FIBER OPTIC BLADE

[Saber-King]

What is a fiber optic blade

[xwingband]

If you refer ot Ultra's blade... it's not fiber optics. His is is a film like many already posted about.

A real fiber optic blade would be like those found in the new tech section. Ones like sideglow cable and the like.

[Kyp Durron]

fiber optics
n. (used with sing. verb)
The science or technology of light transmission through very fine, flexible glass or plastic fibers.

The thermoplastic acetate used in my blades is made up of billions of microscopic fibers meshed into a film. A uniform film with no fibers will not light up (that's why mylar film must be etched with steel wool to produce a similar, yet inferior, effect). The material used in my blades is also made out of the same plastics that are used in side-emitting fiber optic cable. Therefore, I believe my blades do indeed qualify as fiber optic.

I copied this quote from here:
http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index...7393#msg107393

It seems like he has a valid point, IMHO.

-Kyp

[xwingband]

And I would disagree... acetate is a uniform film. The effect is the same with any film.

Mylar works just as well in fact, ask Jonitus (I believe that's who's used it the most). Ultra said he picked acetate because it has less static... not any fiber optic quailties.

I prefer calling what it is... a film blade, not the buzz word he attaches to sell it.

[Lord Maul]

he he he.

i'm the one who made the original comment about the acetate thing in that thread Kyp

[elrond.406]

You are Aluke123?

[Lord Maul]

yup. who are you elrond?

[elrond.406]

---REMOVED, cuz someone was curious and kept at it...

I'll make a new account soon when I have time away from the TCSS forum (my current primary forum).

[xwingband]

BAH!!! Why are you guys cross posting my posts!

I don't appreciate it at all.

Ultra, I don't mean any offense by this. I prefer the UltraFilm name. To me it gives a fiber optic effect but really isn't fiber optics. I can picture some person thinking their blade could just be popped out and then used to transmit information or something.

My reaction when you first used "fiber optic" to describe the blade I was intrigued everyone who'd tried fiber optic cables said it sucked. Then I find out it's really a film... it was a disappointment to my expectations. Most use the connotation for the stuff like side glow cabling. That's why "fiber optic" is a buzz word to me.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

This is a fiber optic blade using side-emitting cable:


The same blade again:


Notice how it dims in the middle? That's because the Luxeon led just doesn't have the output to properly light the side-emitting fiber optic cable. It's designed to be lit with a 150 watt metal-halide lamp at either end of the cable, or looped back to the single light source. And most of the light transmitted through the cable still goes to the end, not out the side.

Here it is with a green K2:

If you look closely, you'll notice that the blade is translucent. It's green, but you can still see through it, it doesn't look like a solid "energy beam." It is also very heavy. So, unfortunately, what X-wing said about them sucking is dead on....Even so, I'd like to see one of the UltraBlades in person, I hear they are very good, and look like they have a pretty even light distribution, with little fade-out in the middle.