I noticed that the flashlight in my truck had gone out, but when I tried to remove the cap to replace the batteries, it was stuck.
Not just a little stuck, either.
I started with some forceful twisting.
When that didn't work, I broke out my set of not-so-trusty Craftsman Strap Wrenches ("not-so-trusty" because I've yet to find a situation where they actually worked).
When that didn't work, I got the pipe wrench after it.
When that didn't work, I put it in the vise and used the pipe wrench on it.
When that didn't work, I put it in the vise, put the pipe wrench on the end cap, and hit the pipe wrench with a mallet.
When that didn't work, I cussed, banged the flashlight against the toolbox, and tried it all again.
Since I had had to toss a smaller Maglite with the same problem, I figured somebody on the Internets would know if this was a common occurence. I suspected that the batteries had leaked and caused the cap to get stuck.
Upon looking it up, I discovered the Maglite FAQ page. Yeah, it's a known issue, and yes, probably a leaky battery, but no, it's not covered under warranty. However, if you have Duracell, Ray-O-vac, or Eveready batteries inside, they'll replace it at no charge. Well, that's a big "if" considering if you can't get the cap off, it's somewhat difficult to check what brand of battery is inside.
I had to know. Finally, as a last ditch effort, I got the pipe wrench and the channel locks, summoned my inner Hulk, and twisted the dang thing open. After some banging, pliering (is that a word?), and prying, I got one of the leaky batteries out: Energizer.
So, the lesson here: in the war between Energizer and Duracell, it's probably a good idea to at least go with the copper top for Maglites. Oh, and if anybody is looking for a good stocking stuffer for me, a 2D Maglite fits perfectly in the door of my truck. Just a thought.