Debate! Chrome tape on the ANH Graflex

It was just one guy - Roger Christian. And by his own account he didn't spend much time slapping these things together, so its doubtful if there was tape that he took the time and care with it like you're talking about.

Thank you. I agree. For anyone else that wants to try it, mix water and little dish soap solution and mist it onto the back of the tape and then use a credit card to smooth it out. I haven't tried it, but I think the adhesive will still be there when the solution dries. The tape should hold after 24 hours. This is probably known.
 
Thank you. I agree. For anyone else that wants to try it, mix water and little dish soap solution and mist it onto the back of the tape and then use a credit card to smooth it out. I haven't tried it, but I think the adhesive will still be there when the solution dries. The tape should hold after 24 hours. This is probably known.

Did Roger do the props for empire and Jedi? Or only ANH?


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Another hit against the tape theory is why would they so cleanly cut out the squares on one side, but leave them covered on the other side? And wouldnt you at least see the indents of the squares where they are not cutout on the opposite side?

Gonna stick with no tape for now.
 
Re-reading this excellent thread.

I am in the "aluminum tape on some clamps / not on some clamps" camp. I just don't think there was a ton of consistency on these things when it came to finer details (look at the ANH Stormtooper Blasters for example with details that are very all over the place when it came to finer details and greeblies beyond the basic overall construction). In addition, there is clear evidence that Christian DID take the time to put tape on at least 1 GRAFLEX clamp (the Kenobi belt hanger) and possibly saber (possibly the V3 stunt saver). So, I think the door remains open for putting tape on your ANH GRAFLEX clamps or not...I doubt there was any consistency on this detail.

Me, personally, I choose to leave aluminum tape off of my ANH Skywalker clamps as it is just too ratty looking and the clamp is an Art Deco work of art as is. I don't have that choice with my Kenobi belt hanger or V3 (sometimes accuracy sucks).

Remember--the truism that is most applicable for these props is that they are "consistently inconsistent".
 
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Pationate debate here ! Love to get stuck on those type of thread ... never bored of it :)

I've read (maybe on rinzler's books for ANH and ESB) or heared that they were under pressure, especially about time, so when they found the graflex and customize it, they didn't care about much details on it. (Except adding the dring for pratical reason and hang it on the belt)

After ANH, they modified the graflex and added some stuff on it in order to make it "not a material from earth" and keep a mystery on the hardware to be less reconizable. (Eg. Hide graflex logo with tape)

Need to find those texts but i think its almost that.

So ... no tape camp (or maybe not on some like the "main/first" graflex) :)
 
Re-reading this excellent thread.

I am in the "aluminum tape on some clamps / not on some clamps" camp. I just don't think there was a ton of consistency on these things when it came to finer details (look at the ANH Stormtooper Blasters for example with details that are very all over the place when it came to finer details and greeblies beyond the basic overall construction). In addition, there is clear evidence that Christian DID take the time to put tape on at least 1 GRAFLEX clamp (the Kenobi belt hanger) and possibly saber (possibly the V3 stunt saver). So, I think the door remains open for putting tape on your ANH GRAFLEX clamps or not...I doubt there was any consistency on this detail.

Me, personally, I choose to leave aluminum tape off of my ANH Skywalker clamps as it is just too ratty looking and the clamp is an Art Deco work of art as is. I don't have that choice with my Kenobi belt hanger or V3 (sometimes accuracy sucks).

Remember--the truism that is most applicable for these props is that they are "consistently inconsistent".

I overall agree, but would like to point out it was Roger Shaw who built the Obi-Wan saber, and the Luke Shared Stunt/V3 may never have had tape on it until post-production of ROTJ. So those two particular points don't make a good case for tape on an ANH Graflex as much as the fact that multiple props were made, and although they were made to look alike for the most part, they were never made to stand up to any kind of scrutiny.
 
Chrome tape is on the clamp band for the Obi-Wan saber in the SW Chronicles book. The damage to the tape differs on the V3-- so it's likeley not the same one-- but there's evidence going back to ANH for tape, whereas no other ROTJ saber makes use of it.
 
I overall agree, but would like to point out it was Roger Shaw who built the Obi-Wan saber, and the Luke Shared Stunt/V3 may never have had tape on it until post-production of ROTJ. So those two particular points don't make a good case for tape on an ANH Graflex as much as the fact that multiple props were made, and although they were made to look alike for the most part, they were never made to stand up to any kind of scrutiny.

That's interesting. I have to admit, I did not know Roger Shaw created the Kenobi hero.
 
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