Phantom LE V3 Customizing

[Arcadius]

So, I just got my Phantom V3 a few days ago, and after a little while of enjoying the saber as it is, I started to think about how to customize it. This will be a work in progress, and I may need some advice on parts of it.

Step 1 is currently in progress: I took some darkish green yarn I had left-over from a project, and decided to see how it would look wrapped around the grooves of the hilt. To my joy, it looks quite stunning, and helps improve the grip quite a bit - before and after pics below:

Before:


After:



The only problem I'm having is that the knots I'm using to keep the yarn rings on keep coming undone... and I'm not sure how to fix that, while still keeping the look nice and neat. I know that using paint or nail polish is an option, but I like the feel of the yarn for grip and want to keep with that if possible.

Step 2 will likely involve some leather wrapping (not sure where), as well as finding a way to increase the width of the battery packs to stop them from shifting around so much. I'm using some cloth and yarn for the time being, but I'm thinking of switching out for leather at some point (this will make replacing the batteries a lot easier. I'm using the li-ion setup, so the pack is likely a bit smaller than normal. Any suggestions on how to solve both of these problems would be greatly appreciated.

Step 3 will likely involve installing a D-ring somewhere on each saber - possibly on the pommels (especially if I put a different pommel on them as I intend to), or maybe as part of a wrapping elsewhere. If I opt for new pommels, I'm thinking the Dark Catalyst's pommel or something similar... I'm not certain how good big pieces will look on the simplicity that is the Dominix handle.

Overall, I don't want to do anything too permanent - especially should I choose to send the saber back to have sound installed. But at the same time, whatever I do needs to be tough enough to stand up to dueling/practice.

Any suggestions would be appreciated - particularly ones that would work well for a Sith's saber.

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

Did your battery packs not come with velcro wrapped around them?

[Arcadius]

They did, but it didn't help much... there was still to much space in between the pack and the inside walls. Why, is there another spot with velcro on it that the pack is supposed to stick to or something?

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

They did, but it didn't help much... there was still to much space in between the pack and the inside walls. Why, is there another spot with velcro on it that the pack is supposed to stick to or something?

The velcro is supposed to help keep the batteries in obviously, but it also protects it.

Since there is no sound board it has a lot of room to move up and down, so we put tissue or w/e else works in there.

Even though there is still space between the pack and the wall if you push the pack in until you can fit a couple tissues into the bottom. That will keep it from sliding up and down and the tissue is soft enough not to hurt the saber and cushon the battery pack.

[Arcadius]

I wasn't aware of the protection part of the velcro. Do you think that the soft cotton wrapping will work in its place? Once I'm no longer running around for the holidays, I'll try the tp trick.

[Arcadius]

Step 1 is effectively done - I used a small amount of hot glue on each knot to properly secure it. The rings are steady, but unfortunately the part where the glue dried is a bit uncomfortable to the touch. With time I can probably get used to it, or I can use the fingerless gloves I own to make the problem inconsequential.

I still might try some leather somewhere (not sure where it would look appropriate with the yarn rings), but step 2 is definitely going to involve claws. I picked up two war glaives and two (supposedly) standard ravens. The basic idea behind the claws will be one war glaive and one raven per saber, on either side of where the retention screw is. I'm not that pleased with the raven's as they are, and they seem too long for the standard claws - but with the help of a friend this Friday, I may be able to bend them a bit to make them look good on the saber. I'm hoping for a look that is more menacing, and that the bends will reduce the length of the raven claw. (Obviously the bending will happen before we drill and tap the holes to attach them - I'd hate to have unwanted holes should the bending attempt fail).

It'll be sometime before I attempt step 3, but I'm pretty sure I'll be sticking to the Dark Catalyst pommels should I decide to switch pommels. That step shouldn't be too complicated though.

Incidentally, Kham - the tp works beautifully, and is way easier to remove than the old wrap system had been.

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

Incidentally, Kham - the tp works beautifully, and is way easier to remove than the old wrap system had been.

I have tp in a few of the sabers i didn't have foam for.