Saber Forum

Hoping that this is the right place to post this. Let me start off by saying that I do not yet own an Ultrasaber but am using PVC pipes that I have fashioned into sabers that are near-perfect measurement replicas of what I hope to one day buy from Ultrasabers. So if the cause of my issue is due to not using an actual saber please let me know. I do suspect this issue does occur with Ultrasabers so hopefully my question will make sense to all to you.

Ok, so blade "bounce." I find that when I'm practice dueling a lot with my PVC pipe sabers that the blades bounce off each other rather frequently, and this occurs more frequently when more power is put behind the swings. It isn't an issue with hits and blocks that are intended to bounce off each other but it happens a lot with lock-ups as well. For example, when my sparring partner and I go for a lock-up the blades will hit once, briefly bounce off maybe an inch or two, hit and bounce again, and then eventually settle resting against one another. It sounds a bit like "tap, tap, tap" in rapid succession and is obviously visible. I've done a bit of searching and can't seem to find anything about this or how to "fix" it. I've also watched a lot of the movie duels and even fan films to see if this problem occurs because since the lightsaber animation has to match what the actors are swinging around you'd think that this blade bouncing would be visible, but it doesn't seem to be. I'm thinking the cause is my technique so that led me to ask here.

I appreciate the help guys.

It occurs to me I should have mentioned that I'm speaking of choreographed saber dueling here. I can understand this happening all the time in real dueling (like lightsaber fencing) but that's not what I meant.

You mean like what happens at about the 11 second mark here, where Rey's blade bounces off of Kylo's?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htSYYaVkS1g

It's physics, and I don't think it can be prevented, except to reduce the power of your swings.

^^^ Yes exactly like that. As I mentioned it's totally going to happen on grazing swings and I totally get that. I just re-watched the Rey/Kylo duel to make sure and there is a lock-up in it about halfway through but they kind of slide into it and hold it for a while. Interestingly it is totally noticeable in that video you posted and it typically is in all the behind the scenes footage but it seems to vanish once the blade CGI is added for the final movie product. It just bugs me how it seems to vanish between the transition.

This video has atrocious quality but hopefully tries to explain my point a little better. Right around 0:55 it starts slo-mo and you can see the blades bounce off each other wildly and even seem to wobble and flex. None of these awkward blade movements happen in the movies though. I know I'm going to get to the bottom of this eventually  ::)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTziNcVtY24&index=1&list=RDNTziNcVtY24

They don't happen in the movies due to the same reason objects don't come to me when I stick out my hand: movie magic. In some of the scenes in the OT, they didn't even use full length rods. The actors had to stop where their blades would have contacted. Now they can Just CG it to look right. Just take your saber in one hand and strike the heel of your palm with the blade. The blade will bounce off. It's the same reason objects bounce when they hit a floor. It's the energy transfer from one object to the other. If it didn't happen, you'd have this.

(http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/space/images/schwartz2.jpg)

Landen Se-Sentien nailed it. It's a thing that happens from time to time, so don't worry too much. The amount of the flex will vary with the diameter/thickness of the blade but it still happens especially on harder hits. And it will be especially noticeable in slow mo. Which, honestly, may be part of why it is harder to see in the movies (specifically the prequels) as some fights were sped up, thus making this effect less visible when it occurred**. And also editing.

**ever watch an arrow travel through the air in slow-mo? It's bonkers how much it flexes but you don't notice at regular speed.

I guess that solves it, thanks for the help guys! Light side points all around.