Fenix TK35 - lens replacement?

sween1911

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
2,049
Location
Pennsylvania
I have a Fenix TK35 (XML) with a shattered lens. Anyone have experience with disassembling the heads on these lights so I could potentially replace it? I have an email out to Fenix service department just to see what they say, but not hopeful as I'm not the original owner and... well... if I depended heavily on manufacturer warranties I wouldn't be on CPF. :)

Not sure the lens shards would survive long enough for me to get a good diameter measurement, but I have some tape on the lens to keep them together so I'll give it a shot. If I could get a good measurement, I'd assume it's a case of sourcing a lens based just on the dimensions. Was going to sell the light as-is, but I may repair it and keep it and sell some other lights and make this my main thrower.
 

CelticCross74

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
4,021
Location
Fairfax Va
sorry to hear about your light. Not sure Fenix can do much for you the warranty covers defects. You could contact Vinh over in the modders forum. All he does is take apart and modify lights and sell them. PM Vinh and tell him about your situation. He may most likely be able to not just replace the lens but modify the light pretty much any way you wish.

Fenix may ask you for the lights serial number. I have had every TK35 version to date but cannot remember where that number would be on the original XM-L.

My experience with Fenix CS was this-The only light I have ever had fail on me was one of my beat to death PD35's it lost its bottom 3 modes. I contacted Fenix, they got back to me and asked for the serial number which I gave them. They then emailed me back a warranty repair address in New York State. Sent the beat up PD35 to the provided address. I had the light back nearly completely rebuilt in less than 14 days.

Still check out Vinhs page of the forum there is literally next to nothing he cannot modify to your liking.
 

sween1911

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
2,049
Location
Pennsylvania
Yeah, I just too a look at it. This is no shake-out-the-reflector D-cell light. The head is one piece.

VIHN!!! Why didn't I think of that???

Thanks.


sorry to hear about your light. Not sure Fenix can do much for you the warranty covers defects. You could contact Vinh over in the modders forum. All he does is take apart and modify lights and sell them. PM Vinh and tell him about your situation. He may most likely be able to not just replace the lens but modify the light pretty much any way you wish.

Fenix may ask you for the lights serial number. I have had every TK35 version to date but cannot remember where that number would be on the original XM-L.

My experience with Fenix CS was this-The only light I have ever had fail on me was one of my beat to death PD35's it lost its bottom 3 modes. I contacted Fenix, they got back to me and asked for the serial number which I gave them. They then emailed me back a warranty repair address in New York State. Sent the beat up PD35 to the provided address. I had the light back nearly completely rebuilt in less than 14 days.

Still check out Vinhs page of the forum there is literally next to nothing he cannot modify to your liking.
 

sween1911

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
2,049
Location
Pennsylvania
Got some info from Vinh. Long story short, after firing up the propane torch and creating the world's scariest spanner wrench with needle nose pliers and a pipe wrench to combat the loctite from hell, I got it apart!

Ok, new question: I measured as well as I could by hand with SAE calipers and I figure I need a 42.545mm (1.675") X 1.905mm (.075") lens. :) I'm going to poke around on flashlightlens and see what they have in that neighborhood.

=========================================

EDIT: Found a great UCLp AR Acrylic lens on flashlightlens that is exactly the right size. Placed my order. Will follow up with this baby is in and back together.
 
Last edited:

sween1911

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
2,049
Location
Pennsylvania
Success! It came today and dropped right in. Blew off the reflector with canned air, screwed it all together and works great.

For reference, it's the 42.5mm x 2.25mm UCLp AR acrylic.
 

flashlight chronic

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 5, 2011
Messages
474
Location
Kapolei, HI
That's good to know, in case i have to replace mine in the future. So you used an acrylic lens and not glass? Heck, i'd replace mine just so i can use it for work.
 

sween1911

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
2,049
Location
Pennsylvania
Here's the head disassembly rig...

fenixspanner_zpsj05rvsot.jpg


Not shown are the soft jaws I had mounted in the vise to hold it. That was really in there!

Don't have any pictures of the finished product. I didn't see any glass lenses that appeared to be the right size, unless there was some variant I didn't see. The acrylic one was the right size and I definitely wanted one that wouldn't be easier to shatter down the road. I got the light used and have no idea how the previous owner broke it like that outside of a center punch and ball peen hammer.

Love the light. Huge throw and versatility for such a small, handy package.
 
Last edited:

sween1911

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
2,049
Location
Pennsylvania
Got to run my TK35 side-by-side this weekend with a friend's TK35UE. Man, that MT-G2 is a BLASTER. He turned it on and just ceiling bounced and we had to cover our eyes. My TK35 did pretty well outside though, got some good punch at distance.
 

CelticCross74

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
4,021
Location
Fairfax Va
mad props for getting your light fixed not many of us would go through that effort you are a true flashaholic. Much respect coming to you from Washington DC
 

NoNotAgain

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
2,364
Location
Blue Ridge Mountains, VA
Got to run my TK35 side-by-side this weekend with a friend's TK35UE. Man, that MT-G2 is a BLASTER. He turned it on and just ceiling bounced and we had to cover our eyes. My TK35 did pretty well outside though, got some good punch at distance.
Don't know why, but Fenix supplies a full holster with the TK35 light that uses the XM-L2 emitter while they supply an open holster with the TK35UE light.

Also the tail switch is different. It does use the same battery carrier though.

Fenix hit a home run with all three versions of this light.
 

sween1911

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
2,049
Location
Pennsylvania
Thread resurrection warning!

I've still got and use this handy, versatile light.
I just realized recently since I've stepped up some modding efforts with other lights, I had a few XM-L2's in the parts bin. Since this light had an XML, I could drop an XM-L2 right in there.

It's brighter and has a nice neutral tint now. Love this light even more.
 
Last edited:

martinaee

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 16, 2012
Messages
1,495
Location
Ohio
Damn! Any idea how that shatter happened? I feel like we forget the front of most nice lights we use are made of glass because they can take so much abuse unless hit right in the kisser like that.
 
Top