Darth Vader's Lightsaber

[SheldonDaMoose]

I need some help. I am planning to make a version of Darth Vader's lightsaber from A New Hope using the original parts for a big fan of star wars but cant seem to find the exact parts used. Based on some searches I believe the base is a Heiland Synchronar Flash gun and I know what materials where used to make the details but not what brands. If anyone could post links or pictures that would help it would be great. Thanks and have a great day!

 

[replicaprops]

Good luck, the MPP flash guns are almost impossible to find.

 

[thd9791]

Let's correct some of that info.

MPP, Micro Precision Products was a camera company in the UK. Their 3 cell flashgun comes with that smaller black clamp (silver lever) and textured black shroud. <- some are 1-step, as used in the movie, and others have 2-steps. This was the flash unit used for Vader's Saber. An Exactra 19 or 20 calculator bubble strip lens was slid into the clamp (with or without the circuit board stuck to the bottom). T track, obviously was used for grips. Shorter ones in ANH, longer in ESB and ROTJ basically.

View attachment 385337

Heiland flash units, made in Chicago, are the US version. (some MPPs used a Heiland tube in their later years) They have NO black clamp, and NONE of them have the 1-step accurate shroud.

View attachment 385338
There are a number of other differences: end-caps, holes, "guts" in the emitter end (which are in reality bulb sockets for the flash bulbs), etc. however they ALL can be made into rather accurate sabers.

There is a certain shortage of clamp replicas. It's really only Parks or a real one now..we'll have to wait and see if anyone makes any more.

Bubble strips can be found in Exactra 19 or 20 calculators or from Roman's, Parks, etc.

T Track, since we don't know the real source yet - I recommend Marv or Gino, who both make plastic replica track. The A New Hope hero's track I think was glued on. but the other prop that's lasted all three films (known as the ESB saber) has grips stretching between the clamp and end-cap, and they're screwed on with tiny screws in the top left and bottom right corners.

 

[parfaitelumiere]

The MPP have lots of variation.
I was planning to create a thread about as I did for the Kobold flashgun.
I have to select pictures and add some other photos then make the thread...
I have or had at least 3 of them, and saw other on photo, and checked at least:
-2 shroud variation, one and two steps (I owned both) but there is probably a third variation.
-2 sleeve and button variations, white and black, both can be together or not, I mean, black button and white sleeve for example.
-2 brand plaques at least with straight or curved 'R" and different letters, I owned only the standart most common straight "R" version (have two of them)
-flat or rounded screw heads on the black near the shroud
-narrow and large "B" hole versions
-number or no number under the shroud
-at least 4 clamp variations: -straight black-white (on internal face) bars,straight plain black bars, tapered plain black bars, tapered plain white bars, I think the tapered black-white and plain straight white bars probably exist, the "white" is raw aluminum, it's machined on bicolor versions.
There is another variation on clamps, I mean long lever bolts and short ones, leaving more room for bubble strip or less
-3 circles on black area of pommel, or plain black area.
-rounded or stepped buble holder entry

The correct ESB vader has:
-rounded bulb holder
-one step "thick" shroud (never seen in real, but it surely exists),re-painted, the retaining nut is different to MPP nut and all existing replicas too.
the closest shroud is actual parks replica, then the real one,"one step thin version"
-narrow "B" hole
-flat bolts on black area near shroud
-plain black tapered bars on clamp, narrow version
-3 circles on black area of pommel


Except the shroud, my vader is correct version for ESB lightsaber.

The anh has straight aluminum color bars, but I don't know if there are plain white or reversed black-white bars, aluminum color on outer side.
Seems the ANH has one step shroud, but I can't tell if thin or thick version, I can't tell more about other details, except telling it's a MPP...
Seems there is another MPP saber, using plain black straight bars, but I don't remember which one it was.


About bubbles, please take care, the only correct bubbles for a vader lightsaber are original and rebelscum replicas.
Other are too roughly made.
I am working on castings to make replicas myself and maybe try to sell some of them.