Parks Sabers Graflex Replica

I finally received my Parks Graflex replica this past week. Let me tell you, this is one beautiful replica. For those who don't know, the Graflex flashgun (flash for an old camera)was used to create Luke's ANH lightsaber (Anakin's saber, given to Luke by Obi-Wan). Parks Sabers has created a replica of the Graflex flashgun. It is very well made, it's designed to be a real working flash, so you can handle it without worrying that it'll break (as with other prop replicas).

One thing is that you have to convert it to a lightsaber yourself. But all I did was apply the grips and the calculator bubble strips and voila, the Graflex becomes a lightsaber. An accessory pack is available from Parks Sabers which includes 7 rubber grips, the calculator bubble strip, a circuit board strip (for Luke's ESB version), 2 D-Rings, and screws for $10. I'm putting a covertech knob and clip on mine so I can wear it with my costume.

Parks sells the Graflex replica for $125 each (or $750 for 10 of them). Which I feel is a bargain compared to MR props.

If you ever wanted to hold Luke's lightsaber in your very hands, then this is the one to get. Although it's super nice enough to put in a sealed display case, you don't need to because it's not going to break on you.
..and no, I do not work for Parks Sabers. I'm just a satisfied customer. This is my third Parks Saber.

[image=http://members.aol.com/mattsuda/Graflex.jpg]

 

I have this as well and it is awsome. It is a very good prop to have! Parks best ever!

 

I just got mine as well - although the kit you get from Jeff is cool - it is inacurate (grips are not cut on an angle, Bubble strip should only have 7 bubbles not 8, and the Board is missing alot of the silver).

If you have ordered the replica or are thinking about ordering the replica - you will not be disapointed - it is absolutely stunning. The first thing I did was put 3 batteries in the thing and turn on the focusing light (glass eye on the bottom) - I was floored. This is a must have for any saber collector and reasonably priced as well (compared to a real and beat up Graflex).

I know my replica is destined to become a Anakin ep3 saber (covertec and all). I am working on getting the correct grips - cause they look very similar to the ep2 anakin grips.

Dave

 

Actually, the grips would be accurate for the ESB version if you notched out the section for the hex bolts, and had a good supply of those tiny black eye-glass screws they used to secure the other ends to the shaft. ESB had flat grip ends. Also, some early press release photos with the ANH Graflex showed an 8 digit bubble strip and 7 grips (instead of the 7 bubble 6 grip version which is shown in scenes in the movie), which is why Jeff went with that. There were several hero versions of the saber, including the motorized one with the Scotchlite spinning blade.

A bunch of us got the Parks Graflex at ComiCon last month, and he was giving them away at $75 each plus he gave us the accessory kits for free along with them. Very cool deal.

btw his EL illuminated version of the Graflex is out now! It has the new Deuce EL setup, 18V with two batteries so it's twice as bright as the old EL system! Very sweet... he was taking pre-orders for $225 shipped, not sure what he's going to charge now.

 

I just looked at those sabers! They look great. I'm asking for one for christmas and turning it into an episode III anakin saber aswell!!

 

The grips I got from Jeff Parks are straight cut. I cut angles into them myself. I was too impatient to cut rounded edges. I'm planning to use this saber for my costume anyway, so I wasn't really too concerned with making it look movie-accurate.

I saw that Parks was selling these at Comic-Con last month for only $75! I was so tempted to buy one, although I had ordered this one just after the Grand Slam convention in Pasadena.

I placed a piece of chrome mylar tape behind the calculator bubble strip, since I have some of that stuff lying around.. it makes the bubbles brighter. I was about to put some mylar tape over the "GRAFLEX" on the clamp, but it looks too nice to cover up.

 

I'm not saying the pieces that come in Jeff's kit are bad - don't get me wrong. All I was saying is if you want a movie accurate prop saber then the grips are wrong.



Ep3 Saber Spoilers below!






I am right now working on some correct grips for the saber - cause according to pics I have seen the Anakin ep3 saber has the same style of grips as his ep2 saber. I am still not sure about how many grips are on the saber, 6 or 7. I know for a fact that the saber has a Covertec Knob attached to it and looks to only have 1 red button on top and a glass eye on the bottom. I also believe (my own opinion) that there is a textured tape similar to the ESB tape on the clamp of the ep3 saber - I have a couple people who agree with me.

Should be one sweet saber once I am done - all I am really waiting on are the grips and grip placement and I can convert my Graflex into the ep3 saber.

Dave

 

Nice...very nice. At first glance, because of the shrunken picture, it looked like yodas saber. Once I clicked it, I realised it was a very nice, very well done saber. Kudos to the PS guys! It's probably one of their best, if not the best, so far.

 

i hate to be a nit-picker, but i thought he was going to change the recharge socket pins to brass like the originals ??

NWJEDI
dave

 

I know how much we prop collectors like details, so here's some close up images of my Parks Graflex replica.

Again, I'm sorry for the "incorrectness" of my grips. Pay no mind to them.

[image=http://members.aol.com/mattsuda/Graf1.jpg]

No, the recharge plugs do not look like they are made of brass.. they are silver in color, so they're probably steel. I don't know what they are on the real Graflex.

 

He left a few details slightly different than the real Graflex as a "tell", so people wouldn't sell his as original 1940's pieces. The clamp lever is slightly different, the flash holder ears are bolted on with a screw instead of a rivet, and the pins are silver and also have a square base instead of a hexagonal base. Those are all "tells", that no one other than a true collector would even notice.

 

Thanks JediG60racer for clearing that up! I didn't know that.. although I did notice small minor detail difference as you described in the Parks Graflex and that of the picture of Luke's lightsaber in the Star Wars Visual Dictionary. Very interesting.

It's still a great prop though! I can't put it down!

(JediG60racer and JediRacer are not related, it's just coincidence that our screennames are very similar)