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 First,
there are two ways this can be accomplished. You
can acquire a Graflex 3-Cell Flashgun handle displayed
here or construct a hilt using raw materials.
Should you choose to purchase an authentic Graflex
3-Cell, finding one will be your greatest quest.
The significance of "3-Cell" means,
of course, 3 batteries. The easy way out is to
bid on a flashgun through eBay, and pay anywhere
between $250 - $350 for an authentic piece. If
you should decide to hunt one down, my advice
would be to check at antique camera shops, camera
collector shows, or garage sales. If you are in
a hurry, eBay is the way to go. BEWARE: Many people
will try to pass off other Graflex models as the
one you are looking for, but the original piece
will have special characteristics that make it
the piece the one George decided to use in Star
Wars: A New Hope, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes
Back.
Your
check list:
- BE
SURE that on the very bottom of the handle,
you see that engraving that says, "GRAFLEX
3-Cell"
- The
locking clamp is present (the clamp holds the
handle together and is also used in the movie
for saber activation)
- Check
to see around the locking clamp you see the
word "G R A F L E X" engraved
- The
red button is present and tightly screwed on
- The
glass eye is present on the opposite side of
the red button
- NO
SCRATCHES! But I shouldn't have to tell you
that!
Follow
these guidelines and you should be set.
 For
the longest time people believed that Darth Vader's
lightsaber was made from a Graflex Heiland Synchronar.
When in actuality the saber was constructed from
a MPP (Micro Precision Products) Microflash, displayed
to your left. Why? If you take a good look at
the Heiland replicas, you see that the handle
is too long, but the abbreviation issue leads
to doubt that that matters at all. Some believe
that both models were used in conjunction to produce
Vader's saber. Who am I to argue, but the MPP
matches up better. Again, try eBay, you never
know what you can come up with.
I would like to encourage, even
though this page is primarily replicas, that originality
is a gift and should be used as much as possible.
You can go to camera shops and acquire flash gun
handles for around $10 - $20. Essentially, be
your own jedi! I, of course, own my own Graflex
3-cell lightsaber replica, but I am in the process
of constructing an original lightsaber of my own
made from different parts of other flashguns that
doesn't by far come close to what I spent on the
Graflex. There, that's my two cents.
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