Lightsaber Screws

[Tan Djarka]

I think having a close-up of Lukes saber with Phillips head screws would totally break the illusion of a galaxy far away.

Even after ROTJ, and the Star Wars franchise had been a part of the world's collective consciousness for the better part of a decade, I'd bet 99% of movie goers still couldn't indentify a lightsaber if they actually saw one. The first time I ever saw a real live Graflex, in spite of being a devoted Star Wars fan, I still had almost no idea what I was looking at. I think the screws which are virtually invisible under even the best of circumstances have little or no impact on the "illusion".

That said, I used phillips head screws on the grips of my ESB saber. I could say it's because the only existing example of the saber also has screws, but the truth is it was just easier to do that way.

 

[epilepticsquirl]

I never have anything useful to contribute to Star Wars threads. But I thought i'd just pop these in. They look like rivets, but are actually security screws.

 

[Lightsaberman]

Ok chaps, I have to agree with most of what has been said and perhaps the Blu Ray caps will finally end this debate. I know from past experience that on set lighting can play all sorts of tricks with the viewers eyes!

However, I've got to bring us back full circle for a moment and refer to the PIH auction of what was described in their catalogue as :

This lightsaber was used by Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in both Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. It is the non-fighting version of the famous Jedi weapon.......this hero lightsaber used by Luke comes directly from the archive of Gary Kurtz."

Now, whether we believe that the grips are original or not ( I actually find the appearance of the very ageing glue rather persuasive) what I cannot understand is, if these really are replacement grips and not authentic screen used ones why use rivets? IF rivets were NEVER used on screen used sabers, then surely Mr.Kurtz would instruct screws to be used in order for the saber to fit with his description of the item he put up for auction?

Does he know something we dont?

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

From all the pictures I've seen of all the ESB lightsabers in still photos and screen caps, there is no evidence in the beer tab on any of them. Therefore I doubt the accuracy of the PIH hilt.

 

[Lightsaberman]

OK. please forgive my ignorance when it comes to the prop euphemisms. :wacko

Beer Tab would be.........?!!

 

[Clutch]

The small tab under that big red button

 

[Clutch]

It also has a glass eye on the bottom which was not seen on ESB sabers and the edges of the grips are rounded. The clamp is on the wrong side and there's no tape and no circuit board on it but I suppose those could have been removed.

 

[GINO]

The Kurtz/Joiner saber as pictured above was only a bare graflex in a box of other misc. production pieces from ESB. Was it used on screen then stripped? Who knows? But it did apparently come from the production.
What we do know for sure is that everything on it (aside from the bare graflex) was added for the auction so as to give the look of a complete saber.
Nothing on that saber is tied to the production except for the bare graflex itself.



.

 

[Lightsaberman]

OK, thanks guys, I get the picture concerning the Kurtz PIH saber.

Thanks also for explaining the "beer tab". I noticed the omission but didn't know what it was called!

I'm curious about this one. This is the ESB Lightsaber on show at the Skywalker Ranch:

Now, excuse the silly question, but what the hell is this?!!!
It bears no resembalance to the SBS pics posted by James Kenobi earlier and it has those rivets again!! (I don't seem to be able to get away from them! :lol)

 

[GINO]

That's an MR artist's proof (see display plaque).

 

[Clutch]

lol

 

[Lightsaberman]

Thanks Gino. I couldn't quite make out what that text said.
So this is just another pre production mock up? Why the rivets again?

 

[Clutch]

They best guessed it like everyone else?

 

[Lightsaberman]

Mmmmmmmmmm.

1. Gary Kurtz sells an ESB lightsaber as "an original non fighting hero prop" with rivets deliberately fitted to the T Track

2. Skywalker Ranch is happy to have an ESB lightsaber on display with rivets fitted to the T Track.

And we are wondering if rivets were ever used in a production lightsaber?

 

[clancampbell]

Mmmmmmmmmm.


2. Skywalker Ranch is happy to have an ESB lightsaber on display with rivets fitted to the T Track.

Remember, Lucas OK'd the Anakin ROTS saber as being authentic to the prequel ones. ( i think in one of the DVD docs he picks up the ROTS prop and even says something like, "..and this is the one from the first film?"Generally the entire company isn't ultra concerned about accuracy the way we prop geeks are.

Rich

 

[Lightsaberman]

Thanks Rich

Yes, I'm certainly starting to get that impression! :unsure

It makes it a little more difficult for us perfectionists! :lol

A friend of mine has the original stormtrooper helmet moulds from ANH with two stormtroopers lookin out at you (one inverted upside down) and if you look closely you can see the razor marks where they were repeatedly cut around to get them off. It makes a wonderful peice of art and is in amazing condition for its age. He rescued it from going into a skip at the UK film studios in the early 80's.

My point is, if they cared so little about something as precious as that, accuarate T Track attachments is hardly going to make the list!

 

[GINO]

Point is, in the t-track, we have seen screws on a real saber, but we have never seen rivets on a real saber. Most saber experts lean towards screws, but I think we'd agree that we are open minded enough to not make any definitive statements about it until we've seen any real proof.

As far as those two-headed molds (I know the ones you are referring to), I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but those most definitely are not original molds.


.

 

[Lightsaberman]

Yep, I take your point Gino. No rivets in screen used sabers, as far as we know. It just bugs me that rivets keep turning up!

Maybe a likely scenario is that they started with rivets (because let's be honest they are far more attractive than the screws) on both the D-Ring and grips and soon realised that with the inevitable replacement procedure, screws were the only sensible option. When on-set, speed of repairs is crucial. As soon as the BluRay is issued, it's my mission to see what I can find.

Not bad news at all; It isn't mine! But if it isn't original, and you are familiar with the item I am talking about , what are they?

 

[l33tLX]

i got a question for everybody, when did the red button on the SWS makes its way from the glass eye socket to the regular location? the pics in this thread show it in the normal red button hole, as opposed to the pics on parts of sw showing it in the glass eye socket? to me this would point a little more towards the SWS being the dagobah

 

[Clutch]

Maybe when they restored it, they were going off of photos for the hero or the ANH and thought it should go on top.