fine, but more details are needed with regard to Rule 12. Please feel free to PM me or other staff, if necessary or appropriate, in this matter.
Thanks !
It may be fine, but more details are needed with regard to Rule 12. Please feel free to PM me or other staff, if necessary or appropriate, in this matter.
Thanks !
See post #7 please... near the top.
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archimedes
Flashaholic
Ok, noted (and PMs received), thanks for clarifying that.
By the way, @EdTor is welcome and encouraged to post here directly ... his contributions of important and valuable historical information are certainly appreciated.
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A new arrival today. Another Don Keller company. Pro Light. (5D size)
It arrived with a 4D Maglite
Both arrived in really rough shape, like they were found in the trunk of a car at a junkyard or something... and the trunk was full of water... and the batteries had been left in them for decades.
The Pro Light was made after Don Keller left Kel Light. They made several D sized lights and some plastic rechargeables. Well made, innovative cop lights circa 1975-ish.
Wife wants to buy me a steak for supper, so I'll be back to add more. Until then.... some pix...
(Edit: Added captions and verbage under photos next day)
Plastic reflector and a plastic lens with protruding rings have me curious of what the beam will look like with the PR-12 bulb.
Looking at all of the rust and crud on the outside that shows me these were pretty dawg-gone water tight.
Came with a Holland made PR-12.
It's a generic bulb with Holland stamped on it. Many an American company used Holland made bulbs in the 70's. Usually Norelco from my experience. They produced a much nicer beam than the GE etc of the time. By the 70's the Phoebus Cartel thing (google light bulb conspiracy) had disbanded and Norelco was building some nice bulbs. Is this original? I do not know, but I do know they were very common back then.
The reflector and lens were glued together
The way it 'yellow'd' over time it appears an Elmers type of glue was used. They came apart easy enough to affirm that thought. Being there is no gasket I'm supposing it was a water tight thing.
The lens was scratch free. It cleaned up real nice. Another testiment to the durability of the lights. The reflector is perfect. No peeling what-so-ever
The metal underneath the crud appears to be an alloy of some sort with alloy rivets fastening it to the body. All of this crud is a definite road block in the conduit of electricity.
I really like the guard rails along the sides of the switch to prevent accidental turn on. This one gets stuck at about 50% toward on. It can be forced to on. If I cannot resolve that the switch from a B-Lite will work. Looks are different but all of the dimensions are the same.
Like the LA Screw mentioned above, it has a quick change bulb setup.
No fastener to take up time, but Pro Light can be 1 up'd over the LA Screw... with a slight pinch of the spring when you pluck the retainer out of the reflector the PR base stays in the spring. Allows bulb change in a horizontal position where the LA Screw should be at least near vertical.
The Mag has gouges all over the body where somebody put the kung-fu grip via metal vice at some point. It's still round thank goodness. But between the rust, the funk and the overall damage to the outside this one will probably be a parts light or perhaps a storage container disguised as a really ugly flashlight... a piggy bank perhaps.
Lift'd spoke of TM vs R vs panther logo in the rare Maglite thread (page 7 & 8 iirc) which would put this one about 89-92. Nothing special, but it's the oldest Mag D in my collection. The bezel aint in bad shape so if it will disassemble from the head w/o damage I'll try it on my Malkoff'd green body 3D light.
I have other lights in the restore pipeline ahead of the Pro Light but curiosity about the lens and potential B-Lite switch use may end up causing this one to cut in line...
I sent the lights to another member to restore so the "after" pix will show up someday.
Broken links to pix and comments about them removed.
It arrived with a 4D Maglite
Both arrived in really rough shape, like they were found in the trunk of a car at a junkyard or something... and the trunk was full of water... and the batteries had been left in them for decades.
The Pro Light was made after Don Keller left Kel Light. They made several D sized lights and some plastic rechargeables. Well made, innovative cop lights circa 1975-ish.
Wife wants to buy me a steak for supper, so I'll be back to add more. Until then.... some pix...
(Edit: Added captions and verbage under photos next day)
Plastic reflector and a plastic lens with protruding rings have me curious of what the beam will look like with the PR-12 bulb.
Looking at all of the rust and crud on the outside that shows me these were pretty dawg-gone water tight.
Came with a Holland made PR-12.
It's a generic bulb with Holland stamped on it. Many an American company used Holland made bulbs in the 70's. Usually Norelco from my experience. They produced a much nicer beam than the GE etc of the time. By the 70's the Phoebus Cartel thing (google light bulb conspiracy) had disbanded and Norelco was building some nice bulbs. Is this original? I do not know, but I do know they were very common back then.
The reflector and lens were glued together
The way it 'yellow'd' over time it appears an Elmers type of glue was used. They came apart easy enough to affirm that thought. Being there is no gasket I'm supposing it was a water tight thing.
The lens was scratch free. It cleaned up real nice. Another testiment to the durability of the lights. The reflector is perfect. No peeling what-so-ever
The metal underneath the crud appears to be an alloy of some sort with alloy rivets fastening it to the body. All of this crud is a definite road block in the conduit of electricity.
I really like the guard rails along the sides of the switch to prevent accidental turn on. This one gets stuck at about 50% toward on. It can be forced to on. If I cannot resolve that the switch from a B-Lite will work. Looks are different but all of the dimensions are the same.
Like the LA Screw mentioned above, it has a quick change bulb setup.
No fastener to take up time, but Pro Light can be 1 up'd over the LA Screw... with a slight pinch of the spring when you pluck the retainer out of the reflector the PR base stays in the spring. Allows bulb change in a horizontal position where the LA Screw should be at least near vertical.
The Mag has gouges all over the body where somebody put the kung-fu grip via metal vice at some point. It's still round thank goodness. But between the rust, the funk and the overall damage to the outside this one will probably be a parts light or perhaps a storage container disguised as a really ugly flashlight... a piggy bank perhaps.
Lift'd spoke of TM vs R vs panther logo in the rare Maglite thread (page 7 & 8 iirc) which would put this one about 89-92. Nothing special, but it's the oldest Mag D in my collection. The bezel aint in bad shape so if it will disassemble from the head w/o damage I'll try it on my Malkoff'd green body 3D light.
I have other lights in the restore pipeline ahead of the Pro Light but curiosity about the lens and potential B-Lite switch use may end up causing this one to cut in line...
I sent the lights to another member to restore so the "after" pix will show up someday.
Broken links to pix and comments about them removed.
Last edited:
sgt253
Enlightened
They will be looking great once bykfixer puts his magic on them...:twothumbs
irongate
Enlightened
Mt Fixer -yes rough shape -yuck
Take the steak while you can and enjoy the meal with your Lady.
Back to the lights-yes you have your work cut out for you on those baby's- in time!
Take the steak while you can and enjoy the meal with your Lady.
Back to the lights-yes you have your work cut out for you on those baby's- in time!
Man-o-man am I stuffed. Ribs, grilled shrimp, mashed taters and sweet tea. Life is good.
So while I was gone I did some reading. Don Keller and Kel-Lite cofounder Tom Gratner both left Kel-Lite around the same time. In '73 they started Pro Light. Pro Light reportedly built the first rechargeable flashlights. Apparently they began as modified tail cap'd lights and in time a dedicated rechargeable light was developed. History shows the Streamlight SL20 being the first, but like Tesla not getting credit for inventing the radio, Pro Light is not the name used when folks speak of the first rechargeables. Apparently Kel-Lite did a rechargeable mod around those same times. So it may have been Norm Nelsons Kel-Lite that was first to do so... I'm sooooo confused right now...
I'm pretty fuzzy on the details, the specs and lineup Pro Light had at the time, but by 1979 Don was working at Maglite. Somewhere during the Pro Light period Don helped John Bianchi do some flashlights as well. B-Lites. We call them Bianchis.
So while I was gone I did some reading. Don Keller and Kel-Lite cofounder Tom Gratner both left Kel-Lite around the same time. In '73 they started Pro Light. Pro Light reportedly built the first rechargeable flashlights. Apparently they began as modified tail cap'd lights and in time a dedicated rechargeable light was developed. History shows the Streamlight SL20 being the first, but like Tesla not getting credit for inventing the radio, Pro Light is not the name used when folks speak of the first rechargeables. Apparently Kel-Lite did a rechargeable mod around those same times. So it may have been Norm Nelsons Kel-Lite that was first to do so... I'm sooooo confused right now...
I'm pretty fuzzy on the details, the specs and lineup Pro Light had at the time, but by 1979 Don was working at Maglite. Somewhere during the Pro Light period Don helped John Bianchi do some flashlights as well. B-Lites. We call them Bianchis.
Offgridled
Flashlight Enthusiast
Your livin life mf fixer so deserved my friend..
Thanx OG.
We just celebrated 10 years of a blissful marriage.
One night two people who vowed they'd never date again were in a 7-11 convenince store at 2am. One was the manager, the other a roadway inspector working nearby. I was getting a cup of coffee and she was wiping down the counter. Nearby were about 6 police officers comparing stories of their evening. I whispered to her "guess this is a bad time to announce this is a stickup?" She whispered back "even worse time to announce we're out of donuts." Soon after we went fishing one day and the rest has been one fun filled day after another.
Now a bit about the Pro-Light
All plastic except for conductors and the reflector.
This one was reportedly made about the time America was celebrating it's Bicentenial. Post Nam and Nixon the country was in a pretty good mood despite a down turned economy. 200 years of freedom from tyranny? What's not to like about that? Disco was hitting the younger scene like an atomic bomb and Farrah posters were hanging on millions of teenage boys bedroom walls around this time. And some crazy kids near LA were riding skateboards, bicycles and roller skates on swimming pool walls when the waves sucked.
This light has a proprietary cord that did not come with this light. Dratz!!
But not to worry. Thanks to some folks long, long ago and a great search feature here at CPF it was discovered the light works great using 3 D cells and a Streamlight SL15 module works perfectly when the day arrives that the bulb blew. This one still has the original.
Simplicity of the day.
The bulb is attached permanently to the reflector. A pair of pins protrude through the reflector and slide into a connector point.....
The switch is near identical in appearance to the one on the Pro Light 5D mentioned above. (Looks like a B-Lite switch)
Being it's all plastic, if you choose to use 3 D to double A adapters and 3 double A alkalines this is one light weight cop light. I say alkalines because the bulb assembly is really scarce so there is no way Ima chance the insta-poof with lithiums or rechargeables.
That's it for now except to say the rechargeable PLC20 has a real nice beam with a bunch of spill and throws like an old Maglite.
Pix with broken links and associated comments removed.
We just celebrated 10 years of a blissful marriage.
One night two people who vowed they'd never date again were in a 7-11 convenince store at 2am. One was the manager, the other a roadway inspector working nearby. I was getting a cup of coffee and she was wiping down the counter. Nearby were about 6 police officers comparing stories of their evening. I whispered to her "guess this is a bad time to announce this is a stickup?" She whispered back "even worse time to announce we're out of donuts." Soon after we went fishing one day and the rest has been one fun filled day after another.
Now a bit about the Pro-Light
All plastic except for conductors and the reflector.
This one was reportedly made about the time America was celebrating it's Bicentenial. Post Nam and Nixon the country was in a pretty good mood despite a down turned economy. 200 years of freedom from tyranny? What's not to like about that? Disco was hitting the younger scene like an atomic bomb and Farrah posters were hanging on millions of teenage boys bedroom walls around this time. And some crazy kids near LA were riding skateboards, bicycles and roller skates on swimming pool walls when the waves sucked.
This light has a proprietary cord that did not come with this light. Dratz!!
But not to worry. Thanks to some folks long, long ago and a great search feature here at CPF it was discovered the light works great using 3 D cells and a Streamlight SL15 module works perfectly when the day arrives that the bulb blew. This one still has the original.
Simplicity of the day.
The bulb is attached permanently to the reflector. A pair of pins protrude through the reflector and slide into a connector point.....
The switch is near identical in appearance to the one on the Pro Light 5D mentioned above. (Looks like a B-Lite switch)
Being it's all plastic, if you choose to use 3 D to double A adapters and 3 double A alkalines this is one light weight cop light. I say alkalines because the bulb assembly is really scarce so there is no way Ima chance the insta-poof with lithiums or rechargeables.
That's it for now except to say the rechargeable PLC20 has a real nice beam with a bunch of spill and throws like an old Maglite.
Pix with broken links and associated comments removed.
Last edited:
