In the Star Wars universe, the Jedi padawan constructs their own lightsaber when they are deemed ready by their master. Often, a padawan replicates the style of their master’s saber but there were also many Jedi who chose to create a unique style for their lightsaber. The looks and performance of a saber are dependent mainly on the choice of power crystal and hilt style.
In the real world, if you’re wondering how to make a lightsaber that can be used in cosplay duels, you’ll need to understand a thing or two about material design. One type of blade plastic is not the same as another – and like a Jedi choosing their crystal, a real-life saber must choose the best possible materials to avoid breaking during use.
Crystal selection
In the Star Wars canon, the choice of power crystal will dictate the saber’s colour and often unique things about it. Kylo Ren’s lightsaber, for example, has its crackling red crossguards due to a cracked kyber crystal and a hilt designed to channel the energy outwards. You can always read our 'what lightsaber colour are you article' to find out more.
In the real-world, many lightsaber prop shops will force you to choose a blade colour and then pay to upgrade it or swap it out. Our Master Saber instead offers you a choice of colours by simply cycling through options using the button on the hilt. This means more colours, less forced upsells and the ability to choose lightside or dark depending on how you’re feeling that day.
Hilt material
In Star Wars, hilts can be made of a wide variety of materials – from standard alloy metal through to Fallen Order’s Haysian smelt or even the natural wood of the Brylark tree for wookie apprentice Gungi’s saber.
In the real world, the hilt material for a lightsaber replica will dictate its longevity – the better the material the longer your prop will last. However, the more premium the material the more costly the saber. For duel-ready lightsabers, a metal hilt is essential to withstand the impact and vibration channelled down the blade, which can easily break plastic handles. For these reasons, our aircraft grade aluminium hilt strikes the ideal balance between affordability and durability – as well as being relatively light.
Blade choice
Real Jedi lightsabers use energy blades that can slice through anything – with the colour and strength dictated by the focusing crystal and other technologies. Real life lightsabers for duelling and cosplay must instead use a blade that can offer impact resistance without compromising the aesthetics of the saber. If a material is too thick, it may hamper the colour and light of the saber. Our Master Saber uses a riot-shield grade polycarbonate that can handle anything you swing it at.
In the real-world, the sound and lighting quality is also something you have to consider. If the lightsaber doesn’t sound accurate, it can break immersion and make for poor-quality cosplay – and who wants that? Choose a lightsaber that has accurate sound effects that emit at the right times – it should sound very different when you swing through empty air compared to when you hit the blade against something.
At Saberzone we realise not every padawan wants to start from scratch - which is why we have two options available to those who want to make a lightsaber...
For Beginners: Use the Power Battle Saber and make it your own
By now we’ve learned how to make a lightsaber – but finding the right materials can be difficult. At Saber Zone we’ve done the work for you – creating our Power Battle Saber to serve as an excellent base for all your cosplay needs. It’s lightweight, extremely durable and allows you to choose a range of different blade colours that can be changed on the fly. Suitable for duelling from the get-go, you can further customise it with hilt tape and wraps.
Shop the Power Battle Saber now.
Advanced: Build a totally custom saber with the Saber Builder
Our Saber Builder allows you to customise your saber to your own ideals. From a choice of pommel through to grip, switch and even blade length, you can create the lightsaber that suits your style in a few simple steps.
Enjoy a lightsaber that is unique to you. Craft your destiny now with the Saber Builder.