The Ultimate Luke ANH Graflex Research & Discussion Thread

[IronDestinyProps]

Welcome to the official discussion thread of the original ANH Graflex Luke hero lightsaber! Seeing as how the Elstree thread has become quite lengthy and is only somewhat related to the real hero, it seemed fitting to found a designated location for discussion and prop talk regarding the lightsaber "your father wanted you to have when you were old enough."

As I’m sure many of you can relate, I fell in love with this prop from the first moment I saw it on screen when my parents first introduced me to Star Wars as a young boy, and I have had a fascination with it ever since. With that said, I have recently been cleared to share the following two reference photos of the original hilt which show the base of the ANH Graflex and the opposite side of the hilt from the one published in the Chronicles reference book. This will coincide with an impending announcement from Roy, but I will let him explain that part. I am also sharing several of my best reference photos of the hilt. Please feel free to post any photos you would like to share of the original prop as well, and let the discussion commence!

Current known details:

• Shiny Folmer 3 cell Graflex with Folmer glass eye, non-stepped brass pocket pins and red button with intact beer tab.
• RAF military stamped clamp bar with slightly protruding lever pin, missing square lever washer and raised, shiny lever and large rivet
• Exactra calculator bubble strip with possibly planed down shoulders that are gripped by the clamp rails
• Seven unevenly spaced T-track grips with slightly irregular lengths and varying angled ends
• Two larger and two smaller sets of rivets installed at the base of the Graflex flash bottom positioned between the grips with the smaller set partially hidden under one grip
• A dual rivet D-ring clip situated to one side of the flash bottom, and positioned in-line, across from the clamp.

Reference photo showing larger set of handle rivets:

Chronicles photo showing RAF military stamped clamp bar:

Original photo shared by Chris, lonepigeon showing four handle rivets:

Originally shared by Cody1138 showing the smaller two handle rivets:

Reference photo showing the RAF military stamping:

The following three were originally shared by Davy Jones:

My restoration of the toe pic photo:

My recoloration of the original photo:

 

[APOLLO IND]

Great thread nate!! I also believe the lever to possibly be an inc. because of the larger rivet as seen in the reference photos. Thank you for these great images!

 

[PatrickK]

Thanks for making this, Nate! To me, it looks like the rivets holding in the d ring clip are slightly larger than the 3mm ones.

 

[APOLLO IND]

Thanks for making this, Nate! To me, it looks like the rivets holding in the d ring clip are slightly larger than the 3mm ones.

Comparing them to the 3mm handle rivets directly in the Image below, they look about the same size wouldn't you say?

 

[IronDestinyProps]

roygilsing will doubtless need to confirm.

 

[PatrickK]

Comparing them to the 3mm handle rivets directly in the Image below, they look about the same size wouldn't you say?

I don’t see your image, but when I zoom in I do see a smaller outline around the hole on the left rivet

 

[roygilsing]

Great new thread Nate! And congratulations on the permission to share this wonderful new image of the famous promo photo shoot.
And that image of the double rivet D-ring!! It's the first time I'm seeing that one. That is the best proof for the double rivet D-ring possible!
The rivet size on that picture is a bit hard to see, but I believe the 3mm rivet size looks about right.

 

[roygilsing]

I also got these:

 

[IronDestinyProps]

Those are great references too.

 

[Gregatron]

A photo of the bottom endcap...!

But...can we make out the out the orientation of the stamping...?

 

[IronDestinyProps]

A photo of the bottom endcap...!

But...can we make out the out the orientation of the stamping...?

Believe me I’ve tried, but sadly it was scanned too poorly and seems too blurry.

 

[Gregatron]

Believe me I’ve tried, but sadly it was scanned too poorly and seems too blurry.

There HAS to be a way, dagnabbit! It’s the last big hurdle!

 

[db94]

Nate I couldn't agree more about the original Graflex lightsaber capturing the magic of Star Wars and props.
It will always be the 1st saber I saw ignited on the big screen all those years ago.
Great idea for a thread that I'm sure me and many more will spend hours pouring over.
Thanks for sharing the new pics

 

[Panaflex]

Very nice to see this thread. The pics are fantastic additions.
This is the first vintage saber I ever built.

 

[thd9791]

Thank you Nate! Excited to see this thread abound

 

[cdyoung]

Thanks for starting the thread and for sharing the photos.

 

[BENnotKENOBI]

This is great! I'm planning to build my own soon, and it's great to have all of these reference photos and details in one place!

 

[v312]

Maybe an obvious one, but the bulb contact pin is of the clean brass type. Can be seen clearly when Luke messes with the lightsaber in Obi's house. On many of the folmer tops I've seen it is either blackened with time or is silvered.

 

[thd9791]

The bottom can is really scuffed up for glue adhesion. I can see it in the blue **** brown pant photo above. The shot with the missing grip on screen (after the stormtroopers had attacked the jawas) also has a more brown colored bottom can.

The Toe pic... I swear I can see the corner of the bubble strip poking out from underneath the rails on the back left side, leading me to agree that either they are Elstree-Beveled or MPP-Milled

 

[db94]

The beer tab rivot has that distinctive "Inc" 4 triangle light bounce.
The dull folmer beer tabs don't do that - but I do have a vintage graflex with shiny finish, original smooth pins and a shiny beer tab so could easily be a random version.