Second Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver

Hey Everyone,

So I recently picked up one of Russ's fantastic Baker Sonic Screwdrivers and it got me to thinking...

Patrick Troughton (the second Doctor) was the first to use this famous device. I believe at the time is was just a pen light. Does anyone know what penlight it was? Was it made specifically for the show? Has anyone ever made a repro of this simple prop? If not I may give it a go myself...

Did a search and the best close up pic I could find was this from "War Games":



Just looks to me like a metal tube with a light at the end, nothing more.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

The closest I've seen anyone come to finding/replicating the 2nd Doctor's sonic was this:
Gem Grading Pen Light

*WARNING! OrganicMechanic starts rambling in 3...2...1...

In truth though, I'm thinking that I need to go back and re-watch a few William Hartnell episodes. He used a pen light as well, albeit a different model-no sound-never called it a SS, in a way that makes me think of it as a sonic. If I can convince myself that it could be a sonic screwdriver I think it'd make a great "extended emitter" version of Troughton's SS. We'll see. lol

But in that event, drawing up plans to combine the two would be rather simple.

I have a penlight at home that looks pretty close but is the wrong color. They do make it in silver though.
I'll take some pics when I get home from work.

OrganicMechanic said:

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The closest I've seen anyone come to finding/replicating the 2nd Doctor's sonic was this:
Gem Grading Pen Light

*WARNING! OrganicMechanic starts rambling in 3...2...1...

In truth though, I'm thinking that I need to go back and re-watch a few William Hartnell episodes. He used a pen light as well, albeit a different model-no sound-never called it a SS, in a way that makes me think of it as a sonic. If I can convince myself that it could be a sonic screwdriver I think it'd make a great "extended emitter" version of Troughton's SS. We'll see. lol

But in that event, drawing up plans to combine the two would be rather simple.

That penlight is *really* close. Looks like you just need to extend the light itself a little more out of the casing and it would be bang on. I'm actually going through the Hartnell episodes now, I'll keep an eye out for it as I watch.

I have a penlight at home that looks pretty close but is the wrong color. They do make it in silver though.
I'll take some pics when I get home from work.

Awesome!

Is it just me or does that penlight look squarish with bevelled corners?

now that you mention it...it does

Isnt the wargames out on dvd yet? Anyone have it for capping?

Orange_Blend said:

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That penlight is *really* close. Looks like you just need to extend the light itself a little more out of the casing and it would be bang on.

I had noticed that, but it seems like it'd be a simple alteration.

blubeetle3 said:

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Is it just me or does that penlight look squarish with bevelled corners?

I dunno. I see why you say that, but I think it may just be a trick of the light.

So the penlight I have is a "Stylus Streamlight" they have various colors of LED available, mine is blue. The "barrell" can also be had in a variety of colors. Off the top of my head, Black, Silver, Red, and Blue.
You'll notice in the later couple of pictures that I have a white LED, silver barreled penlight made by Energizer.

Easy answer to the Hartnell query.. "The Edge of Destruction" or "The Brink of Disaster" same story, just the two different episodes.. IIRC he used it in the second one and was using it to explain about a spring getting jammed in one of the TARDIS mechanisms.

OrganicMechanic said:

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The closest I've seen anyone come to finding/replicating the 2nd Doctor's sonic was this:
Gem Grading Pen Light

*WARNING! OrganicMechanic starts rambling in 3...2...1...

In truth though, I'm thinking that I need to go back and re-watch a few William Hartnell episodes. He used a pen light as well, albeit a different model-no sound-never called it a SS, in a way that makes me think of it as a sonic. If I can convince myself that it could be a sonic screwdriver I think it'd make a great "extended emitter" version of Troughton's SS. We'll see. lol

But in that event, drawing up plans to combine the two would be rather simple.

Easy answer to the Hartnell query.. "The Edge of Destruction" or "The Brink of Disaster" same story, just the two different episodes.. IIRC he used it in the second one and was using it to explain about a spring getting jammed in one of the TARDIS mechanisms.

Just watched that serial and I'm pretty sure it's just being used as a flashlight because the TARDIS lights were powered down. That was my impression anyways, it wasn't used like a tool at all.

Orange_Blend said:

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Just watched that serial and I'm pretty sure it's just being used as a flashlight because the TARDIS lights were powered down. That was my impression anyways, it wasn't used like a tool at all.

Yep, definitely just a light. The line directly proceeding it's use it "Just a moment, I can't very well see the switch without a light now can I?"

Orange_Blend said:

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Just watched that serial and I'm pretty sure it's just being used as a flashlight because the TARDIS lights were powered down. That was my impression anyways, it wasn't used like a tool at all.

yeah, it was.. he even refers to it as being one.
To me, it looks nearly identical to the energizer one but of course, I could be wrong. He talks about how when he presses the button on the back the light comes on but when he lets go a spring turns it back off.

Orange_Blend said:

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Just watched that serial and I'm pretty sure it's just being used as a flashlight because the TARDIS lights were powered down. That was my impression anyways, it wasn't used like a tool at all.

Orange_Blend said:

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Yep, definitely just a light. The line directly proceeding it's use it "Just a moment, I can't very well see the switch without a light now can I?"

Yeah, just watched it again myself. Bummer. Oh well, would have been a cool little project.

OrganicMechanic said:

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Yeah, just watched it again myself. Bummer. Oh well, would have been a cool little project.

It certainly would have! I'm going through all of the old Hartnell stories now, if I find a "tool" that he uses that catches my eye I may see if I can reproduce it. I want to eventually make a little tool bag full of items from all of the Doctors.

Ah, but wait! Correct me if I'm wrong (but I'm not ) Does not the 11th Doctor use his Sonic as a flashlight at times? The latest episode for one.
So... reversing that logic (and stretching it somewhat): If the current Sonic can be used as a flashlight, then the fact that the 1st Doctor uses his device as a flashlight does not preclude the possibility of it also being a Sonic.

Thoughts?

Works for me.
It's been inferred (recently or in the novels.. cannot recall) that he did have one in his first incarnation.

OrganicMechanic said:

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I dunno. I see why you say that, but I think it may just be a trick of the light.

If it were round and just a trick of the light, wouldn't the shadow cast by his thumb extend all the way down the side of the light instead of just the top, like it would if it were flat at the top?

d_jedi1 said:

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It's round... just check THIS pic.

YUP! It is rounded off a little with the tip of the light bulb just protruding from the tip. Not bad.


I did post a pic of the light I found and I think it could be modded a little to match this but it IS the gem grading tool posted above. It's not a bad pen light for the money either.

Ah, but wait! Correct me if I'm wrong (but I'm not ) Does not the 11th Doctor use his Sonic as a flashlight at times? The latest episode for one.
So... reversing that logic (and stretching it somewhat): If the current Sonic can be used as a flashlight, then the fact that the 1st Doctor uses his device as a flashlight does not preclude the possibility of it also being a Sonic.

Thoughts?

I suppose. But he takes the light out and gives it to Ian which he probably wouldn't do if it were a more complicated tool. Also when he's showing it to Susan it's very clearly treated just as a light with one on/off button.

I notice the same (or a very similar) penlight is used in the serial "The Sensorites" and he calls it a torch.

You could twist it and call it an assumed sonic but I think it's conclusive that the first on screen sonic screwdriver was Troughtons.

Orange_Blend said:

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I want to eventually make a little tool bag full of items from all of the Doctors.

Exactly what I was thinking of. Of course, it would mostly be sonics as that's the one we see the most prevalently. Maybe a laser spanner too...XD

Straker said:

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Well, the doc does carry other items on him like his binoculars and such. I could see several flat pockets holding various scarps of paper and some recognizable tin leather holders as well. Maybe even some various keys too.

Quite. What needs to be done then, is to go back through the series (oh darn! lol) and begin cataloging images and functions. The wife & kids are gonna love this. Mua-Ha-ha-ha!

There are always the old tools from the technical manual.
goaste
and I suppose we could attempt the ones from the 1996 TVM toolbox too.