Humanity is another step closer to a fantasy-accurate lightsaber thanks to Hackaday alumnus [James Hobson] at Hacksmith. Their proto-saber cuts through (cosplay) stormtrooper armor, (foam) walls, and a (legit!) 1/4″ (6.35mm) steel plate. For so many reasons, we want to focus on the blade and handle. (Video, embedded below.)

The blade is a plasma stream designed for glassworking and burns a propane/oxygen mix with almost no residue, but the “blade” stays in a tight cylinder shape. With a custom PCB hosting a mixing controller, the blade extends and retracts like in the movies. The handle is not a technical marvel; it is an artistic wonder and if you want to see some machining eye-candy, check out the first video after the break. The second video demonstrates just how much damage you can do with a 4000° Fahrenheit tube of portable plasma.

You won’t be dueling anyone just yet, since there is no magnetic field shaping the blade like the ones [Lucas] envisioned. Unfortunately, you can’t block anything more substantial than a balloon sword since solid material will pass right through it, but it will suffer a mighty burn in the process. Lightsabers are a fantasy weapon, but the collective passion of nerds have made it as real as ever, and the Guinness folks give credibility to this build.

Thank you for the tip, [cyberlass].

That handle is ugly and not that practical though? Impressive achievement thought.

That thing must give you a face tan while using it… crazy!

Ah yes, this again. Off the shelf gas nozzle + lots of hype = YouTube views.

Would you like some peanut butter with your Jelly?

Sure, I’m a bit jealous. But I’m still right. They bought some ultra-expensive part and put it together. My own experiments with recycled goods are still impressive. https://youtu.be/A4UQ2pGI7J4

the only thing they actually made and is useful is the regulator with the auto-start up. With the shop and machines they have, they could have easily made the torch itself.

It’s not even any special kind of fuel. Propane and oxygen? What is this, amateur hour at the torch club? Call me when you’re burning something exciting like carbon subnitride in ozone.

“Hey buddy, got a light?” “Have I got a light!?” “Do I smell burning eyebrows?”

So it is a handy flamethrower?

torch. It’s literally a torch. An off the shelf one.

A Guinness record doesn’t add much credibility.

This. Dictators pay for records all the time. Guinness records as a trustworthy organization ceased to exist years ago.

Let me be the one to point out that there’s no “plasma” involved here. Words mean stuff dude.

It is literally fire, in a laminar flow to produce a cilindrical “beam”. Fire = 4th state of matter = plasma, so yes the “beam” is plasma. As checked with a physicist.

I saw this ages ago, I love what it is but told youtube to not show anymore of their vids. These vids were really cringy to watch. I hate the term cringy but in this case they really are. It felt like an under budgeted paid for tv special made by the worst kind of star wars fans.

As Henry Fonda used to say in the old Viewmaster commercials, “GAF”.

For a community of likeminded people do we really all have to be so negative? I’ve been here long enough to remember when we all got the talking to, probably 10 years ago, about our bad attitudes in the comment section. How some of the most respected creators in our community were ashamed of us and dreaded being featured on this website. I think we are well overdue for another conversation about that.

No I think hype videos should be called out. The built is nice, I appreciate the workmanship, but it’s really a torch and the demo video is simply ruined by sound effects.

Very cool! Went a lot of work into. Kinda feel like he’s trying to sell me something. Maybe the showbusiness taken a bit too far.

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