The Ultimate Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi Real Vintage Parts Lightsaber Group

[thd9791]

Well here's my debate. This looks exactly like a 1/72" flat head Torx screw to me. Actually from this image I'm convinced it is. I have no idea what the screw under the clamp would be, perhaps it's a brass slotted screw, but why would they use two different screws? And why brass at all when they tried to conceal the grafex logo on the clamp with aluminum foil tape just to have brass screws stick out like a sore thumb?
)

Yea i didnt think torx were popular enough in 75 or 76. Ive always gone by MR for the same reasons stated here. Just like the hero Han Solo gun.. theres always room to hone our knowledge or rule things out. (Remember the straight knurled knob discovery recently?
I actually see a phillips head here, faintly, and it takes up most of the screw head

View attachment 1397097

 

[Jediseth]

I actually see a phillips head here, faintly, and it takes up most of the screw head

It very well could be, it looked a tad off to be a Phillips head. Regardless it’s definitely not a brass slotted screw as many have come to terms with.

 

[Panaflex]

I’ve often wondered what the odds are, given that some of these parts are so rare, that any of the screen used components went back into circulation, finally making their way onto somebody’s “replica” saber.

 

[cdyoung]

Great point. Exactly, everyone run to check if their real parts can be screen matched!

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

It very well could be, it looked a tad off to be a Phillips head. Regardless it’s definitely not a brass slotted screw as many have come to terms with.

It's reckless to make definitive statements like this unless there is a source of proof.

 

[Jediseth]

It's reckless to make definitive statements like this unless there is a source of proof.

Well I’m digging for one. Lol
Wait you put screws on yours, how did you come to that conclusion?

 

[Jediseth]

Well I've started putting my build together slowly even though I don't have everything. I started with the Graflex clamp and Exactra bubble strip. I've read where people are saying the chucked the bubble strip up in their mills. Eeks I thought to myself, I'll just use a sanding disk and shave down the sides. Well now I know what they are talking about. Not only do you need to trim the sides down, but the bubble strip is too thick. So I did what I feared most with this thing I put it in my mill. It actallly wasn't so bad. The bubbles act as a resting spot so your bubble strip is perfectly level. I then used a 1/16" mill,( but maybe if your good you could use just files) and I milled down the front of the sides. I only took off what seems like maybe a millimeter and a half of pastic off the top of both sides of the the bubble strip. It now slides perfectly into my clamp very snug with no need of a shim or glue of any kind. Here's my 10 second drawing to help illlustrated what I've done and I assume what others have done. Just incase someone out there is confused about it like I was.

 

[cdyoung]

Well done, Jediseth! I’ve always wondered if there was any consistency in prop making, wouldn’t this design of the Obi bubble strip also match the bubble strip design of the found Elstree saber?

 

[Jediseth]

Well done, Jediseth! I’ve always wondered if there was any consistency in prop making, wouldn’t this design of the Obi bubble strip also match the bubble strip design of the found Elstree saber?

Thanks! Don’t ask me, your asking the wrong Jedi.

 

[thd9791]

This was already found to have been done on the ESB/Jedi Vader hilt.

The Elstree graflex beveled the edges of the strip, its guessed that something similar was done for the rest in ANH

 

[v312]

I really don't think what I see here is a brass screw

 

[Jediseth]

Well I decided to test fit everything I had. This is what an Obi looks like with the wrong size Derwent balance pipe. Lol
I couldn't help mysef I got Obi on the brain.

 

[onderon]

Well I decided to test fit everything I had. This is what an Obi looks like with the wrong size Derwent balance pipe. Lol
I couldn't help mysef I got Obi on the brain.
View attachment 1397411

Looking good! Those transistors are stenciled?

 

[Jediseth]

Looking good! Those transistors are stenciled?

Nope they are real.

 

[Halliwax]

Thanks so much for this whole post, scarf man. I appreciate tiny details like this.

If it is true that higher resolution photos exist - and possibly even in color - I wonder why Lucasfilm has not allowed them to be published yet. Do they want to prevent people like us from making the most accurate replica props possible? Do they think no one would be interested in seeing such photos? It boggles my mind that all we‘ve had for decades are three blurry black and white post-production photos of this highly-coveted prop that supposedly no longer physically exists, yet supposedly better versions of these photos exist in the archives and we are not allowed to see them. Why?

To be truthfully honest.. they just don’t care.

 

[Jediseth]

Even better, more likely would no one use torx screws in the UK in 1975 to put together some junk.

Maybe it is a Philips head, tell me what do you see in the photo I posted?

Thanks James, that puts things into perspective for me.

I don’t care who wins what argument, I want what we all want. To get our builds as accurate as possible.

 

[Jediseth]

The Obi-Wan saber wasn't made by ILM, it was made by a crew in the UK.

Roger Shaw

 

[onderon]

Maybe it is a Philips head, tell me what do you see in the photo I posted?

Thanks James, that puts things into perspective for me.

I don’t care who wins what argument, I want what we all want. To get our builds as accurate as possible.

I don’t think this is an argument, we are all guessing if I have to choose between torx or phillips then I would go for phillips.

 

[Shinobi]

Given the scarcity and prices of the parts these days, I'm surprised anyone would want to venture down this path. Sometimes I look at my Obi, knowing what these parts are worth to the right person and I start thinking what else I could do with that money.

View attachment 1383747

I've been thinking about the same lately. I've spent many years collecting the real parts and the last missing piece is an accurate grenade. However, as time goes on, I realize that I would probably be happy with a good replica that I can display because right now, my authentic parts are just sitting in a box

I have no idea what the current market is for the real parts. I've seen numbers like $6K for the correct Derwent, $2-3K for the booster, etc., but I'm assuming these are based on Ebay sales? Or are we talking private sales to individuals here on the RPF?

Dan

 

[corliss1]

The last ones I know of (and I'm certainly not claiming to be all-knowing) were here on the RPF, one in junkyard and one in private.