Saber Forum

Hi there, new-ish member, and first real post. Hopefully this hasn't been done already?

SO I'm not a fan of covertec wheels. I LOVE that they are included with my US, but it's just not for me. (Cosplayer, and getting into combat more and more). I wanted (and needed) something strong, so plastics were out, one hand release, and a ball joint (so it has more freedom of movement).

I happen to also be a photographer hobbiest. The spider holster system looked promising. I bought an offbrand version, and modded my US, and a couple hard ware parts...

(posting link to fb video as I can't figure out how to imbed a video here)
https://www.facebook.com/Cassidy.Roswood/videos/10155381248402950/


Anyway, lemme know your thoughts. It survived Youmacon all weekend, and so I'm fairly pleased with it.

-Cassie

Haven't had the opportunity to try one, but....

https://www.etsy.com/listing/254595718/saberlok-20

These are supposed to work with Covertec wheels.

D-rings are the way to go. Classic and reliable.

I saw that one! I just didn't trust the plastic. It looks to be Kydex or similar, which as it's soft. Good stuff for some things, but I don't trust a $300 saber to plastic, especially as I'm clumsy :P

I did see an aluminum one made in a different country that looked promising, but cost was too high. The clip I used was $25 on amazon if memory serves.


Edit: D rings are great, have them for a lot of stuff. But trying to match Ahsoka as much as I can/still be durable.

On a totally different note, I noticed your name Ms. Quinn. Are we to become natural enemies?  :P

I wouldn't think that the plastic would be any softer than that used in Covertec clips. Plus the downside to a metal clip is that it will scratch your saber. Plastic will not.

Food for thought

I'd assume the plastic is similar? It's a low heat thermoplastic is looks like, I use same kinda stuff for holsters and such. I just wouldn't trust it when it's so much weight on such a small area. I see it getting ripped out if I fall hard.
And scratching yeah. That was a concern, thus the steel plate (has 3 holes in it on the video) where it hits the attachement point/swings. It cant hit the pommel because of the plate and angle of the clip (though the steel plate gets dinged as well as the clip system part. But that can get beat, no biggie there.). :) I can get a better couple pics later showing how it restricts some but still allows movement. It spent about 6 hours on that belt, walking, running around the con. No hilt dings/scratches (though on that note, I want to weather the hilt a little).

Batmike: Lol, well... it is my legal middle name. So might be ^-^ Light, dark, or gray?

-Cassie

If I'm not mistaken, the Covertec is a polymer composite, which is exceptionally durable. There was a whispered idea a while back that US was going to experiment with composite sabers. Lighter and just as tough if not tougher than the aluminum.

The owner of Shapeways is a forum member. You can ask how durable their belt clips are.
https://www.shapeways.com/product/HN9T3PR2X/covertec-clip-style-1?li=gmerchant&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKCAiA6K_QBRA8EiwASvtjZc2b_GAfa9j_kg3NdW13Vv21RNfxVVvEUelc1AwF_Vqr_gdk8gUQTBoCRpgQAvD_BwE

I really like this system you came up with, any chance you could make a detailed tutorial?

that's damn nice looking. I may have forgone doing mine for less work involved. That I'd trust. I still wish it had more movement that one dimensionaly, especially as Ahsoka's sabers are right in front of her legs.

Borgishmorg: When I end up doing her smaller saber i can certainly do a tutorial. It's incredibly easy (if time consuming). If you have a drill press, taps (I used 1/4-20). It takes more time shaping the stainless into a ball than the rest of it (I don't have a lathe).


-Cassie

Not sure what you mean by "more movement."

The covertec wheels, being a single rotational point, can only rotate on a single plane.

While this one has some restrictions to keep it from damaging itself, the ball joint can move on multiple planes. Forward, back, and rotational like the covertec, and most things in-between (which can be adjusted by changing how far the screw sticks out, I have mine fairly close).

-Cassie

I got you. You want something that moves with your thighs as you walk? I clip the halves of my staff as I enter cons (less to draw attention on the streets). When located more to the front, the Covertecs allow my sabers to move toward my inseam as I walk. Sitting can be tricky though.

Yep, walk, run, fall, roll, etc. And her locations suck. Crossdraw? wtf Ahsoka. Puts sabers right in the front, with the tabbard. When I did a belt for a good friend who did Kenobi, that was easy as pie. Hip, done. But nope, Ahsoka has to be different. >.<
I gotta ask, you're a guy, doesn't inseam hurt? like... uh. Stuff?

-Cassie

Like much of what sucks in SW, practicality is generally sacrificed because....<ahem>......"It looks cool."

Kriff. I can't find an image of her with her sabers clipped. But you're a cosplayer. I thought the overall goal was to achieve image accuracy, not reenactment.

And no. I have a pair of Sentinels, so the emitters are simple. They just slide along my pant leg as I raise my thigh, and then effectively rest on my leg at the height of the step. They never actually touch the inseam. I just used that to indicate the general direction in which they rotated on the clip. My clips are spaced about 10-12" apart on my belt.

I'm one of those weird cosplayers that also likes reenactment... There's a theatrical combat group near me I'm hoping to join.
It's a mix in my eyes. *shrug*

if you find a pic of her, I'd love to see!

So you can see how far they are: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155344624417950&set=a.10150268832272950.336654.582932949&type=3 (still figuring this forum out)



-Cassie

Well........if you are reenacting combat.....then your sabers are unclipped and blades in. So what's the problem?

I found a couple of cosplays of the later seasons TCW version, and they depict her sabers clipped to the sides.

Lol fair. :P Sucker for placement? And reenactment isn't always sabers out. But I suppose it solved a problem that wasn't as big as i thought it was?


 Could maybe be the tinkerer in me? When I looked at covertec wheel options for mounts, I wasn't a fan of the options available/trust them, enough. And this wasn't a super difficult mod.


that's so weird, every ref image I worked from had them cross draw, and very forward mounted.

-Cassie

I try.

You would be in welcome company here. Not me of course, but there are plenty of others. I'm more of the innovative type than an actual fabricator. I'll happily pay for someone else to do the work.

Super limited budget, medical junk and adult responsibilities and such :( I have a local machinist, but rarely get to use him.

It's something I have to save up for, usually. Like my staff Project:BOOYA! was painted by Drahcir and then had doctored switches by Lord Canterbury.

Lol, yep yep. Last time was a 3 month splurge the wife eventually ok'd. This one. Well, either lost gray and wait, or random box and soon...

Meh. I will concede that it is far easier to save when you're on your own, but.....that just means you need to drag her into this madness. Then you can save together toward a mutual desire. ;D

Lol actually she's getting into ventress.... We had her sabers 3d printed. So....

I mean. Who doesn't love an Ahsoka/Ventress weird lesbian vibe? :P

The saberlok is made from ABS, strong and light!

True, but still only rotates on 1 axis, and having worked with ABS, I don't trust it for the application here. ABS is a soft flexible plastic. Especially as the thickness would need to be about 1/8 for the wheel to fit. Plus no latch system on that particular model.

So with all the factors. Light, latch, single handed operation, durable, multiple axis rotation. The covertec wheel didn't work (mainly the last point). Light is relative, as the clip itself is sintered, it really doesn't weigh much (to me) and  while Ahsoka's design is a bit silly, her belt design actually carries well very well and evenly distributed.

Are we talking about the same ABS? ABS is what they make LEGOs out of. Even thin walls don't flex very much. From my experience ABS is incredibly rigid and damn near impossible to break.

I'm saying as a rule of thumb, ABS plastics exhibit more flexibility than aluminum (as they are vastly different). There are also types of ABS plastics, the type shown looks like a lower tempt thermo plastic. As in, designed to have some flexibility built in. Look up riot grade armor. The thermo plastic used there is ABS, and works because it flexes vs being rigid (which tends to shatter/crack with).

ABS didn't fit my needs or wants. And as they don't have a ball joint style for sabers made in ABS, or even a fiber impregnated plastic, my materials were limited. especially as I didn't wanna pay my machinist friend to design and make it from scratch.
 https://www.makeitfrom.com/compare/Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene-ABS/Sintered-6061-Axx-6061-Aluminum