Kel-Lite Stud-Lites

Stud-Lite was Kel-Lite's attempt at acquiring sales outside the law enforcement market. Norm Nelson, Kel-Lite's 2nd president after Don, came from Per-Lux, a manufacturer of auxiliary lighting for big rigs so he believed there was market for flashlights geared towards truckers. He wasn't correct and Stud-Lites were a short lived experiment. I believe they were produced from 1976 to 1978.

The lights are identical to a medium head D cell Kel-Lite. This is of course with the exception of the color scheme. These lights were designed, like many older lights, in a bright color scheme that made them easy to find in a dark cluttered truck. This is opposite of the black law enforcement lights that were designed to be stealthy and harder to spot at night. I think these were only produced in medium heads. I've seen them in 2 -3D and C cell. Longer lights are possible also but I haven't seen them.

The blue light came from an estate sale but unfortunately I don't have much other back story behind it. Kel-lite offered optional engraving from the factory and this light was ordered with it. The light is engraved with the owner's last name, "Baldwin", right next to the switch. Other lights were personalized by their owners either through gun engravers or as a do it at home project. The black light also has a black button. The black button signifies that it has a riveted switch as opposed to normal switches that were attached with 2 threaded machine screws. I've seen this on both Stud-Lites and Kel-Lites but I don't have a clue why it was offered. To me it seems it would only be a drawback when the light needed to be serviced. If anyone does know or has more info about the black button riveted switches please let me know.

I also have a Stud-Lite sticker in the pics below that was distributed with some of these lights. Kel-Lites were sold with the tag line "The Professional Flashlight". The Stud-Lite was sold as "The Professional Trucker's Flashlight". Shown below is the same blue Stud-Lite with with a 2nd Gen 4D Kel-Lite and the sticker. It is true that aluminum professional lights were popular with truckers. Many truckers used them to beat against the side of a tire as a quick pressure check, to remove stuck snow and ice, and for making late night repairs to their rigs. Of course they were valued as a last resort for self defense as well. However, most preferred a regular Kel-Lite, the same as those carried by cops. For those interested check out my Maglite Vari-Beam post which was a similar ill-fated marketing attempt.

As always I'm looking to buy vintage and rare aluminum flashlights. Please let me know if you have any, top dollar paid.