What do you use your Lightsabers for?

[FireBlaze97]

Something that came up while writing an essay for Collage was What you use your sabers for. Is your saber just shelf art or is your saber the pinnacle of your martial arts techniques. I might take your post as a quote in my essay. Your posts can range from really anything. If you post thanks for helping me out! (If you could mention if you are you a commissioner or builder it would help too THANKS!)

[Silver Serpent]

My sabers are good fun in the backyard with the wife. We can get our aggression out in a (reasonably) safe manner. From a more practical standpoint, I keep them handy during major storms, since they function quite well as emergency lighting.

I build my own sabers.

[Yoshi-Taka]

I build my own, though I wanted to be an MHS-based commissioner for a while. Didn't really go anywhere.

Anyway, I use mine mainly for expression. Most of my sabers have been inspired by non-Star Wars media (lately it's been My Little Pony and Final Fantasy), and I like to build sabers around a "what if they were Jedi/Sith?" ideal. Otherwise, I use my sabers to practice kata in my backyard. I don't have anyone to really duel with so I'm on my own.

[amwolf]

Shelf-sitters, but they're also a fun cat toys. As it turns out, FoC drives him nuts...

I'll echo Yoshi on the expression element. Even for ones destined to be smashed around by kids young and old try to be artful, within the skill limits I possess.

[MasterStoddard]

I have built one and upgraded a Master Replicas Sarth Vader for coworkers. They were both commissioned; the one I built was for the son of a store manager who still brags about it nearly 4 years later. When I can build my own personal saber it will be part of a costume.

[Skinnerman02]

My sabers see practical action in dueling with my friends and family. Nearly everyone, from 4 year old nieces and nephews on up to the adults, have had a fun time either learning to handle, or watching others handle, the sabers. As a casual martial artist, it's been fun integrating saber forms into training to toss things up and make working out more interesting (though, training with a live steel medieval repro sword has also been fun, but a saber has less harmful slashing/stabbing capability).

I build sabers mostly for me, my friends and my family (I make the receiver of my sabers pay for parts, I'm not made out of money), but have been strongly encouraged by many to open an Etsy shop. If I can manage to scrape together enough revenue to post 5-10 sabers, ranging from stunt to sound, I may end up doing that.

It's a wonderful hobby where I can make use of my creative impulses and a need to work with my hands (and any hobby where I get to use power tools to cut things apart is a good one). Also, as my education has nothing to do with electronics, sabersmithing has given me the unique opportunity to gain knowledge in a field I otherwise would have avoided (only because I had no real need to learn about circuitry; I have an English degree).

There's my two bits, hope it helps.

[TrypWyr]

I build my own lightsabers as an outlet for my limited creative ability, as well as the love of learning new things such as metalworking and small electronics. I also have two young Padawans at home, a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old, and they love "saber-battling" with daddy. I build my sabers to look good on a shelf but still be able to take a beating.

Great thread!

[mondas42]

As a member if both the 501st and the Rebel Legion, I use both of mine for trooping with. Nothing beats the look on a little kids face when you hand them a fully functional noisy lightsaber.

[hedgehog1]

I will never be able to travel from planet to planet like Princess Lea, wander in the cloud city like Lando Calrissian, have space faring adventures like Han Solo or use the force like Yoda. But the inner child is able to create his own lightsaber like Luke Skywalker did. This allows me to have some of the grand adventure I saw play out on that massive movie screen I first saw Star Wars on so many years ago as a child.

[Duff Man]

I use mine for Kata, Dueling with dojo buddies, The occasional demo(kids like light sabers), Costuming, Showing my friends how much of a dork I am and of course...for when the power goes out.