Nerds have been trying to build lightsabers since the release of the blockbusting film "Star Wars" in 1977.
All efforts had been in vain until a team lead by an engineer and product designer created a "protosabre".
The protosaber is an archaic version of the lightsaber found in Star Wars mythology in which an external power pack gives the sword its energy.
This meant limited operational time and mobility for the user.
Pro tip: don't touch it...
While technically not a sabre of light, or a sabre of light powered by an external power pack, it is seemingly just as dangerous...
Especially for the user.
In the following video from the guys at The Hacksmith (YouTube STEM dudes who bring sci-fi to life), they go deep into the fandom of Star Wars and build an incredibly volatile and dangerous replica of a protosabre.
While most of the video is about how the heck to power the damned thing, you can jump to 14:25 to see the protosabre in action.
The whole video is worth a watch if you have the time, but the actual building of the power pack (which is most of the video) is toe-curlingly fun to watch.
That is if you like guys nearly blowing themselves up creating incredibly stupid attempts at making fantasy weapons real life.
If you're thinking of building your own, the guys from Hacksmith said the battery pack actually "burst into flames" on several occasions during tests before filming.
So maybe don't.
The footage of the sword itself lighting on fire does enough for us to tick this box off and never see it recreated again, much less in real life.
The power pack does its job a little too well and forces the boys to upgrade the blade to a thicker piece of heat-conducting tungsten.
And finally, the whole package - blade, hilt and 50-pound battery pack - turn out wondrously terrifying.
Mr Hacksmith himself (not actual name) goes on to test the freakishly hot blade against Stormtrooper heads amongst other things...
Because that's exactly what your first thought is, right?
What do you make of the Hacksmith protosabre?
Would you wield one?
With or without safety gear?
Thanks for having a fun look at some sci-fi come to life.
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