Sith lightsabers, also known as Sith sabers, were lightsabers wielded by members of the Sith. They were constructed through methods similar to those used by other Force-sensitives, but the underlying philosophy was different. Unlike the Jedi who followed the light side of the Force, the Sith could not establish a mutual bond with kyber crystals. This was due to the hate, fear and other emotions associated with the dark side that clouded their concentration.

In the construction of a Sith lightsaber, individuals partook in a process known as bleeding. By ways of the Force, they would pour negative emotions such as rage, hate, fear and pain into kyber crystals. The process would result in the crystals gaining a distinctive crimson or red hue. Any kyber crystal could be bled for use in a Sith lightsaber, though some Sith believed that the proper method to gain a crystal involved capturing one from a Jedi lightsaber.

The materials, length and shape in which Sith lightsaber hilts were composed of varied. Darth Sidious’ lightsabers had nearly indestructible phrik with a flat aurodium blade emitter and were finished with electrum as he had discerning tastes. The two hilts each had a length of 19 centimeters. Darth Vader’s lightsaber was made out of alloy metal and carbon composite with a hilt length of 28 centimeters.

Sith lightsabers could be of various designs. They could be a standard-hilt like Darth Sidious‘ lightsabers, dual-phased like Darth Vader’s lightsaber, double-bladed like Darth Maul’s lightsaber, have a curved-hilt like Darth Tyranus’ lightsaber or be cross-guarded like Darth Atrius’ lightsabers and Kylo Ren’s lightsaber.