Luke's Severed Hand Stunt Prop from ESB

I bought a tattoo practice hand based on DaBuilds thread (for a totally unrelate project of my own). It would probably work for this, but I don't think the one I got looks great. I don't know if DaBuilds did some work on it (other than adding the wires). Have to go back and re-watch the video. It would definitely work but I don't know how good it would look close up.
 
Maybe you're already aware of this piece that belonged to Paul Allen, and I frankly have no idea whether the authenticity checks out, but here are a couple images I took at Seattle's MoPop / EMP a few years ago in case they help at all:
 

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Hello!

Any love for the ESB severed hand stunt? I haven't seen any thread specifically about it, and since it is such an enigmatic prop, I thought I start one.
Why now? Because I was approached by Diego86 with the question if I would consider doing some replica parts for this and we had a nice discussion going so far. This does NOT mean that every question I get will result in a new WannaWanga project, but it happens! :lol:

Here are some known pictures:
View attachment 1668212 View attachment 1668213
This first image is from a book called Objets du Mythe. The French book from a French collection. The second image I have no clue where it's from.

View attachment 1668215 View attachment 1668214
These images also seem to be in a French book, and I would really like to know which book (it's not in Objets du Mythe), because I couldn't find a better version of the total image on the left. A good scan would be a great reference.

And some screen shots:
View attachment 1668216 View attachment 1668217
View attachment 1668218

And this one from behind the scenes, with Mark's hand holding Luke's hand:
View attachment 1668219


While looking at these images I had a few thoughts:
  1. I'm really intrigued by the mechanical solution of the grip handle and my first thought that it looks like a pop rivet gun, holding a pop rivet in the hand part. I have searched for vintage rivet guns but couldn't find a similar looking one. Anybody knows what it might be?
  2. There are two Michell cone knobs in the Graflex port holes, but what's that part in the glass eye hole in the BTC pic? It doesn't look like a glass eye. But it DOES look a bit like the valve part from the DV6 stunt! But it obviously fell out and left glue residue in the socket. Intriguing!
    View attachment 1668220 View attachment 1668221
  3. Diego86 suggested that the red button might be similar to a Kobold red button. But a Kobold red button has a dome. But looking at this red button it DOES like as if it was sanded down. I don't know why on earth a prop maker would do that, but it could be. I haven't investigated if the size matches yet. The collar might be a shaft collar, but I haven't seen any set screw hole on it. And we do have a view on both sides but no hole visible. So it was probably something else.
    View attachment 1668223 View attachment 1668226
  4. I wonder about the area between the Kobold flash and the Graflex top:
    View attachment 1668222
    All the Kobolds (and Linhof) flashes I have and I have seen, have a knurl on top and that area is thinner. So what do we see here? Is it a custom connecting bracket that is used?
  5. Then the faux 'clamp box' connector part. I actually don't have any thoughts on that. It's still a mystery where it came from. What does strike me as odd, it that it attached on one side with a screw (and tiny internal bracket) but not on the other side. Strangely asymmetrical. How then is it attached close to the thumb? Maybe just glued.
That's it. I wonder what you think and if many made replicas and if so, please show them!
And yes, I am considering doing a small run of the parts: the connector box, the cone knobs (thanks to Diego for measuring his vintage cone knob) and red button with collar.

I'm very excited as you can probably tell!

Cheers,
Roy
Hello,

The image on the left is from the french book Générations Science Fiction. It includes several pictures from Arnaud Grunberg's collection (as for the book Objets du mythe).
 

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This is the poseable hand I got off eBay to use with my Luke ESB display. I'm not going for accuracy to the stunt prop. I just thought Luke's severed hand would be a cool way to display the ESB saber.

Poseable-Hand.jpg


Its quite poseable. With a little paint to make it look more realistic, it ought to do the job nicely. Ignore the saber in this picture. I dont actually have an ESB saber yet, so I just grabbed what was nearby. Its a replica of the Vader saber from the old Star Wars Technical Journal.

Po-CHand-Display.jpg
 
Hi,

Here's an update on the kit parts development.

I prepared a vintage Kobold and replica Graflex for my own build. Stripping the Kobold was easy. I added some 3D printed samples parts to test. I'm convinced the red button is the Kobold button, sanded flat. It's just too logical: it fits nicely in the metal ring and the dimensions are spot on.

2023-03-24 11.04.40.jpg


All the metal parts are produced and are on their way to me. After receiving and checking them (and building my own saber with it), I will add the kits to my webshop. Here are a few images:

severed-hand-metal-parts.jpg


In the kit I will add a replica red button, but you can also use a Kobold red button instead. It will also come with an adapter part that will help holding the Kobold and Graflex top mounted together properly.

I also bought a set for casting a silicone hand. I don't think I'll be offering the hand, but at least I want to try it for my own build using my own hand (perhaps a bit too big, because I'm taller than Mark). The posable hand I had ordered was not as I hoped for.
This is the casting set I bought (alginate mold): Siliconen Hand Set

I also made a dummy handle to use for the mold making. It will help making the hand grab accurately. I'm not sure yet if it'll work:
2023-03-24 10.47.45.jpg

If this works I will add the STL for download for free.

That's it for now! Next time, the kits will be available for purchase.

Roy

PS. I almost forgot to mention that I bought the French 'Générations Science-Fiction' book and it's amazing! Many costumes, props, posters, etc. in there from many cool sci-fi movies. Very impressive.
 
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Hi,

Here's an update on the kit parts development.

I prepared a vintage Kobold and replica Graflex for my own build. Stripping the Kobold was easy. I added some 3D printed samples parts to test. I'm convinced the red button is the Kobold button, sanded flat. It's just too logical: it fits nicely in the metal ring and the dimensions are spot on.

View attachment 1682988

All the metal parts are produced and are on their way to me. After receiving and checking them (and building my own saber with it), I will add the kits to my webshop. Here are a few images:

View attachment 1682985

In the kit I will add a replica red button, but you can also use a Kobold red button instead. It will also come with an adapter part that will help holding the Kobold and Graflex top mounted together properly.

I also bought a set for casting a silicone hand. I don't think I'll be offering the hand, but at least I want to try it for my own build using my own hand (perhaps a bit too big, because I'm taller than Mark). The posable hand I had ordered was not as I hoped for.
This is the casting set I bought (alginate mold): Siliconen Hand Set

I also made a dummy handle to use for the mold making. It will help making the hand grab accurately. I'm not sure yet if it'll work:
View attachment 1682986
If this works I will add the STL for download for free.

That's it for now! Next time, the kits will be available for purchase.

Roy

PS. I almost forgot to mention that I bought the French 'Générations Science-Fiction' book and it's amazing! Many costumes, props, posters, etc. in there from many cool sci-fi movies. Very impressive.
Thanks for the update Roy!

Will it be possible to get just a partial kit? Already have real Michell knobs, but need the "Graflex button" and the activation box
 
Will it be possible to get just a partial kit? Already have real Michell knobs, but need the "Graflex button" and the activation box

Yes, I will do the same as with my DV6 kits and make separate items available as well. I might make a separate listing for the cone knobs anyway, because some people might need them for V2 builds or any other prop with the cone knobs.
 
Hi,

Here's an update on the kit parts development.

I prepared a vintage Kobold and replica Graflex for my own build. Stripping the Kobold was easy. I added some 3D printed samples parts to test. I'm convinced the red button is the Kobold button, sanded flat. It's just too logical: it fits nicely in the metal ring and the dimensions are spot on.

View attachment 1682988

All the metal parts are produced and are on their way to me. After receiving and checking them (and building my own saber with it), I will add the kits to my webshop. Here are a few images:

View attachment 1682985

In the kit I will add a replica red button, but you can also use a Kobold red button instead. It will also come with an adapter part that will help holding the Kobold and Graflex top mounted together properly.

I also bought a set for casting a silicone hand. I don't think I'll be offering the hand, but at least I want to try it for my own build using my own hand (perhaps a bit too big, because I'm taller than Mark). The posable hand I had ordered was not as I hoped for.
This is the casting set I bought (alginate mold): Siliconen Hand Set

I also made a dummy handle to use for the mold making. It will help making the hand grab accurately. I'm not sure yet if it'll work:
View attachment 1682986
If this works I will add the STL for download for free.

That's it for now! Next time, the kits will be available for purchase.

Roy

PS. I almost forgot to mention that I bought the French 'Générations Science-Fiction' book and it's amazing! Many costumes, props, posters, etc. in there from many cool sci-fi movies. Very impressive.
So excited for this! well done Roy!!
 
I don't know if it's easy to add, but there is some sort of washer beneath the beer tab and fake red button. To me it looks like a fibre washer/gasket, about the thickness of the beer tab
 

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