Blade Care, Storage, and Refurbishment

Reel Saber blades are designed to be rigid, hold their shape, and survive being rolled under significant tension inside the spool. That said, like any component that repeatedly flexes, it will eventually show wear over time. A little care goes a long way.

Storage Tips

NEVER store the blade retracted. The simplest way to extend blade life is to store it fully deployed whenever possible. This removes constant tension from the rolled state and helps prevent warping.

You do not need to remove the blade completely after every use. But when you put it away, leave the blade out. If you are using it throughout the day (like at a convention), leaving it deployed between uses is a good habit. This helps preserve the shape and reduces long term deformation. Check out the demonstration in the video below.

Fixing Minor Warping

Each blade ships in a protective braided sleeve. Keep those.

The sleeves gently constrict the blade, and they can actually help if you notice slight warping. Some users have had success storing a slightly warped blade inside the braided sleeve for a period of time to help it reform. It is not guaranteed, but it can make a noticeable improvement in minor cases.

Common Wear Point and Refurbishing

The most common wear area is where the blade attaches to the spool. Over time, repeated flexing at that connection point can cause a crease, and eventually it may separate.

Even when stored properly, this is usually where my own blades reach the end of their life.

The good news is that they are often refurbishable.

You can re-terminate the blade by trimming away the worn section and recreating the mounting hole. A standard hole punch and a pair of scissors are all that is required.

  • Cut off the old connection point at the crease.
  • Using another blade as a reference (each Reel Saber ships with at least 2) trace lines for the new taper and hole. A sharpie works great for this.
  • Cut along your trace lines, and punch out the new hole.
  • If you used a sharpie, rubbing alcohol works well to clean up any residual marks.

Note: Keep in mind that a re-terminated blade will be slightly shorter. Reel Saber hilts have a sensor to count spool rotations during deployment. The max rotation limit expects a certain length. With a shorter blade, it may overshoot. For the most part, you can just keep an eye on it. For extra measure, you can lower the max deploy limit in the settings file.

Dead Blades Are NOT the End

Eventually, blades will wear out. If you ever need replacements, Blade Reload packs are available and include three blades. You can find them here.