What's the difference between the Blade types? What's the best blade type?

[loosekannonn]

My prediction:  I think its going to be REALLY heavy, way to blade heavy for spinning, and very dim & unevenly lit...

How do you know this?
I haven't said what specific brand or type of Silicone I may try this with;
so your assertions are based upon what?

[eerockk]

How do you know this?
I haven't said what specific brand or type of Silicone I may try this with;
so your assertions are based upon what?

I think I can answer this. For the most part, I agree with the hypothesis to a point, but the importance of the points really depends on how you intend on using this blade.

A regular heavy grade adds a good deal of weight to the blade side for balance. I've accounted for the added weight when I learned how to spin a saber. I added a TCSS emitter (to the blade via retention screw just above my emitter), and the result was a saber that became slightly awkward to spin. Regardless of the material, the blade's extra weight will bring a heavier balance shift towards the blade end. This would only affect spinning the saber, but not the dueling aspect which is what I gathered the purpose was for doing this in the first place, so it's really a non-issue. Besides, you'll get used to where the weight is and be able to spin it after practice anyway.

As for the dimming aspect of the blade, it will to a degree. The silicone you use (along with the care you use to fill the blade to avoid imperfections in the medium), should determine that degree of dimming, and if it does allow light to freely pass through as you think, it will still be bright enough to be as effective as a hollow blade. The fact is, the blades were meant to have air as the medium, so, that will be the optimal medium. I'm interested to see how close you get. I hope it's negligible! I still think this is a neat idea, and really, there's only one way to know for sure!

[Schtuperman]

How do you know this?
I haven't said what specific brand or type of Silicone I may try this with;
so your assertions are based upon what?

The only way to find out for sure is to actually do it, but I will stand by my prediction.  Why?  You are going to fill a 36" blade with silicon.  I don't know the opacity or weight of the the silicon, but let's say the silicon weighs in at only 1/2 ounce per inch.  That's more than a pound of extra weight...all in the blade.  When you try to stop a swing or spin, that extra pound of blade weight is certainly going to have a lot of extra inertia to overcome.  When you hit something, all that silicon is going to be imparting additional stresses on a blade normally filled with weightless air.  Even going from a midgrade to a heavy grade, there is a noticeable difference in saber weight and maneuverability. 

As to brightness, this of course depends on the transparency of the silicon, but it is unlikely to be as clear as air. or even water.   I would suggest a water test.  Keeping a blade tip down, fill it with clear tap water.  How heavy is the blade now?   Bring the ignited hilt to the water filled blade (keeping the blade down so no water gets in your saber of course - you don't need to actually insert it into the saber).  How well does the blade illuminate?  Is the silicon as transparent as clear water?

Though is isn't always apparent, even an air-filled blade isn't perfectly illuminated.  They are brightest at the base and the tip.  The light in a silicon filled blade will, in effect, be passing through a 36" thick gel filter.  Then there is the matter of injecting the silicon without any air bubbles, which would stand out as surely as crinkled film in an air-filled blade.  Each time the blade impacts, it will flex and the silicon will move.  Will it stay flexible and intact, or will it begin to crack and develop air pockets between the blade walls or within the gel itself?

[Frozian]

Is there alot of difference in the brightness beetween midgrade and heavygrade? and what do they weigh?
(im New) 

[haldir]

the mids are brighter than the heavies, but there is not too much difference in brightness

i dunno on exact weight but the heavies are literally twice as heavy and that makes a big difference when swinging the saber

at first i preferred the heavy to the mid because they felt "better" on contact.... but now that im used to the more flexible mids i greatly prefer them because their lighter weight balances sooooo much better with the hilts

[Zren Tobas]

Blazing Red doesn't really look half bad in an Ultra Edge Heavy Grade blade. My brother likes it. Still super bright too.

[DafyddRW]

Whad should I pick? I like light blades, but I'm intending to do some REALLY HEAVY duelling with it.

[Luna]

Whad should I pick? I like light blades, but I'm intending to do some REALLY HEAVY duelling with it.

I duel heavily with midgrades and I've never had a problem.

Get both if you can, but if not, I would just go with midgrade.

[KARNAG]

can anyone help me with my issue? the problem is, that inner layer of my Ultraedge heavy grade has some bubles, and when saber was activated ther was a like a spiral around my blade for few inches from the emmiter. ive try to fix it with finger but only make it worse, the layer now suffer from deformation and cant properly let light throug it to the top....

[drtdgr2]

What kind would any of you recommend for a consular green blade? and how about violet amethyst? Thanks guys!

[Luna]

What kind would any of you recommend for a consular green blade? and how about violet amethyst? Thanks guys!

CG looks great in any blade, but UE looks best to me.

VA can go either way, but personally I prefer all the reds, purples, and oranges in standard midgrade.

[drtdgr2]

CG looks great in any blade, but UE looks best to me.

VA can go either way, but personally I prefer all the reds, purples, and oranges in standard midgrade.

Okay thanks! 

[jasond22]

What kind would any of you recommend for a consular green blade?

If it's non-Flash-on-Clash CG, I just posted comparison pics for mid-grade...the standard blade I think is a little brighter than the Ultraedge, though the UE does have a nice, even look.
http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=16095.msg246016#msg246016

[drtdgr2]

If it's non-Flash-on-Clash CG, I just posted comparison pics for mid-grade...the standard blade I think is a little brighter than the Ultraedge, though the UE does have a nice, even look.
http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=16095.msg246016#msg246016

Oh that's super helpful! Point for the link! Thanks! Searched forever to find a picture like that!

[drtdgr2]

It appears you don't have any yet! Which do you prefer? Or would you rather stay gray?