Fenix TK35 Review

UPDATE: It is worth noting that Fenix have updated the TK35 since writing this review, and while much of the information still stands, stated brightness and runtime figures are for the older model. 

Key Info

-820 lumens max output (ANSI) – 1hr 33mins, 12 lumens min output (ANSI) – 170 hrs. 

-Cree XM-L LED.
-4 brightness levels, SOS and strobe.
-2 switches – one on/off, other brightness level switch.
-Uses 4x CR123 batteries, or 2x 18650 rechargeable.
-Aluminium body, toughened glass lens, type III anodized finish.
-Waterproof to IPX-8 standard – 8 feet for 30 mins.
-Smooth reflector.
-Very well made.
-Spare O-rings included.
-Constant regulated output.
-330m throw.

Overview

The Fenix TK35 is an excellent torch for most tasks. Admittedly, it is not pocket-sized, but it is not very large and heavy either, especially when its output is considered. On 'Turbo' mode, it has similar output (820 ANSI lumens) to a car headlight, and a much nicer beam profile. The battery life is very good, considering the output, and on its lowest brightness level (12 lumens), which, if you're used to 'normal' torches, will seem really bright, you can get 170 hours! Also, the output is regulated by digital circuitry, so the brightness will not slowly reduce as the batteries deplete, but will stay constant until the batteries reach a certain level, when it will drop down to the next brightness level. This is an excellent feature of all Fenix torches, as it means you get the most possible brightness for a long as possible. 

The TK35 is a very tough torch. It comes from the same 'Tactical' family as the T1, Fenix's first tactical torch, which could stand up to massive punishment, such as being burnt, thrown from a plane, submerged for days, frozen etc. This toughness has followed through to the TK35, and while it will probably not take the same punishment as the T1 did, because of its larger size and weight, it should still stand up to much abuse with no ill effects.

Output
The TK35 has 4 brightness levels and 2 flash modes:

-Low – 12 lumens for 170 hours. Suitable for small tasks, such as finding keys at night, or as an emergency light in a power cut.

-Medium – 109 lumens for 16 hours. Suitable for general use, such as walking through a house at night, or average outdoor use.

-High – 346 lumens for 5 hours. Suitable for outdoor use where higher brightness is required. 

-Turbo – 820 lumens for 1 hour 33 minutes. Suitable for search and rescue, or lighting distant objects.

-Strobe – 820 lumens. Used for self defence – extremely blinding and disorientating.

-SOS – used for emergency signalling.

The output levels are chosen by pressing the secondary 'mode switch'. Pressing and holding this switch will activate flashing modes. These output levels seem to be very well chosen. The 'High' output level will probably see the least use, as I imagine most will opt to use Turbo instead, but is still useful to have. The battery life on 'Low' is extremely good. It is an excellent level to have for emergency situations, where spare batteries are scarce, or simply if you want to save money on batteries! 'Low' will seem very bright to those who are used to standard filament bulb torches! 'Turbo' output is very bright. Fenix claim it will throw 330m, and the light is certainly visible for several miles (though obviously it won't throw that far!). There are many occasions, such as indoor use, when 'Turbo' is too bright! It will reflect of surfaces with such intensity that it is blinding to look at. This is when the lower output levels really come in handy.  The 'Medium' output level will see a lot of use. It is a great level for general use, as it is not so bright that it's blinding when up close, but it is not 'dim' either. It is perfect for most situations, and will give a very nice amount of light.

In addition to the four brightness levels, there are two flashing modes – strobe and SOS. These flashing modes are activated by pressing and holding the secondary switch. Strobe mode is extremely effective, and as a self-defence tool, is probably one of the best things you could have. Having this torch strobed in your eyes renders your vision useless for several seconds afterwards, even longer if your eyes are night-adjusted, and is somewhat comparable to walking into a "wall of light"! SOS mode is used for signalling in an emergency, and is visible for several miles. It is at the 109 lumens brightness level, so, while I am not certain of the exact battery life, it is likely to be considerably longer than 16 hours.

The ANSI (American National Standards Institute) technique has been employed to measure output in Lumens. ANSI lumens measure the actual lumens 'out the front', rather than the amount of lumens that the emitter is theoretically capable of at that current level. This means that the 820 lumens of the TK35 is roughly equal to about 1000 emitter lumens of other brands.   

The beam profile on the TK35, like all Fenix torches, is, in my opinion, the best type of beam for a torch. It has a very bright hotspot in the middle, and a clear, defined line between that and the excellent, strong spill beam. There is, perhaps, a very faint hole in the middle of the hotspot, due to the smooth reflector, which has been used to increase throw, but it is only just noticeable when shining it on a white surface and carefully examining the beam. It is not at all noticeable in normal use. 

Battery

The TK35 uses 4x CR123 Lithium batteries, or 2x 18650 Li-ion batteries.  While CR123s can be quite expensive, they can be found very cheaply online.  The battery life is very good. While 1 hour, 33 mins on 'Turbo' may not seem like much, 'Turbo' will not be used all the time, and the battery life on the other modes is considerably better. 'Medium' mode battery life is 16 hours, which is very good, considering its output, but by far the best battery life is 'Low' mode, at 12 lumens for 170 hours. 170 hours equates to just over a week of solid use on one set of batteries. In normal use this will last for ages. 

The TK35 has digitally regulated output, which means that the output will not decrease as the batteries deplete. Instead, the torch will remain at a constant brightness level until the batteries can no longer sustain it, when the brightness will drop down to the next mode. This is a much better way of managing power when compared to other 'normal' torches. 

Quality

The TK35 is of excellent quality. It is constructed from aluminium, and is very strong. It can take quite a beating without ill effects, and won't mind being dropped or getting wet. It is also waterproof to 8 feet for 30 mins (IPX-8). Another great thing about the TK35 is that the lens is made from toughened glass. So many torches these days use plastic, which just scratches, resulting in a dimmer torch and a horrible beam. Fenix, however, has stuck to glass, which means that the beam is always perfect, and it's really hard to break the lens. Another factor contributing to the toughness of this torch is the Type III Anodizing on the aluminium. It is much harder than the aluminium itself, and is very difficult to scratch compared to powder-coating or paint, resisting scratching caused by being dropped, or rubbing up against objects such as keys over a long period. 

Conclusion

Not only is the TK35 great for specific applications, such as search and rescue, but it also makes an excellent torch if you're looking for a general purpose torch to satisfy all your needs. If you don't already have a decent torch, this is definitely a good one to look into due to its versatility, strength, brightness and good battery life. 

Fenix lights are available on Amazon.com

Takamine EGB2S Electro/Acoustic Bass Guitar Review

Key Info

• Top Solid Spruce
• Back Mahogany
• Sides Mahogany
• Neck Maple
• Fingerboard Rosewood
• Bridge Rosewood
• Tuners Chrome
• Electronics TP-4T Pre amp inc. Chromatic Tuner
• Jumbo Bass Body
• Abalone Rosette
• 34 inch scale
• 4 String
• Available Natural or Black

Overview

The Takamine EGB2S Acoustic/Electric Bass is one of the Takamine 'budget' models of guitar.  However, don't mistake budget for cheapy or poor quality. This is a first class instrument which rivals many more expensive instruments and, in my opinion, surpasses the rivals in its price range. It is made of good quality materials which show through in the finished product, making it a joy play and look at too!!

Construction

One of the main attractions of this electro acoustic bass is the solid spruce top. For those uninitiated in buying acoustic guitars, this is one of the most important contributors to sound quality. Obviously it's not the only thing to take into account, but on this guitar it makes a great difference. The maple neck is 'C' shaped with a clear lacquer finish making it smooth and fast to navigate. The mahogany back and sides add to the quality and sound of this guitar with an abalone rosette adding to the finish. The guitar is made in China which these days doesn't really mean a lot either way. A few years ago Chinese instruments were synonymous with cheap and nasty but those days are mainly gone for the big manufacturers. The factories are tooled up the same wherever they are by and large. The TP-4T pre amp has a built in chromatic tuner, (I found this to be a bit finicky, especially on the E string) the same as many of the EGB2s's rivals. This is switched on by pressing a small button and switched off by pressing and holding the same button for a second or so. The TP-4T has three bands as would be expected, treble, mid and bass, actuated by the usual slider controls. The 'Gain' control is the volume control and the pre amp is switched on by plugging a jack lead into the input which is located in the strap button. The unit automatically switches off when the jack lead is removed. The 12v battery fits end on into the pre amp which clicks into place with two plastic clips. To be honest I feel that the quality of the pre amp construction is not really the same as the rest of the guitar feeling a little 'plasticky'. I know that's because it's made of plastic but it just doesn't have the same quality feel as some of the rivals pre amps. However, it works just fine and didn't flinch in the test over the last few weeks. Hopefully, it will stand the test of time. Other than this, I found this to be a very well built guitar.

Sound and Playability

a word in advance........

Sound of course is a very subjective thing and it would be difficult if not impossible to describe the sound in words!! It would also be wrong to try and say the bass is only good for this or that style of music. However, it can be true that some basses lend themselves more to one style or another so I will try to give a broad view of the sound.

People often complain that acoustic bass guitars are quiet. Well, that is probably true of this guitar too. However, it is not overly quiet and in my opinion would stand an acoustic jam with a guitar. I've jammed along with a Djembe and could still hear myself!! The sound quality to me is excellent. Having compared it with some equally priced rivals it was, to me, by far the best sounding, and I think there are a few other reviews out there that concur. The sound is far 'rounder' than some without the sharp, brighter edge, giving it an altogether more pleasing acoustic timbre. It also sounds great amplified, but obviously the sound shape can be modified through an amp and using the TP-4T pre amp. Acoustically the guitar has a warm sound with good sustain, an attribute of the spruce top, no doubt and has a good balanced sound throughout the whole range of the instrument.

The guitar is very comfortable to play, bearing in mind it is an acoustic and obviously large. However, I found it could be played in a similar way to a classical guitar, on the right leg sticking up at an angle or equally in a flatter, slightly slouchier position, on the left leg. The action is of course much higher than you would expect on an electric bass. Some may not like this. To be honest, I am used to playing with a very low action on my electric basses, but after a while of playing the EGB2S, I soon got used to it.

Conclusion

There are a wealth of electro acoustic basses available today, some good, some not so good. Ultimately, the best way to find out what you do and don't like is to go to a music shop and have a couple of hours trying them out. However, for my money, and in my opinion, the Takamine EGB2S offers a great balance of quality and value, and most importantly, the sound hard is to beat at this price range. 

Victorinox Farmer Alox Review

Key Info

• Great tool selection for outdoors
• Alox scales
• Lanyard ring
• Thicker Alox blade
• No toothpick or tweezers

Introduction

The Victorinox Alox Farmer is a UK legal carry penknife with a great balance of practicality, looks and strength. Its aluminium handle scales give it a comfortable and secure feeling in the hand, and its size and weight is perfect for an every day carry. It feels and looks quality and has the Victorinox pedigree, which assures a excellent, long lasting product.

Tech Spec

The steel used is of a good quality and hardness, with the cutting blades rated at 56HRC, the Wood saw, Scissors and Nail Files rated at 53HRC, Tin Opener and Awl 52HRC, Corkscrew and Springs at 49HRC. I believe the blade steel is something similar to Sandvik 12c27. The handles are thick, anodised aluminium and an array of colours are available. 

Usage

Although the Farmer is useful for things we all come across in everyday life - tightening the odd screw, opening packages, sharpening pencils, making a small pilot hole for a screw etc, the Farmer really excels outdoors. It has a great combination of tools and is excellent for woodworking - including a strong (extra-thick) blade, a razor-sharp saw and an equally sharp awl. 

The saw is strong enough for tackling 1 to 2 inch branches. The blade, more than capable of paring and slicing food for a campfire feast or whittling, gutting fish etc. The bottle opener needs no explanation but can also make a fairly strong lever. A particularly useful item is the Reamer/Awl. This is useful for boring holes through wood, perhaps for a lanyard, and for wheedling things out of holes. It can also be used as a kind of punch for sewing. The tin opener can be useful, but in my opinion always one of the least-used blades on a SAK. You may disagree, but if not, it is worth noting that a very similar knife to the Farmer exists, called the Harvester, which has the same tools except for the tin opener, which has been substituted for a small pruning blade, which is very handy for cutting string, stripping away small branches when making a stick etc. Basically, it takes away all the little cutting tasks, leaving your main blade sharp for more important things (see photos for comparison). Unfortunately, however, the Harvester seems virtually impossible to source in the UK, although Amazon do have some from time to time. 

Conclusion

The Victorinox Farmer is a great all rounder with a very well-balanced tool set. It's great for everyday tasks and particularly excels as a day sack knife for the tasks you may encounter on the trail. The Harvester is also great if you're not a frequent tin opener user, but if you can't find one, don't hesitate to get the Farmer instead. It really is an excellent little knife. 

The Farmer (and if you're lucky, the Harvester) is available on Amazon.co.uk

Victorinox Hunter Review

Key Info

• 111mm length
• 105g weight
• Locking main blade

Introduction

Victorinox knives are excellent pocket/rucksack knives made of great quality materials. The Hunter is one of their large locking blade varieties and as such, not a UK legal carry everyday knife. It has a great tool selection, similar to a larger version of the Harvester, and as such, makes a brilliant knife for outdoor activities. 

Usage

The Hunter is a great backpackers/campers knife and has a great combination of tools for a camping trip. The blade takes a good edge and the extra length makes it great for slicing. It also has the lock, which is actuated automatically when the blade is opened and released by a knurled button inset into the handle. To close the blade, you simply pull the button down and the lock is released, allowing the blade to close. It is worth noting, though, that while the lock used is good for everyday cutting, paring etc, it is one of the weaker types blade locks, and I wouldn't be too rough with it. The saw is sharp and easily cuts through branches of 1 to 2 inches for, say, making a fire. The bottle opener works well for those beers around the camp fire and the corkscrew equally efficient if wine is your preferred beverage. The corkscrew also has more practical camping applications for wheedling things out of holes, undoing knots etc. The awl is a very handy, and often overlooked, blade on swiss army knives as it is located on the back. I have found it very useful for boring into wood to make lanyard holes, making pilot holes, holes in leather etc. It can also be useful as a useful as sewing eye, and has a hole for this purpose. Keep your fingers clear though as this blade doesn't lock!! Perhaps the most useful of blades I have found on the Hunter, however, is the so called gutting blade - an extremely sharp, curved, serrated blade. It has many applications and I've used it for cutting rope, pipe lagging, pruning........the list goes on! It's small and easily manageable and can be used for the utilitarian tasks, keeping your main blade sharp for finer slicing/cutting applications. Last but not least, the tweezers and toothpick need no explanation and are extremely handy extras. 

Technical Info

The knives are assembled using brass rivets and bushings with aluminium alloy spacers holding the tools apart, giving a smooth opening and closing action. If, over time, this action becomes stiffer and crunchy due to dust and dirt accumulation, they can be opened and closed a few times in water to flush and re oiled without fear of the mechanism seizing due to rust. 

The blade steel used is of a good quality and hardness with the cutting blades rated at 56HRC, the wood saw, scissors and nail files rated at 53HRC, tin opener and awl 52HRC, corkscrew and springs at 49HRC. 

Conclusion

The Victorinox Hunter is a great knife for the outdoors. It has a great selection of tools and its larger size means that the handle is comfortable for extended cutting tasks. The blade lock is also a great safety feature and the quality is second to none, so if you're after a tool for your next backpacking trip, this may be the one for you. 

You can read more reviews or buy the Hunter from Amazon.com

Weihrauch HW45/Beeman P1 Review

Key Info

-Made in Germany – excellent build quality and precision.

-Available in .22, .177. or .20 calibre.

-5.9ft/lbs energy.

-600 ft/s velocity.

-Fibre optic 'TruGlo' sights.

-Spring-piston power source.

-Aluminium, steel and wood (Walnut) construction.

-Available in black or silver.

-Precision accuracy – micrometer adjustable rear sight.

-Two power settings – half and full power.

-Adjustable two stage trigger.

-Ambidextrous safety catch.

-Spare parts available.

Overview

The Weihrauch HW45/Beeman P1 is, and has been for a long time, known as the Rolls Royce of air pistols. It has become somewhat “the one to beat” in air pistol designs. It's build quality is excellent and comparable to that of a tank! Every aspect of the design is extremely precise, and nothing rattles or wobbles – it's all super-smooth. This quality is evident in the weight of the HW45 – it weighs just a little over 2.5lbs, which is heavy for an air pistol, so perhaps not suitable for children, but the weight is not excessive, so will not be a problem for adults. Due to its spring-piston design, the HW45 also has recoil – and, for an air pistol, a fair amount of it too! Recoil is hardly noticeable on low power, but on full power, it jumps quite strongly when fired. Believe it or not, the weight and the recoil are deliberate design features! The HW45 was designed to resemble the Colt 1911 (.45) firearm (hence the name), and is in fact often used as a training aid for this handgun, so these characteristics add to the similarity with the powder-burner. The recoil does mean, though, that to achieve any degree of accuracy, a very consistent technique is required. However, once mastered, the HW45 will leave most others trailing behind in terms of accuracy, and out-power them too! The .177 HW45 has a velocity of 600ft/s with 7.0 grain pellets, for a muzzle energy of around 5.9ft/lbs. This is just below the UK legal limit for pistols, and the HW45 pushes closer to this limit that most of its rivals. The HW45 is available in .177, .22, and the less common .20 caliber. .177 has greater range, velocity (about 600ft/s) and penetration, and flies on a flatter trajectory than .22. .22 has a little more energy on impact (about 5.9 ft/lbs) than .177, but has less range and a lower velocity (about 430 ft/s) and will drop considerably on its trajectory – about a foot at 40 yards. .20 is liked by some, and hated by others, but is said to lie somewhere in between the energy, trajectory, velocity and penetration of .177 and .22. The HW45 has an ambidextrous safety catch, so it can be comfortably engaged and disengaged by left or right handers!

Accuracy

When you first use the HW45, you will be greatly disappointed by its accuracy – but don't worry – it's your fault! The HW45 is, in fact, an exceedingly accurate pistol, but takes much practice to fully master. It all comes down to how you hold it. On low power, a firm, controlling grip is needed, or the pellet will hit very high – up to 7 or 8 inches at 10 yards! This is due to the barrel recoiling before the pellet has left it – directing it upwards. However, on full power, the opposite is needed. A loose grip, that allows the pistol to naturally move in your hand, is required. This prevents the recoil being countered by your grip, as soon as the gun begins to recoil, and pushing the barrel downwards, resulting in a hit low, however, if held properly, due to the high power setting, the pellet exits the barrel before the recoil can have an effect on it. After using the HW45 for a while you will begin to learn how it behaves, and will, in time, perfect your technique. Consistency is key.

The sights of the HW45 are very good. They have replaceable TruGlo fibre optic inserts, for easy viewing in the daytime, and better performance under low-light conditions. The front sight is a fixed post with a TruGlo insert, and the rear sight is a micrometer adjustable iron sight with a TruGlo insert. The adjustment on the rear sight is for windage and elevation, and it is easy to adjust the elevation screw a few clicks when switching from low to full power.

When a proper technique is developed, and the sights are correctly adjusted, the HW45 can easily produce groups about the size of a 5p (about 1.5cm) at 10 yards. With the .177 model, accuracy tends to really start to drop off at around 30 yards, and just hitting the target at this distance can be a challenge.

Power

The HW45, while not as powerful as some rifles, is very powerful for a pistol. The .22 caliber has slightly more energy on impact than the .177, but in my opinion, the .177 caliber is far more suited to this gun. The .177 has greater range, a much flatter trajectory (the .22 will drop about 1 foot at 40 yards), and greater penetration. Some also say that .177 is more accurate. The preferred weight of pellet in .177 caliber for the HW45 is around 7 - 8 grains (Crosman or RWS Superdome are perfect). 7-8 grains is perfect to achieve the optimum power output available from this spring-piston setup. If your pellet is too light, or too loose, it will leave the barrel too quickly, and air may escape on either side of the pellet, resulting in decreased power, and hence decreased accuracy too. If your pellet is too heavy or too tight, the spring will have a hard time pushing it out the barrel, decreasing performance. The HW45 in .177 caliber maintains a great deal of its energy up to around 25 yards, after which the power begins to drop away more noticeably. It will easily puncture both sides of a can at up to 40 yards, perhaps slightly more, but beyond that is really pushing it! At a sensible range of around 10-15 yards, approximately ½ inch of plywood is necessary to prevent full penetration (.177 caliber), and the pellet will sink in so that the skirt is about 2mm below the surface of the wood. The .22 caliber has lesser penetration than this, due to its wider surface area, but makes a very loud noise when it hits the wood!

 

About the Spring-Piston Design

The spring-piston is an air gun power source that takes a fair amount of getting used to!

The way that it works is that when the gun is cocked, by rotating the cocking arm around a pivot at the muzzle end of the gun, the trigger sears engage, holding back the spring. On the HW45, there are two points at which the sears engage, enabling two power levels to be achieved. The cocking motion takes a little effort, but shouldn't be a problem for an adult – but may prove difficult for children. When the gun is cocked, the trigger mechanism holds back the spring, so that when the trigger is squeezed, the sears disengage, and the spring is released. On the end of the spring is a piston, which compresses the air in front of it as it moves down the cylinder, this compressed air is then redirected through the transfer port and into the barrel – forcing the pellet out the end!

The spring-piston system results in recoil. When the gun is fired, the spring flies back towards the rear of the pistol, and the energy transferred from the spring coming to an abrupt stop at the end of its travel, is felt as recoil.

Because of the nature of the spring-piston system, certain steps have to be taken to ensure its longevity:

-Never dry fire the pistol – that is, cock it and pull the trigger without a pellet in the barrel. This results in the piston seal slamming into the end of the cylinder, and will likely damage it – resulting in reduced performance, and possibly a broken spring.

-Use only the right types of non-dieseling oil (Abbey SM50 Gunlube is perfect), and don't over-oil. When you oil your HW45, just use a small amount of the correct oil on moving parts, and that's it! Done! Too much is not a good thing!

When the gun is new – you may notice that it makes extremely loud noises, and sparks and lots of smoke come out the end – do not be alarmed! This is normal in a new spring-piston gun, and is called dieseling. Dieseling is a result of oil (or the tank axle grease that Weihrauch use on their springs!), seeping past the piston seal and into the cylinder. The extreme pressure (about 3000psi) generated when the gun is fired ignites this oil, as in a diesel engine, creating this effect. A small amount of dieseling is necessary for the gun to function correctly, and is in fact where the spring-piston design achieves much of its power, however, use of the wrong type of oil can result in excessive dieseling, which can burn away the piston seal, snap the spring, and even re-cock the gun!

After 10,000 shots or so, your spring will likely need replacement. This may not sound like very much, but in my experience, it takes a surprisingly long time to get through 20 tins of pellets. Spring replacement can be done at home, and the parts are available, but will require a spring compressor (or an improvised one) and can be a bit dodgy, as the spring or other components can fly out with great force if you're not careful! If you're not comfortable doing this job yourself then its probably best to take it to a good gunsmith. 

Quality

It's excellent – need I say any more?!

Conclusion

The Weihrauch HW45 is probably the best air pistol you can buy today. It's a little pricey, but it's definitely worth every penny! It's very accurate, very powerful, exceptionally well made, and is one of the remaining few air pistols that can be disassembled, repaired, then reassembled again without breaking off any plastic clips (as there is no plastic in the entire design!), and parts can be bought online quite easily. If you're looking for an excellent, pro-grade air pistol – look no further!