TOPIC: Youtube: Vader's Vault Wrath Red Day Blade

A comparison of the VV Red LED using their standard 32" blade versus their 36" Day Blade.

Ex66, Hey Man, what the Hell, where's the Pool!? Nice little featurette between standard blade and their coloured Day blade. Wrath is a beautiful Hilt (virtually like or greatly similar to the illustrious Regal before the Biggest Loser and some body weight needed to be lost). Is that the standard finish you have featured or did it undergo some polishing? It has definitely been one that I have eyed closely and aim to have it amongst my collection one day. Thank you for the share.

It's the standard finish. I gave it a clean with a soft moist towel, nothing more for that video. It looked good enough.

One thing I learned from this is that having a bright LED is one thing, having a good blade that shows the color is also another important feature.

It's worth nothing that the blades in the video are not designed for dueling though. These two blades are very thin-walled.

Execute66 wrote:
So true. I've found that my 7/8" TCSS blade not only doesn't diffuse the light evenly (there's a big dark spot in the middle since there's flare at the base and the tip has a reflective disk), but it makes the light from the LED in my Graflex appear a few shades paler than it appears when shined on a wall or even against the blade holder itself.

I'm either going to get some cellophane to try and even it out or just cut it up for blade plugs and get VV's 7/8" blade like JChen has with his 2.0.

Ex66, Don't disagree with you. It certainly makes a significant difference with location: outside/inside, shaded/direct sunlight. The Day blades are unique this way for outside display and just as effective with a mounted display with saber not ignited. So here's a query. Noted that blade on blade contact regardless of intensity of duel or light sparring is typically recommended to have both blades as heavy Grade/Duty. Logic dictates when in contact between a Heavy Grade versus say a Thin-walled or Mid Grade will have the Heavy Grade emerge victorious. So have you drawn any conclusions (or know of any) where two blades of equal durability i.e. two thin-walled/mid grades fair against each other, still duel worthy?

Interesting question about duel worthy, OV. I don't know is the short answer. I don't really duel with my sabers, that's mainly why.

I'm not convinced about dueling with the Day Blades. The photo I just took shows it is about 40% of the thickness of a Saberforge Infinity V4 blade (judging by eye only). You might be right if you use identical blade types to duel with it, Day Blade with Day Blade. But against the SF Infinity blade, Day Blade probably has no chance. Also if you squeeze it with two fingers moderately hard (index and thumb say), you can actually see it move under the pressure.

I find these blade types fascinating. Like real life engineering problems, there are always trade offs involved depending what it is you are really after when designing one versus the other.

Jaden Korr wrote:
Cool! Post pics when ready please. Would love to see the effect.

Ex66, My error mate, when you wrote: I actually concluded that the disclaimer stemmed from user experience. I haven't actually seen any videos on YT demonstrating it (yet) however when both blades are from same make and origin I would think that they are duel worthy. There's several video demonstrations from each Blade Vendor showing their respective superiority and durability (and also compared to the competition) but these are typically set using their Heavy Grade Duel specific variations (which as a generalisation) may contribute to the inconsistent diffusing of light (in some cases).

Saberz with their Starlight Blade claims to be a thin wall and boasts consistent illumination (characteristic of thin walled blades) whilst remaining durable in heavy duelling (characteristic of Heavy Grade blades).
On VV's user comments for their Day Blades, one Reviewer commented on suffering just a few scuffs during aggressive duelling. Granted they're words on screen and remain unsubstantiated but I'm sure VV would have commented otherwise if their Day Blades weren't suitable under the alleged conditions.

My experience with Mid Grade Blades (other than a slightly brighter illumination) have returned that whilst accurate to your comment about 'finger squeeze' they still hold their own even against a Heavy Grade. The advantage whilst being marginally lighter (that contributes to improved balance rather being top heavy) is it promotes a virtual whipping motion with slight flex. Imagine a piece of bamboo.

Am waiting for some Day Blades to come in (specific to VV) to determine if they are equally as durable and able to withstand against contact with an Infinity V4. Noted there are other Day Blades available from other Vendors also but I don't plan on doing an official product test with all that's available on the market.

Interesting points. I guess one day someone will post his/her findings. It won't be me though as I generally don't duel, so I'm much less concerned about it.

Overall, I think it is often the case that the strength lies more with any blade than with the hilt itself. All the electronics inside a hilt (assuming a reasonably fully loaded hilt, i.e. with sound, LED, battery, AV switch etc.) make a fragile saber by and large.

I enjoy comparing these, not for criticism per se but just for information.

Ex66, Mate, ain't knocking your video comparing blades at all, in fact love all the ones you have done so far, even the ones from YT that haven't been posted here (yet). Really discussing the statement made about the 'blades reviewed are not for duelling' comment. You've obviously got them and seem most experienced with your collection and was trying to clarify. Me getting some Day Blades with the intent of sparring/duelling in broad daylight was left apprehensive (given the wait and purchase terms of VV) that they wouldn't be durable or worthy.

Yeah, no worries. All good. I may have over-cautioned in light of words I used. Just trying to help people who are deciding when it comes to spending hundred of bucks.

I have a VV heavy day blade and thin photon blade. Havn't had a chance to duel with them yet, but the heavy day seems pretty comparable to my TCCS heavy. Am debating trying some more VV's. The only thing I don't like is they're not smooth outsides like everything else, the lines down them kill me. Might have to try sanding them.

Hey BoostinIX,
With VV's Blades, thought there was their Heavy Duel Blades (kind of trans-white looking) and separate to this was their Photon, Dual Diffused (uncoloured) & Dual Diffused (coloured) Day Blades that were 'classed' as thinner-walled? What's a Heavy Day Blade? or have I mixed/missed something?

Here's what my order said for heavy blue and standard photon:

1" Dual Diffused Colored Day Blade
(Blade Size: 34", Day Blade Color: Heavy Grade BLUE, Tip Type: Round)
VVDDCDB 1 $41.00 USD $41.00 USD

Photon Blade™
(Blade Size: 34", Tip Type: Round, Heavy Grade Blade Substitution (will not be as bright as the Standard Blade) (adds $5): None)
PHTNGRN 1 $45.00 USD $45.00 USD


Edit: In the Day Blade menu, you can choose heavy grade in the color dropdown.

Thanks BoostinIX. I wonder if that's a recent addition to the dropbox as I don't recall having that option when ordered in December. How long ago did you order/receive yours? I suspect what I have incoming will be consistent to what Ex66 compared in his video, being a ThinWall. Remain hopeful that this will still return durability with duelling even if it's not specifically categorised as a Heavy Grade, rather a Standard Blade. Noticed the same applicable for the Photon also (from your EDIT) which may have been unavailable prior also.

I ordered March 30th for those. The photon is indeed neat, not sure what I'll use it for other than the occasional Bill Nye "SCIENCE!!! /point" vibes lol. I have a couple different green LEDs already Still handy to have. I might give the blue heavy blade a test this weekend.

BoostinIX wrote:
If I'm not mistaken, the lines are created by sanding the outside of the blade. Not sure more sanding would remove them.

Aaaah you're right, I forgot. I still could probably smooth them out with some 1k/2k grit... anywho. They seem decent enough otherwise. We'll see how they hold up to duels.

I think the type of finish we see with the (standard) Day Blade might have a purpose. I don't know what sanding might do to it. But under direct sunlight, those lines seem to give the sheen that my video was referring to, an apparent brightness. Whether this is deliberate by design or not, I don't know.