What Are Lightsabers Made Of? (Also Cover Replicas & Toys)

In the world of Star Wars, lightsabers are extremely unique. In fact, no two sabers are the same.

To boil it down, lightsabers consist of a plasma blade and a hilt.

It’s powered by one or two crystals, gems, stones, or anything that can power the blade.

The hilt is extremely important as it serves as the casing for other important components.

Although metal is usually the material used for the hilt, others can also be utilized, as long as it is as strong as metal.

How The Jedi Make Lightsabers

To the Jedi, lightsabers are extremely important. It’s actually a symbol of being a Jedi, to the point that some have the belief that only a Jedi Knight can wield a lightsaber.

To emphasize how meaningful it is to the Jedi Order, they even have a whole ritual or rite of passage for Jedi younglings.

This event, called The Gathering, is a test where they find out whether they can pass to become a padawan and acquire their lightsaber.

The Gathering

No one can really find out how the Jedi make their lightsabers without reading about The Gathering. More details about this whole process can be watched in the episode “The Gathering” on Star Wars: Clone Wars.

This whole process can only be done when the weak star is in the proper position. When this specific time is met, some younglings, accompanied by a few Jedi Knights, go to the planet Ilum where they have to fulfill a series of tests.

At first, they must go to the Jedi Temple on Ilum where they must prove their skill. In the episode, their test was to clear out the entrance to the Temple by getting rid of ice and rubble.

After, they enter the temple where they are given a lesson about lightsabers, kyber crystals, and their status among the Jedi. Eventually, the sun rises and shines through a gap in the walls of the temple.

The sunlight passes through the giant kyber crystal on the ceiling and it causes the frozen waterfall to melt, opening the entrance to the Crystal Caves. This is why it is vital that they go at a specific time only.

The younglings must enter the caves and go through their own unique tests to obtain a kyber crystal. Because of the vergence of the Force, the test would acclimate to the insecurities or the weaknesses of those who enter the cave.

If they want to obtain a real crystal, they must be able to face their fears. They will know that the kyber crystal belongs to them if they hear it “sing” to them.

However, if they fail, they will be consumed by their fears and self-doubt. This results in them potentially never finding a kyber crystal and never becoming a Jedi.

Those who pass take their crystals back to the ship where they are taught how to assemble a lightsaber by Huyang. For a long time, this architect droid has been teaching Jedi, including Yoda and Mace Windu, how to make their own lightsaber.

How the Sith Make Lightsabers

The dark side created their sabers with terrible overwhelming emotions such as animosity, and dread. The Sith menacingly don their crimson sabers; however, many wonder why it is their color.

Before the Empire came to be, the Jedi also used a variety of colors for their lightsabers, including red. However, ever since this was associated with the Sith, the Jedi have not used red for theirs.

Bleeding

In contrast to how the Jedi had to overcome their fears in order to obtain a crystal, the Sith used a process of “bleeding” a kyber crystal. In this process, they used their negative emotions such as anger and fear to bend the crystal to their will.

The kyber crystal has a life of its own and they naturally change their color depending on the owner. However, in the process of corruption, we see it always changes into a blood-red hue.

How Lightsaber Replicas are Made

Because many want to live their Star Wars fantasy, a whole market has been made for lightsaber replicas. It’s a booming business and an increasing number of companies are making a name in the art of making their own versions of lightsabers.

Lightsabers exist in the realm of sci-fi. Its plasma blade can cut through virtually everything and it’s powered by a crystal.

Of course, if anybody wanted to create their own version of a lightsaber, they’ll have some issues that need solving. Primarily, they need to be able to use existent materials and find a way to make it look the same way it does in the movies.

It isn’t only a matter of visuals and practicality, the finished product should also be durable enough for actual duels. Let’s take a look at how some companies create their products.

The Hilt

Just like a real lightsaber, the hilt is extremely important as it serves as the chassis for extremely important parts like the LED lights, the soundboard, and electronics. UltraSabers make use of machined aluminum to ensure durability.

Inside the hilt, one can also find the soundboard. Now, this will depend on the company you decide to purchase from.

Saberforge makes use of the Veteran Soundboard 2.5, Champion Soundboard 3.0 and the Hero Soundboard. On the other hand, Ultrasabers make use of their own soundboard called Obsidian Soundboard.

The sound can be customized by buying or downloading the soundfonts. Of course, the sound will be activated upon motion detection, so an accelerometer is also a necessary part.

Without a kyber crystal, we’ll have to make do with a battery for a power supply. Saberforge makes use of a 3400mah rechargeable battery, while Ultrasabers use a 14500 protected lithium-ion battery cell.

The Blade

Instead of a plasma blade, companies use a polycarbonate material for the blade. These can be removed and reattached to the hilt, making customization easier.

Because it is transparent, the led light can easily diffuse through its length and give a nice glow that looks much like a real lightsaber. Again, you can mix and match the color of the light, depending on where you are purchasing it from.

Here are some reviews for a few of these companies:

1. Ultrasabers
2. UltraSabers vs Saberforge
3. YDD Sabers

If you’re eager to own your own saber, we definitely recommend the Luke Skywalker FX Lightsaber. Live your Jedi fantasy with this green bladed saber.

But if you’re inclined to the dark side of the force, you’ll definitely love the Darth Vader Force FX saber as it’s red glow is unmistakably Sith. What’s terrific is that these both have sound effects that are accurate to the movie and their quality is also up there.

How Lightsaber Toys are Made

There is no official distinction as to what makes a lightsaber replica different from a toy. However, it’s really a vast comparison when you see how different products look, function and perform.

Products from Ultrasabers, Saberforge, and YDD Sabers are much more impressive and sophisticated. In comparison, a cheap plastic toy marketed towards 5-year-olds wouldn’t be as satisfying to older fans.

If you’ve seen the Hasbro Lightsaber Toys, you’ll immediately know that it cannot withstand any sort of intense duelling. And if you’re an adult who wants to have a lightsaber, you surely won’t spend your money on a flimsy plaything.

I guess the difference is really the demographic, Hasbro doesn’t aim to sell these plastic toys to older Star Wars fans. In the same way, parents won’t really want to buy younger children a more complex and expensive version.

Materials and Function

The lightsaber toy that Star Wars released is made out of plastic. It weighs only 8.3 ounces and it’s powered by three AA batteries.

Kids love to play make-believe and I’m pretty sure that’s what these are meant for. They are definitely for roleplaying and fostering their imagination.

They also come with sound effects that can make their playtime more exciting. But what I love most about this toy is how children can record their own sound effects on it. It’s a great way to boost their creativity.

At the end of the day, these toys are marketed toward younger children, not for adults.