I try not to do file work on the AA/AAA Maglites any more, because of the changes in the aluminum tubing. It isn't any fun trying to do file work on them any more. They have cheapened their lights (all of them as of the last ones I am using) and it's now a Pita to try to do any file work. The aluminum is now as cheap as all the Chinese lights and everything I try to file comes out mushy and with no clean lines.
It had to happen, Maglite is floundering, just like every American business. They can't compete without raising prices more and the old man is getting to old to fight it, so the corporate number crunchers are at it. Steps cut out, detail work not done, lousy anodizing, cheap materials. I've seen it too many times. I know where it's all going and it won't be pretty at ll. I imagine within a year, I won't want to use Maglite hosts any more, as I will be ashamed of the lack of quality.
Everything comes to an end...