Art blades are a must in all my modern games. The only exception being when I occasionally install mirror blades instead.

Either way, plain black cabinet sides are BORING to me.

I recommend the wet method for installation. Allows you multiple shots, if needed, to position the blade correctly.

LOTS of info on this topic in many past threads. The search tool is your friend.

If you choose the wet method, Rapid Tac is your friend. See videos that use it.

Not for me, I like to focus on the playfield

Art blades all the way!

Just ordered art blades for my new to me LOV. Looks blank without them.

Art blades are cool just a pain to put in. I use the wet technique with windex. Spray windex on the back of the art blade, put it in and keep going back and fourth until its centered.
I have yet to see power blades in person, must be pretty bad ass.

You can't see photos and decide if you like them yourself?

Most of my machines get mirrors, STh, DI, and Bond being exceptions. Just need to be sure the art is good. Soapy water.. takes about 15 mins. I pulled the playfield in STh.. first time I did artblades, but now I leave the pf in to do them. Can be a real visual game changer.

Almost forgot- must get pin "assembly blades" by pinball universe if you have art or mirrors.

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Pin shields for the win! For your art and mirror blades, and maybe in some cases for just the painted sides of older games. I’ve seen plenty of painted games torn up raising the PF.

Where are folks buying mirror blades and pinshields from these days?

Pinball Life: https://www.pinballlife.com/interior-graphic-panels.html

The mirror blades are particularly good since they are stick on instead of screw in. The screws on others always scratch the playfield.

I see both sides. Art blades can enhance a game. In have them on some, love the zombie yeti ones on Godzilla. But you make a point I’ve also considered. When you go see a play, the stage is lit up. The wings and audience aren’t. In some cases, art blades can be like someone adding a ton of extraneous decor on the sides of the stage, diminishing the main focus of the story and actors. i.e. the playfield.

Not a straightforward answer, your taste must dictate what you do.

One thing I really dislike is some art blades that have poor art or art that has a style that differs from other art in the game. Yuck.

Yay for the most part, I'm debating putting them on my BSD because you don't actually see a lot of the cabinet.

I freaking love art blades. I put them in all my games EXCEPTING P3 Multimorphic and early solids state/EM games and a few special cases like TNA (mirror blades!). I absolutely feel like they add to the world under glass.

Art blades these days are typically a little thicker than they used to be, made of vinyl, and are not terrible to install after a few. I use the windex method mentioned above.

I personally like and prefer the ones from Tilt https://www.tiltgraphicsinc.com/. Pingraffix makes some neat ones https://www.pingraffix.com/ and most manufacturers have special ones for their new games. Star Wars Comic Art blades from Stern are the best I've seen IMO. For some modern games, due to licensing restrictions you really (controversial) need to order some unlicensed stuff from overseas to get the best looking product. I personally think these Bond ones from overseas look better than what I can get here and ordered a set https://www.wizardmod.com/product-page/007-pinball-wizblades

With all that said, Pingraffix makes some really neat and unique ones that are a mixture of mirror and sticker, some lit, and a few other really neat things. If you get a chance, I personally would recommend checking out the vendor booths at shows to look at them in person if you are on the fence if you are going to one anytime soon. If you are ordering from somplace random, confirm they are made out of vinyl before ordering. I've gotten a few old stock ones that were not vinyl that... didn't hold up well. Note that if you do go with art blades you forever have to be extra careful lifting and lowering your playfield so as not to scratch them.

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"Note that if you do go with art blades you forever have to be extra careful lifting and lowering your playfield so as not to scratch them."

Get these.. never worry again about lifting your playfield..
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