# I remember... "the good old days" of CPF



## carrot (Aug 10, 2010)

A friend of mine got me reminiscing about what CPF was like 5 years ago, when I joined. I feel pretty comfortable in saying I'm no longer one of the newest members of CPF, but I recognize I am still not one of the oldest members of CPF. Even still, it also seems appropriate to remember some things about CPF when I first joined. 

I would like to invite all other members to join me in reminiscing about the "good old days," especially in things that no longer hold true today. Let's not get into flashlight politics, and let's not make veiled insults at each other.




I remember when LEDs were still in their infancy, when incans still reigned supreme and power LEDs were simply durable alternatives to the warmer, higher output hotwire. Back then you didn't really get any more peak runtime, just a longer tail of decreasing light.

I remember when not all lights had a converter board in them. So many were simply dumb circuits of lamp, tube, battery, switch.

I remember when nearly all lights had only one mode. Two modes was golden. More? Preposterous.

I remember when clickies weren't so popular (or common). When they were looked down upon as the twisty's less reliable, less preferable cousin.

I remember when the Nichia CS was the big thing. How could Nichia have doubled the output without any downsides?!

I remember when you either had an Arc-AAA on your keys, or a Photon II. That subject was all the rage -- which do I get? There really wasn't any other option, unless you wanted an E1e on your keys instead.

I remember when Peak was an ugly Arc clone. They've certainly made great strides today, and oh how Arc has fallen.

I remember the Luxeon lottery. You'd buy an expensive light and cross your fingers that when it arrived it wouldn't be pee green (think nuclear cat ****), an unpleasant shade of purple, or some angry blue tint. Most of the complaints you get with today's tints... well, if you'd were playing the Luxeon lottery you'd have been pretty satisfied. (I won!!!)

I remember "Cree rings". Since the Cree XR-E didn't have quite the same beam distribution, and all LED reflectors were for Luxeons, it resulted in weird dark spots or ringed beams. 

I remember when HDS wasn't every other recommendation. I remember that if you liked HDS, you were a little weird, because you were the only one on the forums who had to input morse code into your flashlight to turn it on. (Exaggeration!!)

I remember when we considered budget lights to be an Arc-AAA, a Surefire G2, or a Fenix L1P. And maybe a couple of Inovas. 

I remember when my first Fenix (an L1P) arrived, forever changing the scenery of CPF. Did they revolutionize CPF? Or are they simply symbolic of the change in the flashlight industry that shaped how things are today? If not for Fenix, it certainly would have been someone else...


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## Monocrom (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember one of the very first topics I saw when I joined up.

Someone selling Maglite Solitaires modded with a bright, about 10 lumens, LED. You could pick which color Solitaire you wanted. 

And the PayPal orders just flooded in! 

I think I arrived at the tail end of the modded Solitaire popularity.


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## glockboy (Aug 10, 2010)

How about Luxeon V X-bin.
Arc LS rule.
Mr. Bulk lights.


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## jellydonut (Aug 10, 2010)

carrot said:


> I remember when HDS wasn't every other recommendation. I remember that if you liked HDS, you were a little weird, because you were the only one on the forums who had to input morse code into your flashlight to turn it on. (Exaggeration!!)


I got nuffin' for this topic, obviously. But I wanted to highlight this. That's kinda the impression I get attempting to sift through the instruction manuals, quick reference cards and FAQs.  I wanted to buy a nice high quality pocket light as a Christmas gift but somehow I don't think 'normal people' would appreciate the complexity of an HDS EDC..


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## abarth_1200 (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember when high powered Incan mag mods were all the rage, correct me if im wrong but they aint so hot anymore


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## Colorblinded (Aug 10, 2010)

abarth_1200 said:


> I remember when high powered Incan mag mods were all the rage, correct me if im wrong but they aint so hot anymore


Oh, I imagine they're still pretty hot.


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## StarHalo (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember when this fish was straight baller, son..


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## TooManyGizmos (Aug 10, 2010)

~

Hi Carrot ,

I remember those days and nights , 4 & 1/2 years ago ........

Back then , any time , day or night , the Incandescent Flashlights Forum would have 100+ viewers while the LED Flashlights Forum would only have 8 or so viewers . For the last 2~3 years those viewing numbers have been exactly reversed . Now LED forums get top viewing . This General Flashlight Discussion Forum was always somewhere about in the middle . (so not as many are going to see this thread)

I also remember , a month after I joined , I posted this thread ...... (which I linked to)

" *Why can't miniature electronic multi-level switches be used in our lights ?"*

You responded to my questions in post #4 . You did not seem to be in agreement with my position of wanting advancement to electronic circuits in lights .

My request for electronics did not seem to be received well at all . I got negative comments right away . I was also new and must have been perceived with an attitude , due to my comments . The thread quickly turned into an argument and got shut down . I was just trying to get some variable light levels added to our lights , but not strobe or SOS . I continued my quest in other threads from time to time . Eventually the changes I wanted came to the market . 

I'm so glad that electronics finally gave us versatility and user programing , making one light have many uses . I think it woke up the flashlight industry , adding more fun , more jobs and more opportunity . It's so nice to have more choices than Ray-O-Vac , Mag Lite and PR2 bulbs .

So I'm curious ..... how does everyone feel about electronics , LED's and programmable circuits in their lights ... NOW ?

They seem mostly reliable to me , as long as they're designed well . The new lights provide smooth beams , variable light and tints , and the bulbs don't blow out when you drop it - leaving you in the dark !

And ALL this improvement has happened in just 4 & 1/2 years . I'm glad I got to see it ! I had to use crummy weak yellow lights during my working years in communications and data transmission .

My first LED light was a 7" shirt pocket pencil light ... Stylus 3 by Streamlight with one 5mm LED using 4 AAAA cells . Before that was C&D-Cell MagLights and MiniMags . (incandescent)

The future is BRIGHT ! .... and electronics control EVERYTHING !

~
till the EMP comes ...... then back to real torches
~


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## strinq (Aug 10, 2010)

Wow...being new to this whole flashlight thing...I can't imagine why someone wouldn't want the option of having multiple levels. 

Carrot..what were you thinking? 

I'm saying single stage lights are good but having the option of multiple levels is also good.


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## ^Gurthang (Aug 10, 2010)

Just imagine what we'll be discussing in 5 years.....

"New AW Li-Air 10340 4500 mAh tested"

"When is the new SureFire LX-1 due to arrive??"

"How do I program my neural implant ZebraLight headlight?"

"DX screwed up my order; for the 57th time...." 

"Can I upgrade my FenFireHD w/ new Cree XX emitter at 12 A or just upgrade the driver?" 

"My new HurtFire F507 flickers and has battery rattle, anyone help???" 

"Insane bi-pin plasma [email protected] mod, 1Mlumen tire burner [PIC HEAVY]"


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## Chucula (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember when the first Fenix lights came out and the forum went nuts  

I had bought a surefire E2e and thought it was the coolest light ever until I got a Fenix P1 "pocket rocket" (rated at 35-40 lumens i think). And then I had bought a surefire M6 

I remember scouring ebay for an Arc LS, which was the holy grail here.

I think back to my older lights and feel pretty satisfied with my 100 lumen lights. It is fun walking out into the dark woods and wandering around with pockets full of lights


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## smokelaw1 (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember crossing the 100 lumen mark with an LED and thinking about how I never real need another flashlight. 

I remember having 20 mintue runtimes in Surefire incans and thinking that LED's could never, NEVER put out that much light.

But compared to a lot of you guys, I'm totally still a newb.


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## Arcus Diabolus (Aug 10, 2010)

^Gurthang said:


> Just imagine what we'll be discussing in 5 years.....
> 
> ...."When is the new SureFire LX-1 due to arrive??".....


 
I haven't been around that long but I have to say that one made me laugh. I'm also supprised at how quickly jellydonut got flashaholic status. And to TooManyGismos, you did seem like a newbie with an attitude in that link:nana:.


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## carrot (Aug 10, 2010)

strinq said:


> Wow...being new to this whole flashlight thing...I can't imagine why someone wouldn't want the option of having multiple levels.
> 
> Carrot..what were you thinking?
> 
> I'm saying single stage lights are good but having the option of multiple levels is also good.


Well I still don't like complicated electronic wisdom in my flashlights, so there! My favorite flashlight is still the same it was 4 years ago, with two modes actuated by a piston.


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## mdocod (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember when putting together a relatively ordinary output lithium-ion powered incandecent configuration was a cross-your-fingers and hope the magnet doesn't slip and hope it will fire up this bulb without tripping the circuit situation.

I remember when AWs black label cells with the high current thresholds changed the entire incan world. 

I remember when the DSD was the standard. 

I remember when I was the guy asking the questions, trying to make sense of it all. I remember when CPF member Paul_In_Maryland held my hand through the tough steps of getting the toes in the lithium water. 

I remember the good ole days of excitement, full of cheap thrill flashlights, most of which are in a junk bin. A few gems I still use to this day. 

Anyone remember the 3C LEDBeam? Too bad the switches were junk...

haha....

Eric


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## Josey (Aug 10, 2010)

When I joined, CPF was more about modding. Today it's more about shopping. The lights are better today, but the hobby isn't.


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## ninemm (Aug 10, 2010)

Hey Carrot, thanks for this thread. I always find it interesting to see what has happened before I got here. One main thought I had after reading all the changes you listed is if that is what has happened in the last five...I can't imagine what advances are going to occur in the next five.


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## Connor (Aug 10, 2010)

And I remember when CPF still was a tiny lil' forum. Finally a thread to show off with my join date. :nana:


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## GarageBoy (Aug 10, 2010)

Sandwich Shoppe was the king of converter boards

Lux I/III Ambers were amongst the first to break 100lumens (or was it 200?)

Fenix came on board and had one of the longest threads that I could remember

Nitecore was amongst the first to sell a Cree powered light

IMS SO17X, IMS20, IMS 27, NX05, Fraen LP all meant something and were the only optics management systems availible 

There were at most 2 Surefire clone brands

Nuwai Q3s and other Nuwais were what you bought when you couldn't afford a Surefire LED light

Peter Gransee actually cared about us

Arc LS, Sandwich modded [email protected] and Doug Speck Fire~flies were things you coveted (now, you can't even sell a Fire~fly for $50)

Li Ions were the new frontier

Bin codes were easy to remember and figure out


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## LED_Thrift (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember ANXIOUSLY waiting for Dan to get his next review up on the FlashlightReviews website, to see how the new light ranked compared to others, and the subsequent CPF discussion.


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## saabluster (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember when people said LEDs would never beat HID for throw. Silly people.:nana:


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## fishx65 (Aug 10, 2010)

Even though I purchased my Surefire 6R about 14 years ago, I didn't find this website untill 2005. Never did buy a Fenix L1P but I did pick up 5 Propoly's which I modded and still use to this day. Always found it kinda funny that the headlamp forum never gets much action. I find headlamps more usefull then any handheld. CPF is responsible for my opening a Paypal account and purchasing over 60 lights!!!!!


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## TooManyGizmos (Aug 10, 2010)

~

I remember "QuickBeam" and his great reviews .

I remember when he got insulted about his reviews and hard work ... and said "I Quit" .

And how his site and reviews were later TRASHED

I hope he is doing well ........

And I wish he'd come back !

Anyone heard from him ? it's been a year since he visited here !

~


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## Darvis (Aug 10, 2010)

What a great thread! I didn't discover CPF until just about 2 years ago, but was a flashaholic long before that without even knowing it... 

I remember my first princeton tec 3 led "attitude" marvel that I got at REI and the subsequent trips there to see what was "new" every other week.

Prior to that, it was the battle over finding a reliable incan, the 6 volt screw post cheapies, the discovery of Maglites, the dissappointment of the solitaire. D and C cells by the millions and when the rain hit your light during an all night rainstorn that was threatening to flood the barn once again, arrrggghhhhhh!!!

But I have to say that, although I love my HDS lights, I find myself buying more and more single level Peaks and basic twisties, just loving the simple, reliable, lights. Heck, I think I bought all of the Mckinley's RMSK had left!

For me, learning the electronics end of it and getting ready to, perhaps, build my own... and oh! Those lovely HID's!!!!! Mmmmmmmm!

I think there's a renaissance in the making here. As more people discover the simple basics of twist for nice reliable light and that Lumens are not really what matters (as I did, I have long abandoned the Lumen chasing).

Plus, what a great forum! I have never been a part of such a great community... 

So, remember when? Nah... now is very very good.


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## Illum (Aug 10, 2010)

what? no one mentioned the glorious cctrek 2LED light? back then those were pretty high end too:thinking:


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## parnass (Aug 10, 2010)

Five years ago Inova lights were discussed frequently on CPF and were made in USA.


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## TooManyGizmos (Aug 10, 2010)

~ 

Ctrek ... I thought those were 7 LED clusters ..... OH , maybe that was C.Crane


Pal-Lights (9v / one 5mm LED) ..................Eternalights ........... DISCO lights !

7w Goldston ?... was that their name ? ... QuickSilver VB16's ... sold by Emillion.

and then the CPF VB-16 by J.S.Burley ? J.S.Burley batt. protection circuits ?

GlowBug.com ..... FifthUnit.com .....Luxeon III's and Luxeon V's ... Amondo Tech .... and so on .

~


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## sween1911 (Aug 10, 2010)

Wow! Great thread! Brings me back to when I knew in my heart that the ultimate, bar-none EDC I needed to have was a Surefire E1. Surefire quality in a pocket-size package! 

Now I hold it next to my $20 Target LED light and it gets blown away. How LED lights have come forward! The game has changed and I'm happy to say I saw it happen on CPF.


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## Paul6ppca (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember my first real led light a Fenix LP2,I couldnt believe I spent that much on a flashlight!
When I got it I was amazed.

First led was a 5 led Inova clone as purple as could be.


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## kelmo (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember when all new members were warmly greeted with a "Welcome to CPF" even if you didn't have any input on their 1st thread.

I remember purple and "cat urine green" Luxeon I LEDs.

I remember when SF used to sell there E series LED conversions for under $60!


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## TooManyGizmos (Aug 10, 2010)

kelmo said:


> I remember when all new members were warmly greeted with a "Welcome to CPF" even if you didn't have any input on their 1st thread.




Exxxsqueezee Meee ........ Most of us STILL do that ....... I do .

That has not been lost.

~


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## OceanView (Aug 10, 2010)

Remember when buying an LED light was always rather dicey with the "Luxeon lottery"? When's the last time you've heard a white LED's tint described as "pea soup green"? Or how some of us resorted to using colored LED's for certain applications (like red or cyan) because they were either more efficient than white LED's or because at least our eyes were supposedly more sensitive to those colors than white and whites couldn't put out enough lumens.

Remember when Surefire advertising called it's lights "tactical" because they could put out more than 30 lumens?


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## lightfooted (Aug 10, 2010)

I am still really new here...mostly because even though I had actually heard about these forums a while back I never really joined forums back then for one reason or another, but these days I get around a little more...willing to join forums that I only visit from time to time. I remember wishing I had some kind of bright light that would fit into a pocket years ago and trying to "invent" one by using over the shelf parts...never really succeeded to my satisfaction. 

Then one day I came across an article in SWAT magazine about this tiny little powerhouse of a flashlight by some company in California called Laser Products. The review was almost unbelievable but I had some confidence in the journalist doing the review so I made a trip to a secret little shop not far away and found one of these amazing little lights. Twenty minutes later I walked out with my first Sure-Fire 6P. If I recall correctly I had a choice of 6P or 9P from the shop...went with the 6P because it just felt so right in my hand. Still remember thinking to myself "This light had better last a while". 

Sorry...did I go off topic?


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## Nyctophiliac (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember when...

...Carrot collected everyone's ARC stories.

...There were many many ARC LS battery packs on BST.

...A time before CPF Marketplace.

...Quickbeam was the definitive judgment on the new lights out. ( Come Back!!!)

...We were all amazed by the Inova X1/Fenix L1/ Nuwai Q3/SF A2/SF L1/etc etc.

...Pocketlights.com was still my best place for purchases.

...on reading my complaint that I couldn't buy Dorcy lights in England, the MD of the company sent me four free lights as samples!!!

...there was more Modding than shopping ( Well said Josey ).

...all rechargeables ran out over a couple of weeks in your drawer.

...my old 6P, which I purchased long before joining these hallowed halls, was still the brightest thing I had seen in a pocket torch-until my brother in law showed me his Orb Raw U-bin! 

...my happiness on getting my first CPF special - a Peak Lux III Rainier in red HA.



Here's the thing: The good old days are still here...just look around. The amount of traffic on these forums is impossible to keep up with, but we still have modders and geniuses and designers and users and abusers and collectors and LEO workers and young and old and and brave and bold and brassy and rich and poor and lost and found...I'm rambling.

The point is, everybody I have met at CPF parties and in PM's and on BST still embody everything about why I love this place. The sense of wonder and attraction to those tiny things we call torches/flashlights. You don't have to mod. You don't have to have the latest model. You don't have to have the most expensive. Some of us are happy with our own torches, and happy to appreciate those we see here. 

Until we bio-engineer eyes that see in the dark, may it always be so.

BTW- I still love my ARC LS Cyan!


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## mudman cj (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember being thrilled at getting the opportunity to pay almost $30 ea. for Lux III U bin emitters. Those were the holy grail, well...except of course for X bin Lux V emitters.

I remember when Newbie would post a ton of information to educate everyone on the latest advances in technology and would present data and sources for his information.

I remember when AWR was a respected member of this forum and sold incan drivers by prepay. (I got one of the last ones before he found Jesus in his full Paypal account)

The Nuwai Q3 was the greatest light for modding. (still have mine - with a high CRI Nichia 083) I probably upgraded that thing 7 times.

I remember when there was no such thing as DX or KD and people bought quality products from the SandwichShoppe. (some still do)

I also remember when Donn bought every titanium light for sale. 

I'll never forget seeing the likes of the LS27 when it was the subject of a passaround. What a revolution!

Oh, and how about the Surefire KL2 - a 5mm showerhead design. :laughing:

Long live SF Legos! :rock:


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## fisk-king (Aug 10, 2010)

Nyctophiliac said:


> .....
> 
> Here's the thing: The good old days are still here...just look around. The amount of traffic on these forums is impossible to keep up with, but we still have modders and geniuses and designers and users and abusers and collectors and LEO workers and young and old and and brave and bold and brassy and rich and poor and lost and found...I'm rambling.
> 
> ...


 
Well said. +1


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## Echo63 (Aug 10, 2010)

I can remember when a surefire L4 was the light to have, and when led used to only produce 30 or so lumens

This is actually my second username - I used to use merlinn or merlinn82 up until I lost my hotmail account and forgot my password
I have been using this one for a couple of years now

My first good light was a surefire 6p which I still have in it's stock configuration (and original p60 with maybe 5 sets of 123s through it)

I also remember Incan being the way to go for output, and when THE mod to do was build a mag 2c into a "space needle" with an led and 3x123 and a bit of heater hose to stop the rattles

I also remember being welcomed with a welcome to CPF back when I joined and asked questions
I still have most of my lights from back then too my l4 6p and longbow micra were some of my first, I'm actually thinking the micra might be an interesting basis for a milky mod


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## Monocrom (Aug 10, 2010)

mudman cj said:


> I also remember when Donn bought every titanium light for sale.


 
Some things never change.


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## carrot (Aug 10, 2010)

Nyctophiliac, I don't mean to complain that CPF is not "the same" as the old (that has been covered in another thread):

I mean instead for us to be able to look back and see how far we've come, to not take for granted what we've got now. This is the optimistic side of "progress."


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## LowBat (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember when the Q3 was the must have light.

I remember the Luxeon lottery.

I remember when there were more posts in General Flashlight Discussion than LED Flashlights.

I remember getting banned for a day for posting a CPF error message in my sig line.

I remember the debate on how to pronounce "Fenix".

I remember when Cree came out with an LED that was double the previous standard.

I remember when we had to re-mod our lights to the deeper reflector needed by the Cree.

I remember the gummy dome.

I remember when CPF had only one forum.

I remember 3rd Shift. :candle:

I remember when the forum clock drifted. Oh wait, it still does.

I remember all the great times we've had at get-togethers and night hikes over the years.

I remember when we got on the National Geographic Channel.

I remember when carrot joined CPF.


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## ninemm (Aug 10, 2010)

LowBat said:


> I remember the debate on how to pronounce "Fenix".
> 
> *How do you pronounce Aleph? I always have used "Uh Leff"*
> 
> ...


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## carrot (Aug 10, 2010)

Hey ninemm, be sure to drop by at FCW and PF then, both in NJ.


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## ninemm (Aug 10, 2010)

carrot said:


> Hey ninemm, be sure to drop by at FCW and PF then, both in NJ.



I definitely hope to be at PF this fall. Missed the one last spring. :sigh: Shouldn't the thread for that be starting soon? Fall is just around the corner. 

The FCW seem like a good time too. It would be hard to convince the misses to come and stay overnight in a campground full of guys who love nothing more than shining their lights in the dark. She get's annoyed when I white wall hunt in the bedroom. :laughing:


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## Nyctophiliac (Aug 10, 2010)

carrot said:


> Nyctophiliac, I don't mean to complain that CPF is not "the same" as the old (that has been covered in another thread):
> 
> I mean instead for us to be able to look back and see how far we've come, to not take for granted what we've got now. This is the optimistic side of "progress."



I quite agree - no taking for granted this fantastic etherplace. It's great to reminisce.

In addition, I remember...

side emitters!

Longbow.

CMG Reactors both 2AA and 3AA!

Quickbeams clearout of his collection.

When Greta was Sacha and wore heels!!!

My first led Surefire ( a single mode E1L Outdoorsman - still in use today )

....
lovecpf


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## Kestrel (Aug 10, 2010)

I haven't been on nearly as long as some, but the thing that sticks out for me:

When you wanted a P60-format LED drop-in, there was the *Malkoff M60* and there were 'all the others'. If you wanted a good one, you got the Malkoff. Now there is such an amazing selection of high-performance, semi-custom handbuilt modules to be enjoyed.



Nyctophiliac said:


> Here's the thing: The good old days are still here...just look around.


+2. A friend of mine told me not too long ago, "These _are_ the good old days."


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## LowBat (Aug 10, 2010)

ninemm,

I think I heard Alepf pronounce as "a-lif". I'm not really sure.


Here's the thread on the NGC.


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## Illum (Aug 10, 2010)

TooManyGizmos said:


> ~
> 
> Ctrek ... I thought those were 7 LED clusters ..... OH , maybe that was C.Crane



oh, 7LED clusters came out after the 2 LED ones, those were AA, the 7LEDs I do believe runs on Cs


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## Locoboy5150 (Aug 10, 2010)

I can't comment too much since I'm still a new member here, but I did stumble across CPF about five years ago when I got my first LED light and I did lurk a little bit back then. I was just wondering, when did CPF start and by whom?

Thinking about this thread, I wonder how long it will take before CPF members start to look back and say, "Anyone remember the Olight SR90 and how much it cost and how dim it was?"


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## WDR65 (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember only being interested in incandescents.

I remember reading all of Al's lists of Surefire parts and compatability.

I remember when lux III led's were the kings of output and efficiency.

I remember joining after the ARC debacle and trying to understand it.

Wow. I'm getting old.


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## Kingfisher (Aug 10, 2010)

Has it been that long?
My posts to years here ratio is not that high though lovecpf


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## Flashlightboy (Aug 10, 2010)

I remember that when I joined I was member #333 and I thought I was at the tail end of things at the time.

I also recall receiving the first Arc CPF edition light. 

I was also around when Sasha changed her name to Sasha and set up the other forums for CPF use.


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## LowBat (Aug 10, 2010)

I also remember how much we all used FlashlightReviews.com when Quickbeam was reviewing the latest and greatest.


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## LED BriCK (Aug 10, 2010)

Wasn't there some kind of formula we used to convert Quickbeam Units to lumens? 
Edit to add: I found this Outlook note in my computer when I was searching for the formula. Looks like I was taking notes on the latest and greatest to help me figure out what to buy next. No formula, but I'm pretty sure the numbers refer to QB throw and output measurements:
X5T 9.21 8.95 (~4.75")
new 15.00 20.00
T2 26.93 17.20
XO 29.73 20.00 (~6")
301X-3 36.06 28.00
QIII 24.49 19.00 (~3.75")
SV1KW
L1P 25.50 18.00 (~3.5")
L2P 28.28 19.00 (~5.75")
DS1W 21.68 17.00 QYOJ, QYAH
BB 18.32 18.00
MM+ 28.20 32.00
XO3 41.11 28.50
T3 45.83 28.00
DB 3W 91.65 42.00
Dorcy 3D 34.64 28.00 RX1JW


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## Flying Turtle (Aug 10, 2010)

Ah, those were the days, my friend. I opted for a Photon 3 for my first EDC. Followed that with a Shorelight Vx1 from Glowbug. It was the only multilevel 1 AAA around at that time. Maybe a month later that first Arc AAA arrived from Texas Tactical.

Of course CPF quickly became the place to truly get a feel for a light before buying it. All the opinions along with Quickbeam's, Craig's, and Brock's reviews made decisions easier.

With so many more lights out there now CPF is busier than ever. And while we've lost some of the old reviewers we've gained some great new ones. All in all I'd say CPF is also better than ever.

Geoff


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## the.Mtn.Man (Aug 10, 2010)

TooManyGizmos said:


> I also remember , a month after I joined , I posted this thread ...... (which I linked to)
> 
> " *Why can't miniature electronic multi-level switches be used in our lights ?"*
> 
> You responded to my questions in post #4 . You did not seem to be in agreement with my position of wanting advancement to electronic circuits in lights .


That's a very interesting thread. It's hard to believe there was a time in the recent past when multi-mode lights with LED emitters were frowned upon. How far we've come.


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## Black Rose (Aug 10, 2010)

I've only been here 2 1/2 years, but I do remember when there weren't so many budget lights, and the ones that were available came from established companies.

I originally came to CPF solely for battery information and was amazed at the knowledge some of the folks in the battery sub-forum had at the time.

Thankfully those folks are still here and still contributing. I go back and reread some of the "old" threads and still learn something I had missed previously due to my noobness.


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## fyrstormer (Aug 10, 2010)

carrot said:


> *I remember when you either had an Arc-AAA on your keys, or a Photon II.* That subject was all the rage -- which do I get? There really wasn't any other option, unless you wanted an E1e on your keys instead.


As with a lot of aspects of my life, my own experience paralleled that of "the in crowd", but I took a totally solitary path to get there. It's just how things worked out, I guess.

I remember back in 2001 my roommate bought a small Swiss Army knife that came with a little LED light made by Emissive Energy Systems. I was stunned at how bright it was and I immediately drove to the mall to get the same light. A few months later I was browsing an outdoor-gear website and discovered the Photon 2, which looked to be much more durable, with no rubber button to wear out. I bought one for each of my parents as Christmas presents. My dad still has his, with the LED upgraded twice by me, now using a 4-die SMJ LED. It has lots of nice wear marks on it, especially on the lip in front of the switch, which is substantially worn-down by now.

Meanwhile, the rubber button on my Inova light stretched and deformed from use, and I wanted a new light that wouldn't turn on accidentally in my pocket, so I browsed around for a few weeks. The same outdoor-gear website offered a selection of small AA and AAA lights, and I liked the little black one called the Arc AAA the best, because it had a machined reflector (even though it wasn't technically necessary). I bought one and carried it for years, through the end of college and into the first year of my first job.

By then there was a newer version of the Arc AAA available, with a brighter Nichia DS LED and harder anodizing, so I bought one of those. Great little light, super-durable and twice as bright as my old one. Got me through plenty of late-night car repairs, some lasting multiple hours with the light on the whole time. Unfortunately, I lost it somewhere in my office, never found it again, so I went shopping again and found a website called CPF.

The rest is history.


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## Filip (Aug 11, 2010)

I remember when I thought one flashlight was enough for all my needs. (It was Surefire A2 that invoked that illusion.)


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## Chrontius (Aug 11, 2010)

abarth_1200 said:


> I remember when high powered Incan mag mods were all the rage, correct me if im wrong but they aint so hot anymore



They're not "all the rage" but they're pretty well solved now. We've got most of the likely targets sorted through, the best combinations picked out for "practical" hotwires; you only need to do research if you're pushing the limits. 


Back on topic, I remember my first power LED pretty well - a three-watt Luxeon emitter in a Pelican M3-LED. I still remember it well, as I still have it. I'll put a Cree XP-G in there, but I said that back when SSC P4 was all the rage for luxeon swaps.

I remember lusting for an Inova X5-T for _years_ and being horribly disappointed when the fluted body was replaced with the polygonal one, as soon as I went to buy one.

I remember Hurricane Charlie by mini-mag... and then hooking up a fluorescent 6D with dead batteries to a few sealed lead-acid bricks on hand so we could play chess and cards and pente.

I remember getting in on the ground floor of the Cree revolution. Hell, I remember being gobsmacked that Cree had, with no (obvious) downsides, doubled the output of the Luxeon duty light I had relied on for nightstand duty at the time.

I remember spending hours on FlashlightReviews, thinking it was just me and this one guy posting reviews for cops and firefighters. 

I remember having only one light on my nightstand. :nana:
Most nights, there are four now, and a ROP on the floor next to it. And each has its own distinct role depending on the circumstances of getting out of bed. :shakehead

I also remember gloriously botching my first LED swap, quite possibly destroying all the electronic components in a KL4 head (already botched-modded with a dome-less Cree, so it's not _all_ my fault, but...)


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## tino_ale (Aug 11, 2010)

I remember the unobtainable Lux III UV1H led bin :naughty:


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## TooManyGizmos (Aug 11, 2010)

~

I remember buying brand new lights ..... waiting forever for them to arrive .......

Then finding out in frustration .......

They made the battery tube too small in diameter ......

and many brands of 17670 and RCR123a cells would not even fit into the tube !

Thankfully , there seems to be less of that now ..... after a lot of complaining .

~


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## ANDREAS FERRARI (Aug 11, 2010)

kelmo said:


> I remember when all new members were warmly greeted with a "Welcome to CPF" _*even if you didn't have any input on their 1st thread.*_



Great point!How can any new member be expected to have any relevant input on their first post-or even their 20th post?!?!?!

It takes months of reading and learning before they can make any useful contribution.In the meantime let them join in on the conversation and feel like their part of our community.


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## Ropes4u (Aug 11, 2010)

Sandwich Shoppe sold me my first upgrade A purplish tint bad boy and a krill switch, I still have the flashlight.


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## Robocop (Aug 11, 2010)

Does anyone else remember the ARC "seconds".....what a great deal on some mildly blemished ARC-LS series and I bought several without any problems noticed.

I also enjoyed the days back then of CountyComm having hundreds of the Ultra-Gs on hand and each week they would offer some type of sale. If I remember correct they were at one time giving away the ARC-AAA with a certain amount of purchases. I also remember paying something like 15 dollars for a standard ARC-AAA from CountyComm.

I remember everyone trying out the NX-05 optics and everyone saying that reflectors would never come close to optics.....today you can find several good performers in reflectors and not many use optics anymore.

As some others have posted I remember the very first AAA luxeon from Fenix and the mad rush it caused on CPF. I too went bananas over the Fire-Fly and anything small like that was always a custom and very costly....today single 123 performers are a dime a dozen.

I probably had the most fun reading through, and participating in, the technical threads of any new light or circuit. My most vivid memory was the old thread on the simple Dorcy AAA circuit. Some of our more talented members would tweak the circuit and test it after each mod. That thread went on forever with various improvements and that little circuit was adapted to many other lights.....very educational reading and just plain old fun. We all must have spent many nights just chatting about any new light and dreamed of every possibility that it could be made to do.

I remember LitFuse and Chop turning out some very slick ARC-LS mods and I also remembering saving money for a week to send my light out to have it modded. Man did I feel like superstar when I got that package in the mail and quickly hurried into a dark room to try it out....still have that light by the way and it is a classic.

I do enjoy the larger selection available to us today and I very much enjoy being able to understand more of what I read here on CPF. I must say that I miss the old days of being a newbie....back when every single light amazed and facinated me. It takes much more these days to get me going and I kind of miss that feeling. We surely have came a long way yet again I wish some things could have remained for much longer.


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## Flying Turtle (Aug 11, 2010)

I sure remember the Arc "seconds". This may be what I ended up with when Peter put the LSL's on clearance. I was able to get the light plus a 2AA battery tube and five batteries for $60. Still my best deal ever.

Geoff


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## angelofwar (Aug 11, 2010)

I remember when the Lux-V L4 was "THE" wall of light, and every other pocket rocket was compared to IT!!!

Neat thread, Carrot!


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## Blue72 (Aug 11, 2010)

I am still fairly new compared to some others, but the one thing I observed is the constant bashing of maglites being outdated while the latest LED lights come and go over the years, but the Maglites are still around.

I guess the same thing could be said for Arc when the subject of keychain lights come up


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## the.Mtn.Man (Aug 11, 2010)

There's no denying that from a technological and - to a lesser extent - usability standpoint, Maglites are definitely behind the curve and arguably obsolete. But they sure are popular with the general public.

As for your statement that "the latest LED lights come and go over the years", that's because the companies that produce them are constantly innovating and improving their designs so any one light doesn't stay on the market for more than a couple of years before it's retired in favor of a superior product.


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## divine (Aug 11, 2010)

mudman cj said:


> The Nuwai Q3 was the greatest light for modding. (still have mine - with a high CRI Nichia 083) I probably upgraded that thing 7 times.


Wait a minute, the Nuwai Q3 isn't the latest, greatest light for modding?! 

I think I got robbed.


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## Tempest UK (Aug 11, 2010)

carrot said:


> I remember when you either had an Arc-AAA on your keys, or a Photon II. That subject was all the rage -- which do I get? There really wasn't any other option, unless you wanted an E1e on your keys instead.
> 
> 
> I remember when we considered budget lights to be an Arc-AAA, a Surefire G2, or a Fenix L1P. And maybe a couple of Inovas.




These two are great 

I lurked on CPF for a while before I registered, so I can remember how the forums used to be even though I wasn't an active part of them.

I remember when PK still posted here.


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## Blue72 (Aug 11, 2010)

the.Mtn.Man said:


> There's no denying that from a technological and - to a lesser extent - usability standpoint, Maglites are definitely behind the curve and arguably obsolete. But they sure are popular with the general public.
> 
> As for your statement that "the latest LED lights come and go over the years", that's because the companies that produce them are constantly innovating and improving their designs so any one light doesn't stay on the market for more than a couple of years before it's retired in favor of a superior product.



Thats the point I was trying to make....

The maglites are outliving the latest technology


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## McGizmo (Aug 11, 2010)

My memory sucks and can't be trusted on specifics but I think good old days are a part of the aging process. I seem to recall some great and heady days of excitement and exploration. I also recall some dark times but then maybe that's why we sought the light?


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## GarageBoy (Aug 11, 2010)

Battery Station used to get a LOT of CPF sales...then their batteries blew up
McGizmo used to make lights out of ALUMINUM! Who'd a thunk it?


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## the.Mtn.Man (Aug 11, 2010)

dd61999 said:


> Thats the point I was trying to make....
> 
> The maglites are outliving the latest technology


But not because they're actually a better product, which was my point. I suspect the majority of Maglite sales are to people who simply don't know any better.


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## kelmo (Aug 11, 2010)

Flying Turtle said:


> I sure remember the Arc "seconds". This may be what I ended up with when Peter put the LSL's on clearance. I was able to get the light plus a 2AA battery tube and five batteries for $60. Still my best deal ever.
> 
> Geoff



I remember that! I got an LSH-S, a nifty pouch, and the 2AA tube for $80! I thought it was the cat's meow. I had to try 5 times for that because I was on dial up at the time and everytime someone called I got disconnected. I it used for night hikes in Kings Canyon, Red Rock Canyon, and the Grand Canyon. I ran into a bear during the Kings Canyon hike. I then realized I really should bring something brighter for night hikes! It is still in primo condition and is my only shelf queen. Man Peter built a great light.

I remember getting my 1st Surefire, an E2D and saying this is the only SF I will ever want.


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## Chadder (Aug 11, 2010)

I remember all of the geat threads that would make my head spin after reading for hours. The technical information being discussed by Ra and others. I know there are still some but they are in subforums and not as visible. Just thinking back gives me a headache!! I also remember Doug P or "Quickbeam" He is the reason I came here!! If you notice my join date is just following the end of flashlightreviews. I had to come here to fill the void he left. Of course after joining here the only void I have is in my wallet


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## Monocrom (Aug 11, 2010)

dd61999 said:


> Thats the point I was trying to make....
> 
> The maglites are outliving the latest technology


 
The general public buys Maglites because they don't know any better. They literally believe that Maglite is the only quality brand out there. So that's what they buy. As for Maglite, they make money catering to that belief. Why bring out new models when the general public continues to buy your standard offerings? Until recently, Maglite hadn't introduced new models nor improved existing ones for decades.

If the general public knew what all of us know, Maglite's profit margins would drop like a stone.


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## Flying Turtle (Aug 11, 2010)

I think part of Mag's continued popularity is that they are right at that price point that does not conflict with the average person's sensibilities. Most folks are not ready to spend more on a flashlight. And you can be sure Mag is watching the competition. They just see no need to make big changes. One of these days their bottom line will force more improvements.

Geoff


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## DM51 (Aug 11, 2010)

There's a thread here that discusses the good/not-so-good points of Maglites, for those who want to continue with it. Let's not sidetrack this thread on to that issue.


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## scott2907 (Aug 11, 2010)

I've been a member for a three or four years and a reader for longer, but I only started to admit that LED lights were even comparable to incans around this time last year. I think that's because when I first joined they just weren't comparable at all, and I just continued that understanding without updating my knowledge in a "I know better" kind of way. Anyone else do that?


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## nightshade (Aug 11, 2010)

I remember this:






And I remember Graham's early "mods" (duct tape..don't tell..)


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## flashfan (Aug 11, 2010)

I remember the good old CPF days when you could every new post within a reasonable amount of time, even if you did _not_ check in every day...sigh.


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## cave dave (Aug 11, 2010)

I remember when the first White LED's (Nichia) came on the market. I had a Yellow photon and Yellow CMG Infinity. I joined looking for a multi cluster yellow LED light because the yellow were still brighter at that point and not so harsh. I joined when the Arc AAA were still being talked about and I got one of the first batch.

I remember the first "high power LED's" aka 1w capable of 25lm. I got a Luxeon low dome one on a square board and did my first mod.






The first iteration was Direct Drive for about 5 to 10 lm depending if i used Lithium L92s. I later added a 350mA boost driver for about 20 lm and Nimh compatability. Tint was considered good at the time since it was yellowish green. I've considered modding it to a SSC P4 which I have laying around but so far I just keep it as a piece of history.

It uses a optic and I remember certain vehement arguments from self appointed experts saying how reflectors don't work with LED's and optics will be the only solution. Luxeon came out with terrible side emitters to use with reflectors and mimic the ringy beams of Maglites.


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## Illum (Aug 11, 2010)

nightshade said:


> I remember this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




The opposite of that is the KL adapter, Yclo made an adapter than can pair two E series bodies together at the bezel end:nana:
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=30299


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## Paul_in_Maryland (Aug 12, 2010)

I remember...

How lights powered by lithium-ion cells came to dominate in the course of about 2 years, thanks to Pila, Wolf-Eyes, AW, and their fans.

When long-slow-discharge (LSD) lithium-ion cells, notably Sanyo Eneloops, rekindled interest in AA lights of all kinds.

When buying a AA or AAA light meant settling.

When thread after thread asked, "Is [ABC] as good as Surefire?"

The tearing of clothes when CPF's most esteemed modder/inventor, Don McLeash (spelling?), left the flashlight business.

The scores who addictively purchased each new incan light and incan mod introduced by CPF's most fertile modder/inventor, FiveMega.


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## savumaki (Aug 12, 2010)

When I joined;
-I thought Maglites were expensive.
-I had never heard of Surefire.
-In fact I had never heard of most of them.
-I thought hot wires were the the way to go.
-I had never modded anything so small.

Since then I have modded and built several hot wires plus minor mods on several led lights.
One thing is significant- I no longer own any flashlights I had in the starting years.

For pocket EDC I got to the improved Fenix P1 and have not bothered to look for anything else (thanks Norm).
I traded an L2 for a PR-T head mounted on an e series body and stopped there-(except for having the led upgraded to SSC by mosport)
I had another L2 which I sold and used the $ to buy an L4 head on e series and a tail switch I modded to two stage (back when you could)- upgraded the led to an XPG.

Along with an e series SF and a modded tri-lite mag I have enough lights.

There is one other light (if it exists) that I would like but where o where to start finding it in this jungle of available lights. Reminds me of my re-loading days.

I go away for a day and need to be re-trained :candle:


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## nakahoshi (Aug 12, 2010)

I remember how excited I was when I bought my first real light, the Nuwaii Q3!

(thanks to flashlightreviews.com) !!!

Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure Carrot was the first person to respond to a question I had when I first signed up! :welcome:
(Link)

Thanks again Carrot! Its nice CPFer's Like you that make this place fun!

(And GreenLED has always been a stand up guy too!)

(And that TooManyGizmos guy!)

-Bobby


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## ghostguy6 (Aug 12, 2010)

I remember being able to ask a question without the tread getting horribly off topic.


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## TooManyGizmos (Aug 12, 2010)

nakahoshi said:


> I remember how excited I was when I bought my first real light, the Nuwaii Q3!
> 
> (thanks to flashlightreviews.com) !!!
> 
> ...





 Uhmmm ...( I may be putting the noose around my own neck :sweat .... but ... 

which one's of us are NOT nice ?

since you seem to only like the 2 members you singled out . :buddies:

Now all the rest of us members are gonna have a " Complex "

Go ahead :tinfoil:... make my day :whoopin:... send me a PM "Whoopin" and tell me how I can get on your "Nice" list .:tinfoil:

:nana::devil: TMG


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## Dizos (Aug 12, 2010)

Funny stuff. My wife still sports her 5 year old Arc AAA on her keychain - and yes it is a dreadful purple/blue tint. I guess I'm one of the weird ones, I still have my old HDS (albeit with a LED upgrade) and the morse code is simple physical reflex at this point.


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## nakahoshi (Aug 12, 2010)

TooManyGizmos said:


> Uhmmm ...( I may be putting the noose around my own neck :sweat .... but ...
> 
> which one's of us are NOT nice ?
> 
> ...



Im sure you may have responded to one of my posts in the past 4 years, so Ill consider adding you to the list!

PM incoming


Back to the throwback thread!!

-Bobby


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## afraidofdark (Aug 13, 2010)

First I found The LED Museum (thank you, Craig)

Then I devoured Flashlightreviews.com (Doug, you rock)

Finally I made my way to the forum ... ah CPF, you have always been there for me.

Comparing bins and tints! Beamshots! 

Batteries, which ones? What kind?! Do they fit??

Maglite dropins! So many! EverLED, Diamond, Terralux, Nite Ize, MALKOFF

Q2H cyan to die for emitters!

Fenix L0D-CE! (can you put a 10440 in it??)

Macro shots of knurling (name that knurl)!

Custom builds, lord this stuff is cool! Hey Milky!

ALL of the amazing 'collection' threads

Luxeon! 
LuxIII! 
LuxV (what happened to LuxIV?) 
Cree! 
SSC! 
P4! 
Q4! 
Q5! 
P7! 
R2! 
XP-E! 
XP-G! 
SST-50! 
90!

May there be many more, keep the fun coming lovecpf


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## flashy bazook (Aug 14, 2010)

Let me add my own thanks for the contributions of flashlight reviews (Doug/Quickbeam) and LED museum in addition to those of CPF.

Yes, I remember many Maglite mods to start with, adding various LED drop-ins.

I still use an Elektrolumens 600 lumen multi-SSC Maglite drop-in with rechargeable long-discharge NiMH D cells (notice all those acronyms I picked up along the way! If you gave me this sentence to read a few years back I'd have been clueless as to what it all meant).

I also still use (as an in-car use light) Maglite Opalec drop-ins, nice floody long lasting 2xAA driven lights.

I had an expensive SF L1 (2nd gen, I believe) before I came to know about CPF and it's still a pretty useful light, in a red LED.

I got to know and like many different lights along the way, I remember fondly Lumapower, Fenix, and more recently, JetBeam, the last two still in some use.

Before these there were the Inova's, Streamlights, Pelicans, Tektites...but these seem to have not kept up with the latest and greatest so have mainly disappeared.

I almost fell under the spell of the classics (Arc, HDS/now Ra, the Peaks), but thankfully I got onto the other big fashion instead, the SF legos and now have a pretty complete collection of 3P, 6P, 9P, and 12P sizes able to run primaries and Li-Ions (18650's, 18500's, RCR123's) in various configurations.

Probably the various battery options are a pretty big part of using powerful flashlights efficiently. Drop-ins exist with powerful long-running LEDs and even for specialized needs (infra-reds, UV, etc.). You can have throw, flood, diffusers/color filters, white or warm tints, uni- or multi-mode,... Once you get this collection up and running, it covers most needs in excellent fashion.

These now cover most needs and I have been discharging many of my older non-family/single flashlights along the way.

Of course I also got the bug about the more blingy types of lights, with some titanium and even other exotic metal types in my collection.

These plus other flashlights with unique or individual capabilities (let's add the Zebras here) have made it so I have outlasted quite happily power outages lasting close to a week with no problem.

And what about the interactions here with other CPF posters?

Well, yes, it is a generally nice place to be with knowledgeable, and generous people, with a huge number of topics kept well organized through the efforts of many heroic moderators.

It is true that a lot of the interaction seems centered around products, with discussions sometimes getting heated and people who sometimes seem to push a point of view no matter what. But that comes with the territory (the internet), and compared with other similar forums this is definitely at the top.

And beyond commercialism, there is a core of admiration and love of flashlights, their history and capabilities, combined with an interest in the outdoors that transcends the materialistic aspects of our common hobby. Yes, we want to know about the latest and greatest, but also as servants to genuine needs together with aesthetic considerations.

So, carry on CPF, a lot has happened in a few short years, what is yet to come?


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## jimmy1970 (Aug 14, 2010)

flashy bazook said:


> Let me add my own thanks for the contributions of flashlight reviews (Doug/Quickbeam) and LED museum in addition to those of CPF.
> 
> Yes, I remember many Maglite mods to start with, adding various LED drop-ins.
> 
> ...


Nice post, all very true!!

James.....


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## Northern Lights (Aug 15, 2010)

carrot said:


> I remember when...


 

5761 ! Best *practica*l hot wire out there! Still using them, but now powered by D lithium Mag Charger. Remember when D lithium did not exist?

One more build on my bench which are two tri-P7 in TM800 x3, (remember in Tri Luxeon III they were the brightest out there?)

Then I likely will slide off into the sunset and be gone. 

But for now I am checking in one more time.


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## Dioni (Aug 15, 2010)

Nice thread... nice stories! lovecpf


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## Dioni (Aug 15, 2010)

I remember my first led light. A Fenix P1D wich I also bought inspired on the great Doug's reviews [Quickbeam] at the Flashlightreviews.


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## mrartillery (Aug 15, 2010)

abarth_1200 said:


> I remember when high powered Incan mag mods were all the rage, correct me if im wrong but they aint so hot anymore



Not like they were when I first joined, the Mag85 is what got me started. Today everything has migrated to small pocket lights :sick2:, which yes they have their place but they're not near as much fun as a big heat producing incan. :huh:


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## Grog (Aug 30, 2010)

I remember when things seemed relaxed around here.


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## morelightnow (Aug 30, 2010)

I remember when I could go to the led light section and catch up on threads in 2 minutes. Now there are 3 pages of new threads every day, most of them titled "My first light, WOW."

I also remember ordering a hotdriver from AWR and receiving it promptly.


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## StarHalo (Aug 30, 2010)

Grog said:


> I remember when things seemed relaxed around here.



Still are for some of us..


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## Dioni (Aug 31, 2010)

morelightnow said:


> I remember when I could go to the led light section and catch up on threads in 2 minutes. Now there are 3 pages of new threads every day, most of them titled "My first light, WOW."
> 
> I also remember ordering a hotdriver from AWR and receiving it promptly.


 
Big +1 

or: "need help choosing a ___light"


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## Darell (Aug 31, 2010)

Trip down memory lane....

Gosh, let's see now. I remember when

Some folks knew who I was (!)
I knew all the members
There were two forum subtopics
There were no "high power" LEDs
There were NO published forum rules
Nobody was ever banned
Everybody knew everybody else
I could read ever post in just one visit per day
I cared about the subject of every thread
We had admins and mods but didn't really need them
Nobody was hell-bent on causing trouble

And most importantly, I remember when I didn't know anybody here... and on this forum I've made some fantastic, solid friendships that have survived through a lot. And many of those people I've never met!

I first visited to find a good keychain LED light. Of course that turned out to be the Photon - my first LED light ever. Went on to help bring the first "hobby-production" LED light to "market." McLux, anybody? Look where we are now!

I remember buying my first Lux1... low dome, and green. In fact I still have that first emitter, because by the time I figured out what to build this expensive wonder into... way better and cheaper emitters were for sale. And the end of that little process may never be seen...


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## winston (Sep 1, 2010)

The Nuwai QIII and the MXDL ELLY were great hosts for the XR-E and the SSC before manufacturers had switched over from Luxeons.
-Winston


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## GarageBoy (Sep 1, 2010)

I still want a a Q2H cyan


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## ugrey (Sep 2, 2010)

I remember: 

Al/Size15s straightening me, and others, out on Surefire information.

Thinking my Dorcy AAA was a great EDC.

SureFire coming out with an inexpensive G2 and $1.25 batteries. They had me hooked then.

PK, the BIG Weenie used to post from time to time.

Paul in Maryland and I, and others, trying to figure out 12V 220 Lumen lights.

When Fenix came to town.

ARC, with Peter and Mari (sp?). Waiting for my ARC LSH-P to arrive in the mail!!!

Discovering little known SureFire parts that you could play Frankenlight with.

Discovering SureFire compatible aftermarket parts.

Discovering SureFire extenders.

Thinking I could NEVER need a SF M6.

Thinking SFs first LEDs were not very good.

The adventures of Hogoman and somebody? The 2 lights that were taken hostage. The absolute funniest thing I have ever seen on this board. Somebody with a better memory straighten me out.


What a long, strange trip it has been. I would not have missed a minute of it. Many thanks for all the advice I have received from so many of you over the years.


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## DM51 (Sep 2, 2010)

ugrey said:


> The adventures of Hogoman and somebody? The 2 lights that were taken hostage. The absolute funniest thing I have ever seen on this board. Somebody with a better memory straighten me out.


 !!STORY TIME!! The Journey of Shorty and Longman by: HOGOKANSATSUKAN


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## ASheep (Sep 2, 2010)

Haha Thanks for Linking to that DM51, absolutely hilarious  I haven't been around here long, and it's always good to read the really good old threads lovecpf


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## BentHeadTX (Sep 2, 2010)

Wow,

It has been EIGHT years now! 

Back in 2001, I remember reading on HardOCP about a LED that required a heat sink! (Luxeon)
Then I picked up a Streamlight 3 Nichia white LED flashlight later that same year
Back in the states again I read everything at LED Museum in July 02
Lurked on CPF for awhile and joined up in Sept 2002

The battle was Arc LS on one side with Surefire on the other. My position was I wanted a 2AA light and was happy with my sandwich minimag. The M bin BB500 failed from damage which allowed the BB400 Q4L. The Q4L begat the R2H BB400 sandwich a year later. 

The biggest moves were only a few, but they created quite a stir back then.

2002 Luxeon P bin (Arc LS Premium) 
2003 Luxeon Q bin and R bin later in the year
2004 LuxeonV X bin
2005 Luxeon III T and U bins
2006 Fenix L1P 
2007 Cree Revolution XR-E P4 bins
2007 Luxeon Rebel 100 LED
2008 Cree Q5 bin/R2 bin
2009 Cree XP-G R5 bin
2010 ????? 

Long gone are the days I would read each new post like those heady days of 2002/2003. At least you don't need a crate of CR123A lithium batteries to get firepower now...good times--good times.


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## ugrey (Sep 3, 2010)

SHORTY and LONGMAN!!! Long may they live!!!!! I am rolling on the floor all over again. Thanks DM51.


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## angelofwar (Sep 3, 2010)

Wow Darrell...you have a bot that post's things for you? JK! LOL! I've been here for 4-5 years and don't even remember you...but the red slippers do look vaguely familiar...welcome back!


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## luvmyyorkie (Sep 4, 2010)

My LI-ON HEART is close by my bedside and still in use a few years after purchase (when did Charlie make these--I have forgotten). I had my LGI out earlier this week and my Baby Pin. And I still have an ARC-AAA I use. I must be thoroughly antiquated!

I've registered tonight, rejoining CPF. Its been so long, I've lost track of my original log-in ID, pw, and what email address I originally used.

Hello to everyone,
Mike


----------



## richpalm (Sep 13, 2010)

Nice thread and good memories!! I've been gone for a long time... the Fenix TK-45 got me out of the shadows here.

I still have: The Super LGI, Longbows, Blaster 6, original GL3/4 Pilas, two XM2's modded with flood reflectors, 5 watt Pelican, an original Tigerlight and various Surefires.

My fav is still the SF M3... just wish there was an affordable LED drop-in for it.

Remember the banana Vector? Still have my collection. Still have 4 ARC LS's.

So I'm brand new to Crees. I'd love to get them into the ARC's.

I moved to Pa. back in 2004 due to family/health reasons and it's DARK out here! My older LED lights don't cut it any more with my poor night vision so it's time to get 'em modernized and play catch up!

Rich


----------



## Minjin (Sep 13, 2010)

Josey said:


> When I joined, CPF was more about modding. Today it's more about shopping. The lights are better today, but the hobby isn't.



The forum has definitely changed tone. I remember when CPF was all about sticking the brightest light in the smallest object. It still is about that, but now 99% of the people will never mod. They just buy a cheap chinese made light. Not that there is anything wrong with that. It's just that things have changed. We all used to buy mags mainly for the bodies. We yearned for the days when someone else would make an aluminum body that we could use for our purposes. It was only a matter of time before production in china realized the demand and geared up the factories. 



angelofwar said:


> Wow Darrell...you have a bot that post's things for you? JK! LOL! I've been here for 4-5 years and don't even remember you...but the red slippers do look vaguely familiar...welcome back!


The "slippers" aren't unique to him. You weren't here when the members were asked to donate money to buy a certain someone new red shoes. 

Speaking of which, looking back, some of the more interesting times were the conflicts. For a flashlight forum, we've had quite a few storms roll through. 

County Comm vs Arc
Mr Bulk vs....
Arc vs the customers
etc.

It's sometimes amusing to see the huge egos that have passed through here (and maybe still exist on the periphery). 

Also, many people have come here, seen the masses with dollars in their outstretched hands and done what it would take to get them. So many of the businesses that newbies look around and take for granted started off as just a guy building this or building that in their spare time and offering it for sale on CPF (pre-marketplace). How many people owe CPF for their livelihoods? How many people have been taken by over ambitious modders, hucksters, or just plain con artists?

Some of the things that have passed by the wayside:

Arc LS and grey kits
Arc AAA (back when they were a sane price and people paid extra for a slightly better LED)
Arc AA with the defective anodizing in the tail
Making sure you had the exact specified grease on your threads....you could even buy it from a member on here
Space Needle
MiniMag sandwiches (I still have a bunch of minimags with no internals but no more sandwiches... :shakehead)
KRP113 bulbs in everything
Batwing vs Lambertian
Energizer Arc White
Turtle Light
Brinkman Legend LX
My e2e head with mn03 on a mclux clicky tail...probably shouldn't have sold that one, although I always thought the pocket clip was a weak design...Oh, quick story, I actually nearly got into a fight in a bar because I had one these in my pocket...the other guy thought it was a pocket knife and kept asking me questions about it and didn't believe that it was a flashlight  

Lots of good stuff...

Oh, and Darryl, I definitely know what you're talking about with saving LEDs for something special. I have done that so many times. In the past, and possibly still now, there was always a sense that you had to have the newest and brightest LED for you mod. People lined up or pulled strings to get the choice bins. All too often I would get one of the nice ones and then never put it in something. Wait around for too long and it's not longer choice and hence not worthy of your new mod. I have a box of old luxeons and such that just never saw use and are now shunned due to inefficiency or not being bright enough. 

We need a CPF historian.


----------



## GarageBoy (Sep 13, 2010)

Did I mention the birth of Fenix, Lumapower, etc?
I remember when the NDI was one of the first XRE equipped lights

Don't forget the guys who have screwed over the members!


----------



## Northern Lights (Sep 13, 2010)

GarageBoy said:


> Did I mention the birth of Fenix, Lumapower, etc?
> I remember when the NDI was one of the first XRE equipped lights
> 
> Don't forget the guys who have screwed over the members!


 

Andrew Wynn Rouse, aka, AWR never, never, ever to be confuse with our friend, supporter and master battery man, 

AW, aka, Andrew Wong. 

To mix the names up and believe them to be one in the same person would be to do something terribly Wong.

...but it has happened...

(Andrew, please forgive me. You have been a great supporter of me and all the modders for years but I took the liberty of applying an English Language pun to your family name and did not ask permission. Please, no offense intended. It is a good way for those not familiar with the history to learn not to confuse the good with the bad. )


----------



## greenLED (Sep 13, 2010)

I actually remember when carrot joined CPF! Ha, ha!! Great thread, Orange One.

When I joined:
- I thought $15 for a CMG Infinity Task light was too much money, only to later...
- I paid $95 a pop for half-a dozen ArcLS (still have 2 stock from that batch; one with the most gorgeous violet tint ever!)
- you could still buy McLux DIY kits at the Shoppe
- "high domes" did not exist (until later)
- ArcLS was THE light to have
- InReTech drop-ins were the brightest
- Lambda pills
- people on CPF actually BUILT their lights, as opposed to buying them off the shelf or paying others to mod for them (guilty as charged these days, Your Honor)
- koala posted his famous LuxI mod (CMG Infinity hack with a Lux I)
- we raised (I did the legwork) I forget how many thousands of dollars for Life_NRA (cancer)
- the UG was created so we could all gossip about Arc's demise
- MrBulk
- I logged into CPF chat once pretending to be Sasha...  almost got permabanned for pulling that one off! 
- I predicted Fenix would crash and burn, as would all those new Chinese flashlight companies that were popping up back then
- the only li-ion batteries were Pila brand 300 & 600 (p &s) versions - actually, they were called 150 and... I forget the other size.
- Sasha was... Sasha

...ah, the memories...


----------



## leukos (Sep 14, 2010)

I don't think I get too sentimental about how things were here on CPF. It is human nature to remember the good and forget the bad, so the problems and dramas of the good ol' days are often forgetten. I remember the stuff with Mr. Bulk and McGizmo that tore this forum literally in two, the scandals with flakey modders, the insight and dysfunction of folks like Newbie, the growing pains as Moderators coped with an ever growing and evolving forum, etc. CPF's past has a lot of stuff in it, so it is best to always be careful where you step.

This forum has always just been, and still is, an escape for me. It is a million miles away from what I do for a living, and I don't get into the politics and interpersonal junk. I like to watch the forum evolve and reserve passing judgement on it as it does so. I liked aspects of the forum in the past, but I certainly appreciate different aspects of it now. For me it is like a group of guys that get together to go out for coffee or a beer, and some of the people around the table are great folks to rub shoulders with. The collective knowledge and the influence this forum has had on R&D and the flashlight market is incalculable. I'm proud to be part of its past, pleased to be part of its present, and hopefully still enjoy it in the future. :thumbsup:


----------



## Pellidon (Sep 14, 2010)

September 2002, Arc LS was just starting to trickle out and some great deals on cosmetic seconds were to be had. The Gerber Infinity was the CMG Infinity and CMG had those awful cat urine green Reactor's that were underpowered to boot. 

Direct drive was the rage. Hook three batteries up directly to a Luxeon and hope you put a large enough heat sink on it. :thumbsup:

Lambertian, Batwing, Side Emitters. The Luxeon Lottery. The good old days of modding.


----------



## KevinL (Sep 15, 2010)

greenLED said:


> I actually remember when carrot joined CPF! Ha, ha!! Great thread, Orange One.
> 
> When I joined:
> - I thought $15 for a CMG Infinity Task light was too much money, only to later...
> ...



Speaking of which, I'm back guys. 

I remember......

- When hotwire was king and we would wait patiently for WA1185's to be potted in batches
- Surefire E1e with stock 15 lumen lamp was adequate. 15 lumens doesn't even qualify as low mode on some of my lights these days
- CMG Infinity Ultra. What was I thinking, really what was I thinking?
- When making sandwiches did not involve ham and cheese. (rather, soldering iron and Maglites)
- Luxeon lottery..
- When the quad-core LuxV was hailed to be a revolution. And we feared it would burn out after 500 hours. (none of mine have, despite extremely intensive use on my first-gen U2)
- Direct drive rocked, I still have my 3xTWOK. 
- When trisinks were just a figment of our imagination (and the dude who helped me machine a flat round disk to my spec so I could stick the 3 Luxeons on it)
- Arc AAA. Iconic. 
- Rise of the homebrew HID spotlight. 
- "LEDs won't be able to reach the output level of incans" (and recently the Fenix TK40 successfully put my ROP and all the Turboheads out of business )
- The awesome USL.


----------



## fasuto (Sep 15, 2010)

I remember when:

- I also though a Gerber infinity was to expensive
- Lighhound was in the forums
- flashlightreviews was the reference
- There was a international forwarding service run by Nitroz or Unforgiven
- Everybody recommended a Surefire A2
- The only light with variable output was an U2
- lumaray was not outdated
- GreenLed was selling GITD to everyone
- Robocop was in love with Wolf Eyes ;-)
- Emilion begun to made lights (Jet Beam)
- Waigon made a fantastic VB-16
- 4sevens was only a member (without store)


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## greenLED (Sep 15, 2010)

Kevin!!! :welcome: (again)




fasuto said:


> - GreenLed was selling GITD to everyone


I did spread some glow around, didn't I?


----------



## TomH (Sep 16, 2010)

Hard to believe it has been 7 years since I've signed up. As you can see from my post count, I read FAR more than I post.

Back when I joined up, the ARC AAA and the CMG Infinity were the "big things" in the LED light world. How times have changed!


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## KevinL (Sep 16, 2010)

greenLED said:


> Kevin!!! :welcome: (again)
> 
> I did spread some glow around, didn't I?



Thank you thank you  

Were you selling those large sheets of stick-on GITD stuff? I still have the leftovers and I'm still using them. They work GREAT!

Lighthound lured me here by linking to CPF and explaining the various SF lights that way... and things have never been the same since!

Speaking of A2, anybody remembers the Black A2 craze?


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## carrot (Sep 16, 2010)

KevinL said:


> Thank you thank you
> 
> Were you selling those large sheets of stick-on GITD stuff? I still have the leftovers and I'm still using them. They work GREAT!
> 
> ...



Wow! I remember you... and your Picolights! Was that what they were called? Welcome back!


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## skillet (Sep 16, 2010)

Thanks to 3rd_Shift :candle: for answering all my newbie questions about building my own lights and also building me my first Mag 3C DD....

I had to have one and just couldn't wait to build my own...

Plus all the other things already mentioned...

I sure like this place...


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## KevinL (Sep 16, 2010)

carrot said:


> Wow! I remember you... and your Picolights! Was that what they were called? Welcome back!



Thanks!! Yes, you remembered correctly and that was quite an adventure 




skillet said:


> Thanks to 3rd_Shift :candle: for answering all my newbie questions about building my own lights and also building me my first Mag 3C DD....
> 
> I had to have one and just couldn't wait to build my own...
> 
> ...



3rd_shift, the master of the DD mags.......yup!


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## greenLED (Sep 16, 2010)

KevinL said:


> 3rd_shift, the master of the DD mags.......yup!


You heard he passed away? :candle:

pico lights! Never got my hands on those, but I remember VWTim had them clipped onto almost everything he carried or wore.


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## LG&M (Sep 17, 2010)

Cool thread this is like a family reunion. If only Quick beam would stop by and where is size 15? The CMG then Gerber infinity is what started it for me. With the Fenix LP1 soon after.


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## KevinL (Sep 17, 2010)

greenLED said:


> You heard he passed away? :candle:
> 
> pico lights! Never got my hands on those, but I remember VWTim had them clipped onto almost everything he carried or wore.



Oh dear, I'm so sorry  

He was a good dude who brought a lot of light into the lives of others and he will be missed.


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## Monocrom (Sep 18, 2010)

LG&M said:


> . . . and where is size 15?


 
He still actively posts on CPF.


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## TooManyGizmos (Sep 18, 2010)

~

Size 15 is a SureFire Groupie ....

You'll find him in those threads .

~


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## KevinL (Sep 21, 2010)

http://www.lighthound.com/TerraLux-...ement-Bulb-TLE-3-for-Mini-Maglite_p_2510.html

I can't believe it's still out there - just like the good old days....


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## Minjin (Sep 21, 2010)

KevinL said:


> http://www.lighthound.com/TerraLux-...ement-Bulb-TLE-3-for-Mini-Maglite_p_2510.html
> 
> I can't believe it's still out there - just like the good old days....


You newbie! :laughing: That isn't even the original. 

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/opalec_newbeam.htm

That thing was awesome. Sucked batteries dry like no other. I would love to pick up a new one with updated LEDs.


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## Monocrom (Sep 21, 2010)

You can still buy the Nite-Ize version. That one hasn't be updated.


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## KevinL (Sep 21, 2010)

Minjin said:


> You newbie! :laughing: That isn't even the original.
> 
> http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/opalec_newbeam.htm
> 
> That thing was awesome. Sucked batteries dry like no other. I would love to pick up a new one with updated LEDs.



Guilty as charged! Too many years and too many beers have dimmed the memory..... :buddies:

yes, it was actually the Opalec that I was thinking of, and to imagine, we actually took all those various 5mm LEDs pretty seriously back in the day! Things like the Surefire KL2 with a ton of 5mm's packed in the head.... wow....

Today folks don't seem to care unless you pack a ton of XP-Gs in the light


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## Siriuslite (Sep 21, 2010)

I stilll get use out of my Opalec and PALight (the latter of which I was surprised to learn are still being sold)

http://www.safe-light.com/index.html


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## Siriuslite (Sep 21, 2010)

TomH said:


> Hard to believe it has been 7 years since I've signed up. As you can see from my post count, I read FAR more than I post.
> 
> Back when I joined up, the ARC AAA and the CMG Infinity were the "big things" in the LED light world. How times have changed!


 
You beat me in the membership time to post ratio


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## Minjin (Sep 21, 2010)

Another blast from the past that I completely forgot about was Eternalights. Does anyone still use them?


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## StarHalo (Sep 22, 2010)

Minjin said:


> Another blast from the past that I completely forgot about was Eternalights. Does anyone still use them?



Ah ha, I wanted to get a Rave'n for Halloween this year, thank you for reminding me..


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## Icebreak (Sep 22, 2010)

I remember when:

Darell made sure we stayed on topic.

None of us could spell barrel after dealing with Darell.

Every Thursday night everbody would go to McGizmo's garage to talk and
have Jiffy Pop popcorn and Falstaff beer.

Empath would come to your house to moderate you.

Once a year Sasha would come around and give you a flashlight and a hug around the neck.

carrot's first post was about which light to use to find your sippy cup.

DM51 was a real trouble maker.

If you over posted Size15s would turn off the electricity to your house.

If you posted something very well stated and truly informative, greenLED would send you a big bag of Now-n-Laters, Sugar Babies, Necco Wafers, Bit-O-Honey Bars, Bazooka Bubble Gum, lemon heads, Slow Pokes, Candy cigarettes and Fizzies.

I would not use my M.S.U. handbook when posting.


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## Monocrom (Sep 22, 2010)

Icebreak said:


> carrot's first post was about which light to use to find your sippy cup.


 
:lolsign:

Hmm . . . That sounds accurate.


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## Icebreak (Sep 22, 2010)

I'm so dead for that one. 



carrot has always been helpful even from the get go. :thumbsup:


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## Flying Turtle (Sep 22, 2010)

Minjin said:


> Another blast from the past that I completely forgot about was Eternalights. Does anyone still use them?



I still fire up my Derringer now and then, and the Palight. Never had an Opalec, but was mighty tempted. I can still see in my mind their runtime graphs from Roy, and the unusually good regulation (maybe just the better Eternalights).

Geoff


----------



## KevinL (Sep 22, 2010)

Icebreak said:


> I'm so dead for that one.
> 
> 
> 
> carrot has always been helpful even from the get go. :thumbsup:



I remember Icebreak trying to find every possible combination of cells to run a ROP 

What was up with odd NiMH with fractional sizes like 4/5 AA and things like that? :lolsign:


----------



## IsaacHayes (Sep 22, 2010)

I remember lurking before I joined. I remember Carrot joining... before that when the LuxV mods where $$$ and hotbeam's heatsinks and the X bin !!! Space needles and all that. Early Elektrolumens. When 100lux was pretty good. When Q bin low dome luxeons were premiums.


Don stopped making lights?!?! I've been away too long!


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## NoFair (Sep 22, 2010)

Siriuslite said:


> I stilll get use out of my Opalec and PALight (the latter of which I was surprised to learn are still being sold)
> 
> http://www.safe-light.com/index.html



My daughter has an orange one, still works great :thumbsup:

Miss Doug, great guy. 

Remember the times when we modded everything because most stock lights with the exception of Arc, Aleph and Surefire sucked:sick2: 

Still update most my lights and mostly buy new ones for gifts..

Miss the McE2s and McC2s from the Sandwich shoppe, should have grabbed a couple for my E series lights

Sverre


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## Monocrom (Sep 22, 2010)

I remember when everyone knew Size15's real first name *and *what he looks like.


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## greenLED (Sep 22, 2010)

Minjin said:


> That thing was awesome. Sucked batteries dry like no other. I would love to pick up a new one with updated LEDs.


That thing IS awesome! Still have one of those somewhere.




Icebreak said:


> If you posted something very well stated and truly informative, greenLED would send you a big bag of Now-n-Laters, Sugar Babies, Necco Wafers, Bit-O-Honey Bars, Bazooka Bubble Gum, lemon heads, Slow Pokes, Candy cigarettes and Fizzies.






Monocrom said:


> I remember when everyone knew Size15's real first name *and *what he looks like.


You mean before he... ?


----------



## Monocrom (Sep 22, 2010)

greenLED said:


> You mean before he... ?


 
Yup. That's exactly what I mean. 

(Before he stopped signing his name to his posts, and before he changed his avatar to a non-existant ICON model.) 

Unless you mean something else you're not telling us.


----------



## ninemm (Sep 22, 2010)

Monocrom said:


> I remember when everyone knew Size15's real first name *and *what he looks like.


 
I don't know about what he looks like, but I came across an old thread awhile ago that he had signed his name in....I was like


----------



## GarageBoy (Sep 23, 2010)

IsaacHayes said:


> I remember lurking before I joined. I remember Carrot joining... before that when the LuxV mods where $$$ and hotbeam's heatsinks and the X bin !!! Space needles and all that. Early Elektrolumens. When 100lux was pretty good. When Q bin low dome luxeons were premiums.
> 
> 
> Don stopped making lights?!?! I've been away too long!



Whoa, IssacHayes is back!

So sad about 3rd_Shift right now....
I remember the stuff I wanted back then, how I eventually got them and no longer own them....


----------



## RobertM (Sep 24, 2010)

Here is a little piece of CPF history I came across (long before I joined):
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/22179


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## TIP AND RING (Sep 24, 2010)

The olden days of CPF. Back when flashlights were real flashlights, and men were real......oh, dear.... nevermind............


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## greenLED (Sep 24, 2010)

RobertM said:


> Here is a little piece of CPF history I came across (long before I joined):
> https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/22179


I'll raise you this one. One of my favorite-est threads ever on CPF.


I've always thought Size15's name is pretty cool. Reminds me of Harry Potter.


----------



## RobertM (Sep 24, 2010)

greenLED said:


> I'll raise you this one. One of my favorite-est threads ever on CPF.
> 
> 
> I've always thought Size15's name is pretty cool. Reminds me of Harry Potter.



LOL. I was trying to find that one too! But a lot of links from other threads to it had been deleted.


----------



## saabluster (Sep 25, 2010)

greenLED said:


> I'll raise you this one. One of my favorite-est threads ever on CPF.



 My word that was quite the thread.


----------



## KevinL (Sep 25, 2010)

saabluster said:


> My word that was quite the thread.



No kidding!

All these years I've been on CPF I have never stumbled across that thread and it was quite a scorcher to read 

What I'm glad though is that CPF has definitely survived those turbulent times and still remains the go-to, civil, friendly and community-focused resource for lighting systems. GO CPF!! :twothumbs


----------



## saabluster (Sep 25, 2010)

KevinL said:


> What I'm glad though is that CPF has definitely survived those turbulent times and still remains the go-to, civil, friendly and community-focused resource for lighting systems. GO CPF!! :twothumbs


Indeed. Despite the whole meltdown he had a good vision. I signed up on some of the other flashlight sites but never go to them because of the very immature banter and bouncing boob type avatars. Don't get me wrong. I like em as much as any other man but let's at least comport ourselves like grownup gentleman in public shall we. While not perfect CPF is the best forum I have found on the net save one. saabsunited.com But that one also has the same style moderation as this one does(sometimes _seemingly_ heavy-handed) and it has worked to its benefit. This is an unusually well run site and I wish more people would support via donations for the massive amount of benefit received.


----------



## Icebreak (Sep 25, 2010)

I remember finding this place from LED Museum's site, back then he was telephony.

I was reading a dialog between him and Darell about LED Christmas lights. The thread drew me in. I read other threads about modifications people were doing and people building their own lights. It was so friendly with gentle bantering.

Darell let me in on a group buy for Christmas lights I still have. Later I got something from Mr. Bulk and some BadBoy and MadMax sandwiches from Dat2Zip. Looking at the receipt right now. Still use those sandwiches. No failures in 9 years.

I like to remember that time.

I waited forever it seemed before the McLux came out and got one of those. I felt like I was in a club of people that were elite in their intelligence. I still feel that way about the place even though it's a lot different now in many ways.

Since that time I've met a bunch of great guys and gals. That's really why I still log in. The membership. You never know what new member you might become friends with. You never know what crazy idea turns out to be stellar.

I feel like I've got pals all over the world.

Once in a while I'll run into one while out in the real world. It's very cool.


----------



## Minjin (Sep 25, 2010)

greenLED said:


> I'll raise you this one. One of my favorite-est threads ever on CPF.
> 
> 
> I've always thought Size15's name is pretty cool. Reminds me of Harry Potter.


I remember that thread. Just as hilarious today as it was then. :laughing:


----------



## m16a (Sep 25, 2010)

StarHalo said:


> I remember when this fish was straight baller, son..



Ahhh that was entertainment at its finest.

I remember when this newfangled TK10 came out, and we all wondered if it would hold a candle to its old friend the T1.

I remember thinking DX lights were actually valuable.

I remember waiting for the new P61L to come out. Oh wait... 

I remember the NDI being the new challenger to the Fenix L1D line. That was fun to watch.

I'm still a CPF youngin. hah


----------



## Beamhead (Sep 25, 2010)

I remember when I wasn't Greeny's "female canine".


----------



## Monocrom (Sep 25, 2010)

m16a said:


> I remember when this newfangled TK10 came out, and we all wondered if it would hold a candle to its old friend the T1.


 
That reminds me when we could post reviews directly onto that sub-forum. :sigh:


----------



## Sub_Umbra (Sep 25, 2010)

Remember when all of the 1xAA LED lights had 5mm LEDs, like the CMG Infinity, Infinity Ultra and the ARC AA?


----------



## Flying Turtle (Sep 25, 2010)

Sub_Umbra said:


> Remember when all of the 1xAA LED lights had 5mm LEDs, like the CMG Infinity, Infinity Ultra and the ARC AA?



And, when one of the first 1 x AA Luxeon lights to emerge was the Civictor.

Geoff


----------



## Icebreak (Sep 25, 2010)

Sub_Umbra said:


> Remember when all of the 1xAA LED lights had 5mm LEDs, like the CMG Infinity, Infinity Ultra and the ARC AA?



I do. I never got one but you reminded me of something. You are gonna love this.

I still have my ARC AAA on my key chain. It's smooth and silvery now but still works after 9 years. I looked to my left where I keep my fishing cap and remembered the cyan ARC AAA clipped to it. It's in perfect visible condition. I reached over and turned it on but no joy. Haven't used it in two years. 

"No problem." I thought. "I'll just grab a new AAA battery and install it." 

NO JOY!

Wait, remember when, well you probably already new about it, we all seemed to discover Radio Shack's De-Oxit and Pro-Gold? I cleaned up and conditioned my ARC AAA and boom.

JOY!

I forgot how useful that little light was and I way forgot how much output the tiny monster yields. This one leans more to green than blue but it's definitely not a greenie. (Sorry greenLED).

Clean up my white ARC AAA while I was at it. Even though the battery is two years old the circuit seems to pull just as strong as when I put a new battery in it. So, I'm using the old battery. Why waist juice, no?

Thanks, man. I think I'll be using this little jewel a lot more again. Have been spoiled by the awesome Draco but as you've taught me, in dark situations with dark adapted eyes green and green/blue 5mm is plenty for many situations. Kinda wish I would have got all the colors when they were like $20.00 bucks or so. A red would be nice. But I prefer cyan 5mm because of my eyes' sensitivity to its image rendition.

- Jeff


----------



## greenLED (Sep 25, 2010)

Beamhead said:


> I remember when I wasn't Greeny's "female canine".


Still wuv U, Beany!


----------



## Robocop (Sep 26, 2010)

I know many here remember the long fight to have a steady supply of rechargeable 123 size cells available. One of our dealers almost went broke getting this project going.

I have always wondered just how much we members actually played in the development or invention of the Li-Ion 16340 cell. It seems as if no others were talking of such a cell and then we kind of started an avalanche. A few of our dealers picked up the ball and ran with it and we bought them by the dozens....now they are more common than all other Li-Ion cells it seems.

Remember when cyan emitters were really cool and the cyan Arc AAA was the one to get? I must admit I still like my Cyan colored AAA at times.


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## cableguy (Sep 26, 2010)

I still have both of my ARC lights. but, I think mr bulks LGI was the one I used the most.


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## IsaacHayes (Sep 26, 2010)

Good to see some familiar names in the thread. Sub_umbra, still using that cyan light I assume? 

My life has been so busy, but I want to get back into modding really bad, there are some advancements I want to check out (SST-50/90) and I have some other mods that have been needing to be put together for a few years now. Now I have a house, and need to get my hod rod going so time is scarce, especially with my job and everything else. Maybe this winter when it's cold I can start modding some more. I need to work on the house too though so when summer comes I can get my project car on the road and a few bugs ironed out before swapping in the good stuff 

I still have my ArcAAA. While it's not on my keychain anymore, I still have it. I modded it with the newer Nichia (I forget which one now, but it's bright and perfect color/beam pattern). 

I need to sell some lights too, for funding for other light projects.


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## alanagnostic (Sep 26, 2010)

I remember when someone posted a thread about how the LED section had just achieved more threads than the general flashlight section. Ahhhh, the good old days.


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## GarageBoy (Sep 26, 2010)

Robocop said:


> I know many here remember the long fight to have a steady supply of rechargeable 123 size cells available. One of our dealers almost went broke getting this project going.
> 
> I have always wondered just how much we members actually played in the development or invention of the Li-Ion 16340 cell. It seems as if no others were talking of such a cell and then we kind of started an avalanche. A few of our dealers picked up the ball and ran with it and we bought them by the dozens....now they are more common than all other Li-Ion cells it seems.
> 
> Remember when cyan emitters were really cool and the cyan Arc AAA was the one to get? I must admit I still like my Cyan colored AAA at times.


Who still makes Cyan 5mm LED lights? (the same color as the old Arc)


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## Robocop (Sep 26, 2010)

I am not sure who currently makes a good cyan light however if I remember correct you can still find some Photon keychain lights in Cyan.

That was what was so nice way back then was Arc had an actual Cyan color rather than the greenish color that many thought was cyan. A real cyan color looks very bright in person and I think it had something to do with how sensitive our eyes are to that color??

Remember when everyone was talking about the traffic light green colored emitters vs the actual Cyan emitters? I really do still like my Cyan arc AAA and not even sure where to point you to find one today.


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## Icebreak (Sep 26, 2010)

Robocop -

Mine is definitely cyan because I can see the blue in it and lack of yellow compared to a green. However I know which cyans you refer to. I saw beam shots of the three and mine looks like the middle. Wish I'd have known at the time and returned it for the real deal but this one is way bright and I like its color, just not as much as true cyan. And speaking of true cyan.

Issac Hayes -

Man, I remember how helpful you were to everyone. I remember you suggesting I amp up my Blaster that had a 5W true cyan so with just putting rechargeables (not recommended because it's over driven) brought the blue out. Then I remember your discovery of some super cyans and your building one for my friend, SubUmbra. By the discription I knew it was brighter and more true to cyan than mine was. Still want one of those.

And mine still works. I remember one night shining it from the back of the house up over the house into trees across the street and hearing some guys talking loudly about, "What the he!! is that?" Went to the side of the house to see two questionable fellows booking it down the street. I didn't even know they were there.

I think that's when I started my habit of sweeping the area a couple of times at night with an 1185. I can't count the times I spotted people standing where they shouldn't be and them leaving the area. Now it rarely happens. I think our watch team with flashlights, cell phones and assorted accouterments have effectively made the neighborhood a safer place.

Post up some pics of your hot rod this spring if you are inspired to. I'm curious. I want a classic muscle car so bad. I miss the sound of my old Cutlass Supreme with the 350 and my friend's cars of all sorts. My dad let me drive his Chrysler 300 a lot and with a 440 in it that luxury car moved out. Sounded so good with the big Holley he had in it. He also had a big air tank on the floor board hooked up to air horns. His theory was that because he drove so fast on the highways he wanted to project the horns further down the road. The other day I was walking down a popular street in my area and a dude in a newish (maybe a 2002, you know the little ones) romped his motor slightly as he was parking. I hollered over at him, "Sounds nice, man" "It's got a 396 in it." "No way." "Yes, way...396, man." Then about 5 minutes later he was passing by me again and hit it for a few seconds and waved. Most definitely a 396.


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## Icebreak (Sep 26, 2010)

cableguy said:


> I still have both of my ARC lights. but, I think mr bulks LGI was the one I used the most.



Here is my first review. It's of Mr. Bulk's LGI (Long Gun Illuminator) I got it right before I got the MAD MAX and BAD BOY sandwiches. A bit of a long read but I was excited and may or may not have embellished my little adventure. Enjoy this 9 year old thread.

Sad_LGI_Review


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## Sub_Umbra (Sep 27, 2010)

IsaacHayes said:


> Good to see some familiar names in the thread. Sub_umbra, still using that cyan light I assume? ...



*Every single night.* I may not turn it on every night but it's in my hand and *I'm using it.* Thanks again. I've done some things with that light that have really frustrated some jerks...I won't bore you with the details. 

Another example of how good engineering keeps on paying back *years and years* down the line. A guy tried to buy that light from me a few months ago. I wouldn't think of it til I had a replacement in hand -- that was when I wrote you awhile back. If anything new, tight, hot and cyan comes down the pike please let me know.

Icebreak, I've also got one of those crazy-bright cyan ARC AAAs and though I don't use it much, I do actually marvel at it, still.


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## Sub_Umbra (Sep 27, 2010)

Robocop said:


> I am not sure who currently makes a good cyan light however if I remember correct you can still find some Photon keychain lights in Cyan...


 Batteryjunction has the very best deal on cyan Photon Freedoms I've seen. (Cyan PFs are called 'NV Green') I think they're about $9.95 plus $1.50 for Covert Nose (which is IMHO the only way to go).

Cheers.


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## IsaacHayes (Sep 27, 2010)

Icebreak, yeah the one I build for Sub is actually a bit greener than the one I built with dual BB500's in parallel (so it would run 1 amp to the lux3 but do it from only 2.4v NiMH 2C). I think the one I made for Sub was a S1JC. Yeah bin code 1!!

The one I built for myself was a R6KB I believe. Blue on the green side. My old ISP deleted the directory with the mod pics  and I can't find them on the HD and the original write up..

I've thought about building another cyan light, perhaps a apsheric one so it would look like an argon laser... But no real good Cyan LEDs other than if I could come across some green tinted blue Cree's or something... But I think the blue cree's are more Royal Blue than blue so that would be near impossible... My 2C Cyan is still very bright. 

Ledsupply.com I think had some nice 5mm cyans at one point. 

That story made me smile Icebreak about the guys freaking out about the cyan beam!

My first real mod was a 5W cyan, but it was too green so I sold the emitter (future screwed up and send me the wrong type anyway) and built a 5W green. I had it out in the fog and it was awesome, cars were slowing down!

I hope to build a SST-50 (if I can find a decent priced source, costs as much as a SST-90) with a projector assembly from a rear projection CRT TV. I will over drive the SST-50 on a huge Pentium heatsink. With a Cree XR-E the spot is super small and bright!!! Way brighter than Jarhead/Newbie's asperhic he found. With an SST50 or 90 the beam should be useful size and super duper bright. Maybe make some people think that aliens are going to beam them up!

Sub, when was that I build it for you? I remember building a 2C red-orange for someone too but it got stolen from them  I can't recall their name.


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## Sub_Umbra (Sep 27, 2010)

IsaacHayes said:


> ...Sub, when was that I build it for you? I remember building a 2C red-orange for someone too but it got stolen from them  ...


 ~Around March of 2006 -- about 6 months after Katrina.

I'd really like to see an asperhic cyan light -- I think it would actually be practical for some security tasks, like when you know exactly where something/someone should be...and you'd like to reach out and touch them.  Let me know if you build one -- I'll want to hear the dirt.


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## scout24 (Sep 27, 2010)

Staying somewhat off topic... I owe Sub Umbra thanks for the prodding towards a Cyan NV Green Photon freedom... :bow: After reading his observations and first hand accounts from Katrina and the immediate aftermath, I ordered two. One lives on my nightstand, the other in the "Get home" bag in my car. I would love to have someone disassemble a Photon Freedom, remove this LED, and put it in another host that uses a more common battery or batteries. Any thoughts, folks? I don't care about host size, but running on 6v from a pair of 123's, runtime would be phenomenal... I agree on the covert nose, too, btw. Thank you!

EDIT- Just sent Milky a PM...


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## tylernt (Sep 27, 2010)

scout24 said:


> disassemble a Photon Freedom, remove this LED, and put it in another host that uses a more common battery or batteries. Any thoughts, folks?


Why go to all that effort and expense? Semiconductor suppliers like Mouser, Digikey, etc stock 5mm 502/505nm LEDs such as the OVLGC0C6B9 as well as 350mA 505nm power LEDs like LOPL-E001C.

They're out there if you look.


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## nightshade (Sep 27, 2010)

scout24 said:


> Staying somewhat off topic... I owe Sub Umbra thanks for the prodding towards a Cyan NV Green Photon freedom... :bow: After reading his observations and first hand accounts from Katrina and the immediate aftermath, I ordered two. One lives on my nightstand, the other in the "Get home" bag in my car. I would love to have someone disassemble a Photon Freedom, remove this LED, and put it in another host that uses a more common battery or batteries. Any thoughts, folks? I don't care about host size, but running on 6v from a pair of 123's, runtime would be phenomenal... I agree on the covert nose, too, btw. Thank you!
> 
> EDIT- Just sent Milky a PM...



This will never be as tiny as a Freedom, or as well built as ANY Milky mod, but there are a few mass produced green options if you look around.

http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=161

End of thread drift......


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## GarageBoy (Oct 1, 2010)

I'm hoping to replicate a modern version of the cyan space needles
Is proper cyan 505nm or is this traffic light green?


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## tylernt (Oct 1, 2010)

GarageBoy said:


> I'm hoping to replicate a modern version of the cyan space needles
> Is proper cyan 505nm or is this traffic light green?


502-505nm is traffic light green. Cyan is more towards 487-490ish IMHO.


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## KevinL (Oct 2, 2010)

Hey, anybody remember Ginseng? How's he doing? I know he went away for a couple of years, but hey so did I, and my couple of years actually ended up being just a bit less than 4.

The ROP however, has been extremely busy filling for me in my absence even with all these newfangled LEDs


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## Navistar (Oct 2, 2010)

This thread got me thinking about sandwiches. I stumbled on The Sandwich Shoppe first and hit a link to CPF while trying to decipher the lingo and acronyms. It's like a secret language. I couldn't make heads or tails of it, all I wanted was a brighter minimag. I think over the years I bought 11 or 12 sandwiches....damn what is wrong with me? This is like some kind of disease. I was standing in Target the other day holding a Inova in my hand, wishing I had a sponsor I could call to talk me out of buying another flashlight to sit unused next to the rest of my shelf queens. It has changed a lot but I still enjoy lurking here.


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## greenLED (Oct 2, 2010)

KevinL said:


> Hey, anybody remember Ginseng?


He pops in here now and then. It wasn't long ago that I saw a post from him.


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## Bullzeyebill (Oct 3, 2010)

greenLED said:


> He pops in here now and then. It wasn't long ago that I saw a post from him.



Ginseng, Wilky, got me started with hot wires years ago. Great fun, and he was one of the first to push us to use higher mAh NiMh's, such as 1/2D's. I bought some from his group buy thread.

Bill


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## Frenchyled (Oct 3, 2010)

Hello all old fart CPfer :wave:

I remember all of those nice nights I spent to bid on marvellous Flashlights :nana:

I remember my first post here at CPF :https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/9377

I remember the kindness and solidarity that I didn't found anywhere else : https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/50193







I remember very nice auction with very good moment : https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/43681&highlight=auction






So, even if I don't participate often now, I am still here lovecpf


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## KevinL (Oct 3, 2010)

Good to see you again too!


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## Frenchyled (Oct 3, 2010)

KevinL said:


> Good to see you again too!



Yep !! Same here 
This thread is a good place to see old CPF friends :wave:


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## PMM (Oct 3, 2010)

I am relatively new around these parts so can't reflect back

But this may interest you... not much stored but shows you how the forum has progressed over time since Dec 2000

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.candlepowerforums.com


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## fire-stick (Jul 13, 2011)

I remember when a 60 lumen LED was pushing the limit. Now it's like, "Oh yea mine just has 350 lumens..."


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