Getting a blade tip to light up fully?

[CGompertz09]

So I recently got a blade in the mail for my hilt (Ultrasaber's standard midgrade with bullet tip) and I've been messing with it to try and get the tip to light up. Out of the box, the tip did not light up at all, which I expected, so i looked up and followed this small tutorial http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?topic=21282.0 to try and get it. I did the last method he talks about, cutting down the reflective disk a lot, but the attached pic shows what I'm still left with. Keep in mind the blade here is being lit up by only a Mini-Maglight.

<a href="http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w124/viperboygts14/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_0243.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w124/viperboygts14/IMG_0243.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Any ideas of something else to try?

[FenderBender]

Remove disc, replace with two layers of mylar film (anti static bags work great). Done.

[CGompertz09]

I'll give it a shot. I'm assuming that's how you set up your blades? Cuz all videos and pics I've seen of yours look perfect! haha

Edit: And I'm assuming this stuff is reflective yet transparent?

[directorcass]

Yes, they are the little plastic bags that a lot of small electronics come in. They look like see thru sliver pouchs. Go to RadioShack, Walmart, Meijer, etc. Ask the person in the electronics department if they have any they are throwing away (from another customer purchase) and you should be able to get some for free.

[Knighthammer]

Remove disc, replace with two layers of mylar film (anti static bags work great). Done.

Ok time for brain dead (or lack of coffee) question.
So your saying remove the reflective disc on the tip and putting 2 layers of mylar file in its place? How do you attach it in place? Silicon or ?
Like I said - brain dead question...

[CGompertz09]

I'm starting to wonder if maybe the tip itself has something wrong with. I took it back off, removed the reflective disk, cleaned off all glue, then held it against the flash light just by itself and the damn thing STILL didn't lit up all the way. Seeing as US kinda messed my order for the blade anyways, it wouldn't surprise me too much if that is the problem. Might just make my own blade with TCSS stuff and keep this one as a spare... or, hey FenderBender, does Vader's Vault sell their 'dual diffused blades" individually? haha

[directorcass]

The tip will never light up like a blade beacuse it is solid, not hollow like the blade. The blade has diffuser in it to bring the light to the edge. The tip does not have anything inside to diffuse the light to the edge. Sanding the tip does not help much because your diffusing past the light source on the "outside". The possible sollution would be to have tips 3D printed in the translucent white material.

[CGompertz09]

Just an idea that came to me from seeing that the cellophane within a blade looks chrome-ish. Would cutting and layering a few disks made from cellophane wrap work as a reflective disk for the blade tip and still let light through?

[FenderBender]

I dunno what your problem could be. Whenever I do a shine through tip, it lights up. All the way. The only exception to this is the white tips. I don't even think the flash from a nuke could light those up.

[Gucabe]

I think we need to have a hollow tip similar to what the MR or hasbro tips are, if the tip is hollow we could sand the interior or coat it with reflective paint or film and it could have a better looking tip.

i'm going to try and mill an extra bullet tip i have to see if works. To be honest i always cut off the tip in the pictures, i hate how it looks so different to the blade.