The OT stunt lightsaber blades research thread

[Propdude113]

Is there a chance that some of the stunt blades were just solid fiberglass?

 

[thd9791]

Very little chance. We have word from brandon about the inner collars, and having a hollow blade allows for installation. They would have been drilling into a solid piece or making a sleeve for a socket that doesnt exist, ala ANH wooden blades

 

[Propdude113]

Only item I have investigated so far that is only partially hollow are antennas and the ski poles we've seen

 

[Mouse Vader]

Loving those tests. The golf clubs are much worse than I thought they'd be, ski poles as expected. Saved me wrecking my golf shafts, thanks.
That fabric bruising is very like what we see though.

I'd be cautious about ruling out blade materials on all the sorts of stunt hilts based on the one or two examples we have now. From your tests it's not looking good for thin walled tubular material. Anyone know anything about the thick walled fiberglass tube used in tent poles?

 

[thd9791]

Oops, the last photo on page 11 is an esb photo

 

[PoopaPapaPalps]

From thd9791 experiments, and going off of what's available from these BTS videos (Making of ESB and Birth of the Lightsaber), I think the closest to the "clack" we hear may be the graphite blades. Solid metal makes a more like a "ding" noise, going off of these videos, the ESB/RotJ blades have some flex and snapping, so these things don't seem like metal. In Birth of the Lightsaber (5:03 on), Luke fights Vader in the Dagobah cave and Hamill whacks Anderson(?) in the face and the blade snaps, or at least, pops out the hilt. Is there sufficient enough evidence to suggest these blades were ever hollow? I'm thinking for the later movies, they used a composite, possibly completely solid, material.

A lot of set dressing stuff came from scrapyards/airplane graveyards, I wonder if antennas some of these planes had were ever something to consider. Things from period airliners or the like.

 

[Mouse Vader]

My feelings on this are based on what I've been doing with the ANH blades &, from the director's & prop man's perspective, there is a real danger that you're going break them, possibly a lot of them. Whatever you you're going to choose to use you're going to want a secure supply & I think found parts wouldn't be a good choice unless you have sufficiently large numbers, three figures at least, esp for ESB where you're hot on the heels of a bad experience in ANH.

 

[Propdude113]

I can see both solid and hollow materials possibly been used I have 2 thin solid fiberglass yard stakes and when struck together I get that same wobble. I could be completely wrong. Just a thought.

 

[thd9791]

Can anyone remember/find the video of Mark H sword fighting in a garage for rehearsal? I think it was in the ESB Doc from Norway. Those blades seemed stiff, compared to the ROTJ flex! I don't think I've seen BTS video of the Bespin duel.

I also would suggest that they used different blades for different scenes. If swordfighting was needed, they might go with something else, as opposed to a dagobah training scene or Hoth where he just waves it around

I have a feeling fiberglass might also clack... Propdude did you ever pick up the agricultural lead you found?

 

[thd9791]

I take that back there's good footage here: clack, clack, clack

 

[Propdude113]

Can anyone remember/find the video of Mark H sword fighting in a garage for rehearsal? I think it was in the ESB Doc from Norway. Those blades seemed stiff, compared to the ROTJ flex! I don't think I've seen BTS video of the Bespin duel.

I also would suggest that they used different blades for different scenes. If swordfighting was needed, they might go with something else, as opposed to a dagobah training scene or Hoth where he just waves it around

I have a feeling fiberglass might also clack... Propdude did you ever pick up the agricultural lead you found?

Not yet I will in the next few days schedule permitting

 

[Mouse Vader]

Anyone know what they are currently using or for the prequal series? Might just be the same stuff.

 

[thd9791]

Ep.1 - aluminum tubing
Ep. 3 and maybe 2 - Texalum woven carbon fiber blades, new tech

Ep. VII, etc. - electronic radio controlled stunts with clear, light up blades, electronics and LEDs

 

[Propdude113]

They are using custom fx LED lightsabers with a polycarbonate blade

 

[Mouse Vader]

Bum.

 

[Propdude113]

This is the current trilogy stunt set up

 

[Mouse Vader]

I hate those untapered LEDed polycarb blades.

 

[Propdude113]

I hate those untapered LEDed polycarb blades.

Me too. It's not star wars to me. Thinner tapered blade are lightsabers in my mind

 

[thd9791]

Bespin duel - not bendy

Hoth - bendy

 

[Propdude113]

That HAS to be fiberglass only material I know that can do that all the carbon fiber stuff I have handled would break at that point