Question on String LED Durability

**MaleficusForte** · 01-02-2011, 11:14 AM

Is the String LED used for showmanship and aesthetics or can it survive medium to heavy duels. I mean like the single LED form has the LED protected by the hilt and is therefore less prone to jumping and banging around inside the saber. However the string LED looks like a long flexible chain of LEDs so Im wondering if dueling will cuz the LEDs to rock back and forth inside the saber causing some of the LEDs to break from the impact or if there is a way to prevent the LEDs from rocking back and forth and hitting the inner walls of the blade.

Also does string LED work like christmas tree lights where if one light doesnt work, every light after it does not work as well?

**Skottsaber** · 01-02-2011, 11:24 AM

Component blades (String blades) are generally used for sabers that are mostly spun, but made correctly they can be very durable.
The MR/hasbro FX sabers are prone to LEDs "breaking" but that is only because they are soldered weakly to the blade PCB, and the connection breaks. Strings are usually arranged in sections of around 10 LEDs that are individually lit to "scroll" the blade up and down. They are wired in parallel so if one LED breaks the section will not break.

The LED string is also held in place with some kind of diffuser, usually foam, that slides over the LEDs and slides into the blade.

**Azmaria Dei** · 01-02-2011, 11:31 AM

they may be able to take a fair bit of abuse, but i would still go with a luxeon-style setup for actual dueling...

**Count Malik** · 01-05-2011, 02:12 PM

I have yet to build my own LED-String blade...however i REALLY want to!!! But as a response/comment on you question about durability... i own a makoto saber myself, and as far as im conserned (at least with his sabers/blades anyways), its SUPER durable and i use it for show and for duleing without any major scuffs and with out ANY brightness change (unless i just got done and my power is running really really low.) But if your doing something for film scoring.... and you plan on retroscopeing the blades in the final film render... then use a dummy saber or luxeon... but if you plan on useing the saber "as-is" then go with the string blade (makoto-style) because they are really even and really bright!

and look awsome on camera... however if its for genral use with a little bit of show n' tell, and possibly some "aggresive nagotiations" the LED-String blades should be more than sufficent...if built correctly that is

thats just my .02 though!