The first time the world ever heard of the lightsaber was 44 years ago when Star Wars: A New Hope introduced the legendary Jedi weapon in all its neon glory. After decades of only seeing lightsabers on the big screen, people have long wondered whether they will ever see a real, functioning lightsaber in this lifetime. Disney manufactures toy collectible versions that are made of lit-up glass. though, any true Star Wars fan would say that they’re just not the same as the real thing.

But now, thanks to the efforts of one tinkerer on YouTube, it looks like the wait is finally over. James Hobson, a former engineer who goes by the moniker “The Hacksmith,” appears to have achieved what was once thought to be impossible. In a YouTube video he posted in October of last year, he debuted the world’s “first real working lightsaber” - one that not only shines as brightly as the ones in the movies do, but also fully retracts and cuts through metal.

His video was shared on TikTok by Guinness World Records and the clip immediately went viral, garnering nearly 22 million views and igniting a new trend under the hashtag “#lightsaber.” Of all the attempts to recreate a lightsaber over the years, Hobson’s definitely one of the best ones:

Hobson explains that his creation is “plasma-based,” with the blade of light continuously burning at 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It is powered by compressed liquid propane and expands just as one would expect a lightsaber to; from the hilt up. The beam is so hot that it can cut through titanium with ease, as Hobson demonstrated in his video. While it probably can’t cut through almost any material like the lightsabers in the movies can, it still gives Star Wars fans something to geek about.

Of course, there are limitations to Hobson’s design, the most notable one being that it needs to be plugged in at all times in order for it to work. Also, because a weapon like this is incredibly dangerous, it’s likely not something that will be put through mass production any time soon. Even for military purposes, it would be hard to justify its use because it would be just as dangerous for the wielder as it would be for the enemy.

Nevertheless, it’s still satisfying to know that lightsabers are possible to make. It’s amazing to see what we can achieve with the current advancements in technology. It’s only a matter of time before another hobbyist with cash to spend comes up with an even better version than Hobson’s.

Source: Guinness World Records|TikTok