Catalyst review

[Kailthir]

Ok guys here we go, down and dirty, no bs review of the Catalyst. Pros and cons...

Pro's
-Hilt design: Sleek and elegant. Minimal features for a functional saber. The choke and the emitter are the points of interest here. More on that later. This hilt looks beautiful. NO knobs or activation boxes getting in the way of your hands, or throwing off the balance. Truly a fuctional hilt with the duelist or exhibitionist in mind.
-Choke point: The main feature of this hilt. Feels natural in your hand. Perfect for spinning or precision blade work of power attacks. To be honest... feels like a part of my hand. Very very comfortable.
-Emitter: Love the 4 prong look. Looks like the saber means business.
-Weight: This thing is FAST. The hilt is very light so it doesn't take much to manipulate it. For advanced duelers or spinners.

Con's
-Emitter: It is shallow. It comes with one blade retention screw. Doesn't feel like its enough, so I ordered 3 extra blade retention screws for added stability and asthetics. Gives the emitter a symmetrical look with a screw on each prong. Cost me $30 extra. Well worth it.
-Hilt vs Blade weight: Definitely a blade heavy saber. With an HG blade the balance point is 3" above the emitter. The emitter is 2" itself so do the math. With a 32" it is about 2". Not sure how this could be fixed. Not sure if it can be.
-Grip: There is no grip. A few grooves cut into the hilt on the lower 2/3 but it doesn't provide any real grip. With as fast as this saber is, maybe some rubber O-rings in the grooves.

Over all. this is my favorite hilt so far. It's fast, very fast, although blade heavy. The choke point (the main feature) is the natural grip point for the lead hand. This hilt wants to be spin and dueled with... no that's not right... This hilt DEMANDS to be spun and dueled with. And it does it with superb efficiency. Again its a fast hilt that is blade heavy and has little grip, so be careful cause it can get away from you if you are not paying attention. I recommend this hilt. A 4.5 out of 5. Would be a 5 except for the weight distribution. The retention screw issue I fixed but again it cost me $30.

Opps sorry I can get to Imgur to download the pics. Am at work and its a blocked site. Will post pics when I get home.

[Faith Caine]

Great review of the Catalyst, I have one myself and absolutely love it. Mine still has the single retention screw for the blade, but it still holds rather well. I thought my Aeon LE v4 was fast, this makes it look as if the Aeon is sitting still. +1

[Kailthir]

Great review of the Catalyst, I have one myself and absolutely love it. Mine still has the single retention screw for the blade, but it still holds rather well. I thought my Aeon LE v4 was fast, this makes it look as if the Aeon is sitting still. +1

I didnt want to take the chance with the shallow emitter. Read and watched a few reviews and that was a concern in them so i nipped it in the bud before i got it.. just incase. I agree with your assesment of the Aeon slow in comparison. Seriously this hilt is like The Flash fast. I could tell by pics that it would be a great spinner but didnt realize the precision one could have in dexterous hands. And the speed one could work the blade. I may down grade to a MG blade to bring the ballance point to the emitter. Either way this hilt is wickid awesome. COULDNT BE HAPPIER WITH PURCHACING THE CATALYST!!

Am going to add O rings in the grooves and leather strips between them for added grip and asthetics.

[Faith Caine]

I'm going to add O-rings to mine as well, a few times it's almost slipped from my hand while spinning it. Thank god I have the covertec wheel to help keep that from happening.

[Corwyn VonBeck]

Might consider changing out the pommel for something a little weightier to help with the balance. SOmething flared could help tip it back toward the emitter, and also give a catch point if it tries to slide away from you.
Takes away from the sleek likes, but with the right pommel it might just come together perfectly. Consular would give a little flair to the base and some added weight, or go all out and go guardian or scorpion if it needs that much to balance it out.

[Rapine]

Great review Kailthir!

Very informative and well organised.

+1

[Kailthir]

Here are the pics I promised



...and a shot showing the extra screws on all the prongs

[Lord Bladewraith]

Ok guys here we go, down and dirty, no bs review of the Catalyst. Pros and cons...

Pro's
-Hilt design: Sleek and elegant. Minimal features for a functional saber. The choke and the emitter are the points of interest here. More on that later. This hilt looks beautiful. NO knobs or activation boxes getting in the way of your hands, or throwing off the balance. Truly a fuctional hilt with the duelist or exhibitionist in mind.
-Choke point: The main feature of this hilt. Feels natural in your hand. Perfect for spinning or precision blade work of power attacks. To be honest... feels like a part of my hand. Very very comfortable.
-Emitter: Love the 4 prong look. Looks like the saber means business.
-Weight: This thing is FAST. The hilt is very light so it doesn't take much to manipulate it. For advanced duelers or spinners.

Con's
-Emitter: It is shallow. It comes with one blade retention screw. Doesn't feel like its enough, so I ordered 3 extra blade retention screws for added stability and asthetics. Gives the emitter a symmetrical look with a screw on each prong. Cost me $30 extra. Well worth it.
-Hilt vs Blade weight: Definitely a blade heavy saber. With an HG blade the balance point is 3" above the emitter. The emitter is 2" itself so do the math. With a 32" it is about 2". Not sure how this could be fixed. Not sure if it can be.
-Grip: There is no grip. A few grooves cut into the hilt on the lower 2/3 but it doesn't provide any real grip. With as fast as this saber is, maybe some rubber O-rings in the grooves.

Over all. this is my favorite hilt so far. It's fast, very fast, although blade heavy. The choke point (the main feature) is the natural grip point for the lead hand. This hilt wants to be spin and dueled with... no that's not right... This hilt DEMANDS to be spun and dueled with. And it does it with superb efficiency. Again its a fast hilt that is blade heavy and has little grip, so be careful cause it can get away from you if you are not paying attention. I recommend this hilt. A 4.5 out of 5. Would be a 5 except for the weight distribution. The retention screw issue I fixed but again it cost me $30.

Opps sorry I can get to Imgur to download the pics. Am at work and its a blocked site. Will post pics when I get home.

Here are the pics I promised



...and a shot showing the extra screws on all the prongs

Nicely detailed review - the best kind! +1 incoming ... I appreciate the work and time you poured into that and especially the photos of the emitter with the extra set screws. That's definitely the way to go I think with the Catalyst, the way I'll go for sure (maybe with black set screws for the Dark Catalyst though) and I'm sure your helpful idea here will inspire many to do the same on new Catalyst orders. I think Ultra Sabers should default to at least 2 set screws (one on the left and right sides at least) and then one could still opt for the additional 2 like you did if they wanted. It's a very nice looking saber and the size proportion you demonstrate in the photo is very helpful to me as well. Personally I think I might ask US to lower the AV switch down further on the hilt closer to where the grip section begins to give a little more around the choke point for gripping there.

[Corwyn VonBeck]

nice pics... my pommel pics were based on the dark version... woulnt go so well with what you actually got.
old & senile, I am!

[James Casey]

Good review, and I agree with most of the points you've raised, positive and negative - the Catalysts are among my favourite hilts, but definitely feel a little more delicate than something like a Manticore. On that note, though, a high-profile Manticore pommel may work on a Catalyst as a gripping point at the base.

I'm a little surprised you have any grip issues given how solidly it sits in my hand at the choke point, but if you're not gripping there perhaps that's where the issue arises. It's definitely a 'sabre for fast work, I think, rather than a bruiser like the Scorpion or Guardian.

[Kailthir]

Good review, and I agree with most of the points you've raised, positive and negative - the Catalysts are among my favourite hilts, but definitely feel a little more delicate than something like a Manticore. On that note, though, a high-profile Manticore pommel may work on a Catalyst as a gripping point at the base.

I'm a little surprised you have any grip issues given how solidly it sits in my hand at the choke point, but if you're not gripping there perhaps that's where the issue arises. It's definitely a 'sabre for fast work, I think, rather than a bruiser like the Scorpion or Guardian.

I am not having a problem persay. In my opinion it could be a potential problem with it being blade heavy and being a very fast saber. More or less a warning that the saber could get away from you while spinning and flipping or transferring from one hand to the other if your not careful.

[bigBear]

 a heavier pommel could solve the balance point. nice review though

[Jeadus Teal]

Your Catalyst is very nice indeed Kailthir. It is a saber that I would like to get in the future.