My Luke ESB Graflex Lightsaber

[matty matt]

Updated with a couple new pics showing the new grips.






I just snapped some pics of this and wanted to post them up. This is a real Graflex with Blast-tech parts. This was also the first prop I ever built so it holds a special place in my heart. I've actually had it for years but just popped the beer tab off last night and now I've got a renewed interest. I'd like to upgrade the circuit board and the grips eventually (and maybe change out the screws if we ever get that figured out). But anyway, enjoy these glorious photos of a vintage flash.

 

[nailz]

Looks awesome! Great pics too

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

An all-time favorite. Looks excellent.

 

[Demig]

Excellent work!

 

[Sym-Cha]

Hi there,

indeed ... marvelous ... and instead of upgrading just add some silver solder onto the golden fingers of your activation board and be done ...

Chaim

 

[Unfated]

Beautiful saber!

 

[Matheus27]

Looks great.
An elegant weapon for a more civilized age

 

[matty matt]

Thanks guys. It's always nice when the experts approve. I actually thought about putting some solder on the board, but it's the only one I have and I'm afraid to ruin it. I have a bit of a "can't leave well enough alone" problem, lol.

 

[Trilogy]

A fine looking saber.

 

[manooga]

Beautiful., indeed. One of my favorites. Original Graflex sabers always have that special touch that replicas do not have. Well done.

 

[Romans Empire]

That looks great!

What is the saber resting on in the last pic? Is that a custom desk top?

 

[cayman shen]

Gorgeous! How did you get the flash discolored between the grips? That's a detail you don't often see. It really sells the saber for me.

 

[matty matt]

That looks great!

What is the saber resting on in the last pic? Is that a custom desk top?

That's actually the base I made for my life size Boba Fett. Thanks!

Gorgeous! How did you get the flash discolored between the grips? That's a detail you don't often see. It really sells the saber for me.

That must just be from handling it over the years. I'm not exactly gentle with it and it never gets cleaned! Thanks!

 

[clancampbell]

Very cool!!

Rich

 

[matty matt]

I thought I would try out some philips head screws instead of the hex head. Still not sure what to go with...any thoughts?

 

[thd9791]

I prefer the phillips heads, though that's just because of "accuracy" and the mechanical look.

Great looking board too, I just picked up a BUNCH of old boards from commodores and old radiation detection computers. I think some of them are just breadboards from '78 but I'm still himming and hawing over them. They are all almost there (coloring of the plastic, leads, shape of the leads, etc.)

Also, great graflex too, I can never get enough of seeing them

 

[Sym-Cha]

I like the phillips head screws but the x is a bit to big for my taste for accuracy and they should be painted black ... and they do appear more 'earthly made' instead of from another galaxy a long time ago, hence I prefer pop rivets or hex screws ... for now until I find the correct 'vintage' phillips like screws used

Chaim

 

[matty matt]

Yeah, I'm still not decided on which I like better. I kind of like the hex screws still. The best of both worlds. Anyway, until better pictures show up, you simply cannot tell one way or another. And that includes if they were painted black or not. I actually did try black screws before,

 

[Sym-Cha]

In the old stash of screws in my dad's shed I found one black set screw with a nice x, though I doubt it is a Phillips head ... I'll post a picture tomorrow next to an ESB grip when the sun is up again.

Chaim

 

[Sym-Cha]

Okay ... well I didn't even know anymore ... but I found some more different x screws with a set of Blast-Tech grips in my old stash of vintage stuff ... so I put them next to eachother in some pictures ... so you can be the judge, jury and executioners of which variant you like best as the screen accurate ESB screws ... apart from rivets of course







Chaim