Light and death

[Mongoose]

Hi folks,

Right, I need a new torch, and the Maglite D Cell series looks to fit the bill.

As well as lighting stuff up with a decent beam and good battery life, I also want something that's handy in case of a late-night residential pikey invasion (following previous PH advice).

The question is, which to go for? Is the all singing/dancing 6 cell the one to go for? It's the brightest and has the best battery life, although is 50cm too long to swing in a hallway?

http://www.thetorchshop.co.uk/acatalog/Maglite_D_C...

Also, is there much of an advantage to go for LEDs over filament bulbs?

Thanks

[RacerMDR]

hold it halfway up the torch...... then swinging isn't such a problem in close spaces, but yet it still is heavy enough to re-educate the scum?

with added bonus of extra battery life and lighting strength?

Edited by RacerMDR on Monday 14th December 16:23

[bigTee]

I use something like this for both lighting up dark areas and personal protection.

[Swilly]

bigTee said:

I use something like this for both lighting up dark areas and personal protection.

Does the torch interfere with the bayonet when fixed !?

[BoRED S2upid]

LED's much brighter than a normal bulb no?.

[Kit80]

bigTee said:

I use something like this for both lighting up dark areas and personal protection.

Can I borrow that?

Edited by Kit80 on Monday 14th December 16:29

[bigTee]

Swilly said:

bigTee said:

I use something like this for both lighting up dark areas and personal protection.

Does the torch interfere with the bayonet when fixed !?

No. That’s another great feature and great for poking in kids eyes through the letterbox on Halloween. The torch also benefits trying to see their faces once speared.

[big dub]

1068 lumens



http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=162366

[Mongoose]

bigTee said:

[picture of awsomeness]

Love it, although the budget doesn't stretch that far unfortunately

big dub said:

1068 lumens

Jeezustittyfeckingchrist £240 for a torch!? It's very nice, but I could buy a hamster for that much!

[Fastra]

Have a look at some of the links on here:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[LordGrover]

Yes... but buy ten and save £6.00 each!

Edited by LordGrover on Monday 14th December 16:48

[cyberface]

bigTee said:

I use something like this for both lighting up dark areas and personal protection.

Oh yeah, the torches with the so-called 'assault crown'



The trouble is that if you want your torch to double as a club then you need weight and rigidity. A lightweight LED-powered torch, even with an 'assault crown' (which IMO could very well fall foul of the law should you use it against an aggressor, whereas using a torch as a club has, IIRC, precedent in the law as 'safe' and you won't be prosecuted for using it as such) won't work well as a club, even if the 'assault crown' is sharp enough for it to be used as a blade weapon.

Of course, improvised blade weapons are on dodgy ground as they are.

I've got a 4 D-cell Maglite and TBH the technology is far outdated (tungsten filament) and the beam is crap. However with 4 standard D-cell batteries in the torch, and rigid metal construction, it makes a bloody good club. It's also short enough to swing from the end in the entrance corridor to my house, should it be needed. And it's heavy enough that I *really* wouldn't want to get into a ruck against someone wielding one who is (a) awake, (b) scared, and (c) isn't going to stop if that one lucky hit knocks you down.

I also have a very silly 125 mW green laser pointer. I'd need a LOT more advance warning, but any burglar with dark-accustomed vision creeping round my gaff getting a shot from that laser in the eyes will be blinded. Permanently. Of course, again - chances are that the court would find in the burglar's favour in that case, since the laser was used primarily as a weapon.

I'll start a new thread about upgrading my Maglite with LED emitters as it'll mess up this one.