Flyswatter Review

I know, you're asking yourself exactly what does a flyswatter have to do with an audio forum? Two things, actually. First, flies have a tendency to leave those nasty "fly specks" on audio equipment. Not good! Second, there is nothing more annoying than trying to enjoy your favorite musical passages in the privacy of your listening area, and have it disturbed by the sound of a fly, or the aimless wandering it does while you're trying to concentrate.

You're probably wondering how this review came about. It's actually quite interesting. Since my office is about 1/2 mile from a dairy, and is flanked by farm ground, flies have a tendency to be rather abundant. That, coupled with the fact that I often keep my office door open, the pesky little b@$tards can get rather annoying. I am constantly on the prowl to alleviate the problem.

My old flyswatter was the typical twisted #14ga. wire handled assembly with the woven cloth mesh basted with a cloth edge to prevent unraveling. It served me well for many a year, but finally gave up the ghost a few weeks ago. I instructed the wife to procure a replacement for me. She brought me two (for the price of one) flyswatters that had the brand name "Black Flag" on them, a leader in the household pest control movement. I was quite pleased....at first. The units are 18' long, and completely made of injection mold plastic, with a replica of the black flag in the swatter face. I put one to use immediately.

I soon noticed that my kill-to-swing ratio was way off. At first I attributed it to the fact that it is just the beginning of the fly season, and I just needed to get used to the new swatter. However, after a few days use I could tell something wasn't quite right. I thought maybe I had lost some of my accuracy, but then I noticed something. The sound I usually heard when my old flyswatter hit the wall or a window was gone. With the new one, it was a softer, more muffled sound. It also seemed that even though I connected with flies fairly regularly, they didn't die. It was quite perplexing. Unable to determine the cause of the problem, I asked the wife to find a replacement that was similar to my old one, which she did. The moment I picked up the new one, I could feel the difference. After only a few hour's use, it was just as I had remembered. I decided to do an A - B comparison and give you the results.

The black Flag flyswatter in actually very visually appealing for a flyswatter, but that's about it. It's 18" long, very lightweight, and flexible, which I think that is a liability instead of an asset. It takes mass to complete the swing, and the BF just doesn't have it. Also, the width, flimsiness and flexibility of the handle cause a flex that takes away from the snap effect of the swatter. Also, the lack of adequate ventilation holes in the head itself has a tendency to push air in front, allowing any target fly to "surf" out of the way. Really a disappointment.

The more "traditional" flyswatter (PIC brand) is a complete different design, and has stood the test of time. It is 21 1/2" long, which will increase head speed. The twisted wire handle is slim and trim, yet sturdy enough to hold it's own during the swing. This particular unit has a plastic head (no cloth ones were available at the time), but the adequate ventilation holes, coupled with the superior handle, increases it's accuracy twofold. The head flexes a little as it should, while the handles retains it's rigidity to give you that follow-through punch. Mill kill rate is right back up there where it used to be. The balance was more pronounced, and gripping the unit was less stressful to the hand. A completely different experience. I can once again enjoy audio pleasure.

The test conditions were as close as I could get them, and there was no discrimination as to the size, sex, ethnicity, or sexual preferences of the targeted flies. My final evaluation is that the "vintage" style is far superior. You, however, may disagree. I'm sure that operator efficiency must be considered in any test such as this. Feel free to try your own. I look forward to your reviews. After all, caring for and listening to our equipment is what it's all about, isn't it?

Larry

The Test Products:



I would also like to say in closing that Black Flag is most well known for it's chemical pest control products. Perhaps it's not in their best interest to produce a truly accurate and reliable assembly. Just something to consider.

Thank You

finally, the debate over vintage -vs- modern is settled. vintage rules!!!

I never read a review like this in many years over the internet....this is truly amazing in an audio forum. I could name a few adjectives of what i think about this, like: Original, surreal, creative writing, etc but I’m pretty dazzled about your review.

Tanx Larry.

BTW, the yellow one is the best for sure.

I have both types of swatters at home, and I would have to agree with your assessment completely, I think that airflow through the head, is lacking the black flag model, and the material is of different quality. the black flag plastic is a bit stiffer and doesnt have the "flip, swat" I think it actually blows the fly out of the way. the origanal "pic brand" has an almost teflon softer more breathable, flexible plastic head that is way more conducive slapping the fly dead, instead of blowing the fly out of the heads path. very nice review larry, I concur

elroy

yes, but how does it sound?

yes, but how does it sound?

they run on 220v not 110v, so I dont know