Not a knife but...a Nitre Blued Damascus Flashlight!

Osprey Guy

Osprey Guy

Joined
Apr 9, 2002
Messages
213
Just completed refinishing and Nitre Bluing this damascus flashlight for a customer...the same guy who bought my latest Topo Gigio mini-balisong (he's been keeping me busy)...http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=456547

This is the fifth one of these lights that I've refinished (out of a total of 25 that were made in Hawaii by one of the world's top flashlight makers)... When I get them, the surface is fairly rough...rather heavy machine marks still on the body (the shop that does machining for him obviously doesn't take them to a fine finish). I have to be careful with my sanding so as not to re-shape any of the details...so I have to do a lot of it by hand. But when I'm done the steel is really gleaming.

As usual, I never seem to be able to capture with my photos, just how highly polished they are... and the really deep, penetrating, jewel-like colors. This is the best I could do...
aikiman44sDC-72s.jpg


BTW- The steel is by Del Ealy.

Dennis Greenbaum :cool:
 
Nice work Dennis.
I may be going blind or crazy, but I swear that flashlight is pulsating on my computer screen....cool. :cool:
 
This is the best looking flashlight I've ever seen! Congratulations and thanks for sharing.
 
If you're not familiar with the Chameleon (custom-made by "Mr. Bulk"...considered by most to be one of the top two custom flashlight makers in the world)....There's more to this than you might think.

It's been fitted with a microchip that enables the user to program the amount of light it puts out. The light is equiped with a state-of-the-art LED that can put out a lot of light. But most situations don't call for screaming bright light...and less light means much longer battery light (although the LED inherently "sips" from the battery rather than guzzle like a traditional incandescent)...So with the touch of a button you can raise or lower the light levels.

All of the "Chammies" (as we call them) were manufactured in limited runs. I have the original aluminum version. In the pitch black of our bedroom at night I use it at the lowest setting...If I set it on high I would at the very least be temporarily blinded.

The Chammies also are a "Lego" system. Couple of different handle options, and several different heads. One of them is a large 3" reflector that can throw a highly focused high beam well over a 1/4 mile...and that's from an LED!!

I've got quite a few very nice lights...but the Chammie is my EDC. With flashlight technology evolving so quickly we're all waiting to hear what Mr Bulk (aka Charlie Wong) is going to come out with next! :D

BTW: If you've got a lot of time to kill, here's quite a few pages that'll describe the start-to-finish creation of the Damascus Chameleon:
http://flashlight-forums.com/index.php?topic=2280.0
Have fun!


Dennis Greenbaum :cool:
 
Thanks for the explanations. Now I wonder... you are saying that these lamps have only one LED and still give a bright light. How do those compare with those 8 or 12 LED flashlights that flood the shelves?
 
No contest. The newest custom lights will easily blow them away!

With few exceptions most of those cheap (and ubiquitous), multi LED lights typically put out as much as 10 lumens, better ones can output 15-20 lumens...with fresh batteries...on a good day (the lights that have 20 or more LED's can do better). Here's a review of a 12 LED flashlight that I picked at random:http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/amart_12led_2aa.htm

By comparison, the latest, state-of-the-art, custom LED flashlights that have been outfitted with either the new Cree or the Seoul LED bulbs, can crank out 120-150 lumens...and possibly more (they're rated for as much as 240 lumens...but that's under perfect, controlled conditions). And yes, that's from a single bulb! :D

This little fellow is called the Raw...made by a custom maker in England. http://www.lummi.co.uk/orbraw.php This is the 3 watt version that's been equiped with the (optional) new Cree emitter... It uses a small, rechargeable photo cell. This particular one was part of a short run of the Cree XR-E versions (15 pieces) that he recently made out of Titanium. Rob sent this one to me to anodize. It's just under 1 7/8" and yet it can crank out 15 lumens on the "Low" setting, and over 120 lumens on "High"....!!!!!
Raw-TiAnodizedtake2.jpg


Pretty cool...eh? That definitely falls under the category of great "Toys for Boys!!" ;)


Dennis :cool:
 
That light in the orginal post, standard titanium version, called the Chamelion made by Mr. Bulk goes for around $1K, that priceless 1 off piece that was modified which looks stunning could probably take about $2K, as for the Raw me want.!
 
as for the Raw me want.!
Click to expand...

I think Rob may have one or two remaining of the Titanium Raws (maybe...). Here's an out-take from his post in another forum (this was posted about 10 days ago...I don't know what he has left). BTW: Regarding his references to the XR-E...and the Seoul P4...These are the incredibly powerful, new, state-of-the-art LED's I was describing earlier:

I have some Raw Ti's remaining:
5 with No Slot for Locator (Smoothy)
2 with 3 Ice blue Locator's
3 with 4 Ice Blue Locator's
1 with 5 Ice Blue Locator's

These are for sale with XR-E for £150 each (Smoothy) & £6 per Locator.

I have tried the Seoul P4 & prefer the XR-E in the Raw Series. The SSC P4 is more floody with the small reflectors. If you want the SSC P4 you can for the same cost.
Once the 11 Raw Ti's have gone, I will not have any stock Raw Ti's for at least 4 Months.
__________________
www.Lummi.co.uk
Email (No Pm's) Please lummii@gmail.com

If you're interested in having your light anodized by me let Rob know.

Dennis :cool:
 
If anyone is considering the Raw...stop considering, and just buy it. It is an outstanding little light, and I still regret selling mine.
I am not buying any new lights at the moment, but would replace it if I was.
I also am waiting for the new Novatac (old HDS systems) to be released. It is MUCH more reasonably priced...probably around $150, and will be quite cool. Nto as cool as the Chammie (of course) or as small as the Raw, but will burn primary CR123s to around 120 lumen (min.) and is USB adjustable.
 
I've bought and sold a number of terrific lights over the past year or two. I now carry two with me... An aluminum Chameleon, which is my EDC and worn in a small pouch on my belt (Damn I love that light!)...and my new Raw Cree XR-E (which I use to impress the hell out of everyone I meet). :D


Dennis :cool:
 
Chamelions are fairly good sized, the raw is very small Although I wouldn't mind having both, btw I happen to frequent www.candlepowerforums.com under the same sn.

whatever you do DON'T BUY a Draco.
 
These are not big production, factory-made flashlights. They are made in very limited quantities and typically incorporate the very latest in technology. In the case of the Damascus Chameleons, each one was made out of a solid block (1.25" x 6") of Del Ealy's damascus steel (actually cut into two pieces, the head and the body, one screws into the other). I don't know the final cost that Charlie (aka "Mr Bulk") paid for the entire lot of damascus, but the cost just for the flashlight body worked out to about $400 per light...and that does not include any other material costs, or the factoring in of any of his production time.

Each Chameleon comes equiped with a custom micro chip that enables the user to program the light (levels of power consumption, brightness, set for strobe, SOS, timed power down or power up). An incredible amount of time and expertise went into the making of these unique lights. It was a limited edition of 23 lights, that Charlie sold for $750 each. He does this for the pure joy of it and essentially made no profit on the lights.

Like many custom lights, especially those that are limited editions, the aftermarket value shot up considerably. And then there are those who have decided that they wanted me to refinish the lights (they were initially not hand finished...the cost would have been prohibitive). These are done on a one-off basis...typically taking me two nights of work per light. I spend hours per light, sanding them to a near mirror finish...and I have to be very careful not to change or alter any of the fine lines, edges, etc. Then I nitre blue them. I've been charging $175 for that service.

So that brings the initial cost per light to near $1000... Aftermarket prices for the Dam Chams (as we are fond of calling them) have varied, depending on the light (they are numbered), whether or not I've done the refinsihing, and of course who's doing the buying and selling.

If the same amount of time, energy, innovation, and material costs were to go into a custom knife, you would certainly expect to pay at least that sort of price.

Dennis :cool:
 
Those are some sweet custom lights!!! I wish I had the $$$$$$ to pick one of those bad boys up. Thanks for posting the cool pix!
 
Osprey Guy said:
....If the same amount of time, energy, innovation, and material costs were to go into a custom knife, you would certainly expect to pay at least that sort of price.....
Click to expand...

Absolutely. I wasn't even aware of the existence of custom flashlights! :eek: I thought my M6 was about the top end. Thanks for the thorough explanation; much appreciated. :thumbup:
 
OK, went to the website and.....never mind, you know the rest.:o Which one do you guys suggest I get as sort of a "starter" before I go for something in titanium or sterling silver?
 
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