ROTS Obi-wan and Anakin lightsaber Project (OWK preview on pg 11)

[Anakin Starkiller]

I’m getting the impression the “knurling” was done and it was a little taller than the surrounding clamp, and they spun it and knocked the tips off the pyramids so everything was level?

This is looking excellent. Will the bunny ears have three grub screws?

The bunny ears that will be included will have three holes. (That's how the original parts I have were made) but I plan to only have one set screw holding it in place. (You won't be able to see them anyways once installed because the emitter covers the inside holes.) The reason why is that each casting shrinks a bit differently in the curing process and I don't want to stretch the holes or put stress on the plating with the three screws. So the other two holes will remain empty or can be filled with little 2mm screws that look like they hold the part in place but are actually just for show.

 

[Halliwax]

Good thinking

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

I made the engraving on the clamp card a little wider and deeper than on the OWK saber, since some people felt the lines were a bit faint.

 

[Halliwax]

You know what I’m going to say…

 

[Gregatron]

View attachment 1819210
I made the engraving on the clamp card a little wider and deeper than on the OWK saber, since some people felt the lines were a bit faint.

Planning on including both clamp card variants, or just the standard/Azarian versions?

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

Planning on including both clamp card variants, or just the standard/Azarian versions?

Probably just the Azarian version

 

[Dewy]

For anyone interested in seeing one way to make the clamp knurling for this saber, one of the machining YouTubers I follow just release a very relevant video:

 

[thd9791]

I was going to pull up the propstore auction and compliment some of your model but i can't find the auction anymore. Does anyone have the image files from this? (the public ones from propstore)

thank you!

 

[MojaveTrooper]

https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/props/hayden-christensen-anakin-skywalker-hero-lightsaber-from-star-wars-episode-iii-revenge-of-the-sith/a/7355-11076.s

The Azarian is on Heritage Auctions if that's what you mean

 

[thd9791]

https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/props/hayden-christensen-anakin-skywalker-hero-lightsaber-from-star-wars-episode-iii-revenge-of-the-sith/a/7355-11076.s

The Azarian is on Heritage Auctions if that's what you mean

**** me, thank you Mojave!

 

[thd9791]

Oh dan, your model looks fantastic.

1) am I crazy or do the knurls look rectangular and not square?

2) more of a research thing, what is the consensus on the layers of the gold block? I don't see much of a seam line, and the gold doesn't look like paint, my eyes can't figure if its just a REALLY thin layer of brass or the black is paint and it's all brass

 

[Reel Fakes]

I think the cards are black plastic with a very thin metallic layer on top. In my college years I worked security at a large hotel and was frequently tasked with making the engraved name tags for new employees. They looked just like this. These don't look laser-engraved to me. They look like they were made with an oldschool engraving machine. I could have done these with a simple grid stencil on one of those old machines.

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

I think the cards are black plastic with a very thin metallic layer on top. In my college years I worked security at a large hotel and was frequently tasked with making the engraved name tags for new employees. They looked just like this. These don't look laser-engraved to me. They look like they were made with an oldschool engraving machine. I could have done these with a simple grid stencil on one of those old machines.

I'd be interested in hearing more about this process. Do you know the technical name for the process, so I can Google it and learn about the process?

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

Oh dan, your model looks fantastic.

1) am I crazy or do the knurls look rectangular and not square?
View attachment 1819356View attachment 1819357

2) more of a research thing, what is the consensus on the layers of the gold block? I don't see much of a seam line, and the gold doesn't look like paint, my eyes can't figure if its just a REALLY thin layer of brass or the black is paint and it's all brass
View attachment 1819358

I think the knurling is cubical. But the look can carry depending on how the tops were hit during the deburring process.

 

[Reel Fakes]

It was a manual engraving machine. There are lots of different kinds, but the one I used was similar to this:

 

[Reel Fakes]

Here is an example of the material I think these were engraved on:

 

[Reel Fakes]

Anyway, follow along referencing the image of the machine I posted.
The process works like this:
On the lower part of the machine, there is a tray where you arrange the stencils for each letter you need
There are clamps on either side of this tray to secure the stencils to they don't move while you're engraving.
Near the top of the machine is where you clamp the material you are engraving.
In the right side of the machine is the pencil-shaped stylus that you use to follow your stencil.
As you follow the stencil with your stylus, the machine copies your movements with the engraver cutting into the material.
It takes practice, but I got pretty good at it after a while!

The more I look at the image I posted, the more I think this could be the exact machine I used.
They still make and sell them for around $2K. Not cheap and no wonder everyone moved to laser...

 

[Halliwax]

I can really see this being a possibility for the cards

There is a trophy shop in town that does this with a mini cnc

We have our historic plaques made by them, some of their material they use can pass for vintage cast metal.. and when you pick it up you realize it’s plastic

 

[Saberz]

Oh dan, your model looks fantastic.

1) am I crazy or do the knurls look rectangular and not square?
View attachment 1819356View attachment 1819357

You're not crazy. And not only are they rectangular, but the knurling is not symmetrical either. Meaning, one side slopes down more quickly than the other, and the square "plateau" is not directly above the base, but offset due to those angles You can almost see this in the photo you referenced, and it's very clear on the original prop as well.

 

[thd9791]

Oh now thats interesting, I see it in this head-on shot. The sideways/lathed grooves are crooked. The lengthwise cuts seem normal.