Category: Light Review

First revealed at SHOT Show 2015, FOURSEVENS have collaborated with PK (Paul Kim aka the Photon King) to produce these two exciting, fun and altogether usable lights – The Knight and Paladin. These are effectively the same light but the Knight is an Aluminium version and the Paladin is Titanium.

Taking a more detailed look:

FOURSEVENS’ packaging is ideal for showing off the design. Available separately are two versions of the strike bezel (a red one is shown here).

In the box you find the light itself, a spare O-ring, a CR123 cell and the front bezel ring which comes separately and not fitted to the light.

So as it comes out of the package, the front bezel threads are exposed. Here the beautiful blue tones of the Paladin’s PVD finish can be seen clearly.

While we are looking at the front, both these lights use a curious lens holder where the edges of the lens are exposed in three places. Once the bezel ring is in place this becomes less noticeable. Also note the small notches through the bezel threads; these allow the pocket clip to be fitted to the front of the light and held in place by the bezel ring.

Fitting the bezel ring completes the initial assembly.

The same goes for the Knight.

Being all black, the bezel ring blends in more on the Knight.

The positive and negative terminals in the head are gold plated. Despite the bare threads, these are not used as an electrical path. Physical reverse polarity protection is also included.

The threads are square cut and of a asymmetrical design with the grooves being much wider. This introduces ‘backlash’ into the threads and I suspect this relates to the special tailcap switch, but more on that later…

A gold plated spring is used for the negative contact.

Part of the design of the Knight and Paladin is that the light breaks down into several parts which can be swapped around in a Lego-like way to achieve different configurations.

Swapping the bezel ring and the strike bezel components around creates a very different looking light!

For the Paladin, the internals are the same in the head.

And when looking into the battery tube.

As on the Knight, the threads are square and thin in profile.

Taking the Paladin apart.

Swapping the bezel ring and the strike bezel components and the Paladin too becomes a very different looking light!

A couple of the options (not showing the clip fitted to the bezel), with the strike bezel on the front and along the battery tube, as well as the optional red strike bezel substituting the original black one on the Knight.

Every part of these lights has had a great deal of attention paid to it. A special Tact-O-Click switch is used (more on that in the UI section).

The Paladin especially, deserves to be viewed from every angle to take in all the details.

A mid-depth reflector is used.

The reflector is the same on both models.

With an XM-L2 LED for the emitter.

And the same again for the Knight.

Though not the smallest of 1 x CR123 lights (with FOURSEVENS own Mini ML and Atom AL lights being smaller), but they are compact enough to be very easy to carry.

The beam

Please be careful not to judge tint based on images you see on a computer screen. Unless properly calibrated, the screen itself will change the perceived tint.

The indoor beamshot is intended to give an idea of the beam shape/quality rather than tint. All beamshots are taken using daylight white balance. The woodwork (stairs and skirting) are painted Farrow & Ball “Off-White”, and the walls are a light sandy colour called ‘String’ again by Farrow & Ball. I don’t actually have a ‘white wall’ in the house to use for this, and the wife won’t have one!

With the Knight’s mid-depth reflector a well defined hotspot is present, but the spill is bright, wide and even until you reach the outer spill, where the lens holder cut-outs become visible.

Unsurprisingly the Paladin’s beam is the same.

If you fit the strike bezel to the front, the effect on the beam is just a little noticeable.

Outdoors (with the Knight) that hotspot gives you some reasonable range, and the bright spill fills in the rest well enough.

Snap! the Paladin’s beam looks the same outdoors.

Modes and User Interface:

A special TACT-O-CLICK switch is used for these lights. It combines a rotary and momentary click-switch into one design. The threads used for the switch have approximately 0.5-1mm play in them, and under this switch cap there is a momentary click switch.

If you tighten the switch cap it presses on the switch and turns the light on and keeps it on.

If you loosen the switch cap about 1/4 of a turn the light will go off, but there is sufficient movement in the switch cap that you can press on it and click the switch to turn the light on. Like this it operates as a non-latching momentary click switch.
Should you click the light on and wish to keep it on, you can then simply keep pressure on the switch and tighten the switch cap.
When loosening the switch cap, at slightly under one full turn, you reach a ‘stop’ where the switch cap is ‘tight’ against that stop. Like this the light is locked out, and pressure on the switch cap will not operate it.

You have two sets of modes available, Regular and Special. The last used mode is remembered if the light is left off for 1s.
Regular: High – Low
Special: Strobe – Medium – SOS – Beacon (High) – Beacon (Low)
To access the special modes you must first cycle through the Regular modes three times within 1.5 seconds
(Last used Regular or Special) – Low/High – High/Low – Low/High – High/Low – Low/High – Strobe – SOS – Medium – Beacon (High) – Beacon (Low) – (back to Low)

If your last used mode was a Special mode, then it counts as a regular mode when you count the clicks to access the special modes (the same number of clicks is used to access each special mode whatever mode was last used).

From OFF this becomes:

Strobe – 6 clicks
SOS – 7 clicks
Medium – 8 clicks
Beacon (High) – 9 clicks
Beacon (Low) – 10 clicks

Batteries and output:

Both the Knight and Paladin run on CR123 and RCR123.

To measure actual output, I built an integrating sphere. See here for more detail. The sensor registers visible light only (so Infra-Red and Ultra-Violet will not be measured).

Please note, all quoted lumen figures are from a DIY integrating sphere, and according to ANSI standards. Although every effort is made to give as accurate a result as possible, they should be taken as an estimate only. The results can be used to compare outputs in this review and others I have published.

* Beacon and Strobe output measurements are only estimates as the brief flashes make it difficult to capture the actual output value.

Peak Beam intensity of the Knight measured 3800 lx @1m giving a beam range of 123 m.
Peak Beam intensity of the Paladin measured 3600 lx @1m giving a beam range of 120 m.

There is no parasitic drain.

The main part of the runtime is almost identical for both lights and both CR123 and RCR123. RCR123 give a higher ‘burst’ part of the output (the initial 3 minutes of higher output). When using RCR123, these lights do not change their voltage response for the tailing off of the output; the result is that when using RCR123 the output will suddenly cut out when the protection activates.

Troubleshooting

This section is included to mention any minor niggles I come across during testing, in case the information helps anyone else.

No issues were encountered during testing.

As per the description of this section, this information is provided in case anyone else finds a similar ‘issue’ that might be fixed in the same way.

The Knight and Paladin in use

Nothing in the design of these lights has just ‘happened’, everything is designed for function or aesthetics.

Take the pocket clip for example. It is a double-action clip so will clip on in either direction without being turned around. Each ‘side’ of the clip will accommodate thicker or thinner material (thicker next to the body and thinner on the outer part). The two points sticking out sideways either side of the clip provide grip on the pocket and also grip for the user when unscrewing the battery tube. The groove cut into each end of the clip allows a lanyard to be threaded through. Finally inside the clip ring which fits over the body of the light are two tabs which fit into corresponding notches on the body or bezel to prevent it rotating. Details.

Also highly functional is the TACT-O-CLICK switch. Once you have got used to the ideal positions for the switch cap to click (1/4 turn undone from the fully ON position) or lockout (3/4 turn from fully ON), and swapping between these (so from lock-out to click is a half turn), the UI comes to life and the click or twist of the switch cap just fits the task at hand.

Personally I find the strike bezel to be more of a decorative item than anything practical, due to the length of the crenellations (not to mention the short overall length of the light). They are too long to be strong enough on the aluminium versions, and even the stainless steel strike bezel will bend if used with any real force (as you would if defending yourself). They are also too long to leave fitted all the time as they just stick into things. So are you really going to take the light apart to swap the bezel ring for the strike bezel ‘if’ you feel threatened? Not likely. BUT, who cares?! They Look great! (And you have an executive toy to play with.)

Ignoring the Special modes, the two Regular modes have covered what I need almost entirely. Those two light levels of 25lm and 450lm, though seemingly a long way apart, work perfectly with the beam profile. For my indoor, round-the-house use, the 22lm setting is ideal, especially as it is backed up by the 450lm. Using the Tact-O-Click switch in the momentary press-and-hold approach, with the two modes you can quickly bump it up or down depending on the distance you are looking at. I’ve not personally ever felt the need for the Medium mode (or Strobe or SOS), but have dipped into the Beacon modes for marking a location. What would improve it for me is adding a moonlight mode into the Special modes.

The timing for the mode changes works really well and I’ve not changed mode by mistake so far. Speaking of the Tact-O-Click switch again, the ability to lock the output on while you are using it as a momentary switch, is useful and can be achieved one handed. Also, by simply backing the switch cap off a bit you lock out the light means the lockout is a specific feature of the light and doesn’t require loosening any other parts. Like this, when you come to turn it on, you just twist it on as normal without having to remember to tighten the tailcap first.

A true fusion of function and aesthetics, even if not every feature is entirely practical.

Review Summary

Discussing the Review:

Please feel free to add comments to the review, but the ideal place to freely discuss these reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.

CandlePowerForums – Flashlight Reviews Section (Largest and Friendliest Flashlight Community Forum)

EdgeMatters – Sponsored Reviews (UK based Forum for Knife Makers and Collectors)

Following on from the uncompromising design of the original Bolt-Action BLR2 from FOURSEVENS (check the Light Reviews Index for a review of this light), there has been demand for a smaller version running on a common cell. Enter the new AAA powered Bolt-Mini from Foursevens.

FOURSEVENS’ original Bolt-Action light is the product of a three-way collaboration; FOURSEVENS partnering with Fellhoelter (designers of the Bolt-Action pen) and Tuff-Writer. Incorporating the unique bolt-action mechanism into a light required thinking out-of-the-box. Consideration of the overall size, performance and power options, all led to the final specifications of the BLR2 Bolt-Action flashlight, but some of those choices were criticised.

With the new Bolt-Mini, we have a much more pen-sized Bolt-Action light more in keeping with the Bolt-Action Pen.

Taking a more detailed look:

FOURSEVENS’ packaging shows off the light nicely.

As well as the Bolt-Mini, two spare O-rings, an Alkaline AAA and the instructions are included.

A very sleek looking light.

Our first real look at the bolt, as well as the side view of the pocket clip. If you look closely you can see that the top of the pocket clip isn’t quite sitting in the cut out where it is screwed onto the body. This doesn’t affect the function, though it will have increased the clip tension slightly.

The stainless steel clip is held in place with two screws and has ‘Fellhoelter’ inscribed on it.

A much closer look at the bolt in the OFF position.

And in the ON position.

To open the Bolt-Mini, the head unscrews.

It has square cut threads.

Peering inside you can see the spring terminal for the negative contact.

Even in this compact light, an XP-L is used with a compact reflector.

Looking straight at the XP-L LED.

Showing the disassembled Bolt-Mini with its AAA cell.

Comparing the Bolt-Mini to the original Bolt-Action you can see it is much slimmer.

Using the AAA cell makes it a much more pocketable pen-light.

Another comparison with each Bolt-Light’s power source shown as well.

The beam

Please be careful not to judge tint based on images you see on a computer screen. Unless properly calibrated, the screen itself will change the perceived tint.

The indoor beamshot is intended to give an idea of the beam shape/quality rather than tint. All beamshots are taken using daylight white balance. The woodwork (stairs and skirting) are painted Farrow & Ball “Off-White”, and the walls are a light sandy colour called ‘String’ again by Farrow & Ball. I don’t actually have a ‘white wall’ in the house to use for this, and the wife won’t have one!

The small reflector and large LED make for a lovely broad beam great for all close range and indoor use. An outdoor beamshot is not shown as the floody beam was too diffuse to show properly.

Modes and User Interface:

So it is all about this – the Bolt

Operation is simple. Slide the bolt forward and near the end of the travel the light comes on. Quickly releasing and sliding the bolt changes mode, and once you have the output you want, you simply rotate the bolt to lock it on.

Flicking the spring loaded handle sideways knocks it out of the locked position and turns it off.

The Bolt-Mini has 5 configurations with different sets of modes.
Configuration 1: High (factory default)
Configuration 2: ‘Previous’ – High – Low
Configuration 3: ‘Previous’ – High – Strobe
Configuration 4: ‘Previous’ – Low – Medium – High – Strobe
Configuration 5: ‘Previous’ – Low – Medium – High – Strobe – SOS – Beacon (High) – Beacon (Low)

In normal operation (starting from OFF), the Bolt-Mini (if left off for 5-6s) will come onto the ‘Previous’ or last-used mode, then, if cycling through the modes, it will start at the first mode in the configuration mode set.
– ‘Previous’ can be any mode.
– ‘Previous’ only occurs once the first time when cycling rapidly through these modes.
– If the ‘Previous’ mode is the first mode in the current mode set, it will not be repeated. For example if you last used Low in configuration 5, when you turn it on you will get Low, then Medium (not Low then Low).

So, from off, this means on repeated switching of the Bolt in Configuration 5 you get:
‘Previous’ – Low – Medium – High – Strobe – SOS – Beacon (High) – Beacon (Low) – Low – Medium – High – Strobe – SOS – Beacon (High) – Beacon (Low) etc

Once you have the desired mode, simply hold and rotate the bolt to lock it in that mode.

Changing configuration:
To change the configuration you need to turn the light ON and OFF 10 times within 2s. On the 10th activation hold the bolt in the ON position without locking it in place. The Bolt-Mini will flash between 1 and 5 times to indicate the current configuration. Quickly turn the light OFF and ON again to change to the next configuration and repeat until you have the one you want. Turn the light OFF for 5s to confirm the setting.

Batteries and output:

The Bolt-Mini runs on one AAA Alkaline or NiMh.

To measure actual output, I built an integrating sphere. See here for more detail. The sensor registers visible light only (so Infra-Red and Ultra-Violet will not be measured).

Please note, all quoted lumen figures are from a DIY integrating sphere, and according to ANSI standards. Although every effort is made to give as accurate a result as possible, they should be taken as an estimate only. The results can be used to compare outputs in this review and others I have published.

* Beacon and Strobe output measurements are only estimates as the brief flashes make it difficult to capture the actual output value.

Peak Beam intensity measured 200 lx @1m giving a beam range of 28 m.

As I’m also testing the Preon P1 and P2, I’ve put all three output traces together to allow the AAA lights to be compared. Like the P1, the Bolt-Mini runs on only a single AAA. You can clearly see the ‘Burst’ mode operating, with the initial part of the trace being at 100% output, and then dropping to around 70% after 3 minutes.

Troubleshooting

This section is included to mention any minor niggles I come across during testing, in case the information helps anyone else.

No issues were encountered during testing.

As per the description of this section, this information is provided in case anyone else finds a similar ‘issue’ that might be fixed in the same way.

The Bolt-Mini in use

When I first heard about the Bolt-Action light I was very sceptical. What was the point? Well actually it is very usable. The bolt-action makes for a great momentary interface and locking on or off is extremely intuitive.

The original Bolt-Action is more powerful and the bolt has an easier action, but it is bigger than a pen, so becomes more noticeable to EDC. Still a great light though (and remember I found it would run on a 14500 as well as the officially supported 2xCR2). However, the Bolt-Mini takes this design into a new league altogether as it now sits in a pocket and alongside pens without standing out.

Unfortunately the action feels quite a bit stiffer and the smaller ball on the lever can dig in a bit on repeated use, making it less comfortable to use than its bigger brother, but you forgive that for the smaller size and with it being much easier to feed with a normal AAA.

Having to wait around 6s from turning it off to turning it back on again if you want to avoid mode changes is a little frustrating. I’d prefer that a much more rapid on/off cycle was needed to change mode.

The ‘Previous’ mode memory is useful, as is the fact that the next mode will then be the first of the current configuration’s mode set. With the interface working in this way, I have chosen configuration 5 (with the most modes), as in general use I never have to cycle through the flashing modes unless I want to use them.

So, some might say that this is a very large single AAA light, and compared to most 1xAAA lights it is much longer. But, and this is an important ‘but’, this is a pen sized EDC light with a unique and satisfying ‘bolt’ interface,… and it happens to use a single AAA for power. Don’t think of it in a simple direct comparison to other single AAA lights, but instead for its distinctive character.

With FOURSEVENS usually not using PWM, I was a little disappointed to find it was utilised in the Low, Medium and High modes, and at 950Hz is on the edge of being noticed. I have high sensitivity to PWM and have found that 1000Hz is the point where the effects start to become less and less noticeable. It means that most of the time I don’t see any effects, but occasionally do. Any effects are most noticeable in Low (as the width of the PWM peaks is the narrowest), much less in Medium and pretty much gone in High.

Generally I don’t like pocket clips as they can be very abrasive and destructive. On the Bolt-Mini, the clip is a polished finish and the tube it sits against is smooth, so it slides on and off a pocket lip nicely. There is plenty of tension in the clip to keep it secure, but as seen early in the review, the pocket clip isn’t quite sitting in the cut-out where it is screwed to the body and this has increased the clip tension. If the clip were sitting flat as it should, the tension will be slightly less.

Another advantage to the bolt-action switch is that you can operate it completely silently. Having previously selected Low, you have a silent operation light to keep by your bed. The Low mode isn’t a moon mode, but again, thanks to the design, you can turn the Bolt-Mini on with the head tucked into your hand or wrist and control how much light can be seen.

The original Bolt-Action light is an interesting concept, if perhaps targeted more at the enthusiast (needing specialist cells), but the Bolt-Mini opens this concept to all. The smaller size is much easier to carry and taking the humble AAA makes it easy to feed. FOURSEVENS have listened to their customers and made the bolt-action design accessible to all.

Review Summary

Discussing the Review:

Please feel free to add comments to the review, but the ideal place to freely discuss these reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.

CandlePowerForums – Flashlight Reviews Section (Largest and Friendliest Flashlight Community Forum)

EdgeMatters – Sponsored Reviews (UK based Forum for Knife Makers and Collectors)