The OT stunt lightsaber blades research thread

[Propdude113]

Oh one more option. I firmly believe after video I have seen along with Tom's excellent tube stunts that composite ski poles could have also been used. Fiberglass ones were popular back in the day graphite still used widely

 

[Mouse Vader]

Interesting single E-glass blanks there in the $20-30 range. I found a blank online this morning, hollow with very thick walls but can't find it again.

Mouse, in VC7, your clip, i can literally see vader holding the blade of the barbican. I can see the scuffed emitter block between his hands.

I remember when I first saw ANH in 1977 seeing Vader was holding his saber funny (by the blade) thinking his finger ought be on the floor. Spoiled it a bit & was distracting. As far as I can work out from my work to date (& what Jon Bunker has told us) Prowse is hold that thing together. Either the blade &/or innards are coming out - the shroud is coming off - something along those lines.

 

[thd9791]

Oh one more option. I firmly believe after video I have seen along with Tom's excellent tube stunts that composite ski poles could have also been used. Fiberglass ones were popular back in the day graphite still used widely

I am very intrigued by the fly fishing blanks. I see two that are almost spot on at the butt measurement.. a thin light one at 20 bucks and a heavy one at 60 at least.

 

[Propdude113]

Agreed. Definitely worth investigating

I am very intrigued by the fly fishing blanks. I see two that are almost spot on at the butt measurement.. a thin light one at 20 bucks and a heavy one at 60 at least.

 

[Propdude113]

I found this pic it's from behind the scenes on ESB from the ESPN doc evolution of the lightsaber duel clearly they used WOOD in part of the warehouse rehearsal! At least I believe it's the warehouse. I'm also starting to believe we can't trust the sounds of the blade clashes on this video. The ones in jedi and rots and a few others sound exactly the same which is not possible. It seem like the Foley artist
in this doc took some creative liberties on the clash sounds listen to the throne room duel bts then the ROTS rehearsal fight they have the same sound effect!

Link to the video

 

[thd9791]

Need to watch that after work.

Here's a new silhouette pic!

 

[thd9791]

Hmm, I can't find that screenshot! Got a time in the video?

I will say I noticed a few more things...

1) the sound is increasingly tinny and rattly when it comes to sword strikes in ESB and then in ROTJ. It does sound like wood whacking in the warehouse, wondering how they rigged those up.

2) the ANH stunt I don't believe ever got black bolts, its used extensively in ESB for fencing, maybe using the same grub screw it used for the original bearing.

3) I've seen some ESB graflex shots where I can't see a black bolt. Looking at the ROTJ MoM vader saber I would assume some of those are ESB era bolts, maybe there was just a bolt on one side? back?

4) Hoth scene used the stunt with pinched bunny ears!

 

[Propdude113]

Wow those blades are actually thinner that what we have been thinking it looks like

Need to watch that after work.

Here's a new silhouette pic!View attachment 1045057

 

[Propdude113]

Hmm, I can't find that screenshot! Got a time in the video?

I will say I noticed a few more things...

1) the sound is increasingly tinny and rattly when it comes to sword strikes in ESB and then in ROTJ. It does sound like wood whacking in the warehouse, wondering how they rigged those up.

2) the ANH stunt I don't believe ever got black bolts, its used extensively in ESB for fencing, maybe using the same grub screw it used for the original bearing.

3) I've seen some ESB graflex shots where I can't see a black bolt. Looking at the ROTJ MoM vader saber I would assume some of those are ESB era bolts, maybe there was just a bolt on one side? back?

4) Hoth scene used the stunt with pinched bunny ears!
View attachment 1045089View attachment 1045090View attachment 1045091

Tom go to 00.43 its only a millisecond.

If you notice the blades strike sound in empire and Jedi then watch the behind the scenes of the Revenge of the Sith rehearsal they're the same exact sound!! Lol the Foley artist on this video use the same sound throughout the video and in multiple clips from multiple bts footage rewatched the original ep 3 documentary that's not the originalblade sound from that video
. that can't be the original Sound Source I wouldn't think

 

[Propdude113]

Listen to the blade clack on this video at 21 seconds in . .it's the orginal nothing like what is heard on the ESPN doc in that exact same clip. The sound used in the doc is inconclusive..



Now listen at time 8:49 in the ESPN doc that is a fiberglass plastic sounding clack that's got to be the ACTUAL
Blade clash.

The defense rests your Honor!! Hahaha

 

[Propdude113]

Also wanted to post a screenshot I got from the ESPN doc
It's the tube stunt in the dagobah duel scene!

 

[Mouse Vader]

Thought you meant the thing the camera man was poking the camera with for a Mo Then realised it was the camera/tripod handle

 

[thd9791]

Got some more videos for y’all. Handles wrapped in gaffers

wood fencing (we have really no idea what we’re doing)

PVC fencing (the first composite or other substance we’ve tried

and SLOW MOTION IS AWESOME. Don’t pay attention to the sounds, as cool as they are, it is inaccurate to real time clashes.

-trying to upload this video to YouTube and getting the real time video instead, stay tuned-

 

[thd9791]

 

[Propdude113]

Slow mo video not working. Says it was uploaded as a pdf

Slo-Mo Lightsaber test

 

[Propdude113]

What diameter is the wood ? It seems they would have used 5/8" in the props
Wonder how strong that diameter would be?

Got some more videos for y’all. Handles wrapped in gaffers

wood fencing (we have really no idea what we’re doing)

PVC fencing (the first composite or other substance we’ve tried

and SLOW MOTION IS AWESOME. Don’t pay attention to the sounds, as cool as they are, it is inaccurate to real time clashes.

-trying to upload this video to YouTube and getting the real time video instead, stay tuned-
[/QUOT

Got some more videos for y’all. Handles wrapped in gaffers

wood fencing (we have really no idea what we’re doing)

PVC fencing (the first composite or other substance we’ve tried

and SLOW MOTION IS AWESOME. Don’t pay attention to the sounds, as cool as they are, it is inaccurate to real time clashes.

-trying to upload this video to YouTube and getting the real time video instead, stay tuned-

 

[thd9791]

Try that!

I think this is 3/4 or something. We got the wood mainly to mimic noise and learn how it reacts to strikes, just like the PVC.

 

[Propdude113]

If I had the funds right now I'd buy some composite ski poles and test em. Maybe one day. Someone should definately check out fiberglass antennas.

 

[thd9791]

I think it's cool we get to see flexing blades reproduced in an experiment. My next goal is to find dirt cheap fiberglass to test.

I cannot begin to describe the vibration that comes through the handle!

 

[newmagrathea]

You might try fishing poles, they are often made from fiberglass.