What do you get for the Star Wars fan that has everything? Well, how about “an elegant weapon, for a more civilized age”?
Of course, I’m writing about getting them their very own lightsaber!
But first, some history. A long time ago, in a country far, far away (England) a propmaster was tasked with creating the traditional weapon of the Jedi knights, the lightsaber. Like any good propmaster they used anything and everything they could get their hands on to create the futuristic “laser swords” George Lucas had written about in his script.
The lightsaber your father would have wanted you to have (when you were old enough) was made from a Graflex camera flash tube, some windshield wipers, and some calculator parts. That crazy old wizard’s lightsaber was made from a grenade housing (!), and a sink knob. Movie magic.
Forty-plus years ago these things were pretty easy to come across, not so much these days. But, like any good fan community, Star Wars fans rose to meet the challenge. There are more than a few sites out there were you can buy replica parts to build your own lightsaber.
I wouldn’t be writing about this had I not done it myself, mind you. This should dispel any lingering doubts about my nerd cred (like there were any) as I have assembled no less than FIVE lightsabers over the last fifteen years or so.
Understandably, you have questions…
1) “Does it light up?” Well, yes and no. Kits are available to upgrade the hilts for both light AND sound. If you’re like me and you’re after “screen accurate” representations of the props…no. But you do you!
2) “How long is it going to take to assemble?” I am the least handy person I know and I haven’t had one take me any longer than fifteen minutes. You’ll having it hanging from your belt in time for Christmas dinner.
3) “What’s it going to cost me?” Let’s start at $200 (USD) and go from there.
4) “Sold! Where can I get one?” I’ve personally bought from Roman Props and Korbanth Sabers and have been beyond pleased with both builds (Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, respectively.)
If you’re a Star Wars fan of any age there are few things like holding a lightsaber in your hand that’s the very same as the one used on screen. They look great on a shelf, they’re great conversation pieces, and they’ll take your cosplay to the next level if that’s your thing! You’ll be taking your first steps into a larger world by doing this…so don’t be surprised if you start planning your next lightsaber right after your finish the first one!
