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Author Topic: Lightsaber Question from a Newbie  (Read 366 times)

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Offline stevie

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Lightsaber Question from a Newbie
« on: April 06, 2021, 09:31:43 AM »
Hi! Brand new here. I've been a Star Wars fan my entire life, but can honestly say I'm not as educated as I'd like to be. My older brother is the one who got me into it, and he was a much more educated fan than I am. He was a kid when the first trilogy was released in theaters, but he was also sadly terminally ill. A lot of comic stores gifted him things because of this. As the story goes, A comic dealer in the 70s went to Vegas and bought Star Wars movie props. He told my brother the movie was originally expected to tank, so they were selling off a lot of things. This dealer gave my brother what he said was a prop from A New Hope - a Darth Vader lightsaber. My brother was a child at the time, and played with it to his heart's content, and when he passed away, it was given to me. I've been trying for years to find out if there is any truth to this story, or if it was just that - a story told to make a sick kid happy. Does anyone know how I could go about getting this verified? It's black and silver, has Heiland Synchronar engraved in it, and it used to have black foam vertical strips around it that have sadly since fallen off. It's in rough shape, as a child used to play with it and had no idea it could potentially be a collectable, but I'd just like to know if the story could possibly have some truth to it. Thank you!

P.S. It's not letting me post a photo, so we'll try this: i.imgur.com/c5vQsLY.jpg

Offline K-2SO

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Re: Lightsaber Question from a Newbie
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2021, 01:53:52 PM »
Welcome to the Forum.

Unfortunately, I think your brother was told a story. It’s a good story, but I highly doubt that prop was authentic. Yes, I doubt yours is the actual prop.



I find your arguments vague and unconvincing.

Quiet! *Slap* And there’s a fresh one if you mouth off again.

Offline scott

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Re: Lightsaber Question from a Newbie
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2021, 06:01:19 PM »
Definitely agree that it would be impossible to tell, and unlikely. That said, depending on your level of interest, you could certainly have that converted into a pretty sweet FX replica that would be impressive in its own right!


Offline jbkuma

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Re: Lightsaber Question from a Newbie
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2021, 08:00:58 PM »
It's important to keep in mind that there are different kinds of props.  Not every prop that is made is used in a film, and not every prop used in a film looks exactly the same, especially back in the day.  There would have been hero versions and stunt versions, and most likely backups, prototypes, rejects, etc.  It could very well have been on set, or been in the props department, at this point there is probably know way to know unless there was a really distinguishing mark and a clear shot in one of the films.  The dealer could very well have told a true story, or at at least a story he believed was true.  When did this all occur?

I think it's great that you have this connection to your brother to remember him by. 

Offline stevie

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Re: Lightsaber Question from a Newbie
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2021, 03:24:34 PM »
Thank you all so much for your replies! I figured even if the story was true, it'd be a long shot actually proving it. In response to jbkuma's question - I hadn't been born yet and my parents can't remember a specific year, but have narrowed it down to 1977-1979. I did read a tweet from Mark Hamill about how there were many lightsabers on set that both the actors and the stunt doubles used, and he mentioned how they'd changed pieces of it to foam, as the original pieces were painful on the hands after long use. (I think I'm remembering that correctly!) That intrigued me just because the pieces on the handle (that have sadly since fallen off long before it was officially mine) were foam.

It does have a significant amount of sentimental value, and it makes me smile to think my brother, who was a die hard fan and collected everything, spent his life fully believing he had something straight from the film. It was his most prized possession, and even if this story is entirely false, it's my most prized possession as well!

I appreciate all of your input!     

Offline eastern57

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Re: Lightsaber Question from a Newbie
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2021, 04:10:41 AM »
As far as I know, the original Vaders were MPP flashes, not Heiland.  Heilands have only been "close enough" to the MPP in appearance to substitute, as dubbed by the fandom, and were not used in production.  The exception was in ROTJ where they used a modified Graflex made to look like the MPP.

Offline jbkuma

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Re: Lightsaber Question from a Newbie
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2021, 02:56:49 PM »
I think it the time line is correct, it's more likely to have at least been something like I mentioned.  It seems less likely someone would have known what to look for just to make up the story at that time.

Offline SirRawThunderMan

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Re: Lightsaber Question from a Newbie
« Reply #7 on: April 09, 2021, 03:36:05 AM »
I mean, it may not be the "real" thing, but it's still a vintage flashgun. You could go about converting it into a working saber. And it's already got a fair bit of natural weathering on it, too.
Better late than never.

Offline vexoar

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Re: Lightsaber Question from a Newbie
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2021, 06:40:56 PM »
Hey guys so I totally goofed with installing new sound fonts onto my CFX Sabertrio Reaver. I tried scrolling over to the new sound fonts on the saber and it made a weird noise and the audio totally cut and wasn't igniting. I then removed the battery and put it back in and still nothing. The ignition switch just remains lit and its not turning on or off, please help!!!! :cry:

 

retrousse