What is this? Could it be a thin necked ROTJ? It is the MKVI "Hero" Number 1

[jin starkiller]

Very nice. Hope it can be upgraded to a Petit Crouton board with the Light Meat font. Would be perfect for your Luke lightsaber.

that would be a downgrade since it is a PC-U and has a Madcow font Madcow's Hero

[Treadingwolf]

That's super awesome man!

[Matt Thorn]

That is gorgeous. And I love the fact that it has a real copper neck. The korbanth run is anodized aluminum that just doesn't look like real copper, and while transparent copper powder coating looks somewhat more genuine, it is hard to apply evenly. I assume the copper is protected from oxidization by either a sealant or clear powder coating?

Sheesh, the Force FX Luke ROTJ looks ugly as sin next to yours.

Am I right in thinking it is pronounced "mark six"? The Mk. 3 rifle grenade used in the Obi-Wan prop was pronounced "mark three."

[acerocket]

No, the copper is not protected. That is entirely up to the owner. They may want to give them a super high polish. The may want them to be machine finished. Or they may want them to oxide and have a more worn looking saber. Clear powder coating was discussed at one point, but after looking at some samples, the clear powder coating turns the copper a slightly different color and does not look right. LDM might be able to elaborate on the clear PC and why it was not done.

[Matt Thorn]

Thanks, acerocket. Good transparent PC-ing seems to be an art--one that I have not yet mastered. Still, I'd like to experiment with different levels of glossiness and see if there's a PC that will protect it without detracting from the look. I suppose you could daub it with oil regularly. Personally, I wouldn't want to leave it unprotected, because in my experience with copper, it will become dull or worse very quickly, particularly if you're touching it. But I love nice, shiny copper more than any other metal.

[psab keel]

Magnificent work! I certainly hope I can get my hands on one if they become available. Fantastic build and the best part is that it has light and sound! Could this saber be dueled with?

[Matt Thorn]

This thread nearly tempted me to buy a chunk of copper for machining, till I checked on the price: seven to ten times what aluminum costs. It's a precious commodity these days. (Did you hear about the old lady who inadvertently shut down the Internet in most of the nation of Georgia and all of Armenia while "scavenging" [read="stealing"] copper?)

That beautiful copper neck probably cost more than the rest of the metal in the hilt combined.

psab, I'm guessing the blade does not sit deeply enough in the emitter to allow for anything harsher than well-choreographed pseudo-dueling...but I would never dream of dueling with such a beautiful hilt even if it was possible. Besides, while I like 3/4" blades myself, they are too flexible for dueling. They can take the punishment, but the bending is plain to the naked eye, which is a bit of a buzz-killer.

[Lord Dottore Matto]

The blade sits ~1.2" in the BH. that is more than the Mace conversion kit so that part is good. I wouldn't trust the neck to hold up underanything other than light play though. @Matt, you are correct..the copper parts cost more than the rest of the material in the whole hilts. I think a nice clear coat of enamel would work best if one wants the neck to stay nice and shiny.

[Matt Thorn]

Thanks, LDM. There's no substitute for real copper. That really is a thing of beauty.

[Jacen Solo]

This thread nearly tempted me to buy a chunk of copper for machining, till I checked on the price: seven to ten times what aluminum costs. It's a precious commodity these days. (Did you hear about the old lady who inadvertently shut down the Internet in most of the nation of Georgia and all of Armenia while "scavenging" [read="stealing"] copper?)

It wasn't copper it was fibre optic cable.