I met with Ry at the Myrtle Beach Planet Hollywood yesterday and got a sneak preview of the ROTJ Cave Scene saber. First off, what a great guy! It's always a pleasure to meet fellow RPF buddies you've known through the board but never face to face. I had a great time, buddy! Second, we really need to plan a prop party meet & greet at the Planet Hollywood in Mytle Beach. Thay have some great items on display right now and if it was tis much fun with just two guys, think how much more it would be with a whole group! 
Now, on to the saber... in a word... FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC!!
The workmanship on this thing is flawless! I won't bother to talk about all the parts as that's been covered in the other thread, my main focus is the saber as a whole.
The first thing I noticed is that it has a great weight to it. I thought it might be a little light but not at all! When you first open it up, you immediately see where all the months of research went, or should I say "feel" it. It opens so smoothly, no play in it at all, even fully opened. All the parts look spot on to the reference. Extremely well made! The COOLEST thing to me about the whole saber is what opens the center part... You give the pommel a quarter turn which releases a locking mechanism that allows it to slide open revealing the heatsink and the crystal chamber under the control box. Another thing I noticed when doing this is how smoothly all the parts turn and slide. It really is a testament to the huge amount of research and work that's been put into this. Another things that I really liked about it is that once it's closed up, it's "locked" into that position, no worries about parts accidentally opening on their own. He told me, "If anyone wants to actually wear this, I don't want it sliding open!" It's things like that which let me know just how much thought and planning went into every aspect of this piece!
What kept going through my mind the whole time I was handling this saber is the best way I can think of to sum up this review... If this it the prototype, I CAN'T WAIT to get my hands on the final piece!!
My hat's off to you, Ry! One of THE COOLEST pieces to ever come out of the RPF!! Extremely well done, my friend!!
-B89!
Now, on to the saber... in a word... FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC!!
The workmanship on this thing is flawless! I won't bother to talk about all the parts as that's been covered in the other thread, my main focus is the saber as a whole.
The first thing I noticed is that it has a great weight to it. I thought it might be a little light but not at all! When you first open it up, you immediately see where all the months of research went, or should I say "feel" it. It opens so smoothly, no play in it at all, even fully opened. All the parts look spot on to the reference. Extremely well made! The COOLEST thing to me about the whole saber is what opens the center part... You give the pommel a quarter turn which releases a locking mechanism that allows it to slide open revealing the heatsink and the crystal chamber under the control box. Another thing I noticed when doing this is how smoothly all the parts turn and slide. It really is a testament to the huge amount of research and work that's been put into this. Another things that I really liked about it is that once it's closed up, it's "locked" into that position, no worries about parts accidentally opening on their own. He told me, "If anyone wants to actually wear this, I don't want it sliding open!"
It's things like that which let me know just how much thought and planning went into every aspect of this piece!What kept going through my mind the whole time I was handling this saber is the best way I can think of to sum up this review... If this it the prototype, I CAN'T WAIT to get my hands on the final piece!!
My hat's off to you, Ry! One of THE COOLEST pieces to ever come out of the RPF!! Extremely well done, my friend!!
-B89!
