Dark Sentinel v4: First attempt at weathering

[Starflicker]

So this is my first attempt to weather a saber. Started with the inexpensive Dark Apprentice v4 that I received as a Grab Bag saber.

I think it turned out well.

It has a green blade, so I am not so sure what to think of a Consular who walks in carrying this.



Here is link if photo doesn't work. https://imgur.com/a/p1G7Ei7

Love to have some feedback. I doubt this is the final product for this hilt, but I am not sure what I going to subject it to next.

[Cyclops942]

Here you go.

[Saso Is-kor]

So this is my first attempt to weather a saber. Started with the inexpensive Dark Apprentice v4 that I received as a Grab Bag saber.

I think it turned out well.

It has a green blade, so I am not so sure what to think of a Consular who walks in carrying this.



Here is link if photo doesn't work. https://imgur.com/a/p1G7Ei7

Love to have some feedback. I doubt this is the final product for this hilt, but I am not sure what I going to subject it to next.

Looks great! For your next step have you seen what some people have done by actually exposing the LED chamber? It takes a bit of work but the result when the saber is illuminated is a glowing crack or gash that looks like severe battle damage.

Like this:



and

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh_SlOVhu5U&amp;feature=emb_logo" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh_SlOVhu5U&amp;feature=emb_logo</a>

I used a Google search to find both results, probably would have taken forever to sift through the Customization topics to find them. There's another one that  I recall that had a green blade and looked as if it had been through a Death Star explosion but I couldn't locate it. That has always been one of my favorites, I'll post it up if I can spot it.

[Starflicker]

First, I apologize for getting the saber wrong, it is a Dark Apprentice v4, not a Dark Sentinel v4. I know some folks find such mistakes annoying.

Second, Thanks for helping with the picture. I am still figuring out the imgur thing, it is a work in progress.

Third, I was considering the exposed LED chamber, but I am weighing the ways to do it. Likely need to drill it out then add blast/shatter lines. I have seen it on some and it looks nice, but I would like it to look right...  an actual impact rather than a hacksaw cut drill hole. You can see a sort of X mark where I had intended to start, but wasn't certain on the tools at the time.

I have a large selection of tools, but I am not used to dealing with aluminum so thought it best to procede carefully.

Oh and as to what was used already: Various Sandpaper (60 to 320 grit), a Metal File, and a hacksaw blade

[Saso Is-kor]

First, I apologize for getting the saber wrong, it is a Dark Apprentice v4, not a Dark Sentinel v4. I know some folks find such mistakes annoying.

Second, Thanks for helping with the picture. I am still figuring out the imgur thing, it is a work in progress.

Third, I was considering the exposed LED chamber, but I am weighing the ways to do it. Likely need to drill it out then add blast/shatter lines. I have seen it on some and it looks nice, but I would like it to look right...  an actual impact rather than a hacksaw cut drill hole. You can see a sort of X mark where I had intended to start, but wasn't certain on the tools at the time.

I have a large selection of tools, but I am not used to dealing with aluminum so thought it best to procede carefully.

Oh and as to what was used already: Various Sandpaper (60 to 320 grit), a Metal File, and a hacksaw blade

Yeah taking your time is the way to go if you are just getting into weathering. Great thing about theses forums is loads of people have tried various techniques so you can benefit from all the knowledge stored here. 

[mrg149]

bold work…pointage

[Starflicker]

So the spot I selected for the emitter exposure is too far down the hilt. I would be making a hole below the LED. So I will need to do something else.
As a compromise I have made that spot a nice (IMHO) battle scar and added some florescent yellow paint to the scar to simulate a kind of weird acid burn. Still waiting for the paint to dry before snapping pics, but I will post something.

With the amount that I have scuffed up this hilt, I don't really want to do the emitter exposure. Not for this one anyway, I like it the way it is.

I need to order a couple more grab bags so I have a couple low cost hilts to experiment with.

Also I am working on a back story for the saber. I have a difficult time believing a Consular's Saber would ever get that scuffed without a repair or a replacement unless bad stuff was happening. Jedi are professional people and they look after their tools, so this thing has to have seen some serious mileage. I know that saber crafting is personal and the sabers have emotional attachments for the user, but there needs to be (if only for my own sake) a reason for one to be so damaged and not have something done about it.