Simple question: if you have a separate Flash on Clash color, but have the Mute font selected, will the FoC color still flash with impacts or when the switch is pressed for lock up?
FOC will still flash on impact, as it's activated by force of the impact, not what sound font is selected. I'm not sure about lockup, as that involves both sound and FOC, but I would think it would still flash.
Second question: assuming the above is doable, are there any consequences to activating the saber and just leaving it in Lock up?
Sort of a way to 'cheat' a quick pulse mode without having Emerald. But would that put too much stress on the LEDs to make them eventually burn out?
Eventually they would burn out. I'm not sure how long that would take. I'm guessing that it's partially going to depend on how long you leave it in lockup. A few minutes? Hours? Days? Constant forever? I know from normal use the LED's last 6+ years at a minimum, probably longer. While that is not with constant use, it is with regular weekly full speed, full contact sparring. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure I've ever heard of one of the LED's burning out. I'm sure it's probably happened, but I'm not sure I've ever seen a post about it.
If you're going to have it going for an extended period of time, I suggest a recharge port so you're able to have it plugged in all the time as well, otherwise you're going to go through batteries VERY fast.