In December of last year, YouTuber and engineer, the Hacksmith, showed off an insanely dangerous IRL protosaber build. Now, the engineer and his crew have built a real-life Kylo Ren crossguard lightsaber, in essentially the same fashion. However, the Ren saber is, of course, roughly one hundred times “cooler” than the original.
For those who haven’t heard of him, the Hacksmith is an engineer who makes working prototypes based on ideas from movies, video games, and comics. This Kylo Ren lightsaber build was recently posted to his channel, just in time for May the 4th. Although the actual build process took roughly a year to complete, and much of it took place before quarantine.
We made Kylo Ren's crossguard lightsaber! #starwarsday pic.twitter.com/FYkaLXqjix
— the Hacksmith (@thehacksmith) May 4, 2020
While the Hacksmith’s original protosaber was a sight to behold, he and his team have really upped their game here. This IRL Ren saber’s hilt is made out of 3D printed titanium, for example. This latest lightsaber iteration’s “blade” is also made out of tungsten insulated by ceramic, versus plain steel for the first version. This usage of tungsten, the Hacksmith points out, allows the saber to heat up to 3000° Fahrenheit without becoming “floppy.”
The reason the Hacksmith refers to his Ren saber as a protosaber rather than a lightsaber is because of its power source. In the Star Wars universe, protosabers, unlike lightsabers, require an external power pack due to limitations in technology. ( Protosabers are the archaic versions of lighstabers.) Because of real-life limitations in technology, the Hacksmith’s Ren saber, unlike the one in the films, also requires an external power source. This latest saber creation is still a sight to behold though, even if it is extremely dangerous to actually hold.
What do you think about the Hacksmith’s IRL Kylo Ren lightsaber? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Feature image: The Hacksmith