TOPIC: CR Guardian SF|Story so far. Pt III

OvrcAHst wrote:
You found out my secret I'm head of SaberForges sabotage division

All jokes aside, I'm confident when the saber is back in its intended state, it will be one of the best you own, certainly surpassing that US version (I don't understand the value of such large hilts, but each to their own)

TheGrandAdmiral wrote: Maaate, travelling to and from must be hectic with you being in UK?
Whilst it is a Crystal Saber sharing a perch with some others, it is the only one (for now?) that has an unscrewable reveal function and one that can be completely removed. Oh and surpassing the comparative one is easily achievable. Even in its pre-Footlong state it was better.

OvrcAHst wrote:

Ugh, I have got to stop doing this to you, haha. You know how many things have gone wrong because of me? Next time, I'm not going to scratch your hilt before it gets to you.

HotRod wrote: Not too many, over the grand scheme of things. Oh and it's okay if you do however just don't limit it to isolated areas rather make it more into an intended pattern so it doesn't stick out as an obvious sore point like a dogs jingle bells.

OvrcAHst wrote:
Gotcha, if you're going to scratch something, do it all over so it looks even. I agree with you.

HotRod wrote: Finishes=V1: Standard/Dual Tone; V2: Weathered; V3: Grey Weathered; V4: All Silver;
V5: All Black; V6-V8: HotRod Scratched.

Any updates so far, has it landed back at SF?

This is the Story as it happened, from there to here and then from here to there. All I can deduce is for some reason (excluding the Shipping Label Creation) for the actual Tracked movement, is it's faster going from here to there than from there to here.


Kinda defeats to the whole purpose of QuickShip.

Bubbled Guardian FootLong Update:
With never having experienced sending SF items back to Manufacturer with RMA, in response to an email I sent enquiring about its repair status, I have been advised that the process 'usually' takes a turnaround of 1-3Weeks. I recall reading that highest priority is placed on RMA Goods and the aim is to expedite all within 1Week, however I can't seem to find the reference material's source to verify it. In addition to my response, I was issued with a return Tracking Number and the movement appears to be immediate.

Anticipated delivery is guesstimated about this time next week. Hope the second chance fix returns favourable results..

I just got a saber back from RMA (my Consular), and the time it spent actually in the shop was about 1 business week. That is the 2nd saber I have had worked on via Warranty RMA, and the result was the same both times, a little over a year apart. So, they seem consistent in their turn-around process.

Brax wrote: That's interesting to know. Call me a stickler for negative perception, I interpret that as problems surrounding QA with outgoing Goods was a concern 1Year ago as much as it is now with only relative reduction. In a follow-on email reply I received and what became a concluded concern is consistent to:

Brady329 wrote: Whilst I raise the obvious question with how (specific to my Guardian) that it passed QA, moving on from that by acceptance without understanding why, the reassurance I received was the Repair was being handled personally by the Lead Technician. So when the Team Leader handles the RMA, turnaround is aimed for within 1Week with higher attention to detail but what happens when the rest of the Team (Contributors) handles it, is that where the (up to) 3Weeks comes into play. It's easy to quickly offer a return but if it's done right the first time, returns would be non-existent other than for Upgrades. But I digress.

Like a Song dedication, I just want it back.

A Guardian Footlong marked its return.


What I had hoped for (and remained optimistic about) was second time lucky however notso much. Like the imagined similar feeling of (not) Qui Gon feeling stabbed, with his Saber on the floor..

It's as if something that had fallen to the floor..


Had stayed on the floor until it is wielded by the Force. I have either Force deficiency or it's an intolerance to my diet.


Still works and is still a remarkable and favoured Hilt Design however definite flaws in the execution of CR Chamber and Function. My Listed concerns on my RMA had some addressed but others remained. It was documented as the following.


I had queried, given the imperfections, why another from available inventory wasn't used as replacement for the changeover and when the repair was completed simply return to inventory however: Computer says No.

The AV Switch was sorted and now has a slight raised surface pimple. Not a big deal as there is no confusion now experienced by it with whether it's an outy or an inny. The shroud topside & side edges remain sharp much too the underside milled windows. Have a date with Sandy to get it handling-friendly. The Crystal Chamber's & Blade retention screws set positions remain the same. It is what it is. Burying retention screws in the same real estate as the threads would be okay if it remained sealed /glued and didn't have the action of unscrewing it intermittently for the Crystal Reveal.

Perhaps this type of Crystal Chamber integration was a test run. It would have been more practical to incorporate the Crystal Function like the CR Thin Necks or even CR Ares. Between these types (regardless of springloaded or not) set screws don't share the same space as the threads.

The entire Body appears to have swapped out. The retention screws are still a little messy and what was 3 setscrews positioned 120Degrees apart is now 2 setscrews positioned 180Degrees apart. A matter than didn't exists before is the shroud itself. Granted the side hooks consistent to the design remain sharp (Sandy will have to integrate a manicure with the date) the upper part that wraps the switch section appears to have been crimped resulting in a reduced outer diameter. This creates friction when unscrewing for the CR Reveal against the shrouds inside surface and the Hilt/Emitters anodised surface.


Have decided not to pursue it any further. Am accepting as is and won't be entertaining another return. It's back now and with some intended edge softening to be done will have to be more conscious of the threads and the friction. A similar end-game to (not) Qui Gon. Made my peace, moving on.

I just purchased the last available Initiate / empty hilt of the Guardian Crystal Chamber on Etsy today. I shall get a saber-smith to install a Spark 2 sound, to clean up any raw factory finishes (easier with an empty hilt obviously) etc. I was never a fan of the Qui-Gon hilt but I like the SF version where the grooves with the switch are flat (as opposite to round, which just looks like a flash torch). A little mini-project over the next month or two.

Execute66 wrote: Hey! Nice buy.
So who's the 'smith you've got lined up for the install or is it Sidious Sabers? Will be interesting to review your feedback when you share it, specific to the number of retention screws used for the crystal chamber i.e. 3/120degrees apart or 2/180degress apart, and if assembly is still the same as the pre-builds with the screws buried into the lines of threading. Don't disagree with you about the torch-looking vs. torch-feeling reference. Be sure to file down the side hooks from the bodies shroud design or get yourself some thicker gloves.

OvrcAHst wrote:
Curious why the attention on the number of retention screws? I'm guessing the screws will probably be in the lines of threads because Initiates are just empties.

Execute66 wrote: Trying to determine the reasoning behind SFs think-tank. Mine started with 3 retentions (that created debris in the thread tracks) that was then redone and reduced to two (whilst lessening the debris, it's still present). It's not all too uncommon for some empties to be supplied with slight variances to the prebuilds which is where my curiosity stems from.

I'm guessing the screws will probably be in the lines of threads because Initiates are just empties.

Noted that they're empties, but I don't get what you mean?

I'm expecting to see retention screws to come with Initiates. I received my Acolyte Initiate a few weeks ago that came with retention screws (free Initiate, it was part of a discount program a few months ago).

Will let you know how may retention screws the Guardian Initiate has. If yours originally had three evenly spaced at 120 degrees apart, and then the replacement has two evenly spaced at 180 degrees apart, then that means the replacement two holes were drilled afresh without any intention of three holes, otherwise you cannot get three to be evenly spaced from first having two evenly spaced.

I meant to say earlier that because these are empties, cleaning up any raw factory debris is easier. Once that's nice and clean, electronics and other modifications proceed. I want a raised button like that shown in Jordan Moll's video. Looks closer to the "real thing".

Execute66 wrote: This much I know, as I wrote in my update Post... ... the confusion lies with, if after RMA they chose only two then why were there three when it came out from Production the first time. I don't disagree with you. It was the very same I wanted (as it was advertised by Daniel Lane). It begs the question why comment to PM the Seller with interest, questions and order confirmation when PM's don't get read. With (not so long ago) news that he's no longer with SF, the likelihood of them being read and replied are even lesser to non existent now to when he was with SF and didn't. Those PMs sent still sit as unread in my Outbox btw. So, obviously, I got it from Etsy where it has the segmented Red-lit AV.

I just noticed that one of the current Etsy photos, uploaded here, clearly shows one retention screw. Now if you take a look at Jordan Moll's video, there isn't a retention screw at the same spot. Don't know what that may or may not suggest.

Because yours is an Etsy Champion hilt, I would have doubted any chance of modifying the button. They ship as shown except for choices of color and sound color, as you know. In any case, for $351 more than an empty Initiate ($299), I can get at least as decent job done for less, I think. If I'm wrong, then feel free to post a huge anime of some hysterical laughter pointing at me.

Execute66 wrote: Etsy. Current. Photo. This reminds me of an exchange had not long ago about the very same subject matter with how accurate the photos really are. *insert double should shrug here* There wasn't any optimism with modifying the button. It was purchased from Etsy as listed when the other avenue returned nothing. Don't know about the pointing but if it's just to laugh, laugh together.