There's two different things here being argued. IP issues, and ethical issues.
When it comes to actual IP-- every person is in violation. The concept of lightsabers belongs to Star Wars. You can't exactly trademark a concept, so Disney can't go around slapping an C&D on anyone using the term lightsaber, or portraying/making something similar. The actual designs of the lightsabers... that's sticky territory. Can you control the likeness rights of a prop? I don't know. Some people say Lucasfilm owned Mark Hamil's face. I don't know if that's true or not. If somebody bootlegged/recast an actual Lucasfilm produced/licensed lightsaber replica, they might be a good target.
Lightsaber replicas exist in a very fine gray area. There's a reason Roman made replicas of camera flashes made by defunct companies, or replicas of old grenades and tap handles as opposed to lightsabers. Point being, every replica maker out there is technically pushing it in this gray area of making something that conceptually doesn't belong to them. It's not super enforce-able, apparently even of you have Disney dollars, so we continue to exist.
The second issue, the ethical one, is what the problem is here, and it's actually a very simple one. Because the IP is as confusing as it is, and we operate in this gray area, no replica maker has any recourse to legally going after another one because no one has the rights. This is why we have to rely on respectful gentleman's agreements.
What people like Anakin Starkiller and BRRogers and khal1993 DO have, is their talent and their time. When somebody makes heavy investments into those things, you have to respect that, and most of us do. That's why we (mostly) are very supportive and willing to pay the prices we do for custom work and craftsmanship.
It becomes an ethical issue when somebody profits off that time and talent by recasting, copying, or otherwise bootlegging that work for themselves. Yes, the general masses may not care and simple want what is available and cheapest, but that's why we have to have these conversations-- so people know and respect how most people in the community choose to work and behave.
I personally never purchased from 89 sabers because from the start people commented on their awful customer service. Saberforge got the same treatment from me. Even when I was DYING for replica saber parts and TGS showed up with some of their offerings, I decided not to support them given that their marketing angle was to simply bash Romans Empire and roygilsing. It is VERY clear in the lightsaber communities which makers/sellers are doing this out of love and who is doing it to make a quick buck. I highly recommend you all stick to supporting those guys doing it with passion (who still need to make money btw), as opposed to those making knock offs to get their hands on your cash.
When it comes to actual IP-- every person is in violation. The concept of lightsabers belongs to Star Wars. You can't exactly trademark a concept, so Disney can't go around slapping an C&D on anyone using the term lightsaber, or portraying/making something similar. The actual designs of the lightsabers... that's sticky territory. Can you control the likeness rights of a prop? I don't know. Some people say Lucasfilm owned Mark Hamil's face. I don't know if that's true or not. If somebody bootlegged/recast an actual Lucasfilm produced/licensed lightsaber replica, they might be a good target.
Lightsaber replicas exist in a very fine gray area. There's a reason Roman made replicas of camera flashes made by defunct companies, or replicas of old grenades and tap handles as opposed to lightsabers. Point being, every replica maker out there is technically pushing it in this gray area of making something that conceptually doesn't belong to them. It's not super enforce-able, apparently even of you have Disney dollars, so we continue to exist.
The second issue, the ethical one, is what the problem is here, and it's actually a very simple one. Because the IP is as confusing as it is, and we operate in this gray area, no replica maker has any recourse to legally going after another one because no one has the rights. This is why we have to rely on respectful gentleman's agreements.
What people like Anakin Starkiller and BRRogers and khal1993 DO have, is their talent and their time. When somebody makes heavy investments into those things, you have to respect that, and most of us do. That's why we (mostly) are very supportive and willing to pay the prices we do for custom work and craftsmanship.
It becomes an ethical issue when somebody profits off that time and talent by recasting, copying, or otherwise bootlegging that work for themselves. Yes, the general masses may not care and simple want what is available and cheapest, but that's why we have to have these conversations-- so people know and respect how most people in the community choose to work and behave.
I personally never purchased from 89 sabers because from the start people commented on their awful customer service. Saberforge got the same treatment from me. Even when I was DYING for replica saber parts and TGS showed up with some of their offerings, I decided not to support them given that their marketing angle was to simply bash Romans Empire and roygilsing. It is VERY clear in the lightsaber communities which makers/sellers are doing this out of love and who is doing it to make a quick buck. I highly recommend you all stick to supporting those guys doing it with passion (who still need to make money btw), as opposed to those making knock offs to get their hands on your cash.
Wonder if the mods have been pointed to the accounts for members who run the sites selling the recast items…. because shilling is listed in the code of conduct as a bannable offense (not Khal, that’s been handled).
