The phillips ones are original. The slotted ones were a post production addition, as well as the brass lever screws as far as we can tell.
Revisiting the old ESB screws vs rivets grips question :)
- Thread starter tomleech
- Start date
The phillips ones are original. The slotted ones were a post production addition, as well as the brass lever screws as far as we can tell.
Understood however the pictures clearly show both slotted and Phillips on the same saber. The slotted are half the size of the grips and installed on the upper corners of the grips while the Phillips are larger and in the bottom cuts of the same grip.
Uhh...That's what thd9791 is saying. Those corner screws on the grips were added some time after filming as well as a bunch of other mods for a multitude of reasons. The slotted smaller screws in the corners are not seen on the prop in the film. The main Phillips screws, that hold the grips to the 3-cell lower, and its color is the discussion here.
I'll tell 'ya. I've been looking at photos of the Luke ESB lightsaber for 14 years. I've seen hundreds of on-set photos, screen grabs, promotional photos, and behind the scene photos.
I've even seen a few photos I can't talk about.
But I have yet to see any photo that shows 100% that the saber seen on-screen during the movie, for any peticular scene, has either rivets or screws.
Looks like rivets? Just squint and now it looks like screws. Squint again and now it looks like rivets.
Screen grabs, even high-res 1080, are WORTHLESS. You just can't tell. I've got a hard-drive full of screen grabs on this saber and you just can't tell.
Also, if either screws or rivets were used they were not painted black. 1978 steel screws may have darkened with handling or appear dark due to shadows or side-effects of filming, but they were not painted black.
But your mileage may vary, so make your saber how you see it and however makes you happy.
I've even seen a few photos I can't talk about.
But I have yet to see any photo that shows 100% that the saber seen on-screen during the movie, for any peticular scene, has either rivets or screws.
Looks like rivets? Just squint and now it looks like screws. Squint again and now it looks like rivets.
Screen grabs, even high-res 1080, are WORTHLESS. You just can't tell. I've got a hard-drive full of screen grabs on this saber and you just can't tell.
Also, if either screws or rivets were used they were not painted black. 1978 steel screws may have darkened with handling or appear dark due to shadows or side-effects of filming, but they were not painted black.
But your mileage may vary, so make your saber how you see it and however makes you happy.
The hallway screencaps show black screws/rivets, it is quite clear looking IMO. Possibly multiple props being used? I used black on my replica, based from the bespin corridor scenes. There's no way that is an illusion, they aren't in shadow either. You can see the light shining on them, and it is black and not silver.
Other times, there are clearly silver ones being used. I scratched my black ones up a bit so they reflect more on the top of the domes when the light hits it. My favourite compromise.
Other times, there are clearly silver ones being used. I scratched my black ones up a bit so they reflect more on the top of the domes when the light hits it. My favourite compromise.
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Lichtbringer
Master Member
One of my hobbies is makeover old machines (lathes, milling machines, drillpresses,....) like some people work on old cars, and at that time black steel screws were pretty common, even today they were still used (but often with another treatment). They were just not painted black, the surface was treated to get a black oxide layer. Sort of blueing.
That blackening was a way of rust protection, but not a good one. It worked best in oily conditions. When completely dry and in wet or damp conditions they get pretty soon rusty.
Copied from Wikipedia: "Black oxide provides minimal protection against corrosion, unless also treated with a water-displacing oil to reduce wetting and galvanic action.".
That blackening was a way of rust protection, but not a good one. It worked best in oily conditions. When completely dry and in wet or damp conditions they get pretty soon rusty.
Copied from Wikipedia: "Black oxide provides minimal protection against corrosion, unless also treated with a water-displacing oil to reduce wetting and galvanic action.".
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This. They are definitely black here:
and definitely silver here:
Now if only we could find a high enough res shot where the silver looks convincingly like rivets I'd put rivets in my Graflex and as far as I'm concerned that'd be the end of it
I think that's what we're seeing on the ranch saber, there's a lot of rust but where there isn't it looks black
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Just throwing this out there...
When I look at this promotional image (which I found on a similar thread), it actually looks to me like the screws might be missing altogether? Perhaps in screen captures that appear to show silver-colored rivets, we're actually just seeing through the T tracks to the holes in the graflex base, because for whatever reason the T tracks were replaced and glued on with no screws applied.
Perhaps the screws started falling out as the holes stripped out, and to expedite filming some scenes were filmed with some or all screws missing? Perhaps the grips broke with sufficient regularity that they just got tired of replacing the screws? Either way, it seems possible to me that - at times - the screws proved to be more hindrance than help.
When I look at this promotional image (which I found on a similar thread), it actually looks to me like the screws might be missing altogether? Perhaps in screen captures that appear to show silver-colored rivets, we're actually just seeing through the T tracks to the holes in the graflex base, because for whatever reason the T tracks were replaced and glued on with no screws applied.
Perhaps the screws started falling out as the holes stripped out, and to expedite filming some scenes were filmed with some or all screws missing? Perhaps the grips broke with sufficient regularity that they just got tired of replacing the screws? Either way, it seems possible to me that - at times - the screws proved to be more hindrance than help.
matty matt
Sr Member
Rivets? Screws? Calculator bubbles!?
I'm not seeing what you're seeing. If we were seeing the graflex tube through the holes, the gleam would look like the exposed parts of the tube between the grips. In this pic they're reflecting much more brightly. Also note that one of the grips is broken toward the end, just like it would have done if it was being held tightly by a rivet or screw. The entire grip would've torn off intact if it was just glued.
The only reason for screws or rivets being there in the first place was to make a tight connection, so it doesn't make sense that they would be falling off all by themselves.
I was watching ESB the other night and freeze framed a shot of Luke in cloud city when he's hiding/fighting Boba Fett and noticed that whatever the fasteners for that shot; they were black/dark not silver.
Seems like it changed throughout production. At some point, it's up to us to go with what we like aesthetically and be happy. If it's ever confirmed one way or the other, there's enough skill here to change it if needed. I do wish we knew once and for all though...
Seems like it changed throughout production. At some point, it's up to us to go with what we like aesthetically and be happy. If it's ever confirmed one way or the other, there's enough skill here to change it if needed. I do wish we knew once and for all though...
DARTH SABER
Master Member
If we're talking about the wampa cave/ bespin R2 bump scene, I think we can rule out rivets.
And heres why -
Rivets tend to have a very shallow profile. Theres just a slight corvature on the head of a rivet.
If you look at the Wampa cave and R2 bump scene you can clearly see that the the heads of the fasteners are very bulbous.
Far too round to be rivets.
This would indicate they are some kind of pan or dome head fastener.
And heres why -
Rivets tend to have a very shallow profile. Theres just a slight corvature on the head of a rivet.
If you look at the Wampa cave and R2 bump scene you can clearly see that the the heads of the fasteners are very bulbous.
Far too round to be rivets.
This would indicate they are some kind of pan or dome head fastener.
i agree with ya buddy! wanna cave = phillips screws!
one thing that was brought up to me once that i never knew about was the black screw in the graflex clamp at the R2 bump scene. never see any debate about that screw
DARTH SABER
Master Member
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