# Starting a flashlight collection...



## mapson (Aug 12, 2004)

Well, ever since I found CPF, I am drawn towards something that I never even cared to touch unless it was an emergency.

Now I am itching to start a collection but man, those costs sure add up. So to start, I was looking at collecting but had to narrow down the field...

First I was looking to collect flashlights regardless of type of bulb or amount of batts or size, as long as I think it looks cool. Then, I narrowed it to lights with perhaps only a type of bulb, such as led. Now I am thinking only 1x or 2x cr123, aa, or aaa battery sized lights with any type of bulb.

Even at that, it is a lot of money for me, I don't know how you all do it. You all truly deserve to be called flashaholics!


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## ABTOMAT (Aug 12, 2004)

Number one rule to collecting anything is collect what you want, not just for the sake of collecting. Buy a light or two that interests you. See what you want to buy next. Presto-you have a collection.

I personally like '70s police flashlights. It's a collection that I have very little money into since there's no demand. Of course, if I had started collecting Surefire weapon lights I'd be in the hole real fast.


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## mapson (Aug 12, 2004)

[ QUOTE ]
*ABTOMAT said:*
Number one rule to collecting anything is collect what you want, not just for the sake of collecting. Buy a light or two that interests you. See what you want to buy next. Presto-you have a collection.

I personally like '70s police flashlights. It's a collection that I have very little money into since there's no demand. Of course, if I had started collecting Surefire weapon lights I'd be in the hole real fast. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I am planning on collecting those little lights everyone drools over here. I don't plan on getting every 123, AA, or AAA lights out on there, just probably the ones I like that are production manufactured AND under a certain price point. We'll see whether I hold on to that or break my policy when the next must get light comes out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


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## Nitroz (Aug 12, 2004)

[ QUOTE ]
*mapson said:*
Well, ever since I found CPF, I am drawn towards something that I never even cared to touch unless it was an emergency.


[/ QUOTE ]
You should try waion's 11 led police flashlights on here. It puts out a decent bright flood for a light that uses only 3AAA batteries.

Waion Police Flashlight


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## Frenchyled (Aug 12, 2004)

To be a collector, you have to educate your wife /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
No shoes, no more dress than necessities, no restaurant,etc ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif All your and his money should go in your collection /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif
If you have a child, put him in the work as soon as possible /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif
And don't waste your money in other thing than Flashlights /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

Good Luck /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nana.gif


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## Roy (Aug 12, 2004)

When starting a collection, set a goal as to what to collect. Here is a picture of my collection of factory colored AA MiniMags.







Try to narrow your collecting to something other than one of every light ever made! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


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## ViReN (Aug 12, 2004)

WOW Roy....

You have got an amazing colleciton...

I didnt knew that [email protected] has so much variety in Mini's .... I have just seen the Black & the US-Flag varients...

Totally Enlightning... Cool Rainbow colleciton...

Thanks & Regards,
ViReN


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## mapson (Aug 12, 2004)

Roy, of all the mini mags you have, I have the red one (top right). BTW, what's missing on the lower right spot? Oh, and awesome collection.


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## Roy (Aug 12, 2004)

It's just a spot for a future new color!


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## hungryforlasers (Aug 17, 2004)

Did you build that flashlight shelf your self, Roy? It apears to have little round slots to place MiniMags in.


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## Roy (Aug 17, 2004)

A friend made it for me in his workshop.


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## Kirk (Aug 17, 2004)

Mapson,
I started out collecting "old" flashlights, those from the 1950s and before because I like the looks of them; metal bodies, glass lenses, mostly screw-based bulbs. I lived on eBay for hours a day, watching prices, seeing patterns of who bought what, mentally noting what I thought I'd pay for such and such light. I started out small, in the $20 range for those lights that caught my fancy. I went for the best condition I could afford. I was lucky enough to have won quite a few lights that came in their original packaging! Who the heck saves boxes for 40+ years? I like almost anything that uses 6-volt lantern batteries and the big 6" tall, 1 1/2 volt "Dry Cells". One thing I've learned is it is OK to spend a bit more than you thought something was worth at the time (if you can afford it) because you'll rarely say "I spent too much", but you WILL say "Man, I could have got that light for only another 5 bucks, was I being cheap and lame or what?!" You have a good plan to collect only smaller lights at first. Do that and when you've collected all of those kind that you can find, then you can start on collecting just one manufacturer or the next size up or down or ??? Good luck and show us your collection from time to time.
Regards,
Kirk


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## Scottcenfla (Nov 1, 2010)

Good advice Kirk, I'm new to the forums here, think I'll start out small as well.


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