After many experiments, found the ideal battery cable route to be right under the hinge in front.  That allows it to fully collapse & keeps all the cables away from the paw.  The biggest problem was cables getting tangled in the paw. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089Y7NDCR

Converted it to a dedicated buck converter, for no other reason that to save space, make it lighter & to fry a buck converter the usual way.  Note input + & - on these get covered by hot snotting the corners. 

These are rated for 2A & the flashlight is putting .3A 16.7V out in the worst case.  The handle is still about the right size for the cables & a lion paw.

It could use a lid over the electronicals.  The holes under the buck converter are problematic.  The PLA rivets have to be moved in to the new form factor.  The switch should go in the lid too.