Been thinking about why the clamp lever, is closed and then shown half closed during the filming schedule.
Going off the time line that was linked.
22nd March Sand Crawler scenes shot (does not mention if the scene where he then runs off to the speeder to go home, but it would make sense they shot that too) (Clamp lever open)
April 2nd Mos Eisley exteriors are shot. (Luke getting out of speeder when they arrive. When Luke gets to Mos Eisley with Ben the clamp lever is closed.)
April 22nd. Ben’s cave
The Exactra strip was sandwich inserted, and they seem to have been well aware they could adjust the clamp to fully close it. They adjusted it and closed the lever all the way. In my simulation experiment it shows the whole assembly is loose if this is what they did.
In this experiment I used my Graflex Inc vintage in ESB configuration. I used an Exactra bubble strip with the flat edges I bought loose. It had been slimmed down, but the width was still the same. I adjusted the clamp so it could fully closed on the strip in position. I also compared the width with to my other ones still in the calculator. Both versions, flat and frosted are the same width.
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In the next vid I simulated some bounce and twist actions. At first it held together really well, even being loose like that. Then I was shocked. With the right bounce and twist it can quickly come apart. However if you are bouncing and twisting the other direction from the open slots it stays together pretty well.
This may have happened when Luke runs to the Land Speeder at the Sand Crawler scene. The saber is really bouncing all over the place. If it happened it needs to be fixed there and then. So they tightened lever and they try to shut it all the way, but it only goes so far. I now think Luke grabs onto it to in fear of it falling apart. If he was running and grabbed onto it while it was loose, I am pretty sure it could have come apart as well.
In the third experiment I wanted to test if this would actually fix the problem. I made a faux strip to the width of the exactra strip, slightly bigger.
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I made one revolution of the lever to tighten. The faux card was tight to put between the clamp edges, but it went in. I closed the lever as much as I could, and it matches what we see in the promo shots and on screen. This slight adjustment tightened the bottom assembly right up to my surprise and disbelief. The top is still a little loose. Putting the little top clamp screw in would fix that, also bending the tube tabs out. (Pushing that lever tight was cringy, my poor Vintage ESB being experiment onL)
The Elstree shows both sides of the strip have been chamfered down. This could indicate this was done to fix the fact the lever can’t be closed after that quick fix. Another photo of the toe saber shows that the strip has not been chamfered yet well.
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This would mean the toe pic saber promo shots would have to have been taken before Mos Eisley scenes, if they were to use this hero in that scene, which is unlikely.
The toe pic promo shots must have been done after the Sand Crawler dash to the speeder. But there is a missing grip, so they must have repaired that before photos. If the Elstree is the toe pic saber, than there probably should be a spot on one grip that shows extra glue residue because of the replaced grip. However the bubble strip still was not chamfered at this point.
I believe this violent action of the saber bouncing around, has contributed to the flared edges and stress cracks of the aluminium clip. This wear and tear cannot be so easily discarded, as it is consistent with wear and tear of something that has been used. However the clip is not bent back yet if it is the toe pic hero.
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After the promo shots it would then have to go to have the strip ground down just enough so the lever can be fully closed. While this one is off, they may have replaced it with another hero. At Mos Eisley the hero has all its grips as opposed to the Sand Crawler run scene. (A different Hero?)
Ben’s cave. I re-watched the scene: ‘When he says: “I can take you as far as…” Seems to be the only spot where the lever might be visible. (Maybe high res 4k) This hero probably is the new one switched, I just can’t tell.
Back to the Hero with the open lever. Vader needs a stunt saber. This would definitely support the bubble strip needs to be ground down a touch so it could be clamped tightly all the way if it is going to be used as a stunt.
Someone is given the task of building it. The Elstree shows a screw missing from the bulb assembly at the front. They probably thought to remove the plastic bulb assembly, but it is not easily removed. They then think quickly to push the washer down on the button and squish the sides to hold it in to weld.
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1. Is that a braze tack weld?
2. Is that the rounded edge fall off of the spring loaded contact.?
3. Is that signs of a thread?
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looks like melted plastic
If there is no thread, another way I thought of would be to take the bracket off a reflector, modify it, and screw it to a blade so it can clip into the hilt. Or maybe they were just going to weld or thread the blade on, since they only need a stunt, not a hero for Vader? This is more likely.
So this would have been a static stunt, which they eventually went with in ESB. They obviously were not too happy with the complexity of the spinning stunts. Also Vader is heavily costumed, maybe he needed something simpler. The d ring clip at this point could have been pushed back, as to why? I don’t know.
It would appear that the person ran out of time, and it is an unfinished project. Someone probably said: “Don’t worry about finishing that Vader stunt. We will paint the tip black, and use Luke’s stunt as Vader’s?
Engraving on the Elstree clamp bar? The spot where the number would have been engraved is corroded. When engraving the nickel plating it would have cut through to the steel, like an open wound, and help the corrosion process.
There is a thing called the Antikythera device. It is over two thousand years old, but when they CT scanned it they were even able to see engraved glyphs. I really think the clamp bar should be professionally examined. Perhaps a microscope? Better safe than sorry!
Even if there is nothing on it, it does not disqualify the bottom tube. Due to parts swapping. I was told here that the stamping on the bottom is randomly all over. This would be caused by tubes being loaded into a jig to cut the slots perhaps?
The Elstree not only assembles so the clip lines up with the clamp. I can also see a hint of the ‘Graflex’ direction of stamping and angle, that also seems to line up with the Elstree.
As for the two screws between the grips, could they not be on another hero. They baffle me and all I can think of is fishing line and the V2, but why?
That’s my last theory for you all to consider and debunk. Forgive me if I have made lots of mistakes, this is a lot of information to process, and I am not as knowledgeable as most of you here.
Only if we had Deckard’s photo scanner!
“Rebellion is built on hope”
