Bridgeport CT, eh? My home state!!!
Help restoring my first lightsaber (1977 Laser Sword)
- Thread starter Mara Jade's Father
- Start date
Tan Djarka
Sr Member
I wish I had a picture of my Vader costume. I made the helmet with a race car driver helmet and cardboard, the chest box from plywood with the details painted on, and sewed up the cape and inner cloak myself. I neglected to make any of the armor pieces though. But if the existing pics of my DIY Boba Fett costume are any indication, it probably wasn't very good.
And those caps look to do the trick! Also, I was going to recommend upgrading the incandescent bulb to LED, but looks like you did already.
Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
So here it is with the new body, LED bulb, replacement cap, new batteries, original blade, and original emitter. I’m using the green gel because it looks better than the red gel. The red is not as bright and it looks sort of orange.
Incredible photo!
Amazing!!! This came out wicked!!
Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
Btw: the sword only came with one gel. If I remember right only red and green were options. This makes sense since this are the port and starboard colors for ground crew directional wands. I choose green because I have always been a good guy sort (the Darth Vader costume was very out of character but I wanted to carry around my lightsaber. My cousin bought a red lightsaber and he had two red gels stuck together so he gave me one.
Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
I have that one too. Picked the yellow because they were always giving Luke figures a yellow lightsaber blade. I liked it because you didn’t have to rely on batteries and be in a dark room to see the blade color, but I hated having the The Empire Strikes Back wording and they didn’t bother to make the hilt look like a replica. I seemed to always go back to my 1977 metal hilt laser sword as my go to weapon of choice.
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Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
While searching the internet for parts, I found this at a good buy. The pommel area is cracked but I mainly got it for the emitter shroud.
I may try to repair the crack with some melted black filament or just stash it away. This lightsaber toy appears to be a variation of mine also from BMG. The switches are the same style as well as the threading for the shrouds.
Here is an example of a complete toy.
From photos I have seen, the blade cap was either green or red based on the color gel that made up th blade color.
From photos previously in this thread, here are some other images of other BGM variants.
The above have a body style of the black version but it has the stepped emitter and clear blade cap of my original toy. I have seen the standard flashlight by BMG but this is similar to the black body style. This is not the same as above as the BMG branding is on the pommel and not bellow the switch.
The above has the smooth shroud of the one I just received but the handle is different. It is black but it does not have the guid rails seen on the cracked black hilt one I received or the blue hilt version. It also has a red switch like my metal hilt version.
During my search for BMG flashlights as replacement bodies I have NOT found.
I may try to repair the crack with some melted black filament or just stash it away. This lightsaber toy appears to be a variation of mine also from BMG. The switches are the same style as well as the threading for the shrouds.
Here is an example of a complete toy.
From photos I have seen, the blade cap was either green or red based on the color gel that made up th blade color.
From photos previously in this thread, here are some other images of other BGM variants.
The above have a body style of the black version but it has the stepped emitter and clear blade cap of my original toy. I have seen the standard flashlight by BMG but this is similar to the black body style. This is not the same as above as the BMG branding is on the pommel and not bellow the switch.
The above has the smooth shroud of the one I just received but the handle is different. It is black but it does not have the guid rails seen on the cracked black hilt one I received or the blue hilt version. It also has a red switch like my metal hilt version.
During my search for BMG flashlights as replacement bodies I have NOT found.
- Black body with guide rails and yellow switch (I have found the 3 cell version with flash button).
- Blue body with guide rails and white with branding on pommel and not under the switch.
- Black body without guide rails and with red switch.
Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
Looks like another compatible hilt option is the Sears variant which appears to be a BMG flashlight with Sears branding instead of BMG.
Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
Still looking for blade replacements. Ideally I would like to replace it with a pristine or near pristine vintage golf club tube as is the original.
Not a lot out there to choose from.
Next would be to replace with the correct size and material which I believe to be Nylon 6/6 Tube Natural 1.25" OD x 1.125" ID x .063" Wall. The problem is that anything I found is very expensive, requires a minimum order, or is out of stock.
So the next option would be to replace with something else that would fit like acrylic.
These are the same size and thickness and I can get them custom cut. I could go with opaque that does allow some light to pass through or I could go with a color option.
The last option is to 3D print an adapter and use a 1” blade made for RGB style lightsaber..
Not a lot out there to choose from.
Next would be to replace with the correct size and material which I believe to be Nylon 6/6 Tube Natural 1.25" OD x 1.125" ID x .063" Wall. The problem is that anything I found is very expensive, requires a minimum order, or is out of stock.
So the next option would be to replace with something else that would fit like acrylic.
These are the same size and thickness and I can get them custom cut. I could go with opaque that does allow some light to pass through or I could go with a color option.
The last option is to 3D print an adapter and use a 1” blade made for RGB style lightsaber..
Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
One take away that I have after doing this research it that when you look at all the 1977+ lightsaber toys that hit the market, it appears the my variation alone was the only one to utilize a metal handle. All others appear to be plastic.
Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
I bit the bullet and ordered 2x:
Wear-Resistant Nylon Tube
1/32" Wall Thickness, 1-1/4" OD, 1-3/16" ID, 5 Feet Long
It’s costing me as much to ship the tubes as it was to buy two tubes but it’s actually the best price I found. Tubes cost $25 for the two and another $25 to ship. But if I can finish restoring two vintage lightsaber toys, it will be worth it.
The inner, outer, and wall dimensions match exactly the same as the original blade. Each one will be cut down to around 30-32 inches so I will have a lot of excess to practice cutting. I also want to experiment with softening one end to roll in order to make lip like the original blade. I’m hoping I can do it with some boiling water.
Wear-Resistant Nylon Tube
1/32" Wall Thickness, 1-1/4" OD, 1-3/16" ID, 5 Feet Long
It’s costing me as much to ship the tubes as it was to buy two tubes but it’s actually the best price I found. Tubes cost $25 for the two and another $25 to ship. But if I can finish restoring two vintage lightsaber toys, it will be worth it.
The inner, outer, and wall dimensions match exactly the same as the original blade. Each one will be cut down to around 30-32 inches so I will have a lot of excess to practice cutting. I also want to experiment with softening one end to roll in order to make lip like the original blade. I’m hoping I can do it with some boiling water.
I remember these sabers! I must have known someone who had one, or at the very least I played with one in the local toy store. I think it had the green gel? Of course, I could be misremembering a lot... it was 45 years ago!
At any rate, i remember seeing these in the local toy store(s).
At one point I had the Kenner inflatable yellow saber... boy, WHAT a disappointment that was
At any rate, i remember seeing these in the local toy store(s).
At one point I had the Kenner inflatable yellow saber... boy, WHAT a disappointment that was
Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
I ordered a couple more parts.
I bought these to glue to the base of the tubes in order to create the lip.
And I bought this as a retaining ring that goes inside the shroud between the lip and the shroud. I needed one for the second lightsaber. This was the closest in size of any type of washer/bearing plate/lock disc that I could find. I fits the 1.25” diameter of the blade.
I bought these to glue to the base of the tubes in order to create the lip.
Plumb Pak PP25535 Beveled Tailpiece Washer, Polyethylene, 1-1/4 x 1-1/4"
And I bought this as a retaining ring that goes inside the shroud between the lip and the shroud. I needed one for the second lightsaber. This was the closest in size of any type of washer/bearing plate/lock disc that I could find. I fits the 1.25” diameter of the blade.
Sigma ProConnex 1-1/2-in Rigid / IMC Zinc-plated Steel Reducing Washer Conduit Fittings (2-Pack)
Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
The tubes and fitting rings arrived today.
Here are some comparison shots of the new tubes with the old blade.
Here you can see how I will utilize the fitting ring to act as a lip. The one on the left is the original blade. It’s a little gnarly because the lip broke away and I had to glue it back. I suspect the original lip might have been formed by some sort of heat process. I was going to try doing that but then I found the rings which I thought might be a better solution. The middle shows a ring installed.
Below you can see match of the diameter and the wall thickness. The original is in the center.
Here you can see a test fit of the shroud and the cap.
Here are some comparison shots of the new tubes with the old blade.
Here you can see how I will utilize the fitting ring to act as a lip. The one on the left is the original blade. It’s a little gnarly because the lip broke away and I had to glue it back. I suspect the original lip might have been formed by some sort of heat process. I was going to try doing that but then I found the rings which I thought might be a better solution. The middle shows a ring installed.
Below you can see match of the diameter and the wall thickness. The original is in the center.
Here you can see a test fit of the shroud and the cap.
Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
I cut the blades tonight. I decided to leave them a bit longer so that the blade is 36” past the emitter end. You can see the difference in length below next to the original blade plus the extra… maybe future shotos.
Here is everything put together. I’m going to call the restoration for this one complete.
Here is everything put together. I’m going to call the restoration for this one complete.
Mara Jade's Father
Master Member
I decided to just use the original blade with my original handle and the other acquired variant shroud.
Millenniumf
Sr Member
I remember being young, WAY after 1977 (like... mid-90's I want to say), and having seen pics of these online in the very early days of the internet from other Star Wars fans, it made me realize that I didn't need a fancy machine or machining skills to make a lightsaber. I just needed a metal flashlight that looked cool, so I found a random one at a hardware store when I was tagging along with my dad to get something and begged him for it. I took it home and wedged a piece of PVC into the end, and I had a lightsaber! It's amazing how creative you can get with basically nothing if you just find the right inspiration.
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