TOPIC: Why does Saber Forge takes so long?

Well I believe it used to take that long, until the movie came out and literally everybody and their mother wanted a lightsaber, plus the massive influx of orders from ASP. But I think the main cause was the new movie coming out.

Well, from what I've read it always took this long. Even before the movie came out.

tfaust wrote:
They're not some huge corporation with 100's of employees working 24/7; they recently hired 20 some people to deal with all the business the ASP Kickstarter brought in(which also required a new facility to be built), but before that they had maybe a total of 8 employees. So yes, it may not take a long time to put the saber together, but due to the volume of orders they receive on a daily basis (even before the huge influx the movie brought in), it can take a while before they get to your order. And that's not including if they are out of the parts you want and they have to get more; to keep costs down, they have to place huge orders with the company that machines the hilt parts, which then takes a long time. And after the parts are made they still need to be anodized, and if they need weathered sabers the anodizing needs to be stripped.

TL;DR: small company w/quality product + large orders = long wait.

They are a small company trying to expand in a very heavy market.

Not a lot of employees + a ton of orders (even before movies) + Quality product = Long turn around.

They are trying to work on the first part of that equation without sacrificing the others. Personally I am ok with the wait, knowing that my Saber will be worth it.

Jaden Korr wrote:

Yes, I get that the are a smaller company and have to order parts in bulk and whatnot, but I still feel that the wait is pretty long considering the premium they charge. One would assume the price would be so high so that they can make up for the constant shipments of parts they need to order. Even if they have a back up of orders, with a few dozen employees it really shouldn't take that long. Each week they can order parts based on the orders placed that week, and once the parts are all there the next week or two it shouldn't take more than a few days to assemble and ship the product. I'd say with some leeway that'd be about 5 weeks.

Let me try to put it in a way you will understand.

Believe me, at first i was irritated by the lead time i was told i would have to wait. Then i started watching the reviews and seeing first hand the quality of the work. I came to realize that anything made or assembled in America is worth the wait. I'd rather have them take their time on the product and have it be a quality job then it to be thrown together in 2-3 days/weeks. So while i have ordered somewhere in the neighborhood of $300-$400 of lightsabers, I know the wait is worth what i spent and i will get my investment back in a quality product that won't break apart the first time i use it.

The parts are expensive.

We have some of the most affordable prices on the market for custom, hand-made sabers. The quality we offer, combined with the aesthetics, would usually be found for much HIGHER prices on a hobby market. We work the way we do with low overhead to reduce costs. The more overhead, the higher the costs. It's basic; we do quality work with low costs. Start pricing out some other smiths and you'll quickly realize that we do not have high prices comparatively.

If you want the best saber in the market, then you kindly wait. The service is also sincere and we share a common passion for the hobby. It's wonderful that we have quality sabers like this today. There is no other company that takes the time to craft each one at this price.

As Knytiri mentioned above, the prices here aren't that bad in my opinion.

If you go and look at the more higher priced companies, their products don't look all that much better or original. I think Saberforge has some of most beautiful designs i've seen from any of the many companies i've looked at, including the really expensive ones.

In fact, the prices here aren't really all that different from the other similar "tier" company, yet the product here is so vastly superior it can hardly even be compared. The only thing the other company has going for it is that you get your saber in a week or two and they seem to have far more employees which means the customer service is more speedy and helpful. But as a result, you get a more "off the assembly line" type of product that lacks the beauty and inspired design of every single Saberforge saber. There literally isn't a single design on this site that I don't find absolutely gorgeous, whereas the other company has an entire catalog full of designs that look to me like flashlights with a fancy glowstick at the end. There are a handful of good looking pieces over there but still, the difference is massive.

And so we wait. We wait for a superior, beautiful product made by a small team (for now) that likely takes far more pride in their work than the other companies. The wait is agonizing. But the result will be priceless.

I was wondering about the amount of time it takes as well. My friend ordered a saber from another site and had it in around two weeks just recently.

I like the idea of the ASP since the Saberforge saber that I like has a hilt that I do not like but Im not sure Im willing to wait as long as I fear it will be before they are available. Also my buddy had a great experience with their customer service and Im hearing so many complaints about not being answered and no where to get info here it makes me a tad hesitant.

Welp, you just got a response, mark that one off your list...

And no where to get information? Have you tried the FAQ?

Our lead times are currently 6-8 weeks (and are updated regularly on the website and kept accurate).

DarthTtocs wrote:
Kyntiri just answered the wait time, but yes, Saberforge does take a little while longer than some others. This is because of the high amount of craftsmanship that they put into their sabers. Their work really is top-notch. Also, their customer service was backed up, but still able to answer back within 5 days. I emailed them last week, however, and they replied in a day and a half.

Cool, and dont get me wrong Im not trying to pick on anyone its just business as they say. I can only judge on what Ive seen and heard.

The only personal experience I have is with the other company through my buddy and the quality of his saber. All I have from SF is what Ive read. Though I have heard through the grape vine that the guys at East Coast Sabers swear by SF. When I asked where to get a saber they said you guys.

I have done business with the vendor that turns orders around in a couple of weeks. Without getting into any specifics, what you pay for a "feature comparable" SaberForge model is equal to, or less than this specific competitor. As for the shorter lead time, 6-8 weeks for the more intricate/detailed SF designs is well worth the few extra weeks.

I agree with the 6-8 weeks. I actually dont find that too long to wait.

My thing is I like the venom saber but dont care for grenade hilts,hehe. So to get a venom with a different hilt I have to wait for ASP which to me seems like its going to be a bit of a wait. So, Im struggling with do I get one now and have it within the month or wait and see "when" i would be able to order what I really want through ASP.

I always recommend waiting to get EXACTLY what you want if the option is there. A little patience pays off down the line when you get the saber you always wanted without having to compromise.

Or you can hit up Justin P. at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. And talk to him about your custom venom.

Drahem has a good point. Justin might be able to hook you up. He's done work for both of us an he has access to many goodies.

I don't want to sound condescending because Im really not trying to be. But you really have to hold a saberforge saber in your hands and feel the quality before you'll understand why it takes awhile.