Maglight guard shoto help

**CarpeNoctem** · 06-22-2015, 05:15 PM

Hi new on the forum so go easy on me

I'm planning on using the custom saber shop maglight ends in a par of 5 C-cell or 6 D-cell (length because I'm tall with longer arms) maglight bodies to make guard shotos. The plan is to use 3-4 AAA battery LED flashlights as the grips and 16" blades

The plan is to

gut both lights down to bare tubes
drill a hole low on the back end to fit the grip
grind out any material left inside main barrel of tip from the smaller one
install electronics using the led lights tailcap to use its switch for the saber and house the batteries
modify original switch hole in main barrel to use for speaker then disguise it with a leather cuff with decrotive slots.
wire in modules and lighting

I would like to use sound but I'm open to not having heavy lighting effects to begin with. I.m doing this on a budget so I need some assistance on what lights and sound items I would need that will work with the maglight housing while keeping the cost down. My only big requirement on the lighting is that is gets a good dark purple glow.

I would like to use the original plastic bulbholder assembly to hold the lighting even if I have to modify it it's already made to fit so why not keep it?

images of what is being used

body

s5d016.jpg

Blade holder (thanks to CSS)

magca.JPG

Tail cap Just for looks

magcap1.jpg

heres what I want it to look like when finished basically. most of the body will just be empty space

568.jpg

**Saber Rake** · 06-24-2015, 06:52 PM

I'm not sure what to do for the purple color but in the Blade colors sub forum you can find the answers you need. I'd be concerned about having 16 inch blades if I were you, they are very short, if this is your plan, ignore this. But when I first planned mine out I didn't know how long they were gonna be and didn't think about it.

**ARKM** · 06-25-2015, 05:59 PM

That looks pretty cool. One thing though, a shoto is, for the most part, a wakazashi. What you have there is called a tonfa. I understand the confusion though as many websites (and some videos) have been mislabeling Maris Brood's tonfa sabers out of ignorance.

For mounting the side handle to the flashlight, if the diameter of the flashlight is similar to the diameter of MHSv1 parts then you could use the tonfa handle adapter and tonfa handle parts that TCSS sells (you may have to wait for some of those items to be back in stock though). Otherwise you will need some solid material inside the flashlight (with a hole bored into it for the side handle to slide into) for a solid and secure connection.

**Saber Rake** · 06-26-2015, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by ARKM

That looks pretty cool. One thing though, a shoto is, for the most part, a wakazashi. What you have there is called a tonfa. I understand the confusion though as many websites (and some videos) have been mislabeling Maris Brood's tonfa sabers out of ignorance.

For mounting the side handle to the flashlight, if the diameter of the flashlight is similar to the diameter of MHSv1 parts then you could use the tonfa handle adapter and tonfa handle parts that TCSS sells (you may have to wait for some of those items to be back in stock though). Otherwise you will need some solid material inside the flashlight (with a hole bored into it for the side handle to slide into) for a solid and secure connection.

Actually, in Star Wars this is called a Guard Shoto http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Guard_shoto

**ARKM** · 06-26-2015, 03:45 PM

Yes, I know, but I personally feel that this is wrong nomenclature and I imagine that most native Japanese people (at least those that are Star Wars fans) would agree with me. The word "shoto" for usage with Maris Brood's tonfa sabers was obviously used in reference to the Japanese word "shoto", otherwise known as a short sword. A shoto is any Japanese sword with a blade length of around 1 to 2 feet in length. Last time I checked, the planet earth and therefore the nation of Japan is not canonically in the Star Wars universe and last time I checked there are no historical tonfas with blades. By that logic, "shoto' in the incorrect term to use. Since English is in Star Wars (they call it "Basic") and since Star Wars was created by an American, it would have been better and have made much more sense to use what the American police call their tonfas (with one word being replaced with the word "lightsaber"). That being a side-handle baton. So in Star Wars, Maris Brood's tonfas sabers would be side-handle lightsabers. Maybe that does not sound as cool as "guard shoto lightsabers" but it would be more correct.

A lot of Americans (yes, I'm American) often butcher the usage of foreign language terminology out of ignorance and basically not giving a crap about whether or not we're doing it right or who we may offend in the process. This is mainly true in the entertainment and business world. This is just one of the many types of things that leads to other countries hating us. Why continue this? It's not a guard shoto. It's a side-handle lightsaber in the Star Wars universe and a tonfa saber in ours. That's how I feel about it anyways.

I'm not gonna condemn anyone here for calling it a guard shoto, even if they keep doing it after reading this post... but I though I'd at least try to inform people as to why that's the incorrect term for it.

**Miraluka** · 06-26-2015, 07:54 PM

^ Amen.

**Saber Rake** · 06-27-2015, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by ARKM

Yes, I know, but I personally feel that this is wrong nomenclature and I imagine that most native Japanese people (at least those that are Star Wars fans) would agree with me. The word "shoto" for usage with Maris Brood's tonfa sabers was obviously used in reference to the Japanese word "shoto", otherwise known as a short sword. A shoto is any Japanese sword with a blade length of around 1 to 2 feet in length. Last time I checked, the planet earth and therefore the nation of Japan is not canonically in the Star Wars universe and last time I checked there are no historical tonfas with blades. By that logic, "shoto' in the incorrect term to use. Since English is in Star Wars (they call it "Basic") and since Star Wars was created by an American, it would have been better and have made much more sense to use what the American police call their tonfas (with one word being replaced with the word "lightsaber"). That being a side-handle baton. So in Star Wars, Maris Brood's tonfas sabers would be side-handle lightsabers. Maybe that does not sound as cool as "guard shoto lightsabers" but it would be more correct.

A lot of Americans (yes, I'm American) often butcher the usage of foreign language terminology out of ignorance and basically not giving a crap about whether or not we're doing it right or who we may offend in the process. This is mainly true in the entertainment and business world. This is just one of the many types of things that leads to other countries hating us. Why continue this? It's not a guard shoto. It's a side-handle lightsaber in the Star Wars universe and a tonfa saber in ours. That's how I feel about it anyways.

I'm not gonna condemn anyone here for calling it a guard shoto, even if they keep doing it after reading this post... but I though I'd at least try to inform people as to why that's the incorrect term for it.

It's called a shoto because that's what a short lightsaber. While it is based off of a Tonfa, it's a Gaurd Shoto because, it's a lightsaber! That's the official name. You really cannot argue that fact.

**Forgetful Jedi Knight** · 06-27-2015, 12:21 PM

This is not going to devolve into an argument guys.

**ARKM** · 06-27-2015, 12:45 PM

I hope no one feels that I'm arguing as I don't feel that I am. I feel that I'm only trying to inform and explain.

Saber Rake, I never said it was not the official name (though I have not bothered to verify for myself whether that's true or not as that is irrelevant to me). I just said that it's name is wrong. That's my opinion, and I went on to explain why it's my opinion, that's all. In my opinion, people are allowed to have differing opinions and in most places, people are allowed to "correct" others when they think they are wrong. As long as said corrections are done constructively and politely, everything will hopefully be fine. If you think I'm wrong, that's fine. That's your opinion. I certainly don't expect everyone to agree with me. It's all good.

Anywho, back on topic for me... CarpeNoctem, I look forward to seeing what you come up with. I have some experience with saber tonfa handles. Please feel free to PM me if you need any help.