FIBER OPTIC BLADE

[Jay-gon Jinn]

Fiber optic cables also are made from plastic fibers. (optical grade acrylics) The cable in my blade is a solid core plastic cable.

What's wrong with 32" blades? I just cut one down to 33" because it lights better, and improved the balance on the saber it goes to. The blade for my 8 yr. ols son's saber is about 28", and works well for him. It's a matter of personal preference, I guess. on that note, I'd still like to see more 3/4" thin-walled blades offered by someone....

[LordArgyll]

But for a 32" blade? to short for just about anything IMO.

Tell that to the samurai. Most katana are shorter than that.

My blade is 32" locked into the hilt. I meant for it to have roughly the same handling as a katana (it's still a bit too long when hanging at my side -- grazes the ground instead of touching my ankle.) Bigger isn't always better. Smaller and faster can be just as good as longer reach and more power.

It really is a matter of personal taste and style.

Admittedly, I'd like to do a light-claymore one day. ;D

[Dregan]

But for a 32" blade? to short for just about anything IMO.

Tell that to the samurai. Most katana are shorter than that.

My blade is 32" locked into the hilt. I meant for it to have roughly the same handling as a katana (it's still a bit too long when hanging at my side -- grazes the ground instead of touching my ankle.) Bigger isn't always better. Smaller and faster can be just as good as longer reach and more power.

It really is a matter of personal taste and style.

Admittedly, I'd like to do a light-claymore one day. ;D

My real (read - functional, as in cut bamboo with, not a shop-at-home special) katana has a 1" kissaki and a 27" nagasa, for a total blade length of 28". From the habaki to the kashiragane is 14", making the total length 42" (before the saya and kojiri) - my blade was made by a master blacksmith in Pittsburgh who specialiazes in this type of sword, and is an almost exact copy of a genuine, 800-year old katana, save that I have a different tsuba, and different color saya and maki****asame.

Just to give some accurate dimensions.

[Novastar]

Dregan, that sounds HELLLLAAA sweet!! oops, I said hella. Man, I flashed back to when I was 20 or something...

As to blade lengths and hilt lengths for lightsabers, the only things I find most relevant are:

1. Personal preference... which leads to:
2. Balance preference... which leads to:
3. Altering a blade length or hilt length in order to achieve a better balance.

With electronics in the hilt and all sorts of things that already play into weighing an entire saber down--it is USUALLY unlikely (usually) that people will want to ADD weight to the hilt... they would likely prefer to lose weight on the hilt.

Since that is not always possible (given wiring/tight space/maybe not being able to shave off much metal), the easiest way to further balance the saber to preference--is to change the blade length. Whether having a longer blade or shorter one achieves what you prefer.

This makes it easy to find the balance point that you like best. And you can do it in seconds.

Granted, in some ridiculous cases, your hilt may be so heavy... that only a (let's say) 45" blade would balance it where YOU want it. So... that's not so great. But that is why design is so important.

Any I've not found ANY saber to be like that... uh... yet. Enter Corbin's Killer Penny... GREEEAAAATTT! Heavy! hehehe

[vortextwist]

Well I got one of ultra's blades with an apprentice saber today. Looks fairly cool. The blade brightness didn't change from the starO that's in the saber to my lux 3. The only real complaint is the blade is hella thin. The od is 1 inch but the blade thickness is only.071 onch or 1.8 mm. I thought it was just a recycled mr blade but the od is too big. The inside was covered in hot glue. (to keep the diffuser in) I'm sorry, "FIBER OPTICS"

[Lord Maul]

ultra's blades apparently don't need to be as thick because he uses some "reinforcing fibers" to make them way stronger

[vortextwist]

ultra's blades apparently don't need to be as thick because he uses some "reinforcing fibers" to make them way stronger

LOL, he might be talking about he diffuser. but are flimsyer than an mr.

[Lord Maul]

no, i'm dead serious vortex. his blades are supposedly "reinforced" to make them uber strong

[vortextwist]

well them maybe it's the globs of hot glue at the bottom.

[fau-pa ramid]

if there is a miror in the end cap of the blade does it look like there is a lightbulb in the top when you turn it on?