Author: Ethan Kincaid

Ethan Kincaid was born in 1985 in Ontario, Canada. He graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa with a degree in Linguistics and a minor in Japanese Language. After finishing his education, he settled down there with his wife Kaitlyn and became a full-time writer. In 2011, he moved to Montreal and discovered its vibrant writing culture. In 2015, Ethan moved to Helsinki, Finland with his wife; he works as a creative craftsman and part time author. The greatest joy in his life lies in helping others find venues for their own personal expression.

Ouriel and Remiel

A short sword and matching dagger. The first of the LED-equipped blades that I have released. I’m proud to present to you Ouriel and Remiel!

Ouriel and Remiel

Hidden under the leather is a button that sits just under the middle fingers of the left and right hand. With a little pressure in the right spot, the blades light up as though by the wielder’s will alone.

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Magic! Yeah, yeah, I know. “Show us more pictures Ethan!”

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And this is why Shadowhunters wear black. The rest of me is there. Promise.

Shadowhunter cosplay

Alright, let’s get to the machinery behind the magic.

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The interior of the hilt is hollow. To access the light, you simply open the pommel, push it back, and grasp the small handle of the fitting and pull it out. The white fitting holds the light in place and prevents it from rattling around inside the sword.

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Here I’ve tugged the handle up a bit for you to see how it fits in.

Let’s roll back in time a little so you can see what the guts look like without the leather cover. I drilled a hole where the flashlight button sits when it’s inside the sword. Then I formed the fitting around it and created a button of a firm polymer clay. The white button bridges the gap between the leather under your fingers, and the switch on the flashlight so you can turn it on without needing to move or open anything.

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I enjoyed working on these blades and I have to admit, they challenged me at every turn. I’d like to do some more playing with the orientation of the lights in the future and see if I can work out an easier installation method.

If you’d like an illuminated Seraph Blade of your own, feel free to stop by my Buyer’s Guide and browse the options!

Almost done!

I can’t wait to show you the forging of Ouriel and Remiel, but until then, have a teaser.

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A gentle squeeze on the handle brings Ouriel to life and lights up the room. Not only is it clear enough to read through but you can read in the dark!

Stay tuned for more pretty things coming up next.

And You Thought Having a Light Sabre Was Cool

Here’s another sneak peak at Remiel and Ouriel, my current works in progress. They’re so achingly close to being finished! I only have the end-caps left to make.

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A Sneak Peek at Glowing Blades

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Everything is going according to plan mwahahahahaha! I mean … yay! Here’s Ouriel being fabulous as per usual. Leather handle shaping is coming up next. Stay tuned!

Busy Days at the Studio!

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Here’s a peek at what’s going on at the Adamant Studio. On the left sits a newly re-shaped Gabriel short sword. On the right is an Ouriel and its matching dagger, Remiel, both with slots cut and drilled for LEDs. These are the FIRST light-up blades to come out of the Studio and I’m super excited about the progress.

In the middle is a never-before-seen short sword that I’ve been keeping a secret for weeks now and code-named “Spinner”. The reason for the secrecy? It was a present for my wife’s birthday!

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You might say she was a little excited.

Continue reading “Busy Days at the Studio!”

The Lights Come On

Yesss, things are lighting up in the Adamant Studio! Here are some progress shots of Ramiel and Ouriel shaped and fitted for lights.

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I currently have to engage the light with a pencil as crafting the button comes at a later stage. But you can certainly get a feel for what they will look like when finished.

Continue reading “The Lights Come On”

Blades in Progress

At present in the Adamant Studio, there are two brand new designs in the works. A short sword by the name of Ouriel and a matching dagger called Remiel. Both are to be fitted with LED lighting and equipped with leather hilts.

Today I got the cutting all finished and the slots for the LEDs milled out.

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The tiny and flat size of the LED devices I was able to get means that I was able to cut down on the handles’ width by a whole centimetre. This gives the blades a much more sleek look.

They still look rather rough and chunky but that won’t be the case for long. Nibbles the bandsaw is powerful but doesn’t have the ability to make curves.

Chewie the belt sander however, is much more adept at shaping and it will soon be its time to shine.

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Fits perfectly! The next step is drilling a hole so the Shadowhunter wielding it can activate the light.

Then it will be time for Chewie and me to make it snow! Yaaaay acrylic dust!

That’s all from me for now. Have a great weekend and safe hunting!

News from the Adamant Studio!

Here’s a sneak peak at the latest designs I’m working on.

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What are you looking at? Well my friends, that is a custom short sword and matching dagger with leather-wrapped hilts and LED lighting. We’re going all-out here at the Studio and constructing a drill-press specifically designed to work with acrylic swords. Woo!

The lovely Gabriel style sword you see on the table is also for sale. It has been re-shaped and buffed to my new and more exacting standards of quality. If you’re interested, in purchasing it, send me a shout at ekincaidwrites (at) gmail (dot) com. First come, first served.

I’d also like to remind all my Shadowhunter readers that the deadline for ordering a blade for the holidays is THIS FRIDAY November 27th. So if you want to receive your Seraph Blade by the 21st – 25th of December, now is the time to make your decision!

That’s all from me for now. Back to work!

Better Quality Swords

Hi all! As I look over the re-finished show blade beside one of the untouched originals, I realize how much I’ve learned since I first began crafting Seraph Blades. I have better tools, better techniques, and a better understanding of just what the medium of acrylic is capable of.

The difference is rather shocking.

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Continue reading “Better Quality Swords”