Canterbury Armory Episode III:
It took me a while to figure out the Introduction to this Review.
Part III of a Trilogy is always the toughest to crack.
Just look at George Lucas and the Original Trilogy; he basically just smushed together the end of the first two movies (in "A New Hope", the Rebels destroy the Death Star, in "Empire Strikes Back", Luke confronts Darth Vader) and made that the end of "Return of The Jedi" (the Rebels destroy the Death Star - again - AND Luke confronts Darth Vader - again.) And people complained that "The Force Awakens" was a rehash!
Author's Note: The above was written tongue-in-cheek; please don't freak out!
It worked out OK for him, but it got me thinking . . .
What do I have left to say? How do I end this Trilogy?I finally realized, it's not about WORDS, but how does getting a new UltraSaber FEEL?
WRITING about getting a new UltraSaber is like
DANCING about Architecture; it just doesn't convey the message.
So how does it FEEL?Well, it feels kinda like this:
No words necessary; that says it all!
Full review coming up just as soon as
Blademaster Sasha brings me my new
Dark Sentinel . . .
. . . thanks Sasha! I won't tell anyone I had to bribe you with 3 Meatballs and a game of "Siberian HuskyBall" before you agreed to do this.
Section 1 - Build SpecsHere's a rundown on my new Dark Sentinel so you know exactly what you're looking at . . .
Dark SentinelBlade Color: TRI Blazing Red
Blade: Heavy Grade
Blade Tip: Pointed
Emitter: Windows
Sound: Obsidian V4
Switch: Black Domed N-I AV Switch
*Pommel: Renegade Small
Covertec: Rear, Near Pommel
Blade Plug: Circle
* I actually ordered the saber with a Red-Illuminated Black AV Switch, but decided to change it to the one described above.
Section 2 - Aesthetics & Handling
I've seen this hilt described numerous times on here as a "utility model", suggesting it's heavy on Function and light on Form.
Here are my thoughts on that . . .
Personally, I think this is a great looking hilt, but to be honest, I do prefer a simple & clean design.
Why don't we take a look at the entire hilt, section by section?
Emitter 
The Dark Sentinel is a 2-piece hilt, meaning the Emitter & Body are a single unit with only the Pommel being removeable and MHS compatible.
I mention that because I do see a lot of people on here asking about getting a different Emitter for a V3/V4 saber; you simply can't.
You can, however, get any Sentinel variant with or without Windows, which is a $5 upgrade.
Personally, I like the Windows a lot and feel it's well worth the $5 upcharge - especially on an item that will last forever like an UltraSaber.
You can see how it looks illuminated in the following picture:
It's got a really solid look to it, and the blade sits deep through the Emitter and into the Upper Choke so it's quite sturdy on impact.
Blade Plug 
I got the Circle Plug with my Dark Sentinel; it's my current favorite blade plug. I particularly like the amount of depth the design appears to have when it's lit up.
The one issue, however, is it does allow more light through than the standard blade plug, so you'll still want to be careful about looking "straight down the barrel".
I know this because, me being me, I tested it by looking straight at it with the Circle Plug in and . . . yeah, I was seeing Stars for quite a while after that.
The Circle Plug is currently a $9 addition to your order (same as the other new designs) with the original, standard blade plug going for $6.
If you are placing an order for a younger child, I highly recommend you get the standard blade plug for them as it does a better job blocking the light from the high power LED(s).
Upper Choke 
This choke point is the sneaky MVP Feature of this hilt!
In my opinion, this is what makes the Sentinel the most comfortable in the UltraSabers arsenal to hold & wield and also makes it superior in comfort to it's older brother, the V4 Aeon / Dominix.
Why?
Well - let's just assume you were to get both with Windows.
You can use the choke point above to comfortably grip the hilt and effortlessly spin the saber with the Emitter & Windows fully exposed.
Now - let's take a look at the upper portion of an Aeon LE V4.
There's a really small choke point above the switch, but when using a full size Blade, the natural pivot point on the hilt for your primary hand when you spin is actualy the windowed-portion of the Emitter itself.
This is problematic because, even though the cutouts are finished nicely, they do rub the skin when you spin and it gets uncomfortable fairly quickly.
The easy solution of course is to skip the windows, but they do look spectacular.
The other thing I like about the Sentinel is with a 2-handed grip, the upper choke point on this is just so obvious & natural.
I find on the Aeon, I can't quite find the perfect upper grip.
Whether it's the small choke above the switch, the rings or right on the Emitter, I just personally can't find a spot that feels as natural as the Sentinel does.
This isn't to say it's uncomfortable - it isn't - it just doesn't feel as completely natural in my hands as the Sentinel does.
Button
This is the little personal touch I added to my new Dark Sentinel.
I've come to absolutely love the look of these domed, non-illuminated momentary switches!
They look fantastic and the actuator has a little more resistance than the standard flat AV switches which I think just feels a little cooler when you "ignite" your lightsaber.
My personal favorite so far for this simple mod is the Gold domed switch I put on my Graflex CE it absolutely stuns on that hilt!
As of this writing, Guarded Switches are still the Default on all Sabers with the option to upgrade to a Non-Illuminated AV Switch for $15 (Stunt or Sound) or an Illuminated AV Switch for $25 (Sound Only).
Personally, I recommend you
always spring for an upgraded switch, especially on an all-silver hilt since the Guarded Switch only comes in Black. Having a Silver, metal AV switch on the Silver hilt always looks much nicer than the Black plastic Guarded Switch!
Now, you may be wondering: "Why not just get the default switch now for no extra cost and change it later if I want to?"
Well - the reason would be the Guarded Switch hole is a counterbore that would need to be widened to 16mm if you want to change to an AV switch.
And given the material is T6 aluminum - you probably don't want to do it yourself unless you have a Drill Press. (It's gonna take you forever to do it with a hand drill - with a high likelihood that you are accidently going to scratch your hilt as the bit tends to jump when you fully push through. #StupidStuffILearnedTheHardWay).
Trust me - this will be money WELL spent!
Lower Choke 
I only use the lower choke for spinning when I'm using a 24" blade and employing a 1-handed grip.
So - not often, but it's nice that it's there!
Grip 
The Grip on here is really comfortable.
I call it a "Soft Grenade"; it's vaguely similar to the grenade grip from Obi-Wan's second hilt design but a lot smoother & easier on the hands.
Combined with the Upper Choke, the comfort of gripping and spinning this hilt is unparalelled.
Covertec Wheel 
I generally don't like covertec wheels on my sabers since I never Costume and typically find they get in the way of my grip, but, since I was otherwise loading this hilt up, I figured - why not?
(Or more truthfully - I got this to be my main saber, and just in case Princess Canterbury ever decided she wanted Darth Daddy to dress up with her - I figured I'd better have it available.)
Here's a pic of how it looks with the Wheel removed; I'm probably going to get a small black screw to cover the hole when I'm not using the Wheel.
Speaking of removing the wheel, this is probably a good place to mention the hex wrenches!
You'll need a 5/64 to remove the Blade and a 9/64 if you want to remove your Covertec Wheel.
US offers the option with every order to add a 5/64 to remove the Blade for $1.00.
I just bought the set in the picture for about $10 and they've come in handy for a lot of things - not just sabers. They are Long arm (US sends Short with your orders) and SAE which you need for all US components (never use Metric - you could strip the screw!).
In particular, if you own a Scorpion, you'll need a Long arm set if you have any designs on removing the Claw; you can't reach the screws with a short hex wrench.
PS - The sharper amongst you probably took note of my favored brand of tools. Of course that's my favorite!
Pommel 
Great looking Pommel, the Renegade Small.
I've called it UlraSabers new "Little Black Dress", because it's perfect for just about any occasion (hilt).
The only thing I go back & forth on is the width. Sometimes I like how wide it is and feel it adds some muscle to the hilt.
Other times, I do wish they made an "MHS" version that would sit flush with the V Series like the Scorpion MHS does.
It's worth noting though, based on the pics I have seen, that it appears wider than the Body even on it's native hilt - the Renegade, so that's by design in general.
Here's a couple more pics for you:
Blade 
This is the first time I've gone with the Bullet-tip and it's got me wondering . . . what took so long?
I love the way this looks!
The pic up top shows the Bullet next to the standard Round.
The pics below show you how each looks when illuminated.
Section 3 - ElectronicsSo . . . if you read my last Review, you know I didn't love what I got out of TRI Blazing Red my first time out.
Long story short - it turns out there were multiple factors in it not being what I expected, and at some point later this year, I'm going to take care of that.
In the meantime, I decided to go ahead and try it again, this time with the Li-Ion setup and I'm really glad I did!
Just look at the difference!
The regular Blazing Red is on the Left and my new TRI is on the Right.
Both of these have Li-Ion setups and are using the Blade from this Order, so it's a direct comparison.
I also took the pics seperately; I didn't want the Light bleeding onto each other side by side as that makes it harder to see the difference. Best to just collage them together after.
The TRI setup definitely produces a brighter, fuller looking Blade. In fact - the TRI setup w/ Li-Ion is going to be my "go-to" for almost all future purchases.
Currently, the TRI setup is a $15 upgrade and comes available in:
- Red
- Green
- Blue
- Silver (White)
- Orange (Amber)
Note that Flash on Clash is NOT available if you get the TRI option.
I also got the V4 Sound Card; it's awesome!
It comes pre-loaded with 7 Fonts & a Mute (8 slots total) that you can cycle through using the AV switch.
You can change any of these with a laptop via the UltraSabers software and the USB you see in the picture.
Personally - I use Obsidian & Mute the most, so I use the software to disable the other 6 slots. That way I can quickly just change between Sound & Mute.
PS - I particularly enjoy the warning about not using fire to dispose of Li-Ion batteries. I really wanna meet the moron who has a fire going in the fireplace of his home and decides that is the perfect opportunity to rid himself of some LITHIUM ION BATTERIES! (Then again - maybe I really don't want to meet that person.)
Section 4 - MHS Fun
Let's check out some of the many MHS Pommel options for the Dark Sentinel . . .
Scorpion MHS 
Dark War Glaive 
Archon 
Consular
Dark Catalyst
Section 5 - Ordering Suggestions
Hmmm . . . 8 standard color options.
8 Sentinel-model Build suggestions?
Sure. Why not?
"The Silver Knight" Blade: TRI Adegan Silver
Hilt: Sentinel w/ Windows
Switch: White Illuminated Silver AV
Pommel: Manticore Low
Notes: At some point, I'm definitely doing an "All Silver" hilt. It probably won't be this because I feel like I definitely have enough Sentinels at this point - but I like this Build a lot.
"A Song of Fire & Ice" Blade: TRI Fire Orange
Hilt: Dark Sentinel LE, No Windows
Switch: Blue Illuminated Silver AV
Pommel: Renegade SE Small
Notes: I'm not a big Fire Orange guy (outside of FOC), but I think the combo of the Orange Blade with all the Silver highlights on this variant & the Blue illuminated switch would be quite striking. Since the hilt is predominantly Black, you may want to request a Silver covertec wheel.
"Nomi" Blade: Sunrider's Destiny
Hilt: Sentinel w/ Windows
Switch: White Illuminated Silver AV
Pommel: Catalyst
Notes: Straight-forward & elegant, letting the unique color shine.
"The Dark Knight" Blade: TRI Guardian Blue
Hilt: Dark Sentinel LE w/ Windows
Switch: Domed, Stainless Steel N-I AV Switch#
Pommel: Renegade SE Small
Notes: This one may eventually have my name on it as the counterpoint to the Dark Side Sentinel of this Review . . .
"Black, Gold & Green"Blade: TRI Consular Green
Hilt: Dark Sentinel w/ Windows
Switch: Domed, Gold N-I AV Switch#
Pommel: Renegade Small
Notes: Love the visual combo of a Black hilt with Gold accents and a bright TRI Green blade.
"The Executor"Blade: TRI Blazing Red
Hilt: Dark Sentinel w/ Windows
Switch: Red Illuminated Black AV Switch
Pommel: Scorpion MHS
Notes: The Scorpion Pommel & Red Blade make this a fantastic Sith choice.
"BMF" Blade: Violet Amethyst
Hilt: Sentinel LE w/ Windows
Switch: Domed, Gold N-I AV Switch#
Pommel: Shock LE
Notes: Does this look like Mace Windu's hilt? NO. Will it make you feel like a BMF when you hold it? YES.
"Captain Cold" Blade: Arctic Blue
Hilt: Sentinel, No Windows
Switch: White Illuminated Silver AV Switch
Pommel: War Glaive
Notes: Another one I like for the Light Side variant; this seems like it would be really solid. Might like this even better than the Dark Knight!
