Lightsabers & Blasters Parks sabers

Something I've been wondering about...while at a con wearing your robes with saber at rest on your hip, where do you keep the blade?

 

Some people sew a long pocket into their robe. I have a blade carrier that's basically a long fabric tube with an adjustable strap that goes over my shoulder that I wear under my robe, it holds 2 or 3 blades.

 

I had a similar idea of sewing a shoulder strap to a shinai cover. I came across a costuming company in the UK that make a leather saber blade scabbard, but if you remove your robe I think it might look silly.

 

My sabre stands up to my shoulder with the blade in so I leave the blade in the room. This seems to be the only one that works for me after dozens of 'trial and error' methods. For the evening photo ops, I have it in the hilt. I tried the shoulder pocket thing, and found it to be cumbersome because of my short size. They'er great if the jedi is a tall one and it can be seamly hidden in the robes.

 

Here's a question to anyone owning a Eschelon saber. I'm interested in purchasing one but am not sure about the placement of the activator box. It looks like the box being so far up the hilt would interfere with having a proper grip on the saber. Any thoughts?

 

Has anyone seen the new additions to the Parks Sabers website? There appears to be a "Yoda" sized Parks Saber.

D-M-J

 

Yes, I just saw them last night. He has to refer to the Yoda looking one as a Youngling saber and give it another name, of course . It looks to be the only one of the 4 (2 new ones) that has a light up blade, the others are listed as "Stunt" sabers.

And now he's got both versions of the Arcwave and Avenger up on the same site. You could probably ask to have the electronics put into the stunt version. I know people who have the light up versions of those 2 sabers.

This is the first blade I've seen him carry with EL wire in it as oppossed to the sheet.

After peoples see the new "Conflict" saber, he's probably going to get requests that he start carrying blades that are actually red , instead of pink. It almost looks like that red stunt blade has EL wire in it, but it doesn't.

A lot of people I know just get EL wire blades if the want a true red color. I know, since I've made plenty of those for Parks saber owners.

 

One of the pictures of the new little one shows the M2 with a very red looking light in it instead of the blue or green or the "pinkish-red". I wish he had that red color available when I got mine. Anyway, the small one seems really neat.

D-M-J

 

Yeah, I noticed that too. I've never seen that color EL wire used in the hilt before. I wonder if he's pairing that with the pinkish blade? hmmm.

I have one of the older M2s with the aqua wire in the hilt and the old control box. I don't use that one anymore, it's just part of my collection now.

[image=http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b8/JediLoreen/Lightsabers/f92c188d.jpg]

 

I ordered my M2 (with the aqua color - or blue as it was advertised) approximately a year ago and got it the day before Dragon*Con. Shortly thereafter, I came across an order form for the M2 that included the red blade which kind of peeved me. It is cool to know other M2 owners.

Jedi-Loreen, you said something regarding the "old control-box" What is different about it with regards to the M2 that I have?

It would be cool if Parks has finally started using the "true red" for his blades. If so, I wonder if he would sell a conversion kit for the M2 hilt.

It would also be neat to see a Yoda-ish saber with a red blade. (Just for kicks and giggles) By the way, does the smaller hilt use a full length blade or is it shorter than the rest? I can't tell that well from the pictures.

Sorry if my subjects seem to go all over the place. It is early for me.

D-M-J

 

Those stunt versions of the Arc Wave and the Avenger are pretty cool. I may have to get those.

 

I'm sure the blade must be shorter on that Yoda-ish saber.

The old control box has rectangular red LEDs that go up and down, with green arrow shaped LEDs on either end. Those are the ones pictured on the website. The new control boxes just have round red LEDs chasing up and down. That's the difference between the two.

Oh, and the actually switches are differnt too. The new one has a small black push button switch, the old box had this stupid "Force activation" thing, which is a screw you touch that uses the galvanic electrical conductivity of your skin to turn it on and off when you touch it. It's annoying, because it turns on and off when you don't want it too, if you just brush bare skin against it, and it won't work if you're wearing gloves, unless you touch it to your chin or something like that.

I don't see any close up pics of the new activation box, they are all the old ones, but I have seen the new box on the newer sabers.

 

Ok. Thanks Jedi-Loreen. The newer control box must have been added to the design after I got my M2. I agree that the "force-touch" can be a little annoying.

I remember seeing someone (I beleive in one of TFN's forums) post a picture of a saber that was sold last summer by Parks. It was a double-bladed saber that that was actually two single sabers that were held together by magnets and could be taken apart. I have checked every so often with Parks' website to see if and when they will finally post it, but have never seen that model despite seeing some pretty neat pics of it elsewhere. Has anyone else seen that model?

D-M-J

 

Um, are you talking about the Double Helix? That's the only doubled bladed saber he makes that I'm aware of. It's on his website.

[image=http://parksabers.com/images2004/helix-www/helix2.jpg]

[image=http://parksabers.com/images2004/helix-www/helix6.jpg]

A girl in my local Fan Force has a set with green blades. That sucker is about 8 feet long when put together. I offered to make her a set of shorter blades, but since she got Clone Trooper armor last year, she doesn't seem to care anymore.

 

Nah, I have heard of this magnet one too. Apparently it's something he's only sold at conventions and isn't on his site...

 

Hmm, Ok. I missed the "magnet" part.

It must be something new, then. I didn't go to any cons last year, so I didn't see it. Otherwise, I probably would have, especially if I'd gone to San Diego Comic-Con last year, since Jeff always has a booth there.

But not this year, he's just going as one of the "regular" people to hang out. Maybe I'll get to talk to him and pick his brain a bit about upcoming projects he's got in store.

 

I believe that the magnet sabers had a part that looked kind of like the blade end of Darth Maul's saber except take away the rings, extend the wedge shaped pieces a little past the end of the shaft and place them on the opposite end from the blade. Then place a magnet in the center of the extended wedge pieces. They will stick together by the magnet and the extended wedge pieces will hold them in place. It also had some sort of interesting light configuration on the hilt as well, but not exactly like the M2 or Echelon.

All-in-all it was a very neat concept. Just thought I would ask if anyone had come across it and/or had any pictures.

Thanks for your input.

D-M-J

 

The saber you speak of is called "Inertia". I purchased this from Jeff at Comic Con 05.

[image=http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/JediBaja/Parksaber/DSC00438.jpg]

[image=http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/JediBaja/Parksaber/DSC00432.jpg]

The magnet is pretty strong. Essentially, you can buy another saber and the pommels will interlock to form a double-bladed lightsaber.

As much as I love my Parksaber, I'm not that impressed by his new designs "Conflict" and "Usonia."

However, they are stunt sabers and I like that he has allowed for detachable parts.

I wish he would post updated pictures of his new blades.

[image=http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/JediBaja/Parksaber/DSC00429.jpg]

Here's a picture of the exposed EL wire on the hilt and the control box. The LEDs run from the middle to the edge and back to the middle again.

Note: my Inertia now has green LEDs on the control box. Red LEDs were standard with the blue EL wire and blade, while Green LEDs were standard with the green EL wire and blade.

Let me know if you want to see more pics!

 

That is exactly the one that I was referring to! I would love to see more pictures. Do you know if Parks still sells them?

Thanks.

D-M-J

 

Well, this is one of his special "Convention" sabers. Who knows when he'll get them on his site. I think they are still available, but you have to catch his booth at a convention.

I know that he's not having a booth at this year's San Diego Comic-Con in July, but he's going to be there, as a "regular" con attendee. I can ask him about it, I'm sure he'll be hanging out with some of the same groups that I will be.

 

Cool. I would appreciate that.

Thanks.

D-M-J

 

I believe you can call Jeff up and request for this model, but I'm not positive about it.

Here are some more pics:

[image=http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/JediBaja/Parksaber/DSC00414.jpg]
Whole saber

[image=http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/JediBaja/Parksaber/DSC00415.jpg]
Lit up

[image=http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/JediBaja/Parksaber/DSC00411.jpg]
Another lit up view

[image=http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/JediBaja/Parksaber/DSC00426.jpg]
[image=http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/JediBaja/Parksaber/DSC00427.jpg]
In the dark

I'll have to take new pictures to show off the green LEDs later.

 

Thank you JediBaja. Those are some really good pics. I beleive that the layout of the control box is the one that Jedi-Loreen was describing.

Thanks.

D-M-J

 

Yes, it is.

 

As much as I love my Parksaber, I'm not that impressed by his new designs "Conflict" and "Usonia."

Yeah, I'm with you agfstyrer on the new saber designs. But they seem to be using many parts he already has in his inventory, which probably cuts down on the time it takes to make and shift them. I'm sure he's having to do all kinds of time saving measures since he no longer has any employees. Seems business has slowed to a trickle and he had to lay off his help. And knowing that he's not doing conventions means that he's probably not generating enough sales to pay the fees involved with conventions. Sad. He's a great saber maker. Too bad his business since and customer service has tarnished his reputation.