How to Clean My ForceFX Lightsaber?

Hasbro’s line of ForceFX lightsabers are meant to be used as battle-ready replicas. When they’re used, they can accumulate scuffs, dirt, and damage.

If you want to keep your replica lightsaber in good condition, you’ll need to clean different parts when necessary.

Here we’ll look at the different ways to clean your ForceFX lightsaber as well as what not to do.

How Do You Clean the Lightsaber Hilt?

The hilts of ForceFX lightsabers can be composed of a variety of materials. The main two are PVC plastic and various metals.

The method for cleaning the hilt will depend on identifying which materials it’s made of.

Figuring this out is relatively easy. In most cases, metal parts will be cold to the touch and plastic parts will not be.

Cleaning Plastic Parts

The majority of the hilt is likely to be made of painted PVC plastic. It is important not to use solvents such as acetone because they will dissolve the plastic and damage it.

While the lightsaber is fully assembled, it is recommended to only use dry methods of cleaning. Water and other liquids can damage the lightsaber and cause electrical shocks.

To clean the hilt, use a dry cloth to gently wipe down the plastic and remove any dirt.

If you must clean it with liquids, the hilt must be removed entirely from all electronics. Methods for cleaning a removed hilt include mixing soap, baking soda, or vinegar with water.

Cleaning Metal Parts

To clean the metal parts of your lightsaber hilt, a soft, dry cloth is recommended.

Unlike the PVC plastic, even if you can remove the metal parts it is not recommended to clean them with any liquids. This is because the type of metal used varies, and solvents will damage and corrode certain metals.

How To Clean the Lightsaber Blade (And Other Parts)?

Depending on how much use your lightsaber gets and any accidental damage, you may want to clean other parts of the lightsaber.

The most likely to be scuffed up or damaged is the blade itself. However, it is also possible for dust and dirt to accumulate on the interior of the lightsaber.

Cleaning the Lightsaber Blade

All Hasbro ForceFX lightsaber blades are made of polycarbonate plastic. Because of this, the process is the same, no matter which model you have.

To clean the blade, take a soft, dry cloth. Lens cloths are best, but anything soft will do.

Take the cloth and gently wipe down the length of the blade to remove any dust or dirt.

Cleaning the Interior

Throughout its use, your lightsaber may accumulate dust and dirt on the inside of the hilt. If your lightsaber features a removable blade, this is easy to remedy.

With the lightsaber disassembled, you can clean the components with the same cloth you cleaned the blade with.

Alternatively, you can use a can of compressed air to dislodge any build-up. Be sure to do this in a well ventilated area; compressed air can be toxic if too much is inhaled.

Can You Remove the Blade From a ForceFX Lightsaber?

Depending on the model of ForceFX lightsaber that you have, you may be able to remove the blade. Hasbro produces both kinds of lightsaber models, removable and non-removable.

If you are searching for a ForceFX lightsaber to buy, the best way to check is the name of the listing. All ForceFX lightsabers with a removable blade will be marked with some variant of “With Removable Blade”.

Checking For a Removable Blade

For ForceFX lightsabers that you already own, the best way is to consult the user manual that came with it. Don’t worry if you don’t have it anymore, though!

An easy way to check if the blade is removable is by trying to disassemble the hilt. The exact method for this will depend on the model, but it is easy to figure out which way works.

Method One

The best way to see if your ForceFX lightsaber has a removable blade is to check the accompanying user manual.

Whether you no longer have it or want a digital document to keep or share, Hasbro has the perfect solution!

Hasbro offers a wide variety of user manuals for their products online on their Consumer Care website. It may not have every model that they’ve produced, but it’s a good first step.

Method Two

The first method is gently attempting to remove the emitter ring at the base of the blade.

Unscrew the emitter ring, then slide it upward and off of the blade. Once removed, the blade can be lifted off of the hilt.

Lightsabers like the Darth Maul Signature model have this type of removable blade design.

Method Three

If your lightsaber has a “sleeve” around the base of the blade (like the Darth Vader Signature model), there are a couple of extra steps.

First, unscrew the knob attached to the sleeve; the knob is paired with the sleeve and designed  not to come off.

The sleeve can then be slid upward and off of the blade. Then, unscrew the ring around the base of the blade and slide it upward and off.

With these parts removed, the blade can be lifted off of the hilt.

Removing Non-Removable Blades

Unfortunately, many Hasbro ForceFX lightsabers are not designed to have their blades removed. That doesn’t mean that you can’t, though!

To remove the blades of these lightsabers, you’ll need some tools and knowledge on how to use them.

The tools required include, but are not limited to: a Phillips-head screwdriver, pliers, a pin remover, a drill with a tapping drill bit, or a hacksaw.

There are many tutorials on how to remove ForceFX blades so it’s important to know what to look for!

A good place to start is by looking for LED conversion tutorials for your lightsaber. These guides are meant to help people change the light source for their blade, but it includes removing the blade.

If you can’t find a tutorial specifically for your Hasbro blade, try searching for the same lightsaber model with the name “MR”.

“MR” stands for Master Replicas and is the company that produced ForceFX lightsaber before Hasbro took over production.

A good place to start looking is the lightsaber conversion board on the Custom Saber Shop forum!

Do All ForceFX Lightsabers Have a Removable Blade?

Not all of Hasbro’s ForceFX lightsabers have removable blades, and it can be hard to tell which ones do.

If you have the instruction manual that goes with your lightsaber, it will tell you whether the blade can be removed or not. But if you don’t, how do you tell?

The best way to find out if your lightsaber has a removable blade is to consult an online resource with Hasbro instruction manuals. The best source for this is Hasbro’s own Consumer Care website!

Here you can find the manuals for any of Hasbro’s lightsaber products, including ForceFX lightsabers.

Conclusion

Depending on the model of ForceFX lightsaber you have, the method for cleaning it will vary.

Models with removable blades are generally easier to clean, but that doesn’t mean that non-removable models can’t be.

In all cases, it is recommended that you clean all lightsaber parts with a soft, dry cloth.