Lightsaber Blade Diffusion: Tutorial

[@MegaLuckyJones]

I wish the whole saber community knew about you. Your tutorials are awesome.

[@memphismarco5147]

Instablaster

[@xXIronMutXx]

I don’t think it’s an overstatement saying this is a easily understandable and extremely beneficial video. I recently got into the hobby and have started building sabers myself. While I bought Ultrasabers blades for the project I’m doing now, I’ll keep this in mind for the next one when I make my own blades.

[@milly8084]

you're an absolute lightsaber, I crumpled my diffusion film trying to take it out because I didn't know what it was and this video helped me re roll it and fix it, you're a life saver!!

[@jaywu4804]

This may be the most underrated channel. Great tutorial helps a lot :D

[@itsrichardintt]

Hi. As a newbie this information shocked me I had to watch it again and again. The simplicity of tour explanation had me wondering if this was a trick of some sort. I was wrong. You have helped me so much. Thanks a million.

[@gearsofwar07]

We asked for it and you did it, thank you for taking the time to extend our knowledge. Your videos are without pointless filler content, making them very educational and easy to watch. Thank you for that. I have only one criticism, and that is that the camera is a bit of a ways away so it makes inspecting detailed elements a bit more difficult, such as when you sanded the single diffused blade to make it double diffused. That's a minor gripe though, you're a good video maker and I look forward to seeing more about what you have to say in regards to the kyberlight and other saber items on the market.

[@trypticon3293]

Thank you for this! Recently bought myself a Qu Rahn saber, and some photon green blade supplies! Can't wait to see it live!

[@RichieCastellano]

Thanks man, tried it on my saber and worked out very well!

[@RobRiddell37]

I've been asked to make props on a budget. You just saved me a lot of time. Thank you.

[@jcbond.]

Cephalus, you're the best. If it weren't for you, I would have never learned about the lightsaber world. I'm just starting off with the in and outs. Months in, I already own a base-lit and a proffie neo pixel.

[@DarthCephalus]

Well welcome to the hobby. Glad the videos helped.

[@numb3r5ev3n]

Thank you so much for this tutorial! I recently made a stunt saber with a thick-walled trans-white blade, and though the diffusion was ok, it was still pretty uneven until I added a few layers of cellophane wrap (also from Michaels.)

[@michaelcannon3527]

Many thanks for this excellent tutorial ! I had thought that the stuff in my ultra saber blade was some other fancy material - but now I know better ! My Kyberlight Day Blades about to become far better defined !

[@williamhollenbaugh2547]

Super helpful, as others have said. Made me go ahead and order day blades from Kyberlight, knowing that I could diffuse them myself and save good money doing it. Thank you, good sir.

[@azrubs593]

I’ve never seen a video so helpful.

[@lauandrew273]

BEST TUTORIAL EVER:"

[@danaetherman3328]

Many thanks for your tutorial. Will do that today for my blade. Great!

[@darthresch952]

Thank you very much for these videos. I have 5 sabers. 1 Ultra, 1 Saber Forge, and 3 Kyberlight (all upgraded to V4). I want to do this for all my sabers, but my Dark Monarch bc that one I am making a Neo Pix.

[@CherokeeBigBear]

very useful info with the day blades I just bought.

[@commontater652]

(15 months later): Absolutely love your videos. The "will of the Force" (or random YT chance) brought me here & now I'm hooked. In fact, I never knew I needed a saber before seeing these. Oh how wrong I was. Question about the cellophane: If my math is right you put about 20+ layers into the blade in this vid. Is that kinda the sweet spot for diffusion w/o too much dimming? Thank you. And thanks to your effort I've been able to decide on my 1st saber choice without a ton of trial & error so double thank you!

[@DarthCephalus]

No problem. As to the # of layers, it is mostly trial and error. You can easily put double what I have in there. Dimming is not a big issue with clear film.

[@davidhanger5795]

I missed the part about your preferred method of cutting the cellophane for shorter blades.

[@DarthCephalus]

scissors and a big clean table.

[@gerrymaloney4096]

Awesome thank you darth

[@whatever101]

This guy has a surprisingly relaxing voice

[@pbennett13]

Nice video... question, can this also be done with a styrofoam insert with a hollow center? if so, would it look as good or better when lit?

[@DarthCephalus]

It can. As a matter of fact, those EL blades I mentioned in a response to another of your posts use a setup like that. In that case it has the added benefit of protecting the LEDs. In a single LED setup it might be a bit too aggressive and keep the light from diffusing all the way down the blade. I personally would not try it because of the added weight it would bring.

[@montsamu]

This is a fantastic video. Clearly explains and DEMYSTIFIES diffusion. One question! How does the film hold up in heavy sparring?

[@gabbisan360]

It should hold up fine, as long as you dont like pull it out with your finger, because then it will crumple. It's basically like Seran wrap but with the rigidity of regular copy paper so as long as you dont mess with the inside of your blade it should last forever.

[@Phyborg]

Exactly the information I was looking for! Thank you!

[@scificommodorejones7830]

I've always used a thin small wooden dowel to roll the cellophane on

[@DarthCephalus]

That works too. I have used a 3/4" blade as well, but mostly I just use my pinky fingers.

[@venturous1v]

Very informative as always

[@colinquinton474]

its easier to roll it on a thin piece of dowel then once you insert it into the blade, you just withdraw the dowel. Makes it easier to insert also

[@starforgesabers]

Would you just cut the diffusion film down before putting it in for a smaller blade or would you put it in and then cut it?

[@DarthCephalus]

I would put it in, pull it out a bit, and cut it.

[@greggg4011]

I ordered a couple of Kyberlights for my 9 year old and me to duel with, after moderate research and in no small part due to Darth Cellophane's tutorials. It hasn't arrived yet but I'm already thinking ahead and I have questions. There are a couple of tutorials with the cellophane. None of them talk about a thickness or specific type other than that whole 100 feet x 40 inches. I went looking online for cellophane and I wouldn't recommend searching it on amazon...there are too many options. Question 1: Do you guys (you or anyone else that has attempted this) have any recommendation for the thickness of the film? For instance would regular plastic wrap out of the cupboard do the trick 2 feet by 100 feet and I'd just measure out 37 inches...or is that 40 inch x 100 inch a special type/critical mass that works? Question 2, if the sabers have heat-sinks, I assume that the heat goes opposite the direction of the blade and the lens assembly should be cool to the touch or the cellophane would catch fire, so there is no danger of putting the cellophane in. Is any part of that very compound sentence not 100% right, and which part if any? Question 3, I saw on Amazon a more silvery cellophane: www.amazon.com/Sparkle-Wrap-Clear-Cellophane-Roll/dp/B004SZH3CG/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1530901119&sr=8-15&keywords=40+inch+cellophane+wrap+roll but I can't tell if it's better for diffusion, or if the higher density will cut the light down. Anyone have experience with this stuff? BTW, Amazon has colored cellophane for those looking: www.amazon.com/Hygloss-Products-Cellophane-Roll-Baskets/dp/B01M1VU3IL/ref=sr_1_1_m_sspa?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1530901599&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=40%2Binch%2Bcellophane&th=1 Question 4, I have a 2 oz bottle of phosphorescent glow in the dark paint. Has anyone tried that in the saber? Question 5, someone else did a tutorial on LEDs but not lightsaber blades where they put translucent packing wrap. Have yall tried this in the blade tube and what do you think? Pool noodles are too thick. My other though is they would show the seam line if you use it.

[@DarthCephalus]

You can add all kinds of things inside a blade. Most people use craft cellophane, but some use pearlescent or other such products. As for thickness, it is clear or clear ish, so thickness is not a big issue. You don’t want to use food wrap though because it clings and you can’t roll it up without it sticking. Phosphorescent paint works but only with blue light. See my video on photon Blades for details. One of the blades in that one is just painted.

[@ruiguo5115]

much appreciated man, youre doing great work! Could you spell the name of the film please? Im trying to buy some online but just cant get it right thank you!

[@DarthCephalus]

Cellophane film. Should be able to find some here. www.amazon.com/dp/B0170H8TL2/ref=asc_df_B0170H8TL25429226/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B0170H8TL2&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198096942604&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14852660812848040032&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033045&hvtargid=aud-416395350856:pla-351285970537

[@supermarioaidenloye8241]

If you have dead LEDs or visible LEDs in black series blades, would sanding the blade make it less noticeable?

[@greentokyo]

Very informative! Thanks!

[@SonsofSekhmet]

Thanks for the tutorial. I went right to Michael's and the Cellophane really helped fix the Kyberlight Day Blades, in fact when I run blue light through the red day blade I get a very unique purple. What I found with the regular blade for Kyberlight was that it improved the lighting across the blade, but the top (where the cap is) was obviously dimmer. Your videos are very good. Did you ever spend time as a teacher? Also, love your sword collection in the background.

[@DarthCephalus]

Glad it helped. Good guess by the way; I teach writing at a local college.

[@AlanMolstad]

if I was thinking about the Kyberlight blade, what advice would you give me?

[@jedimastergarcia87]

Very nice. Only reason why I don't like KyberLight :P They can have much more potential if they diffused their blades properly and stuff and use better electronics at least. I've only stayed away from them because of all the hate they get now x.x So basically cut the cellophane to any length of empty blades you get even from TCSS? I was recommended to get a razor roller cutter though so might try that as well to get a better cut than regular scissors

[@DarthCephalus]

Regardless of how you feel about the saber, their blades are a good deal. Diffusing them yourself is pretty straightforward.

[@georgesulea]

Thank You, a great tutorial:)

[@jappytheboi]

So my film is all crumpled up and i dont know what to do, any advice?

[@aidanviarengo8536]

Could using black cellophane make a dark saber?

[@DarthCephalus]

if it is see through black, you can make a greyish purple blade, but it will be dim. The other issue is that the tip will not be the same color. The only way to get an actual black core is to use an acrylic flat blade.

[@kamilfintz]

I know it's an old video, but can you sand the tube from the inside for better difusion and still have the "single diffusion" look?

[@DarthCephalus]

theoretically, yes, but you would be super likely to not have an even sanding job and to make the diffusion look mottled.

[@aidanviarengo8536]

Could using colored cellophane substitute for a day blade?

[@DarthCephalus]

It can, but I don’t recommend it. The diffusion is not as good and the tip looks weird.

[@aidanviarengo8536]

Darth Cephalus ok thank you

[@Neo_Sauron]

If I put cellophane in a kyberlight blade, would that give me more evenly distributed brightness than buying a regular midgrade blade from ultrasabers and putting it in my kyberlight hilt?

[@DarthCephalus]

Around the same. The kyberlight blade material is more frosty than the clear material on a standard midgrade, but the effect will be similar to buying a heavy grade ultraedge blade from Ultrasabers.

The film in my ($50) VV photon blade just fell out today. In the process of putting it back in, I crumpled it and got dust allll up in there. What do I do? I feel like it shouldn't have fallen out so easily, I have a ultrasabers blade that has never done this.

[@DarthCephalus]

VV does not glue theirs in place. The reason is so that they do not get twists in the film. I had that happen with a ultrasabers blade once or twice. The down side is that it can fall out if you have the blade out of the saber and don't use the little dust cap. If the film is dirty, I would suggest, toss it and pick up another sheet at a craft store. You can't really clean that stuff when it gets dusty.

[@dedblow]

If you have a single color saber, do you think putting in that color of cellophane would make a difference? Great videos, by the way.

[@DarthCephalus]

Colored cellophane does not work very well. it gets odd at the tip. Better o stick with clear or opalescent.

[@JPC326]

Any amazon link to the film used ?

[@DarthCephalus]

any craft cellophane will work, but here is a link. www.amazon.com/Cellophane-Inches-Baskets-Flowers-Rolls/dp/B07WJ5DGLY/ref=asc_df_B07WJ5DGLY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385248060206&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13464399177429251917&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033068&hvtargid=pla-851893293034&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=84195605011&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=385248060206&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13464399177429251917&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033068&hvtargid=pla-851893293034

[@JPC326]

@@DarthCephalus This one seem to be only 16 Inches ?

[@Zuccus]

I'm curious, what grit sandpaper did you use when sanding the blade?

[@DarthCephalus]

I think it was 200

[@Omniwhatever]

Great video on lightsaber diffusion, amazing the kind of difference something that doesn't take much time at all can make. One question though, is there a particular recommendation you have for the grit for sanding a blade? Don't want to overdo it, if there's any risk of that with sanding. Planning on sanding some normal and a neopixel blade after getting one from VV and liking the style sanding they did.

[@DarthCephalus]

160 to 180 grit is ideal

[@aidanviarengo8536]

My dayblade from kyberlight was delivered today but there is a bunch of dust particles that are statically attached from inside the blade. Do you have any advice on how to remove the dust?

[@SpaceWizardCosplay]

Run cold water inside the entire length of the blade, shake out any excessive water, and then allow it to dry thoroughly. That should take care of any dust particles. (hot water will only result in the blade fogging up inside) I've done this before and its the only wayI know of on how to remove any dust particles.

[@aidanviarengo8536]

DJ Gamera thanks worked like a charm

[@aidanviarengo8536]

For sanding the blade down, what grit sand paper would you recommend?

[@DarthCephalus]

160 is my preferred

[@carverfulmer9394]

What lightsaber hilt has the brightest light just by itself?

[@DarthCephalus]

It isn't about a specific hilt, it is about the technology. I try to answer that question as best I can , but it took 3 videos. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aovJd2Nrrd-Ha6s kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZaVaniabtd6q8U kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKeveIKjrNVgi5Y

[@VorixReborn]

This was really awesome! I do have one question though, my diffusion film keeps falling inward and messing up the colour, especially with a lightsaber that has multiple LEDs, the colour will look radically different at the end. What is your recommendation for keeping it on the edge and not 'unravelling' in the center?

[@DarthCephalus]

Put a thumb in and rotate to flatten it to the outside of the inner blade wall. if it is cut to length that is all you need. You can use a bit of hot glue to secure it if it is not.

[@GoldenDudeMichael]

Hello, would more cellophane paper than 5ft mean a brighter kyberlight blade? I would like to know what you recommend for a kyberlight blade on a kyberlight hilt.

[@DarthCephalus]

All you are doing with the diffusion is evening out the escape of light. The problem with their undiffused blades is that the light all pours out the base. The film helps get the light all the way to tip. You can go with a more than 5 feet if you like, but once you get the light coming out evenly, the film has done its job. For the day blades a bit more might help; for the standard blades it probably won't do anything noticeable.

[@thurisaz4life21012]

Will this work with a aliexpress rgb blade? Because its not fully bright within the whole blade

[@DarthCephalus]

yep. the LEDs on those are not the brightest though, so it will never be comparable to higher end sabers.

[@thurisaz4life21012]

@@DarthCephalus I should refund it lol

[@Bleek7295]

Can you do this with the Kyberlight day blades to get brighter colors?

[@DarthCephalus]

Yes. If you have a kyberlight day blade, i strongly suggest this.

[@Bleek7295]

Darth Cephalus Thank you so much for the info I'm gonna order a purple and blue day blade. I already have cellophane wrap so I can put it in them.

[@Bleek7295]

Darth Cephalus So for example a blue Kyberlight day blade used with the Blue LED along with the cellophane wrap inside would make the color even brighter? Kinda like VV photon blades?

[@DarthCephalus]

No. The photon Blades are a fluorescent. The green Kyberlight blade with a blue LED will do it, but that is a different thing. A blue blade with a blue LED will just be deep blue. The point behind the day Blades is that is will still be blue when the saber is off or in direct sunlight.

[@Bleek7295]

Darth Cephalus Would the green work with some of the other colors like the purple, pink and, Ice blue? I use those colors the most with my Kyberlight. I just wanna gather all these facts before I decide to order the blade.

[@lightingboltcosplay731]

Awesome tutorial, can i ask what tipe of film did you use and where is possible found it?

[@DarthCephalus]

Clear cellophane from Michael’s or ant craft store.

[@lightingboltcosplay731]

@@DarthCephalus great, thank you so much

[@vanjasimic9590]

Hello and thanks for awesome tutorial(s)! I purchased a blade from Elegant Weapon(France). It looks a lot like US Mid grade... is it possible/effective to do dual diffusion on that type of blades and would it be better to sand it in a sand blasting machine or not? Many thanks and regards from East Europe

[@DarthCephalus]

Yes, pretty much everyone uses the same type of blade stock. Sanding or not is a matter of preference. It brings the color closer to the edge and makes it more even. It does make reds a bit less vibrant though. I have never heard of anyone using a sandblaster on one. Sounds intriguing. If you try it, make sure not to get sand in the blade, but please post a video or pictures so I can see the result.

[@vanjasimic9590]

Thanks a lot, man! The idea of blasted blades came from a company in the U.K. called JQ Sabers, but the price is preety high, so I thought to do it myself. I'll see... You'll be first to know, for sure :). Thanks again!

[@charlesmarcomitchell5096]

How do I know when will I stop sanding the blade? What grit did you use?

[@DarthCephalus]

I used 160 but anything up to 400 works. You only need to go over the blade a few times. What you are looking for is a cloudy or frosted look to the outside of the blade.

[@charlesmarcomitchell5096]

How do you put in the cellophane in smoothly though? mine keeps getting stuck on the side of the blade. the cellophane is dry enough..

[@DarthCephalus]

Roll it thinner than the tube then unroll it a bit once it is in.

[@PingChen]

Just found your channel recently and loved it! Thank you for all the info! Out of curiosity, how does grit of the sandpaper affect the result of the diffusion? Is higher grit softer and more even?

[@DarthCephalus]

higher grit leads to a frosted look while lower grit leads to a brushed finish. Both diffuse about the same when the blade is lit so it is a matter of personal preference.

[@PingChen]

@@DarthCephalus thank you! I used a 350 grit which had a very frosted look. Do you have photos of 140 grit results?

[@pojup]

awesome! great info...I'm looking into purchasing a kyberlight. my question is, can I use a blade from ultrasbers with it? will it look better since it is Pre diffused?

[@DarthCephalus]

Yes in both cases. If you don't want to diffuse one yourself, using a US blade is a good solution. It is the same outer diameter and fits just fine.

[@pojup]

Thank you sir. You are very informative. I have subscribed to your channel.

[@Yic17Studio]

I was thinking the same. Planning to get a Kyberlight saber & get the blade from Ultrasabers. But a mid-grade + shipping = $42. So I think I'll try this tutorial first and see how that turns out.

[@jeffporter5189]

Thanks for this, do you think 80 grit would be too course? or should I buy something like 200/400? Thanks I want to double diffuse my kyberlight blade

[@DarthCephalus]

80 is fine, just be careful of the direction as it will leave grooves. Around 120 to 160 is about ideal as far as I am concerned.

[@jeffporter5189]

@@DarthCephalus Thank you.

[@carverfulmer9394]

Does the sanding trick work for a kyberlight blade

[@DarthCephalus]

On the day blades, absolutely. On the regular blades, yes but not as well. Kyberlight regular blades are trans white, so they are somewhat diffused already. You should add film to them though.

[@carverfulmer9394]

Darth Cephalus thank you. For adding film that is 40 inches long and my kyberlight blade is 36 inches long how do I go about cutting it.

[@DarthCephalus]

I thought it was in this video, but basically roll it up, put it in the blade, pull it out a bit, and cut it to size with a pair of sharp scissors.

[@carverfulmer9394]

Darth Cephalus thank you I really appreciate that you reply to your viewers

[@SpaceWizardCosplay]

Thanks for the great tutorial. I own a Kyberlight saber and was not really impressed with their blade. It is great for dueling but the overall secondary and tertiary colors don't mix that well so I'm going to try this trick. How many feet of clear cellophane wrapping paper is recommended? I'm going to buy some this weekend as was just curious to the length. Thanks for your time and I'm now subscribed to your channel. :)

[@DarthCephalus]

The one thing to remember about the Kyberlight blades is that they are a lot cheaper to buy than a lot of other blades. For that reason, I didn't have a problem with the extra work to diffuse it. I ended up using between 4 and 5 feet of film on mine and that seemed on the thick side of just right.

[@SpaceWizardCosplay]

Much thanks for the reply, Darth. Also the custom saber shop blade (photon green) I just bought was around $15 plus shipping. My Kyberlight and TCSS blades look much better now thanks to your tutorial :)

[@jcbond.]

Damn lol. I'm doing exactly this. 4 years later after your post DJ.

[@atreyuterry2134]

hello, i need your help with my lightsabers. i just bought my custom lightsabers from a local maker, and i have some "itch" about the blade because it looks kinda dim towards the end and have that "inside tube" effect that i don't like. i watched your very informative video about diffusion and was wondering if the light effect can distribute evenly if i change to v4 infinity edge saberforge blade or the blade its not the problem for that effect? can you please help me with this thx

[@DarthCephalus]

I would start by trying to sand the blade you have if the material is clear. Use 160 grit or so. If that does not work, you can try to switch to a mid grade blade and sand it. If neither works, it is a dim LED. The infinity edge blade’s main selling point is tip illumination. Besides that, it is just a dual diffused blade using some kind of frosted effect from slightly trans white polycarbonate.

[@atreyuterry2134]

Darth Cephalus okay! Thx for the info..ill try it right away

[@gerrymaloney4096]

Could the technique for double diffusing the blade using sand paper also be used on a black series force fx lightsaber, and if so, what grit count sandpaper do you recommend?

[@DarthCephalus]

It could I suppose, but the EL blades on those make the light pretty even already. It might bring the light out to the edge a bit better. You can use anything from 100 to 240 and the effect is slightly different. I prefer the 100.

[@ptugrul]

Darth Cephalus hi mate, I'm loving your videos. I have a question for you if you don't mind. if you where to buy a only one light sabre for around $270 US dollars which one would you buy? Thanks Phill

[@DarthCephalus]

What do you want to do with it? Do you need sound?

[@ptugrul]

It will be for duelling but I do want sound :)

[@DarthCephalus]

In that case, Vader's Vault and Saberforge are out of your budget. Your options are Ultrasabers (you can afford just about anything they make with sound as long as you don't go for a light upgrade) or Kyberlight. If you go with Kyberlight, their sound is nowhere near as good, but they do have on the fly color switching at that price point, which is kind of a big thing for me. I would suggest either the master set or the knight set with one of the Tsuba guards. If you go with Ultrasabers, I would suggest the Manticor. It is a nice all around saber and has a basic hilt section that works well with any pommel or emitter that speaks to you. The emitter that comes standard with it is a great one for dueling as well as it provides a slight choke and a flared end for hand protection.

[@pattycake427]

Thank you for this, have a like, subscribe, and kickstart :)

[@ninjabearpress2574]

Ultrasbers blades are always either too long or too short, cutting to length without messing up the blade film is what I'm after.

[@DarthCephalus]

Use a hack saw and go through the blade itself all the way round. When all you have left is filament, use scissors.

[@forlornking78]

Umm Darth Syphilis?

[@haynbong]

😎🤙

[@NinjaTyler]

so I bought a saber forge saber and it's been great, only problem is it's edges are too sharp and like I figured I sliced some skin off when I accidentally brushed over it (love they thought that was in a shippable state btw) . what grade of sand paper will work on the hilt? will they make a noticeable change in it's look or if I'm careful will it not really show?

[@DarthCephalus]

Yea, Saberforge is known for that issue. I would actually suggest hitting the sharp spots with a rototool. If you use sandpaper, you will probably scratch areas you don't want to scratch.

[@KirkWinterrowd]

Have you reviewed any of the nanchucks from Kombativ? They ⁸also have 3 section staff, escrimas, and bo staffs.

[@DarthCephalus]

those are serious weapons grade products. definitely the other end of the spectrum from these with the Pach store ones I mention being in the middle. my only concern with the kombativ ones is the led is by the chain and the grip is at the end. you generally hold these near the chain, so that seems like an odd design choice.

[@KirkWinterrowd]

@@DarthCephalus Sorry about posting this here. I meant to post it on your nanchuck video. But yes, they have some serious weapons and I just happened upon them when I was looking for an LED bo staff, which I might try, so I'll let you know what I think.