Diablo
Achiever
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2013
- Messages
- 1,784
Anyone who knows me knows I like my mods big these days. But that said, carrying a seVen 22 with a kanger giant up top is a fair thing to lug about. But I do like the feel of the larger battery unit so went on the hunt for a suitable mech. There are a lot of options out there now for 26650 mechs, but I settled on a stingray. I didn't want to wait so angelfiremods was my supplier on this one. Apparently an SXK. Made unit.
Out of the box it looked awesome, and despite being huge was a lot smaller than the seven22. In fact, the mech when fitted with the kanger giant is around the size of the seven on its own.
initially I found the button truly awful. But soon discovered the negative contact pin of the button wasn't fully screwed in. So with that corrected it looked and worked better. But still not fully happy with the feel. A bit graunchy for my liking. Moving on though for a minute, it wasn't a deal breaker, just not as smooth as I would like.
in use, it was good. The finish looks excellent, the engraving is deep, while the opposite side of the stingray logo on the side shows a number 0605/1000. In reality they could all be the same number or any similar number yet rank in significantly higher numbers, but it does at least give an illusion of exclusivity to anyone around you who doesn't know it's a clone. The base of the button also has some nice engraving and in contrast it's central segment is gold and stands out from the silver of the rest of the button unit.
all that is gold is not good though.aesthetically, I really don't like the gold locking ring, I think it looks odd on a mainly stainless unit. Incidentally, that locking ring is far too easy to jam when unlocked,and the sharp edge does little to make using it any easier. It jams off so well that for the first few days I don't even know it moved. But even backing off gently in normal use it can get a grip of the main tube all too easily. From new the ring was ultra shiny, whereas now it has a more brass like patina. Better than pure gold look in my opinion now it's in use.
battery choice can be an issue too, albeit a small one. I only own two 18650 batteries and both from different manufacturers. One slides in snug and is a perfect fit, the other will not go in from the button side, though it will go in from the top cap end. So the threads at the bottom must be encroaching on the inner diameter at a really close tolerance. It isn't a big issue having to load it from the top, but definitely worth knowing before you murder the plastic coating of your battery trying to get it in normally.
today I addressed my issues with the graunchy button. I added a small washer to raise the centre pin a millimetre or so and reduce the throw of the switch and can safely say the improvement was huge. No graunchyness at all now and it fires where you expect it to every time without feeling cheap. Funny how a smooth fire button gives a feeling of quality.
i noticed on a well known clone site that there are different colours and styles, from different manufacturers. I was looking primarily as I now want (and have ordered) a brass one. Some on 'that' site don't have the engraved button base and in the pics they somehow look tacky for it. Unfinished even.
Part of my reason for the brass is not just because I like the colour, but also hopefully the brass units silver ring will fit this SS unit and vice versa (yes, I really am that peeved at the gold), it may or may not look better, but willing to try.
so would I recommend it to others? Yes, definitely. If you want a nice weighty and what feels well built 26650 mech, then this is nice enough. Though I would say the tweak to the button pin is an essential change any and all owners should do to improve its feel. Otherwise, with the kanger giant up top, it looks (to me at least) like a perfect match.
the only thing I am not sure of is that locking ring. Maybe over time it will improve, but the lack of any chamfer on the ring means the edge is quite sharp, so when it does jam off its potentially a bit of a pain. That said, I prefer any lock ring that jams in a position that still allows you to vape rather than the other way around. With the button design of this unit, the chances of that ever happening are about zero.
one last comment. The threads of the button unit into the tube are very fine. Be careful you never cross thread it. I haven't so far in my week of use, but being that fine I am ultra careful whenever I do a battery change. That said, since the discovery of the battery size variations, for the last few days all my battery changes are now at the top cap end.
Out of the box it looked awesome, and despite being huge was a lot smaller than the seven22. In fact, the mech when fitted with the kanger giant is around the size of the seven on its own.
initially I found the button truly awful. But soon discovered the negative contact pin of the button wasn't fully screwed in. So with that corrected it looked and worked better. But still not fully happy with the feel. A bit graunchy for my liking. Moving on though for a minute, it wasn't a deal breaker, just not as smooth as I would like.
in use, it was good. The finish looks excellent, the engraving is deep, while the opposite side of the stingray logo on the side shows a number 0605/1000. In reality they could all be the same number or any similar number yet rank in significantly higher numbers, but it does at least give an illusion of exclusivity to anyone around you who doesn't know it's a clone. The base of the button also has some nice engraving and in contrast it's central segment is gold and stands out from the silver of the rest of the button unit.
all that is gold is not good though.aesthetically, I really don't like the gold locking ring, I think it looks odd on a mainly stainless unit. Incidentally, that locking ring is far too easy to jam when unlocked,and the sharp edge does little to make using it any easier. It jams off so well that for the first few days I don't even know it moved. But even backing off gently in normal use it can get a grip of the main tube all too easily. From new the ring was ultra shiny, whereas now it has a more brass like patina. Better than pure gold look in my opinion now it's in use.
battery choice can be an issue too, albeit a small one. I only own two 18650 batteries and both from different manufacturers. One slides in snug and is a perfect fit, the other will not go in from the button side, though it will go in from the top cap end. So the threads at the bottom must be encroaching on the inner diameter at a really close tolerance. It isn't a big issue having to load it from the top, but definitely worth knowing before you murder the plastic coating of your battery trying to get it in normally.
today I addressed my issues with the graunchy button. I added a small washer to raise the centre pin a millimetre or so and reduce the throw of the switch and can safely say the improvement was huge. No graunchyness at all now and it fires where you expect it to every time without feeling cheap. Funny how a smooth fire button gives a feeling of quality.
i noticed on a well known clone site that there are different colours and styles, from different manufacturers. I was looking primarily as I now want (and have ordered) a brass one. Some on 'that' site don't have the engraved button base and in the pics they somehow look tacky for it. Unfinished even.
Part of my reason for the brass is not just because I like the colour, but also hopefully the brass units silver ring will fit this SS unit and vice versa (yes, I really am that peeved at the gold), it may or may not look better, but willing to try.
so would I recommend it to others? Yes, definitely. If you want a nice weighty and what feels well built 26650 mech, then this is nice enough. Though I would say the tweak to the button pin is an essential change any and all owners should do to improve its feel. Otherwise, with the kanger giant up top, it looks (to me at least) like a perfect match.
the only thing I am not sure of is that locking ring. Maybe over time it will improve, but the lack of any chamfer on the ring means the edge is quite sharp, so when it does jam off its potentially a bit of a pain. That said, I prefer any lock ring that jams in a position that still allows you to vape rather than the other way around. With the button design of this unit, the chances of that ever happening are about zero.
one last comment. The threads of the button unit into the tube are very fine. Be careful you never cross thread it. I haven't so far in my week of use, but being that fine I am ultra careful whenever I do a battery change. That said, since the discovery of the battery size variations, for the last few days all my battery changes are now at the top cap end.
Attachments
Last edited:
