Hey Ultra Sabers forums!
Although I have lurked around the forums for a while now, this is my very first post. But what better way to make my first post, than with a review of my first Ultra Sabers lightsaber!
As someone on a budget, I decided to go ahead and order a grab bag saber to see what I could score. In truth, I was very undecided about which hilt to order… I really like them all, especially the Liberator and the Redemption! And picking a color… oh boy that was another challenge altogether! I think all of the colors are great… but I really like Guardian Blue and Arctic Blue. Anyway, I had a tough time deciding, so I figured I’d order the grab bag to see what I could get.
So last week I ordered my grab bag. I specified that I would like a metal hilt, since I like the “authentic look” that it gives the saber. I took advantage of the discounted blade price for the grab bag sabers and ordered an ultra edge heavy grade blade along with it.
After ordering, I received my shipping confirmation a day and a half later! Ultrasabers doesn’t mess around! It took a grand total of one week from my original order date for my saber to reach me. I live in Indiana, and I selected the standard UPS ground shipping method.
I was at work that day, and I couldn’t wait to get home because I knew my saber would be waiting for me there. Sure enough, when I got home there was a long box on my porch! I took it inside, ready to shred it open. All the while my wife is scrambling around for the camera, since she knew how excited I was to get my first saber. I was so anxious to see what I got from the grab bag! And wouldn’t you know it, the side of the box I opened first was the blade! I still couldn’t see the hilt. So I pulled it from the box, and there it was… a shiny new Liberator! I ripped it out from the plastic wrap, turned it on, and there it was, glowing in Arctic Blue! Epic win from the grab bag, I got exactly what I wanted! Let’s talk about this thing…
The Liberator HiltThe hilt is 11.5 inches long. It is 1.25 inches wide at its widest sections on the top and bottom. The middle section is concave, and is 1 inch wide. This makes this saber easy to wield one-handed or two-handed. This thing is beautiful. The aluminum gives it the authentic look and feel that people want. There is nothing “cheesy” or “toy-looking” about this saber! The hilt itself is not very heavy, and yet it feels extremely durable in my hands. The grooves in the pommel, handle, and emitter help to give the saber a very elegant design. Its not cluttered by any means, and at the same time it feels like it doesn’t need much of anything to be “perfect.” However, if you’d like to customize it, you would have plenty of customization options; from o-rings in the grooves, or rubber grips on the bottom section of the handle. The emitter is simply amazing and is easily my favorite part of this saber. The precision smithing with the grooves and the holes that let the light through keeps the overall design simple and elegant looking. The pommel screws off easily enough to access the batteries, yet remains firmly in place while spinning the saber all over the place.
The LED and ElectronicsThe Arctic Blue LED is BRIGHT!!! I had heard about how bright Ultra Sabers’ colors were, but even I was surprised by how bright this thing is! As you can see from one of my pictures, I first lit it up in an already well-lit room, and I could see the color clearly! Since it lit up so well in a bright room, I couldn’t wait to try it out when it was dark. Once again, it looks simply amazing. You really have to see it in person to truly appreciate how great it looks. The Arctic Blue looks great and can be seen in anything but direct sunlight.
My saber is powered by 4 AAA batteries. It did come with batteries, even though I did not request any (Nice little add-in US!). Right now I’m just using some regular disposable batteries. I need to order to AAA Eneloops for this thing. I have some AA Eneloops already, and I love them, so I look forward to the AAA’s. The power button on the saber is very nice. I especially like how it is guarded from my hand or fingers bumping into it and accidentally turning it off while spinning or dueling.
The Ultra Edge Heave Grade BladeThe UEHG blade is about 1 inch wide and is 36 inches long. Just by looking at it, you can tell its durable. Its made to bend and flex a bit on impact, yet remain strong! I have already hit myself in the head and leg a few times (as well as the ceiling fan, the coffee table, the chair, the floor, etc), and the thing is solid… and did I mention it can kinda hurt? Because it is the UEHG blade, it is heavy! With the blade attached to the hilt, the balance point is about 5 inches from the end of the emitter. While this does make the saber a bit top-heavy, I don’t really mind. It gives the saber some real momentum while swinging and spinning. I’m sure you could add a counter balance in the hilt if you wanted to, there is some room in between the battery pack and pommel.
ComplaintsI really don’t have anything to complain about with this saber. However, there are some things that people might find fault with. I’ve already mentioned the UEHG blade making things off balance. Like I said, I don’t mind, and it could probably be fixed with a counter weight or a medium grade blade. The other thing I would mention is something that has been mentioned in other reviews already: blade kink. It’s pretty much inevitable. I’ve got mine set up right now so that the blade is not angled in a kinked way, but sits flush on the inside of the emitter opposite of the retention screw. This gives the appearance that the blade simply sits off center by a little bit when viewed from certain angles. I find this solution to be the better compromise of the two options. The thing is, nobody can actually tell unless they get up close and really look it over. MOST PEOPLE WON’T NOTICE!
Overall Rating – 9/10I seriously love this thing!!! I have wanted a "real" lightsaber for the longest time. It kind of comes with the territory if you're a major Star Wars fan! The Liberator is a great hilt, and the Arctic Blue is simply amazing. If you get a Liberator, you will not be disappointed!
