So what was Luke's ROTJ lightsaber made from?

I was reading through SethS's amazingly researched eBook detailing the OT lightsaber props, and I noticed there doesn't seem to be as much information about Luke's ROTJ lightsaber than there is for the other props.

Is this simply because less is known about this lightsaber than the others?

Odd parts have been identified, such as the Graflex clamp, D-ring, etc, but not for the main bulk of the prop. I know that it started life as a stunt Obi-Wan lightsaber for ANH, but I've always wondered what it was made from. For example, there's an entire list of parts for Obi-Wan's saber, but this isn't the case for Luke. Some parts (like the pommel and the silver/black rings) look to me like they could have been custom made, but then again I know very little when it comes to the history of props.

I look forward to any replies that will help broaden my knowledge.

**DISCLAIMER: this is not in any way a slight against any of the research carried out and included in the eBook, I'm simply curious as to what was used to build the original (hero) prop.

I thought Luke's Return OF The Jedi lightsaber was mostly a custom lathed part. I'm sure people more knowledgeable will chime in...

Luke has multiple sabers in ROTJ

-V1 (aka hero) many believe it to be a finished version of the Yuma saber. I honestly don’t know too much about it.
- Yuma saber, again I don’t know much but have read it to be a 100% scratch built on a lathe out of aluminum.

- V2, belt hanger and obi wand stunt. Cast in aluminum (looks like aluminum) from a wooden master and cleaned up on a lathe

-V3, Luke’s dueling saber in the throne room. Another obiwan stunt which was made he same way as the V2, except it had less clean up work. And a clean mid alignment on the rings is visible

There are much more knowledgeable guys out here that can fill you in. But as for the V2 it was originally made from wood on a lathe and they used that as the master to cast it in some form of metal whether its aluminum or pewter

Hope this helps!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey The14thDr ! Which Luke ROTJ... there's at least 3 variations! :wacko :lol

As for the V2, enjoy.... https://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=1862

I don't have all the lineage figured out in my head, but I can tell you there was a Wooden Blank made in the Luke ROTJ overall style as we know it. Replicating, for the most part, the overall shape of Obi-Wan Kenobi's lightsaber from A New Hope. From that castings were made in metal and in plastic and used as various props.

The Hero was built pretty much for the deleted cave scene and the in Vader's hands close-up and though similar, was not a direct copy of the Wooden Blank lineage lightsabers.

See pages 40-45 of the guide for more information.

I think Solo's Hold may have gotten some information about the V2 that was previously unknown and replicated in their most current V2... http://soloshold.com/sabers.htm

I have to find where I read that though. I think it was them. Something about seeing the original in hand with Brandon Alinger and copying those unknown features or the like.

This is fun if you haven't seen it... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJXpDL_mWCg

More maybe later if I can remember anything. Gotta Scoot!

Hey halliwax ! JINX! One, two, three, you owe me a Coke!

Ridire Firean said:

Hey @halliwax ! JINX! One, two, three, you owe me a Coke!

Click to expand...

I love that movie. Jessica Simpson is so sexy.... plus I also love Andy dick in that film “glasses in ABOUT an hour” lmao!!

The14thDr said:

I was reading through SethS's amazingly researched eBook detailing the OT lightsaber props, and I noticed there doesn't seem to be as much information about Luke's ROTJ lightsaber than there is for the other props.

Is this simply because less is known about this lightsaber than the others?

Odd parts have been identified, such as the Graflex clamp, D-ring, etc, but not for the main bulk of the prop. I know that it started life as a stunt Obi-Wan lightsaber for ANH, but I've always wondered what it was made from. For example, there's an entire list of parts for Obi-Wan's saber, but this isn't the case for Luke. Some parts (like the pommel and the silver/black rings) look to me like they could have been custom made, but then again I know very little when it comes to the history of props.

I look forward to any replies that will help broaden my knowledge.

**DISCLAIMER: this is not in any way a slight against any of the research carried out and included in the eBook, I'm simply curious as to what was used to build the original (hero) prop.

Click to expand...

What you're talking about are the stunt lightsabers left over from ANH. The "New" ROTJ saber with the arrows on the control box was less than 1 1/2" in diameter.

Graflexes are 1 1/2" thick and the Obi Wan Hero saber had a clamp on it, right? The V2 and V3 (or Shared Stunt) both were made 1 1/2" to fit a clamp, so the stunt looked even more like the hero. They were cast in metal (there are seam lines and pockmarks that only come from metal casting). The first idea we had was cast aluminum, but lately we think pewter based on it's coloring and how much easier it is to do. The rings basically were a " **** it " version of the grenade :lol they didn't even design a booster section.

The whole point was to easily have something hollow they could fit a motor into to make the spinning blades for ANH.

The "New" ROTJ saber was lathed and milled from aluminum.

Neither of them had found parts really in their main construction. in fact they milled the cubes to look​ like the sink knob already found for the Obi saber.

Wow! I wasn't expecting so many replies, thanks guys!

As you can tell I know very little when it comes to the history of lightsaber props (other than the very basics) so I appreciate the clarification.

The fact that this saber wasn't a "found parts" build makes me a lot more confident about scratchbuilding a replica, but I still have a couple more projects to finish up before I start anything else.