You’ve seen it everywhere around the interwebs, all around the net, especially on YouTube: “Real life lightsaber!” “Lightsaber in real life!” “Real Life Jedi!” (and every other combination you can think of). Which usually brings with it green or blue-lit flashlights, hacked laser pointers, choreographed CGI battles and more). But YouTube user Sufficiently Advanced has devised a lightsaber that actually works! Well, sort of.
Sorry to get your hopes up, but it doesn’t require any special gems, special training or science fantasy powers to use. As you can see in the video below, the lightsaber was built using a variety of methods, which Sufficiently Advanced credits to websites Geek Mom Projects and Tesla Down Under, for their respective 3D printing help and Flamethrower tutorials. But what makes it tick is a mixture of methanol and acetone for fuel and butane as a propellant. It’s pretty much a really fancy and really long cigarette lighter.
The lightsaber is held together by a handle casing, which doubles as both a replica and master control. The handle has a valve control that regulates the chemical reaction in conjunction with a syringe valve, enclosed in a specially made 3D printed structure. The lightsaber also comes with the iconic sound FX from the movies, which is also controlled from the handle.
Comically, Sufficiently Advanced takes on both Stormtrooper balloons and a truly menacing Jar Jar Binks picture, and shows off the length of the “blade” and its capabilities. It’s doubtful you’ll get into any death-defying battles with any Sith Lords or Jedi Masters anytime soon, but at least no one will be losing any limbs, either.
For an in-depth and scientific view on why it’s not possible to have lightsabers yet (but why they could potentially exist in the future), you may also want to check out D-News’ YouTube video “Why We Can’t Have Lightsabers.”