My Custom Mantis "Regal"

[JdiKnhtJMH]

I had long put off purchasing a Mantis from US. Even considered going to some of the other guys to get a light side curved hilt. However, with my confidence in saber customization growing and a fantastic sale from US, I decided to grab one up and see what I could do. The Mantis is a bit large and stocky for a single handed curved dueling saber which is what I wanted, so my first step was to take the blade and run a circular saw right through the emitter, removing the tulip like part. my next step was to turn to the other side of the saber and remove the spikey ring from the pommel to create just a simple smooth round pommel. Then I got rid of the shroud behind the emitter. Bit by bit stripping the saber down to the bare essentials.

Fun fact about the LED module on curved ultrasabers: the curve is maintained inside and outside the curved piece, so the LED doesnt go in that piece, it has to go in the emitter. This requires a big old emitter, and I couldnt have that, so I took the module out and made my own special module for the LED that would fit inside the curved part, giving me plenty of room for my blade to sit in the now smaller emitter. Next I decided the shroud behind the curve had to go too. That was tricky. I twisted the rear of the saber off but the shroud could only go forward, not come off on the pommel side... So I cut all the wires, removed the shroud, and reattached everything. Did a leather wrap and a gold band on the curved part too and added some cap head screws for accents.

Added some cool gold paint on my screws, the holes in the pommel and the covertec wheel, and then I decided for a finishing touch to add the spikey ring from the pommel to the emitter to give it a bit of character and a wider guard. Used an O ring and some J B Weld and here we go, all done. I turned a big saber into a slim, trim, single hand dueling machine!

[Zren Tobas]

Nice. I have a black Guardian pommel I'd like to do that to, how did you make the sides all smooth? Like smooth to the edges of the pommel to where there isn't any sharp areas as to what I'm seeing?

[JdiKnhtJMH]

Just a bit of light sanding at the right angle will usually soften an edge like that, doesnt take much.

[scifidude79]

That's a really cool mod.  It almost doesn't look like a Mantis anymore.

[Isola815]

I can appreciate how much work went in to this so definitely a point for the undertaking, but unfortunately for me you've taken away everything that makes the Mantis so damn good.

[JdiKnhtJMH]

That's a really cool mod.  It almost doesn't look like a Mantis anymore.

Haha thanks, yeah it was pretty drastic.

[JdiKnhtJMH]

I can appreciate how much work went in to this so definitely a point for the undertaking, but unfortunately for me you've taken away everything that makes the Mantis so damn good.

I guess thats where we differ, I wasnt a huge fan of the Mantis, I just wanted something streamlined and light for single hand wielding. It isnt quite as stylized but its certainly easier on the hands now. I was close to keeping the rear shroud but I really needed to trim down the diameter.

[Isola815]

I guess thats where we differ

Absolutely, because for me it was perfect for one handed fast speed work between a stock Mantis and the Aeon V2 it's a toss up for me as to which one would make the perfect form 2 saber.

[JdiKnhtJMH]

Absolutely, because for me it was perfect for one handed fast speed work between a stock Mantis and the Aeon V2 it's a toss up for me as to which one would make the perfect form 2 saber.

Even after slimming it down to the bare minimum, my Mantis is still a little bigger than my curved Reaper, which I would say is my favorite form 2 saber, though even that needed modifications.