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View Full Version : FYI On TCSS EL Blades and Parks Sabers



blairc64
08-04-2008, 11:20 AM
I just bought a new EL Blade for my Parks Saber from TCSS. I've gotta say it's a well made blade.

But for people's info:

1) It doesn't seem to work very well in my old M2 Parks Saber. I don't know if it's the week inverter or the stereo plug. But it's about half the brightness of my stock blade.

2) Parks Blue Does Not equate to TCSS Aqua. So I don't know if there is an equivalent colour since the Blue looks dark. Oh-well. Live and learn.

I haven't lost any money since I was planning on building a new EL saber anyhow and will just make it TCSS Aqua now. :)

But figured you folks might like the heads up.

-Blair

xl97
08-04-2008, 12:01 PM
what blade did you buy? thick or thin?

a CYAN bin1 wold be more of an aqua color I believe.. but as the Cyan bin# goes up..the more greenish the blade color.

blairc64
08-04-2008, 12:43 PM
what blade did you buy? thick or thin?

a CYAN bin1 wold be more of an aqua color I believe.. but as the Cyan bin# goes up..the more greenish the blade color.


Think you got your Techs Crossed... :)

EL mate, not LED.

-Blair
PS: But yes... you are correct about LED Bin#'s. :) I've got a whole selection here for sabre building. I do like to have choice when building a sabre.

blairc64
08-04-2008, 12:46 PM
1) It doesn't seem to work very well in my old M2 Parks Saber. I don't know if it's the week inverter or the stereo plug. But it's about half the brightness of my stock blade.


I've had my wife compare the new TCSS blade with my old one. She pointed out that maybe it is working fine and all. But the Colour just isn't as bright as the original.

I guess that could be the issue.

Though that just re-enforces the fact that I love the original colour and definitely need to find a like for like replacement. Even if it comes from Parks with the little Warning label.

-Blair

xl97
08-04-2008, 12:57 PM
ahh...oops..youre right.. I knwo jack about El really..and forgot they are plug-in play type blades.. (where as LED are just empty tubes)...(sorry) LOL

I got hung up on your brightness comment..LOL and just ran with maybe the thickness isnt the same.. (DUH) LOL

:)

Strydur
08-04-2008, 09:21 PM
Hmm.. do you have pics? I have never heard of our blades not being as bright as a Parks stock blade...its usually the other way around. All of the pics on Parks site look aqua to me.

blairc64
08-05-2008, 12:41 AM
Hmm.. do you have pics? I have never heard of our blades not being as bright as a Parks stock blade...its usually the other way around. All of the pics on Parks site look aqua to me.

As I said... my wife thinks it's just that the difference in colour makes it look slightly less bright.

And I might have to agree. I'll take some pics tonight though. If anything to see if someone can help me find a "non-warning" alternitive in the same colour. :)

-Blair

blairc64
08-06-2008, 04:22 AM
Below is a side by side between the stock Blue Parks EL Film blade versus TCSS Aqua blade I just got. The Stock Blue Parks is on the Left and TCSS Aqua is on the Right.

http://www.thesgc.net/compareEL1.JPG

In the below Pic you can see the Stock Blue very well.

http://www.thesgc.net/CompareParkBlue.JPG

Thoughts?

-Blair

swear000
08-06-2008, 04:40 AM
original parks looks better. Damn that hilt looks so sweet!

blairc64
08-06-2008, 05:31 AM
I know... that's why I had to grab it when it was offered to me at a discount at the London Film and Comic Con. Even with a busted and scratched blade... the hilt alone was pure ART. I love it. This is my problem though... I'd like to get a nice new blade, but must keep the colour. It's both perfect and sorta needs to match the colour of the EL Wire in the hilt. :)

I will have to deal with the warning label on the Parks blades I guess. Though I might try ordering a Blue TCSS blade to try first. What you you think Strydur?

It's not like having spare EL blades will go to waist around my place... It just means I can have an reason to build another saber. :P

-Blair
UK Sabre Smith

Nightwing
08-06-2008, 09:16 AM
I thought I read somewhere that Parks uses EL film rather than EL wire, is that true?
Could that possibly account for the discrepancy?

blairc64
08-06-2008, 09:20 AM
I thought I read somewhere that Parks uses EL film rather than EL wire, is that true?
Could that possibly account for the discrepancy?

Yes, Parks uses EL Film. And yeah... like I said it might be an impossible find to match the colours. But I wanted to try. :)

The TCSS blades are really nice. :P

-Blair

Strydur
08-06-2008, 09:52 AM
Maybe its just my eyes but doesnt our blade throw off the same color light as the EL wire section of the hilt? It probably is just the difference between using sheet and wire technology. I dont think a blue blade would be a closer match. It can also be how the 2 use the power from the inverter if the inverter is putting out too little or too much power for the length of wire etc.. it will change/wash out the colors.

blairc64
08-06-2008, 01:12 PM
Hmmm... maybe.

To my eye and my wife's, the TCSS blade has a more Green-ish colour to it.

It definately doesn't match the wire. :)

But I have to say... Tim, you make a darn nice blade. Very Solid. Very cleanly made. Well worth the money hands down.

It's just me trying to match colours. And we all know that can be a pain with any light technology. Even LED's with their darn Bin# stuff.

-Blair

Jedi-Loreen
08-06-2008, 06:14 PM
I've got an older M2 as well. The EL wire blades just don't seem to work as well with that saber. I think it has do to with the inverter.

But the EL wire blades work just fine in my newer Parks Fusion.

And, a blue Parks blade looks aqua in the M2. And what I thought was an aqua blade that I got with my M2 looks blue in my Fusion.

I'm sure that has to do with the frequency of the inverter in the M2.