Sharpening Tactical Flashllight Bezels?

[Jonny]

I’m pretty new to the WE but iv’e been sharing me experiences/thoughts w/some fellow knife enthusiasts and a friend asked an interesting question I wanted to run by you guys.

He asked if I could sharpen the bezels on one of those “Tactical Flashlights”. Just wondering any thoughts on that and the details/possibilities of sharpening aluminum/flashlights.

[Tom Whittington]

As someone who deals with gun and knife carry on a regular basis I would be VERY hesitant to even entertain that thought simply because many states and local municipalities have wildly varying definitions of prohibited weapons. Sharpening a flashlight bezel could be construed as such in many places, here in PA inclusive. Just food for thought.

Aluminum is too soft to hold much of an edge for long or be especially useful for striking except in utmost emergency. I don’t think a sharpened aluminum bezel would be any more effective or useful than a plain one, and actually would be more problematic to carry if it’s pointier :silly:

Additionally the bare aluminum would oxidize without finishing over it, further affecting whatever dubious effectiveness it would have by sharpening.

[Ken Buzbee]

I totally agree, Tom (and it’s nothing I’d have any interest in) but…

:Additionally the bare aluminum would oxidize without finishing over it, further affecting whatever dubious effectiveness it would have by sharpening.

I don’t think this, in particular, is really an issue. Aluminum bonds with oxygen almost immediately forming Bauxite. It becomes a ceramic “coating” which is pretty resistant to further corrosion, barring exposure to very caustic substances. It’s pretty thin, like one molecule. Yeah, you couldn’t shave with it 😉 , but it’s not going to get eaten away or anything.

Ken

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