Luke Skywalker’s Return of the Jedi lightsabers a Guide

[vadermania]

After studying every available image of the V3 including the ones that were taken when I held the prop in my own hands, I come to the conclusion that emitter and grenade on the V3 (as it exists today) are separate and are held together via a metal rod or a piece of metal pipe. Personally, I tend to believe it‘s a piece of metal pipe which is held in place by one bigger grub screw in the emitter ring and one smaller grub screw in the grenade stabilizer section right below the emitter.

What really wonders me is that we haven‘t seen any evidence so far that a metal drive shaft or metal rod is sticking out from the V2 and the V3 emitter where a stunt blade would slip over. We have seen that on the Vader MOM saber („DV6“), but that‘s a different story. When the blade flies off of Lukes saber during the fight with Vader in the throne room, I am under the impression that the flying stunt blade has a „tang“ section below the ring. If this is really the case, the Luke stunt saber used in this particular scene had either a one-piece emitter/grenade section, or emitter and grenade were held together by a metal pipe.

 

[SethS]

is that resin casting a cast off a cast... did they cast it

SLOW DOWN BUCKO YOU LOST ME

 

[thd9791]

After studying every available image of the V3 including the ones that were taken when I held the prop in my own hands, I come to the conclusion that emitter and grenade on the V3 (as it exists today) are separate and are held together via a metal rod or a piece of metal pipe. Personally, I tend to believe it‘s a piece of metal pipe which is held in place by one bigger grub screw in the emitter ring and one smaller grub screw in the grenade stabilizer section right below the emitter.

What really wonders me is that we haven‘t seen any evidence so far that a metal drive shaft or metal rod is sticking out from the V2 and the V3 emitter where a stunt blade would slip over. We have seen that on the Vader MOM saber („DV6“), but that‘s a different story. When the blade flies off of Lukes saber during the fight with Vader in the throne room, I am under the impression that the flying stunt blade has a „tang“ section below the ring. If this is really the case, the Luke stunt saber used in this particular scene had either a one-piece emitter/grenade section, or emitter and grenade were held together by a metal pipe.

I've taken a scrap piece of steel rod and done this with an older replica too... put a grub screw through the emitter and one through that spot on the "windvane" and locked it together. It works rather well

Considering what you said, that the rod is too short and doesn't stick out, my thought was that it was either the original drive shaft cut down to size or a new scrap piece of rod... trimmed to serve as just a hilt and be flush (not stick out). Same with the V2, cutting it flush. Not sure why, other than to use as a "belt-hanger" or hilt that's been "turned off" with no blade remnants

Could it be that the grub screws holding blade to the tang came loose, leaving the emitter and the rod that holds the saber together? I also think the emitter came off though, for what it's worth.

We just don't see that large grub screw in the emitter in any old shots of the prop. It's there today, through the metal tape on the emitter, and it's what holds the emitter on. If it isn't on the old prop, how is the emitter held on during production?!

SLOW DOWN BUCKO YOU LOST ME

Clean emitter on the Wired cast that doesn't match the V3 emitter. Maybe they cleaned up the original pull and made a recast of it - right Danny?

I have this theory that the V3 today has a new emitter from another metal cast, and thus they didn't clean it up as much as the body. The Wired cast is a pull of an older emitter and this body

 

[Halliwax]

SLOW DOWN BUCKO YOU LOST ME

Lol

Step one cast the ugly V3

Step too, clean up the cast of the ugly V3 to make it a clean V3

Then now cast the clean V3

I doubt they took the effort to do this though...

 

[Halliwax]

I have this theory that the V3 today has a new emitter from another metal cast, and thus they didn't clean it up as much as the body. The Wired cast is a pull of an older emitter and this body

I think I am in the camp now...

 

[thd9791]

What if it's as simple as the Throne Room was too much for the V3 and they damaged it, but still used it for some takes. Yuma was made so they didn't have any problems for shooting the rest of the film. In order to clean up the hilt for presentation, or for another reason, they cut-up a (reject?) cast and put the V3 back together using the fat grub screw in the new emitter. No idea when this would be.

Also, no idea how the old emitter was held on.

Thing is, this emitter today has a great space for a bearing to sit, maybe it was converted already and they frankensteined the v3 using another ANH worthy stunt

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

IIRC the Throne room scenes were filmed first, Yuma filmed second, and Redwoods filmed last.

 

[Halliwax]

IIRC the Throne room scenes were filmed first, Yuma filmed second, and Redwoods filmed last.

Thanks James this makes sense

 

[teecrooz]

I don’t know which was filmed when. The V2 still has more booster paint in the sandstorm, Ewok village, and some throne room scenes.

Random pics for reference. I have my AS painted as the saber is now. I’ll be painting my SH with this amount of weathering.

 

[thd9791]

Man I i didn't know the cone knob was by the clamp box in the ewok village

 

[PoopaPapaPalps]

I have this theory that the V3 today has a new emitter from another metal cast, and thus they didn't clean it up as much as the body. The Wired cast is a pull of an older emitter and this body

Second.

 

[SethS]

THEN IT GOES IN THE BOOK

 

[scarf man]

....so should I add a section on the MandoLukian? The (shudders) creepy uncle?
Is this thread still useful compared to SethS ‘s wonderful ebook?

 

[SethS]

This thread here is what inspired me to make the book! If you want to add let me know and I am happy to give you all the pics I've gathered.

 

[scarf man]

This thread here is what inspired me to make the book! If you want to add let me know and I am happy to give you all the pics I've gathered.

I’m honored, but I don’t want to reinvent the wheel here, maybe just put some new tread on the tire to keep it going so to speak. We’ll see if anyone else wants to chime in weather it’s still useful or not.
I do think that your ebook thread being stuck at the top has kind of isolated it, idk what would fix that.

 

[scarf man]

SethS I just re-read my last post and realized that it came off a bit strange. Yes, of course I’d accept your generous offer to help out with pics, should the time come to update this thread. Thanks for the offer.

 

[thd9791]

This thread was one of the first I poured over when I started, thank you so much

 

[scarf man]

This thread was one of the first I poured over when I started, thank you so much

My pleasure. Do you think that it should be updated with anything new? ..or just leave it as a guide for the one film?

 

[thd9791]

My pleasure. Do you think that it should be updated with anything new? ..or just leave it as a guide for the one film?

Sure - maybe as an addendum, that this saber "story wise" carries on through multiple things after ROTJ

 

[scarf man]

I added a link in the first post to my next post (#5) and started adding more pics from throughout the thread.
SethS, I could use some pics of the lesser known versions like the Yuma, R2 resin, Hero resin, and any behind the scenes.
I don’t want to just swipe people’s pics from around the RPF without permission, so post them up here or in pm.
Thanks.