Six Holiday Special Projects!

Hey Folks,

I've been working like a mad man the last few months to get these special projects out. 5 to be precise. Details and photos further down in this post. Purchase links in the bullet list immediately below.

Please note: the special editions are first come first serve. Previews are available through the links below, but you will not be able to purchase until 5PM Pacific time on Dec 1st. Tomorrow you should "refresh" your browser when you visit the product page, or you might see an old cached version that does not have the "buy now" buttons. 

AVAILABLE NOW!

• The "Epsilon EKO" (Emergency Key Opener) for boxes and bottles  in 6/4 Titanium
• The "Kappa Keychain Quick Release" based on the mechanism for the new Beta QRv2 that I launched  a couple months ago. 
• The Beta QRv2 Pocket Clip! This is NOT backwards compatible with the original Beta QR. 

AVAILABLE MONDAY DECEMBER 1ST @ 5:00PM PACIFIC TIME

• Special Edition Lambda Top: Zirconium (40 pcs) ($175.00)
• Special Edition Lambda Top: Tungsten (15 pcs) ($265.00)
• Special Edition Solid Brass: Alpha Pen (50 pcs) ($275.00)

Further detail and descriptions are available through the links above. I attached photos of each item below, but these can also be found through the links above. 

Cheers and thanks for your support!

Jason

Epsilon EKO

Kappa Keychaan QR

Beta QRv2 Pocket Clip

Zirconium Lambda (40 pcs)

Tungsten Lambda (15 pcs) 

Solid Brass Alpha Pen (50 pcs) 

Temporarily Discontinuing the Blue-Label Program

I'm introducing a customizable version of the Ready-Made in 2015, called simply the "Alpha Custom." It will have the exact same components & options as a Blue-Label, but built into a Ready-Made shell. These will be sold in "runs" just like the Blue-Label lights have been. If you want to get on the wait list please sign up here. This list is NOT the same as the general mailing list. I also haven't had time to change the verbiage on the signup page to reflect the discontinuation of the Blue-Label program...so don't let that confuse you :) 

I'd like to spend more time pushing the envelope and less time doing the same thing over and over. I hope temporarily suspending the Blue Label program will give me more time to work on some special edition lights. I've had a carbon fiber light on deck for about 1.5 years but I've never had time to finalize the design and machining. It's almost here and 30 pcs will be available in early 2015. See, it's working already :)    

Right now there are a LOT people on the BL wait-list, and this is one of the main reasons I'm switching over to the Alpha Custom. My hope is that I'll be able to deliver these on a more consistent basis since I don't have to do the machining or spend the (countless) tedious hours on fancy finishes. I know this is going to make some people upset and others really happy, but this is what we've got to work with :) I'm very aware that some of the appeal with Blue-Label lights is the 100% hands on approach and the fancy finishes, but my current workload just doesn't permit me to make those and get anything else done. My humble apologies to everyone who has been waiting a long time to get their hands on a Blue Label. There is only one of me and I'm doing the best that I can. 

Quality-wise, the Ready Made bodies are every bit as good as the Blue Label. In fact, they might be better. They are machined by a guy who has been making chips longer than I've been alive. As a testament to his skill and talent, the Ready-Made shells are plated exactly in the condition they come off the machine. If I put fancy finishes on top of his perfect machining, it would be tantamount to disrespect.

The only real difference between the Blue Label and Alpha Custom (besides appearance) is the thread fit. I make the Blue Label threads to the tightest tolerance in the industry, which is more about showing off than performance. My personal light (that I carry everyday) is a Ready Made "because it's everything you need and nothing you don't." I stole that line from Nissan. I firmly believe that the Alpha Custom will fully represent my intention to build the best flashlights on earth. These will be serialized as Blue-Label lights, come with an individual report card, and be eligible for the "lifetime upgrade program" where you can upgrade your light to the most current version (if possible) for a reduced cost. 

2015 Ready Made Price Increase

Ready-Made lights will be going up in price in 2015. The current base price is $229 but next year it will be $255...so now is the time to jump on a Ready Made! I like to keep pricing as reasonable as possible while making it worth my time to actually produce. Everything has become more expensive over the last 18 months and it's time to make an adjustment. The machining cost alone has jumped 15% in the last year. If you want to take advantage of the 2014 pricing just follow this link :)  

Kickstarter Collaboration With Scout Leather Co. !

Hi Folks,

I'm super excited to announce my first Kickstarter collaboration!

Joe over at Scout Leather Co. is launching a Kickstarter for his Scout Hook: a Keychain pocket hook and bottle opener.

In conjunction with his project, I'll be offering an exclusive (co-branded) Brass Beta-QR Keychain Flashlight: Nichia 219 High CRI LED, 3 mode driver (1/15/85 lumens) & new improved Quick Release v2. This will be available as its own Kickstarter reward tier or combined as a set with the Scout Hook.

The Scout Hook is live right now (link) !

I've been using one of Joe's hooks for almost six months. In fact, the very first prototypes came out of my shop! He has continued to iterate and refine the design. It's good. It's the kind of good that you get from putting six months into something that is relatively simple. Most of the effort will be 99% invisible to you, and that means the job is well done.

I can say, with a full measure of confidence, that this little piece of brass is indispensable. I never realized how incredibly annoying my keychain was, until I put this on and "annoying" vanished. I literally have less stress in my life.

My normal carry is hooked through a rear belt loop and stuffed in my back pocket to keep them quiet. My keys are now silent, out of the way, and readily accessible. Isn't that the way keys should be? It's totally different than just putting your key in your back pocket. If you do that, you end up with a big lump that jabs you in the butt every time you sit down. The pocket hook keeps the keys from "clumping" and they ride high in the pocket so you don't sit on everything. If I just need a quick hook they can dangle from the side, or even inside your waistband if you find yourself without pockets or belt loops. Day at the beach anyone?

Ladies, this one is for you. Hook your keys on the inside pocket of your purse instead of throwing them in the bottom with everything else. Your wish has been granted. I'm sure I don't need to explain this in detail, right? :)

Here is the tricky part though...it's also a bottle opener...whaaaaaa? I'll guarantee you didn't notice that up front, and that's the pure genius of the concept. You have no idea how hard it was to actually get this working perfectly. We spent hours trying to getting this dialed in, and it's dialed. Okay, it might take a couple of trials to get your feel dialed in because the shape is a little different, but unless you are clumsy like the people on infomercials, you'll be fine.

I don't need a bottle opener very often, but it's a nice thing to have on hand. However, since I don't need it everyday, I want it to disappear when not in use. You know, stealth mode. I think that's clever, elegant, and says "tasteful and prepared professional" rather than "have opener, will party if you got beer." I must be getting old. Speaking of which, why are you still reading this? Click the link above!

Auction: Last hours for anodized Ti pens!

Hey folks,

Just a friendly reminder that only a few hours remain on the titanium Alpha pen auction!

Most of the pens are well under the standard retail price of $240.

Remember, these are all one-of-a-kind! Thanks for your support.

Click here to visit the auction! 

Jason

Alpha Pen Auction List CORRECTION

Apparently this is not my week for error free internet use.

A customer has brought to my attention the fact that the numbered list in my first blog post does not match the numbered list on Ebay. For example, #1 on the blog does not equal #1 on Ebay.

This could cause you to make a mistake if you looked at the blog (or email) and said, "I like #5" and then went to Ebay to bid on #5 without looking closely to see if the photos matched. 

So below you'll find my corrected list that matches the Ebay listings.

Please note, nothing on Ebay has changed, only the order of the photos below. 

Very sorry about the error and the recent number of emails! Hoping for smooth sailing here on out.

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Here is the link to my Ebay store

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Number 1 of 10

Number 2 of 10

Number 3 of 10

Number 4 of 10

Number 5 of 10

Number 6 of 10

Number 7 of 10

Number 8 of 10

Number 9 of 10

Number 10 of 10

Need a Prometheus Logo Shirt + Giveaway Contest?

Every once in a while I have someone ask about a logo shirt. I get mine from Zazzle, so I finally figured out how to set it up so anyone can order a shirt!

Actually, you can have my logo printed on 84 different pieces of clothing. However, I recommend the American Apparel Basic T-Shirt. This will appear as your default option and you can choose from 23 different colors. AA shirts tend to run a size small but are fairly long in the torso, so you won't end up with a belly shirt after washing it a couple of times. I wear an XL and I'm 6 feet and 200 lbs. I really do recommend this over the cheaper Basic T-Shirt option. If you are getting a hoodie or something, you are on your own :)

You'll notice the shirts are expensive...about $25-$30 bucks...and that's because I make a huge amount of money on each sale: $1.50 . One dollar and fifty cents in case you aren't good with numbers :) Bottom line is, it's not cheap to have one (1) shirt custom printed just for you, and that is what Zazzle will do.

Since I'm not (really) making any money on these, please post a photo of yourself (in the shirt duh) on my Facebook page! When Christmas rolls around, the owner of the photo I like "the most" will get a Lambda Top as a Christmas present! 

Prometheus Lights Logo Shirt by Prometheus_Lights

AUCTION: Custom Anodized Titanium Alpha Pens (10 pc Special Edition)

Hey Everyone!

This has been a long time coming. There is a fellow in the UK that does some amazing titanium anodizing; about the best I've ever seen. Here is a link to his Facebook page. Every piece is one-of-a-kind and I'm really excited about this collaboration!

I sent him 10 pens several months ago, and they have recently returned home. These Alpha Pens are beautiful and I'm sorry to part with any of them, but we didn't get all dressed up for nothing!

The 10 pens below are going up for auction on Ebay starting on September 1, 2014 : 9AM Pacific Time (5 day auction) 

• No minimum bid and no reserve! The retail price for a standard Ti pen is $240.00
• Each auction is spaced 30 minutes apart. The first pen will be posted at 9AM, the last pen at 1:30PM The auctions will close with the same 30 minute spacing, so if you miss one you can try for a different one. I have a feeling this won't make everyone happy, but after getting feedback from a number of people, this seems to be the most equitable format :) 
• Please be advised: the brilliant colors will become muted because of the oils on your hands. The oil simply changes the way the surface reflects light. You can bring back the bright finish by cleaning with something like Windex. DO NOT clean the threads. Just spray the Windex on a towel and wipe down the outside. 
• Auction Logistics: I have numbered the images 1-10 below and I intended this to be the listing order. However, the delight that is Ebay decided on it's own listing order. So, each auction has the pen number in the title (eg. 3 of 10), but the order the auctions will post to Ebay is basically random. As such, I recommend looking through the photos below, writing down the number of the pen you want, and then looking for that number in my Ebay store. Easy right?
• Shipping: USPS Small Flat Rate Box is the ONLY shipping option. $6 Domestic, $20 Canada, $24 to the rest of the world. Please remember this is a flat rate with tracking and delivery confirmation. 
• If you have questions, please post them here on my blog so other people can see the Q&A as well. 

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Here is the link to my Ebay store, you won't see anything until September 1, 2014 @ 9AM Pacific! 

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The photos: 

Number 1 of 10

Number 2 of 10

Number 3 of 10

Number 4 of 10

Number 5 of 10

Number 6 of 10

Number 7 of 10

Number 8 of 10

Number 9 of 10

Number 10 of 10

Contest: LeVar Burton Records Your Message on My Voicemail

Hi folks,

In my attempt to bring more awesome into people's lives, I just had to share this with you. Reading Rainbow is coming back via Kickstarter! Don't click away yet! : I pledged at the $400 level and LeVar Burton is going to record the voicemail message on my phone. I know, so awesome right?! The only trouble is, I have NO idea what I should have him say. So now, IT'S A CONTEST! Just submit your idea on my Facebook page to enter (link).

Yes, this LeVar Burton

The Rules: 

1. One submission per person, so make it a good one :) 
2. You must submit on Facebook, mainly because it's the best way to do this "in public" 
3. Obviously nothing rude or offensive...just have to say it
4. Be creative, I have a business phone and personal phone but only one gets THE voicemail. 
5. Feel free to describe the what/why of your idea, beyond just what you think he should say. 

The Winner: 

1. The winner will be the idea I like the best :) 
2. The contest will be open for at least 30 days
3. It will stay open as long as it takes to find a great idea
4. Or until LeVar actually needs to make the recording

The Reward: 

You can choose between...

1. Alpha Ready-Made flashlight (w/ battery & charger) 
2. Alpha Pen (EN/Ti/special edition brass) 
3. Lambda Top (one off) with a hand-machined tungsten ring

The Reading Rainbow Kickstarter: 

The show was launched in 1983 and canceled in 2009. I was surprised to find it lasted that long, but it means a lot of people "still" know the show. Even some people who are still kids! I haven't watched it since I was little. Really, I swear. Anyway, they are raising money to bring the show back, not to TV, but to the internet, and deliver it to kids for the price of FREE. We have a little boy that just turned 2, and I think it will be pretty cool for him to watch Reading Rainbow some day (for free) and I can tell him it's possible because of people like you and me.

Reading Rainbow raised their first Million in 11 hours! 

Yeah it's a kids TV show, but I have really specific memories of it. I mean, who can't hum a few bars at least?..."take a look, read a book." Clearly a lot of people can, because they raised over $1M in 11 hours and are up to $3.5M after 11 days. Please consider backing Reading Rainbow (Kickstarter Link) and please submit your voicemail idea to my Facebook page (contest link in case you missed it before) !

Customer Story: unplanned torture test of the Beta QR

One of my (happy) customers sent me the following email. Always nice to get something like this :) If anyone else has harrowing story about a Prometheus product, please send it in! Remind me to tell you about the time an elevator repairman dropped an Alpha Ready-Made 9 stories...down an elevator shaft...onto some bullets. Okay, no bullets. that is a quote from Mystery Men. It did fall 9 stories though; conservatively 100 feet.

Thanks for the submission Ben! 

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Hi Jason,

I'm writing to you to share my own "unplanned torture test" of the Beta QR.  A friend and I went in together and ordered a couple of the Beta QR on Kickstarter and I had it for a few weeks and was impressed with the quality and the color reproduction. Not long after though, I dropped it out of my jacket pocket one day (around January, 18th) when I pulled out my gloves.  

We just had a fresh dumping of snow that morning and I saw this indentation on the ground thought nothing more of it other than "that's weird, how did that get there?" It didn't hit me till later that evening when I needed the flashlight that the indentation from this morning was where my Beta QR fell. I immediately grabbed my snow shovel and started clearing the snow and sifting thru it as best I could. After 45 mins I had no luck.  Defeated, I dumped the snow carefully between my house and my neighbor's with the hope that when the snow bank melts, my Beta QR will be there.   

We had the most snow storms this year than any other year here in Ontario. It was only today (April 8th) that our snow bank finally melted down to about a foot high. As I was throwing out the garbage this morning, I did my usual routine of check of the snow bank for signs of the Beta QR and the first image I attached to this Email was what I saw. I was so happy! I picked it up and turned it on to see if it still worked. It totally did!!! Under the snow from Jan 19th - April 8th...That has to be some sort of record. 

There were some white chalky buildup on the brass quick release and the part it connects to the Beta QR which I was able to clean off. There were some parts where the electroless plating have chipped off but I'm not sure if that's from me pushing it with my shovel when I was sifting thru the snow...At the base, there was a little bit of corrosion, I assume from the salt. The key ring was totally rusted but that was easily replaced. Other than that the light was perfectly fine. The O-ring protected the internals from any moisture. The front glass was also clear. 

So happy to have found my Beta QR again! Just wanted to share that story with you. I wanted to know how much a new body would cost but then I started to think this one may have some scratches here and there but it has character now and a story behind it. It is a true testament to how good your flashlights are. I have the Prometheus pen too and it is still looking sharp as ever. I can't wait to see what you come up next on Kickstarter or on your website.

Thanks Jason

If you want to use this article on your page feel free to do so, I give you authorization.

Regards,
Ben

Mike Bond with a new Kickstarter pen that I dig

If you are like me, you spent a lot of time with felt tipped drafting pens many years ago. They had a distinct aesthetic, like the exposed metal nib (tip). Why the awkward sticky outy part? The original drafting pen was designed for precision work and running against a straight edge. The bare nib give you line-of-sight to your work and clearance for the straight edge. I never actually knew that until I saw this project!

Check out this new interpretation by Bond, Mike Bond. It's not a drafting pen, it's just nostalgic for one. Mike has a small shop out of Hawaii, makes everything himself, does great work, and is a downright decent human being. He's a veteran of 6 Kickstarter projects...basically a granddaddy at this point. Oh and the pen has magnets. All things considered, what's not to like?

Here is the link to his project. Only 60 hours left! 

I know...you can't trust KS project creators who promote other projects. After all, I haven't even used the pen. However, Brad Dowdy from The Pen Addict has used the pen, and he is (I'm not kidding) the internet's foremost expert on pens. He loves the TechLiner. How can you argue with that?

Prometheus Lambda Top: Kickstarter Launch!

Hi Everyone!

I'm really excited to announce the launch of my third Kickstater campaign: the Prometheus Lambda Top!

Here is the link. 

Please head on over and check out out. Also, don't forget to share. It makes a huge difference!

Thanks so much for your ongoing support,

Jason

Lambda Top Prototype: Kickstarter Teaser!

Hi Everyone!

Hope you are doing well. Here is a teaser for my next Kickstarter project...launching (hopefully) in a week or two! I have three other related videos on my YouTube channel so please head on over and check them out. Spoiler...one of the videos is smashing a ruby with a steel hammer. Hey, it was for science!

Prometheus Introduces a Maglite 2D "Deep Carry" Pocket Clip!

You asked and I delivered! The world's best pocket clip for the world's most popular flashlight. If you've struggled with another hands-free carry option for your 2D-Cell size Maglite...look no further. Post if you are interested. Material is 16ga 6/4 Titanium. Preliminary pricing is $275 MSRP. Hey, it's a lot of titanium.

HDS clips are back in stock!

Not all of you are going to get excited about this, but some of you will! HDS clips are back in stock and ready for immediate shipment!

Just a reminder, like all of my current clips, these are manufactured from 6Al/4V certified titanium aerospace alloy. Certified means that if you were building an actual fighter jet, you'd be allowed to use this material in its manufacture.

I have moved to the certified material to maintain the highest level of product performance and manufacturing reliability. This material is 2x more expensive than non-certified 6/4 titanium (that's what everyone else uses), but I have not raised the price on the clips. Yay me! Click here for the sales page on my website!

The reason "why" I make things

This morning I accidentally stumbled across a review of my Alpha pen. A review about that owning my pen "is like," not just what features is does (or does not) have. It's how all reviews should be structured :) Anyway, the rest of my post will make more sense if you read the review, but no pressure.

Here is the link: http://runningwithstethoscopes.wordpress.com/2013/10/04/alpha-pen/

Sure, I'm sharing the post because it makes me look good. However, the real reason I'm sharing it is because creating this kind of experience for someone is exactly why I do what I do...repeatedly pour myself into a humble object, put it into a box, and send it across the country (or around the world) to a complete stranger. It's kind of like a blind date: scary.

Most days each package, while visibly filled with product, is actually filled with the fear of failure. That is what makes running your own business hard, not the long hours or meager pay, it's doubt. The fact is, and the fact that I embrace daily, is that you can't make everyone happy. By way of advice to others, I'll take it a step further. You shouldn't even try, because there is greater value in making a few people exceedingly happy than making the masses ambiguously content. By definition, it means that you are doing something at least a little bit unique. A teacher of mine used to say, "if you aren't pissing someone off then you aren't doing it right." Cheers.

Most of the time my reward for taking this risk is a transaction, you paid me for the thing: thanks for your support! Very (very) infrequently I get slapped in the face by someone who thinks my work is the worst thing they have ever had the displeasure of paying for: no no, it's not you, it's me. Slightly more frequently someone sends me a nice note (or I stumble upon a blog post) from a person that thinks I nailed it: my humble thanks for a little bit of validation.

It's nice to get a little boost once in a while. So, this morning at least, I go to work with the confidence that what I do has value, purpose, and made a positive impact on at least one person's daily existence.

Ready-Made lights shipping now!

Hi folks,

Just a heads up to let you know I have 25 RM lights waiting to find new homes. I should have 25 more by next week! Very sorry for the long delay. The last few months I've been up to my neck in fulfilling 2 Kickstarter projects. It took me a while to get the RM machining and assembly back on track, but I hope to have a steady supply this year, like I have in the past.

Thanks for your patience and support!

Jason

>>>>> Click here to purchase. If you still see the "sold out" graphic, please hit "F5" on your keyboard to refresh the page. Your browser may have cached an old version of the page. 

On your mark, get set, go!

More Ready Mades will be arriving soon!