A hands-on review of the Coast KL35R flashlight and 1919 backup

Thirty years ago the deadline Everyday Carry, or EDCdid not exist. Back then, I was just a nerd with pocket pliers who could reattach your Tamagotchi to your wallet chain. I would whip out my multi-tool at the slightest provocation and no one would realize I was one of the first EDC tools. Turns out, I wasn’t as early to adoption as I thought. By the 1990s, the company Henry W. COAST Brands has been selling multipurpose knives for 75 years. I don’t gut or fillet salmon like early Coast customers, but I still appreciate high-quality tools that offer great value. Today, I’m still a tool nerd, but thanks to the Internet, I’m a community nerd.

This review covers two separate products: Coast KL35R flashlight and 1919 reserve change pocket knife. They are not sold as a pair, but you can buy both pieces for $50.00. The KL35R is $19.99 and the spare shift is $29.99, and together you’ll have a good chunk of your EDC covered.

Given the popularity of our EDC deals posts, our recent water cooler conversations have focused on the need to do more EDC tool reviews. But like I said above, I’ve been doing it for years. I need to start by defining daily wear. This will determine how I test and evaluate such tools. We all have different expectations of EDC tools. Some of you are preparing to fight the zombie apocalypse alone with your EDC; not me I’ve got a J Salter in my trunk and plan to pop over to the Winchester for a pint and wait for it to blow up. How about a piece of fried gold?

My version of EDC is what I would call minimalist, grounded in reality. I find carrying a sling or small laptop bag life-changing; the discovery of paternity. This allows me to carry a small set of tools, a light source, lens cleaners, a writing set and usually some snacks. I don’t always have a knife with me and rarely have a traditional multitool. I always have: keys, wallet, phone, watch, glasses, pen and some cash. A Coast KL35R flashlight and 1919 Reserve Shift fit easily in this kit.

The result of a Coast KL35R flashlight and a 1919 reserve change

I don’t like to sharpen knives. I’m not very good at it, I’ve never invested the time to learn how to do it properly. A knife with interchangeable blades is perfect for someone like me. There are countless options for knives like the Coast 1919 Reserve Shift, especially when you include conventional knives/box cutters. But for starters, it appears to be a quality pocket knife. Out of the box it’s a little tough to open with one hand. After a few weeks of use, it still takes some effort and I can’t see it being a fidget toy to open. The thumb pin is large and also functions as a switch for changing the blade. If you’re looking for an expensive knife that will always be sharp and can be adapted to a variety of tasks, but isn’t necessarily a showpiece, the 1919 Reserve Shift is hard to beat for under 30 bucks.

I will start my bottom line of the KL35R flashlight like I finished the Shift. It’s not something you’ll flaunt on social media, it’s a tool you’ll use for everyday tasks. It weighs less than an ounce and is 3 inches long. It fits perfectly on a key chain. It charges via USB-C and has 3 hours of battery life in medium flashlight mode or high flashlight mode. It has a double-sided metal clip that allows you to attach it to a hat, sleeve, tent flap, or anything thin. The flashlight also has a red mode; either solid light for reading in the dark or flashing for a signal light. This is a great utilitarian pocket work light that only costs 20 bucks. Coast offers much brighter, heavier, metallic flashlights, which I will review later.

How is the Coast KL35R and 1919 Reserve Shift flashlight built?

To classify the Reserve Shift as just another utility knife would be easy, but not accurate. ​​​​​​While it will take almost any standard utility knife with a notch, it looks, feels and performs like a sophisticated pocket knife. The design of the handle has steel liner plates covered with scales that I believe look like glass-reinforced nylon with a molded rubber insert. The two halves are held together by Torx screws, one of which is the core of the blade. The blade holder is stainless steel, the drop point and hook blades are 3CR13 stainless steel, and the trapezoidal blades are high carbon steel.

The KL35R has a plastic body with a metal clip. The two buttons are rubberized, and there’s a rubber plug above the USB-C port. There is a bit of texture to the grip on the case, which also makes it difficult to identify the type of plastic. I have contacted the Coast to see if they will tell me and I will update as necessary. The flashlight is sealed, which makes it waterproof, but that also means the battery is not replaceable. The flashlight lens is recessed about 0.070 inches, which provides some protection from scratches.

I have no data to back this up. But I suspect that those of us who don’t use a pocketknife in a professional capacity use it to open boxes at least 88.3% of the time. If we really have a bunch of MacGyvers regularly cutting reactor cooling radiators or building bamboo bazookas — sorry. Most of the time, my knife had a trapezoidal blade. They are great for opening boxes and then breaking them down for recycling.

This is probably a good time to mention Backup shift comes with a sheath that holds the knife. It also includes a plastic case for extra blades. Drop point blades are the same thickness as conventional blades at 0.025 inches. So it’s not a blade to lean on. If you’re the kind of person who can poke and prod with a pocket knife, this is not for you.

I haven’t used the hook blade yet. I don’t do a lot of rummaging. But, like an underlay or carpet blade, you can use it to cut a sheet of material that’s resting on a surface you don’t want to damage.

Aside from the boxes, I’ve replaced the Coast with a hobby knife a few times. Soft materials can be surprisingly difficult to cut, especially if you want a clean edge. Foams deflect and often have a high coefficient of friction. Deflection also results in load dissipation. I could talk for days about cutting elastic materials. So, I’ll just tell Google if you have a week or two.

In any case, as much as I like the Xacto knives, the small form factor is not suitable for applying enough force and maintaining control. Box cutters are good for strength. However, they often don’t hold the blade tightly enough for precise control, and they can be uncomfortable. Between the rubberized handle, the thick spine of the blade holder, and the double lock, this makes for a great hobby knife, especially without a pocket clip. Being able to swap out a new sharp blade in seconds is also invaluable to manufacturers. Just for testing purposes, I stripped a few wires with them as well. It works fine, but I have a few tools specifically made for the job. So, I will say that in an emergency it will do the job, and leave it at that.

This is a $30 knife that will do the job of several different pocket knives. This is not a demonstration. It’s also not a knife designed for prying or hacking. This is perfect for people like me who don’t want to sharpen the blade and easily transition from a drop point to a trapezoid or some other weird blade I can find online. The last time I bought blades I got 100 for $10. Coast sells their drop point blades, 6 for $15. This is a great looking knife that is great value and very utilitarian. It’s a tool. Coast makes more fashionable knives and I’ll be reviewing a couple of them later. Until then, I’ll continue to use my 1919 back-up shift and burn through these easily replaceable blades with a smile.

My parents will tell you that I had a flashlight obsession from birth. I believe it started on May 25, 1977. Anyway, I love flashlights and I have a ton of them. The Coast KL35R replaced a few of them and once this is posted it will live on my keyring all day. I have more powerful flashlights, but the 600 peak lumens they produce is more than enough and I use them on lower settings. I’m not trying to spot coyotes a thousand yards away or signal the ISS. I check my CV boots or see if the little fastener that sits in the countersink is Torx or triple square. Like the knife above, this is a utilitarian tool, not a spec hero.

It’s a small flashlight. If your hands are cold, it may be difficult to hold on. When wet, the textured surface and ribbed sides make it easy to hold. I like the double sided pocket clip, but if I could change one thing I would make a version with a pair of magnets to work on cars. But it won’t work as a key light.

My gold standard for flashlights is the Maglite mini flashlight. I have another mini stick light that is my favorite light for inspecting and working on cars. It does both in a smaller package. Also, this battery. At 20 bucks for the KL35R and 30 bucks for the 1919 Reserve Shift, this combo is a durable and useful EDC package.

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