TOPIC: Weathered Warrior 12w Deep Blue

Introduction
There are some saber designs which are instantly recognizable due to their association with famous (or infamous) characters from Star Wars lore and others which people are drawn to due to unique features or gimmicks. The Saber Forge Reliant is an intriguing design because it can only of a tangential association w/a minor video game character and has no hallmark design accents. It is an amalgamation of disparate saber design concepts and maintains simplicity of form that follows its function. The current Reliant build is a 2nd generation design which capitalizes on the popularity (at the time of its release) of the video game “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II” and retrofitted the design to be compatible with the emergent hilt standard that Saber Forge was developing for all of their sabers. The previous generation of Reliant had a design closer to that of the saber belonging to the Knights of the Old Republic character Kao Cen Darach.

Darach Inspired

Dual Tone Ver. 1


Lore
The design of the Reliant is inspired not by an actual “in-canon” saber but instead by a pair of sabers that only appeared in promotional material for the video game “The Force Unleashed II.” The main character, the clone of the previous game’s protagonist Marek Starkiller, is shown on book covers, video game box art, and in the graphic novel adaptation of the video game as wielding two sabers (from which the Reliant is derived) that never appear in the video game itself. Intriguingly most cosplay I’ve seen favors the promotional material sabers, a testament to the power of a striking image trumping the actual content from the media source. As such, this saber has no “real” lore as in the game the Starkiller clone wields sabers that look nothing like the Reliant.

Promo Image

In Game Saber


Dimensions
Length: 12.5”
Diameter: 5”





Overall Impression
I feel comfortable asserting that if not for the Gladius and the presence of the control box the Reliant could be the top Saber Forge dueling saber. Maybe it’s because of the control box (which I opted to have removed) that impedes a comfortable grip that the Reliant hasn’t found a wider audience. I’m very pleased with the amount of space on the hilt that allows a number of possible grips both single and two handed. Previous sabers I’ve reviewed (Sorcerer, Phoenix, Disciple, and Bane) didn’t have the necessary hilt space for a comfortable two handed grip so the Reliant is a welcome addition to my collection. There are two natural choke points, one at the base of the emitter and another halfway between the emitter and the leather wrap, that facilitate either the two or single handed grip. Fortunately this iteration of the Reliant design has smoothed edges so cuts are of little worry. Spins and transitions are simple and fluid because there is nothing on the hilt that impedes such movements. The leather wrap is a reliably secure place to have one’s hands placed.

Two Handed Choke

One Handed Choke



(cont. in next post)

Aesthetics
The Reliant possesses a simple, but pleasing, design. The shape of the emitter echoes the profile of a Graflex saber but is a separate component from the rest of the body. A large groove crosses the length of the emitter’s lip and if you opt for a weathered or gray weathered finish it is filled in a pleasing manner. The switch section contains several horizontal bands machined into the body of the hilt (which can also be filled in if weathered) and also has a red greeblie button that hides the LED retention screw. It has a very straightforward body which is simply leather wrapped. Finally the pommel is a hefty octagonal chunk which is also quite attractive when weathered. As you can see I opted for the regular weathered finish but requested that the weathering strip off as much as the black anodization as possible so my saber looked “aged” and not “evil.” I feel that this lighter weathering coupled with the brown leather wrap and the deep blue 12w LED is an attractive combination that also serves to display the machined in portions of the hilt found on the upper body and the emitter. I’m also comfortable in my decision to have the control box removed. In its place are two rounded and low profile screws.


Body Detail

12 w Deep Blue


Mechanics
Nothing fancy here. Pommel screws off to allow access to the battery and there is a blade retention screw towards the base of the emitter shroud. The only unusual feature the Reliant possesses is that the red greeblie button must be unscrewed to gain access to the LED retention screw.

Final Thoughts
The Reliant was my first purchase from Saber Forge and what drew me to it was it’s simple but robust design. Stripped of the control box it’s a comfortable dueler that transitions well from single to two handed wielding. I feel that its design is highly evocative of other sabers, an arche eidos (first idea/concept), a sabery saberness, a proto-saber etc. While it doesn’t incorporate intriguing design elements like most of the other sabers in the Saber Forge stable it is a solid option for those looking for a dueler and don’t like the Gladius.

absolutely gorgeous saber! The Reliant and Exile are the two that I'd most likely get in champion tier, did you get it in standard weathering or grey weathering? and I can't even begin to express how happy I am that the control box was an optional removal on yours, thats the only design flaw I had on it, I've never really been a fan of control boxes on hilts, I just hope that I can get it removed on mine when I order it

It's standard weathering but I asked for them to remove as much as the anodization as possible. They used to offer a dual tone model w/the Ver. 1 but that's no longer an available option. Options like control box removal are available through the SF website but not from their Etsy shop (typically).

Absolutely stunning saber! Love the reliant emitter. Went with a similar look for ASP.

This one (sans the control box) have always been at the upper echelons of my "gotta have" list. I have always appreciated it simplicity, and its lines. The predominantly straight saber, with the curved hood emitter. I just love it!

Great saber man! I will be designing one very similar in ASP parts so I can get everything I love about this design, without the box, and not have to wait 16 weeks or more for it once it is ordered.

Thats one beautiful saber. I totally understand the reasoning behind opting out of having the control box, but to me it loses something without it. That's just my preference tho, but either way deff a great saber and thanks for sharing the pics, the great backstory/review, and the option of removing the control box to achieve a better sparring saber.

I'm typically all about the "integrity of the design" (which is why I've order an Exhalted rather than another thin neck and remove the box) but the Reliant was purchased to fill in a hole in my collection as a viable two handed dueler. The Phoenix, Sorcerer Staff, Disciple, and Bane (the other sabers I currently own) are really not well suited to my body's specs for two handed dueling.

h2soy wrote:
First, I'm jealous of your current collection lol. Second, I think you made a great choice based on what you wanted/needed for your collection. It's still a beautiful saber, but most importantly your able to duel with it and fully enjoy the saber. I think losing the control box is deff worth that in this case.

love the zallow style of the first, all great models though