TOPIC: review: DarthRyo rotating kill keys

I got some rotatable kill keys from DarthRyo's shapeways shop. These allow turning the saber on and off by rotating the kill key, without having to remove it from the hilt. They're also pretty low-profile so they can be left installed while dueling.

They come in a set of four, in an excessively oversized shipping box. Here are three of them. It seems that the black option is actually pretty rough on the surface. Perhaps I should have gotten one of the polished options, but there's no option to get that in black.


After putting the key in and turning it a few times, it developed a smooth groove where the charge port innards rub against it.


This is how they fit in my hilt, compared to my TCSS kill key. Top view first:



Side view. The TCSS one sticks out too far to leave in while dueling or spinning, but the DarthRyo one feels better. I'd still prefer if it were a bit shorter though, lower profile.



Slight problem. If I rotate the key to turn the saber on, it pops up a bit. And if I press it back down, it turns the saber off. The key's hole is apparently not in quite the right spot.


So I cut the hole a bit deeper. I want to be able to use the saber, with power on, with the kill key still installed. Now it looks like this. Apparently the plastic is actually white, with a layer of black sprayed on or something. It'll gradually turn white at the edges as it wears.


So, it works now, and accidental pressure doesn't disconnect power any more. It's a bit loose in the "on" position though, and it still carries the potential to shut off if I manage to rotate it during use. I haven't done it by accident yet, but I also only tested it for a couple minutes so far.

The Verdict
Pro:
* Low-profile enough to leave in while dueling or spinning.
* Can rotate to turn power on or off.
* Bottom edge of hole catches to prevent the key from falling out. (I actually have to rotate it to an "off" position before the key can come out)
* Available in several colors.

Con:
* Hole is in the wrong spot for this style of charge port; had to cut away extra material.
* The black version is pretty rough.
* Feels loose in the "on" position.

A better fit would be nice, along with a smoother finish and lower profile. But it'll work for now.


Update 2016-08-12:

These rotating kill keys work pretty well in my ASP saber (switch #9) and my hero-tier Gladius v2, which both have at least slightly recessed charge ports. In the Gladius it's almost like it's not even there. However, they do not work well at all in my partner's champion-tier Disciple. The charge port there is an "outie" and the kill key sticks out far enough it's really hard not to trigger while using the saber. Turn it on, do a few spins, and the blade will often shut off because the key got rotated too far. Of course, her Disciple also has issues with accidental button presses despite having an AV switch. Again, it just sticks out too far.

So, this approach is probably only useful if you have a recessed port.

I've seen this concept, neat idea. NeBosa had it done as part of an install (either Khal or Jordan, don't remember) and Kouri (I believe) documented an attempt also but instead of an open-mouth (as pictured) he made an angled-cut that resembled a Muppet's gape. Without having attempted something similar, when you write: Is it possible to apply the same execution to an existing SF Kill Key? For benefits of a low profile top, what do you think by using SFs ones (either old knurled tops or current lazerforge ones) by splicing the top off and retaining the nub (similar to what is now used on Control Box Hilts) to make the incision into, plausible? For added traction to enable a finger-printed press n twist, say gluing the faux button to the nub and (with or without) scoring the faux buttons top?

Captain Obvious asks: What tool did you use to cut the mouth on the Shapeways one bigger? Utility knife?

I believe Darth Ryo's keys are intended for a Switchcraft (TCSS) recharge port, which is why they don't fit quite right in the SF port. It's the same concept though.

It's an experiment I started a while back and honestly keep forgetting about. All you really need to make this work is:

1) A hole on the side for the recharge switch to open into to dis-engage the "kill".
2) A ring at the bottom of said hole to catch at the bottom of the switch to prevent the key from falling out when not oriented in the kill position and being held in by friction.

The part I haven't figured out yet is the exact height of that ring to properly catch on the SF port switch without the key loosely sliding up and down. However, this proves that the standard Switchcraft-sized rotating key's ring is a bit too thin.

I wouldn't recommend hacking into an SF key. TCSS sells just-nubs for anyone wanting to tinker, and from above, I can see the standard TCSS keys, while a bit tall, have a small-enough-radius head that they can be trimmed into rotating keys without issue.

I'll have to try the muppet gape next time, inasmuch as I can with a hole already cut out. Any kill key should work though; you simply have to cut out the "gape" in the right place and it should function correctly.

SF's kill keys are rather large, both thick and wide, so I'd probably want to start with something smaller or just glue something onto a ground-down TCSS nub. I just got a new-style SF kill key today, the all-plastic ones with textured edges and a logo on top, and they stick out way too far to leave in during use. They also have such big and off-center heads that I can't rotate them very far without hitting something.

However, the DarthRyo ones are small and shallow enough to work fairly well. The main issue is I keep accidentally booting up my ASP saber when I try to spin it with the power off.

As for tools, I started with a hand file... but that was going really slowly so I switched to a dremel with a metal/stone cutting disc. This shapeways plastic is actually pretty strong after you get past the funky black surface coating.

Kouri wrote: I believe you are correct.

These would probably be just right if I went with a TCSS port, but I'd have to put that in the pommel or something since they don't fit the SF switch holes. And then I'd have to find a way to route wires past the tight-fitting 28mm speaker, and fill the extra hole with something.

I may still consider that option for later, if I upgrade to a nicer driver. But not yet.

Kouri wrote: That's relatively easy to determine by simply rotating a key in the port until it forms a visible groove. Then cut a wedge out, centered on the groove, and make it just barely deep enough that the driver doesn't lose power when you press the key in all the way in the "on" position.

I'm not entirely sure what shape the inside of the port is though. I've found that if I try to pull the key out in the "on" position, it catches hard enough that I probably shouldn't force it. So instead of a triangle shape /\ , it might be more of a sawtooth |\ or even just an angled sheet \ . Not sure.

Anyway, this works well enough for now and I'll keep an eye out for any potential upgrades.

I'm not sure that it's the kill keys, but I used these kill keys over the summer, and after a period of time, my saber wouldn't turn on when I pulled them out. "Okay", I thought, could be a defective recharge port". So I sent my VF in for repairs. They replaced the recharge port. I recently got it back, and after a few days of using these kill keys, it stopped turning on.

Maybe it's just that my lightsaber is cursed. I could find the nearest volcano and throw it in, but I still like the thing. Anyway, that's my story. I've not had the best of luck with these.

EDIT: Okay, fixed it with a toothpick. Canceling the volcano.

Perhaps use a toothpick and toothbrush to make sure the keys are as clean as possible. There might be a bit of nylon dust gumming up the recharge port switch.