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Ultra Sabers Discussion => Ultra Sabers Reviews => Topic started by: DCE Digital Studio on May 15, 2019, 02:44:40 PM



Title: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: DCE Digital Studio on May 15, 2019, 02:44:40 PM
This may have been a mystery box, but the sentinel is not only my favorite, most comfortable to use, well balanced saber that I own yet.  Yes at the time of recording this video, it did belong to my son.  But, he recently got a Sentinel V4with the Obsidian Premium sound and we 'traded'.  This review is a bit on the short side, but I don't see the need to waste people's time by repeating myself over and over again.  I hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8bt1FbqDT0# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8bt1FbqDT0#)



Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: DCE Digital Studio on May 15, 2019, 04:28:49 PM
Looks like I can't edit this.  What I meant to say is that this mystery box has become my favorite.  I would never take it away from my son, but he traded up for another sentinel v4 (no windows) that has the premium sound.  It might not be the most expensive of the sabers available, but I would order 5 more of these.. Easily.


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: Malik Thanewulf on May 15, 2019, 05:29:03 PM
Really enjoyed the video. It's pretty cool that your family got in on this together. Everything I've heard about the Sentinel says it's a great saber to have. Closest I have is a Dominix LE v4. Thinking it is about time I grab a Sentinel. Point for the family fun.


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: DCE Digital Studio on May 15, 2019, 06:23:40 PM
Really enjoyed the video. It's pretty cool that your family got in on this together. Everything I've heard about the Sentinel says it's a great saber to have. Closest I have is a Dominix LE v4. Thinking it is about time I grab a Sentinel. Point for the family fun.
Thank you.  We currently have 3 sentinel sabers. I did use the shorter blades (26 inch I believe) along with the staff coupler on 2 of them and as a staff, it was so well balanced and very easy to control. Once I broke them down to dual blades, they seemed out of balance. As I pointed out in the video, the 32-36" blades with the weight and length of this hilt makes it feel effortless. I'd still like to try the Dominix and a few others for comparison. And the family doesn't mind helping me try out new sabers so win win.


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: Cyclops942 on May 15, 2019, 08:34:34 PM
Based on the values in the drop-down list box on the ordering pages, the standard blade lengths are 36", 32", 24", and 16" (with a GINORMOUS 40" blade also being available).

Having gotten the boring facts out of the way, the review was fun to watch (especially the sped-up parts where your family was in it), and I really liked the close-up views you provided of this one saber.  It's one (of the many) I'm considering buying next week.  I have enough funds for only one, so I want to be sure before I plunk down my cash.  This makes me more certain than ever that eliminating the non-LE versions of the v5 hilts I'm contemplating was the right choice to narrow down my options.  It just looks gorgeous with the contrasting silver and gold (and also the contrasting silver and black on the Dark versions, to be honest).

As far as ripping the label when discovering the hilt... yeah, I've been there, too (both in his position and in yours), and maybe you can instill enough nerd in him as he grows older that he'll eventually realize that there is also joy in the slower, somewhat more careful wrapping-removal process that protects the integrity of any writing.  In the meantime, perhaps you could make it a practice to take a picture of the label before you hand out any Mystery-Box hilts?  That way, it wouldn't really matter if he EVER decides that the writing is important to keep.


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: Karmack on May 15, 2019, 09:02:38 PM
I've wielded the Dominix V3, V4 and now V5 as well as the Sentinel V3 and V4, using both 32" and 36" blades.   To this day, the V3 with a 32" blade is still my absolute favorite for comfort and ease of handling.  The V4 is very close, but the natural grip point is also where the windows are.  Same issue with the V5, and honestly the claws make it a little more uncomfortable to grip, though if you hold it at the forward claw choke-point it actually works pretty well. 

That being said: For my money, they'll never surpass the simple elegance of the Aeon V3/Dominix V3 saber.   With a catalyst or dark catalyst pommel it is quite simply perfect.  With 36" blades, my version (which had a sound card in the hilt for that little extra counter-balance) feels almost weightless and moves effortlessly through one-handed and two-handed grips.

I would definitely give the Dominix V3 and/or V4 a spin.  :-)


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: DCE Digital Studio on May 15, 2019, 09:11:15 PM
With the last unboxing that I did (the game) and he was in the other room, I read outloud what was on the package so I had it on video at least. But to be completely honest, I used a defraction method to determine if it was multiple or single LEDs. Then it made it really easy.
It is a beautiful blue. I like the blues over the greens, but that's a personal choice. My spectre is the violet amethyst,  but I also have a yellow led to install (once I figure out how). Because this blue does have an almost black light quality around fluorescent colors, I've got some ideas with costuming that will make things really pop.
An aeon and dominix is on my list to try and buy as well. As for the hold point with the v4 and windows. My hand gravitates to the recess between the emitter and switch. But that might be because of the length of blade and balance.


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: Cyclops942 on May 15, 2019, 09:52:46 PM
I have owned an Aeon LE v3 stunt saber for five years now (pic below), and my hand just naturally goes to the center bulge in between the two choke points, where the switch is.  Yes, I have large hands, but they're not Shaq large (I typically need the "XL" size in gloves).  To me, grabbing it any closer to the blade feels wrong.  Based on how I read how you hold it, either I'm doing it wrong because I don't know the right way (entirely possible), or maybe I'm just different that way.

(http://i.imgur.com/gSEqQWK.jpg)


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: Karmack on May 15, 2019, 10:11:39 PM
That's where I grip my V3 as well.   Both the Aeon and the Initiate.  :-)  The V4s I tend to "choke up" on the blade and grip in the forward choke, where the windows are cut.


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: DCE Digital Studio on May 16, 2019, 12:33:39 AM
I'm trying to figure out how to share a picture while using my phone with no luck at the moment. I found that the most comfortable grip is my thumb and fore finger just on the blade side of the switch in the narrow channel. Maybe we are all talking of the same spot. I've used the 32" blades and a 36". Both feel fine, but with the shorter blade it ends up feeling heavier.
This weekend I will get some footage of using them both as a staff and single blade. My mother in law got some last weekend, but it was day time and...well...she is a horrible camera operator.


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: BatMike90 on May 16, 2019, 09:55:25 AM
Great review and to the point! I usually just ramble on about things everyone knows. I enjoy the shot of your son's fave lighting up with joy!


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: DCE Digital Studio on May 16, 2019, 11:09:43 AM
He loves his. We put in the blade plug and he curls up with it every night. I take it away after he has fallen asleep, but it truly fills him with joy and wonder.


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: Cyclops942 on May 16, 2019, 03:55:17 PM
I'm trying to figure out how to share a picture while using my phone with no luck at the moment. I found that the most comfortable grip is my thumb and fore finger just on the blade side of the switch in the narrow channel. Maybe we are all talking of the same spot. I've used the 32" blades and a 36". Both feel fine, but with the shorter blade it ends up feeling heavier.
This weekend I will get some footage of using them both as a staff and single blade. My mother in law got some last weekend, but it was day time and...well...she is a horrible camera operator.
You and I are talking about the same spot, I do believe.  My thumb and forefinger encircle the choke point closest to the blade, and my palm and remaining fingers surround the wide part containing the switch, flowing into the choke point closest to the pommel. Then when using it two-handed, my "off" hand just naturally fits below that, closer to the pommel.


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: MandaloriansPride on June 12, 2019, 01:49:18 AM
Cool vid!


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: DCE Digital Studio on June 13, 2019, 08:55:55 AM
Thank you.  I did record reviews for the other items that we opened that night, but I haven't had a chance to sit down and edit them into something presentable.  I've been busy working on a few other projects.


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: ScificommodoreJones on July 11, 2019, 02:50:52 PM
great review, the kids will be a good stress test, I personal ordered a mystery box for my grand daughter who happens to be 8 and 3/4 as she loves to stress the 3/4 bit. I'm sure she'll torture her saber, and find its limits if there are any within the parental limits my daughter placed on her


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: DCE Digital Studio on July 12, 2019, 04:36:40 PM
Aside from a few scraps from the concrete, the hilt and blades have held up great.  A bit sad that one of the extra blades that I ordered has had it's diffuser removed (my oldest son) and then crinkled up before being shoved back inside.  That's okay.  I plan on putting one of them thru a series of laboratory testing soon, guess it's going to be that one.


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: ScificommodoreJones on August 01, 2019, 07:07:28 PM
Aside from a few scraps from the concrete, the hilt and blades have held up great.  A bit sad that one of the extra blades that I ordered has had it's diffuser removed (my oldest son) and then crinkled up before being shoved back inside.  That's okay.  I plan on putting one of them thru a series of laboratory testing soon, guess it's going to be that one.

kids do the darners things , not a perfect replacement but florist cellophane rolled up on a dow rod is a cheap fit


Title: Re: Ultrasaber Sentinel LE V4 Review
Post by: DCE Digital Studio on August 05, 2019, 08:05:57 PM
Thanks for the tip.  So far we just haven't used that blade.  As I think I stated above, we do plan on cutting up and testing the bend ratio and compression strength of one of the blade.  But sadly, the 150K system went down and we need to wait for parts.  I'm sure I could test it up to the 5K pound system, but according to my prelimiary math (not an engineer), a 1" square cube (solid) of the blade material should hold about 13,000 pounds of pressure before failure. 
  Of course these blades are not solid, but I'd rather not have to do two tests because the system I first test it on doesn't have the capacity to break/bend the ultrasaber blade.  When I get it done, I will post it.