Okay, I've had a hard time with actually being able to talk about this here. I feel really horrible about it happening and it has gotten me into the mindset that I would not be making any more Tutorials.
This is bad....
Everyone here has enjoyed my video tutorials on how to "spin" a lightsaber. I've had fun making them and gotten great responses from them. As most everyone knows I only use my Luke ROTJ LED to demonstrate the moves because it IS the easiest saber to spin. Well, the time came when I promised to make tutorials showing some spins using 2 sabers at once(one in each hand) So I did 4 more Tutorials showing some...but I like to do the Tutorials in sets of 5. So I finally came across a move that would top the others and began to work on perfecting it and figuring it out so I could teach it. So, there I am, outside in the grass with my ROTJ Luke LED in my left hand and My ROTJ Luke EL in my right(yes the 2003 version) So Im working on the movement and I loose my grip on my EL saber...it flys behind me and I hear a cruch as of metal on concrete!! I wasn't far enough out from the back walkway when I was practicing and as the saber came out of my hand, the hilt hit the edge of the concrete. I hurredly went and picked it up and inspected it....no major damage....but there was a good 1/2 inch of the very edge of the endcap that was just marred to heck. I went inside to contemplate my folly.
I coudn't believe I would allow myself to put my EL Luke in jeopardy like that. But after awhile I realized I could live with the small mark and I never planned on selling it, so the value doesn't concern me. I just chalked it up as a battle-scar.
Now it gets bad....
I go outside the next day. This time making sure im far enough out not to endanger my sabers again. And I put my EL in my left hand this time since I lost the grip of it when it was in my right hand. After about 10 minutes of working on the spin I was bringing my EL saber back from behind me in a spin movement and the blade hit the back of my leg pretty hard.
It was at that moment, I knew something went horribly wrong. The saber didn't feel right anymore. I moved it infront of me so I could look at it....the blade was coming out from the hilt at a 10degree angle!!!! :o
I was like, "OH NO!" In a state of shock I try to straighten the blade. Big Mistake. I straigtened it and it broke off...hanging from the two wires going to the EL sheet. I dropped my LED saber on the ground and just took my poor EL Luke inside to survey the damage.
The polycarbonate blade cracked and broke off right above where the topmost pin goes through it. There was no way that it could be fixed. One of the wires ended up coming loose from the connector to the EL, but I soldered that back together. The saber still lights and has sound..but the blade is broken. I need to find a replacement now and I will have to take apart my beloved EL Luke and try to fix it.
...as of right now. My EL luke is safely tucked away in its original box with the blade just sitting in the hilt where it was once attached. :(
Thinking about why I would risk one of my most prized FFX's to make a video, went beyond me. I couldn't figure it out. Why would I risk as saber that couldn't be readily replaced?? So as of right now I don't feel like making anymore tutorials. But that will probably change when the Maul comes out and I prolly have back-up sabers purchased.
Original Luke Skywalker ROTJ Force FX Lightsaber
2003-2006 RIP....I will miss you my old friend.