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

[PadawanLoLo]

A cover on the sink knob would be stupid so that checks out

Respectfully, I disagree here.

If "tape" was used to cover up Graflex, which, ok maybe it was, what would stop them from sanding the C or H down and painting it over?

I think if I were the head of props at that point, my thoughts would be that a closed/sealed look on the bottom would make more sense than the head of a carriage bolt sticking out. But of course I sit at a desk all day dreaming about these parts and not out there making them, so what do I know lol.

 

[ChrisRWars]

Refinished the neck and vane *again*

This time to a more authentic standard I suppose?

I feel I need to share this because I’ve spent about a combined 48 hours stripping the patina and re-applying lol!!! Total rookies like me beware, this project is more than just buying the parts and slamming them together most the time. lmao!!

edit - Would love to hear about everyone else's approach/experience with tweaking little bits on their props, if anybody would care to share.

 

[jakob2121]

I’m still tweaking mine, trying to match the epoxy blobs around the emitter/neck connection. I’m using paintable e6000+, glad it’s so easy to redo, because I keep redoing it.

I still need to make a new Graflex lever - using one off an old v3 build, and the wear patterns not matching is a noticeable-only-to-me eyesore.

Today I got in a legit 785 board to swap out the 785b board I used on my Luke control box.

It never ends?

 

[ChrisRWars]

I’m still tweaking mine, trying to match the epoxy blobs around the emitter/neck connection. I’m using paintable e6000+, glad it’s so easy to redo, because I keep redoing it.

I still need to make a new Graflex lever - using one off an old v3 build, and the wear patterns not matching is a noticeable-only-to-me eyesore.

Today I got in a legit 785 board to swap out the 785b board I used on my Luke control box.

It never ends?

It seriously never does! I love the idea of epoxy deposits on the clamp by the ways. Looks fantastic and very plausible.

 

[The 48th Ronin]

Would love to hear about everyone else's approach/experience with tweaking little bits on their props, if anybody would care to share.

I didn't think to take any "before" pics, but I just dug around and grabbed this (cropped), from one of schrodinger555's posts - this is the Hales and clamp that I ended up acquiring from him:

The Hales had been refinished and the neck was bright yellow brass. It was also impossible to unscrew from the frag body - he had tried, I tried, and then I had the idea to throw it in the freezer to see if the neck would budge. No dice... it was a permanent fixture. I was kinda' bummed, as I really wanted to swap out the neck that I had, since it had a nice patina:

Plan B was ammonia fuming this new grenade (for about 4 hours). Unfortunately, the brass never turned brown like I was hoping it would, but it did dull it down nicely. When I pulled the grenade out of the bucket, it felt sticky - there was a thin film of light, mint green patina on the frag body. Not sure what that was about, nor was it part of the plan, but I figured that I'd just go with it. I rubbed most of it off with a rag, but left some in the grooves and crevices. Saved me the trouble of coming up with something later on, to make it look less new.

Not completely satisfied with the neck, I pulled out my bottle of JAX brown patina for copper and copper alloys:

I mixed up a diluted 50/50 solution with water and dipped the neck in that (for about 15 seconds). Much better!

The clamp had a thin orange haze of rust on the exposed steel areas, so I pulled it apart and soaked the parts in Evapo-Rust for a couple hours to clean 'em up. Also much better!

That's the most that I've ever done to tweak the finish on any of the iterations of my Obi-Wan saber.

 

[ChrisRWars]

I didn't think to take any "before" pics, but I just dug around and grabbed this (cropped), from one of schrodinger555's posts - this is the Hales and clamp that I ended up acquiring from him:

View attachment 1896288

The Hales had been refinished and the neck was bright yellow brass. It was also impossible to unscrew from the frag body - he had tried, I tried, and then I had the idea to throw it in the freezer to see if the neck would budge. No dice... it was a permanent fixture. I was kinda' bummed, as I really wanted to swap out the neck that I had, since it had a nice patina:

View attachment 1896289

Plan B was ammonia fuming this new grenade (for about 4 hours). Unfortunately, the brass never turned brown like I was hoping it would, but it did dull it down nicely. When I pulled the grenade out of the bucket, it felt sticky - there was a thin film of light, mint green patina on the frag body. Not sure what that was about, nor was it part of the plan, but I figured that I'd just go with it. I rubbed most of it off with a rag, but left some in the grooves and crevices. Saved me the trouble of coming up with something later on, to make it look less new.

Not completely satisfied with the neck, I pulled out my bottle of JAX brown patina for copper and copper alloys:

View attachment 1896290

I mixed up a diluted 50/50 solution with water and dipped the neck in that (for about 15 seconds). Much better!

View attachment 1896291

The clamp had a thin orange haze of rust on the exposed steel areas, so I pulled it apart and soaked the parts in Evapo-Rust for a couple hours to clean 'em up. Also much better!

View attachment 1896292 View attachment 1896293

That's the most that I've ever done to tweak the finish on any of the iterations of my Obi-Wan saber.

Lots went into that and I'm glad you got it the way you wanted it in the end!

That grenade is familiar It was actually mine originally! So, I refinished it a few months ago and the cube section on it is just too good, as pristine as it gets for sure.

The neck, I had difficulty with too. I tried my best to get that thing off, had it soaking in oil for a week straight yet no bueno!! I've since come up with other techniques for getting them off, and wondered whether I'd be able to do it now.. but if Schrodinger wasn't able to, I doubt I would lol.

Lovely bit of kit and the neck looks just like the one you had intended on keeping. Good stuff mate

 

[The 48th Ronin]

That grenade is familiar It was actually mine originally! So, I refinished it a few months ago and the cube section on it is just too good, as pristine as it gets for sure.

Well thank you very much then, for the hand off (and the refinishing work). That sharp corner on the first frag ring just below the neck was the final detail that I had been chasing. It's nice to finally be done with it.

 

[ChrisRWars]

Well thank you very much then, for the hand off (and the refinishing work). That sharp corner on the first frag ring just below the neck was the final detail that I had been chasing. It's nice to finally be done with it.

Those sharp lips are certainly few and far between. It's a really nice touch and certainly a luxury!!

I'm really looking forward to getting mine done/stop thinking about it too.. Just need somebody to sell me their booster

 

[ChrisRWars]

Has anyone got both a real parts Obi and a Master Replicas Obi ? Would be quite curious to see those two side by side.

 

[teecrooz]

I could probably take some tomorrow.

 

[ChrisRWars]

I could probably take some tomorrow.

Sounds great. not sure there’s been a side by side yet

 

[teecrooz]

I’ll be able to get some better ones with proper lighting tomorrow.

 

[ChrisRWars]

I’ll be able to get some better ones with proper lighting tomorrow.
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Dude!

It’s pretty wild to see how close they got this even before the discovery of the balance pipe and booster, what a talent that team must have been.

Everything is pretty bang on.. I’d have presumed the dimensions would be pretty off and clear to see but there’s really not all that much in it at all.

Super interesting perspective. Thanks man!!

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

People love to bag on the MR weathered Obi-Wan ANH lightsaber for its inaccuracies but considering what was known about the saber at the time I’ve always thought they did alright.

When that saber was made the emitter and gear had not been identified and only the incorrect newer pommel handwheel was identified- so most of that saber was created based on photos of the actual prop. It’s a real snapshot of lightsaber prop knowledge locked in a time-capsule.

 

[MojaveTrooper]

Is the Pipe on the MR steel or inconel?

 

[corliss1]

They were not using inconel at MR.

 

[Halliwax]

Inconel is extremely hard and expensive to machine.

 

[Halliwax]

Randomly stumbled upon this. What a blast from the past

 

[DarthBra]

Randomly stumbled upon this. What a blast from the past

That’s actually really interesting in two points one, I left my clamp washer on my Obi Wan and two flipping the clamp bar to get the perfect torque

 

[PadawanLoLo]

People love to bag on the MR weathered Obi-Wan ANH lightsaber for its inaccuracies but considering what was known about the saber at the time I’ve always thought they did alright.

When that saber was made the emitter and gear had not been identified and only the incorrect newer pommel handwheel was identified- so most of that saber was created based on photos of the actual prop. It’s a real snapshot of lightsaber prop knowledge locked in a time-capsule.

It seems to me people don't necessarily rage against the machine as much because of the MR's inaccuracies, or where the hilt swings and misses. I feel most of today's backlash, and this is purely anecdotal, is that there are folks who put themselves in a "purist's" mentality and still use MR as the anchor of accuracy despite the new information learned since their original build prior to the details' of new discovery. I value their (MR's) work and credit them for just how much they were right along the line, and in line with what we know today. And, they did it without anything but mere visual references and not today's advanced tech/savvy tools of creation. So my reference point says it a philosophical pushback more again those who still insist it's the hilt (sic) grail and should still be rated as most or close to most accurate, when it's clearly not.

Is the Pipe on the MR steel or inconel?

MT great question. Since the Balance Pipe had yet to be discovered, I doubt very seriously they would have guessed that, or even tried to. I did some digging to determine what material was used, but struck out over and over lol. Steel would make sense if they were stabbing for accuracy, but aluminum would be more business sense $$$-wise but might (IDK schrodinger555 would know this) require more work to get the right appearance over steel.

But great question as ShadowFoil and DaveP both saw an opportunity to make BP/Emitters from Inconel, and I LOVE THAT! Albeit way after the part was identified but clearly in their eyes they see it as a quality addition to their builds!!

Randomly stumbled upon this. What a blast from the past

HALL-wax (sorry just watched that video and had a good laugh at this!!!),

TY sir for linking this video. I could watch people discuss the intricacies of the OT's quadrilogy of sabers lol.