I also thought of something the other day. The V3 has chrome tape/paint over a black painted emitter. It's thought this was done to polish it up for public use. That would mean the emitter was actually painted black for something before.
I know the bladed emitter would have been a different emitter, with the theory we've been playing with. That means it was not only drilled for a bearing, but sent over to be painted as well. Without being lathed. I really wonder if they were all prepped at once, because there are a few un-prepped blanks out there too.
It brought up the idea again that the hilt was put together that way to make a "master" with a stunt Luke ESB card and clamp.