YouTuber creates first 'retractable lightsaber' and it can actually cut steel
YouTuber Alex Burkan was awarded a Guinness World Record after creating the first retractable lightsaber
We all have dreams, but building a real life lightsaber is surely one of those that is impossible right?
Extraordinarily, no.
YouTuber Alex Burkan has managed to construct a real-life lightsaber - yes, that weapon from Star Wars.
The Russian, whose channel is Alex Lab, created it and earned a Guinness World Record in the process.
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Just how strong is it though? Well, in a video he showcases how powerful it is by cutting through steel.
It produces a plasma blade that is 3.28ft long and can reach temperatures of more than 5000°F.
Speaking to the Guinness World Records, he said: "All my life I was a great Star Wars fan and the lightsaber was my most-wanted gadget.
"Since 2013 the main field of my research and work was hydrogen generation equipment so I decided, maybe, that I could build something.
"Every single step during [the] development and building process was a challenge. For many years I have collected ideas and spare parts for my lightsaber and power equipment on the internet markets and [from] scrap yards."
But in order for his idea to come to fruition, he must first build a something that could contain high pressure equipment.
He said: "The key component of my lightsaber is an electrolyser. An electrolyser is a device that can generate a huge amount of hydrogen and oxygen and compress the gas to any pressure without a mechanical compressor."
It is modern technology that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen gases.
But that was just the start, he then had to fit a hydrogen and oxygen burner in the handle.
Burkan said: "Finally, the most challenging job was to squeeze the whole gas distribution system in a lightsaber handle. It is the starkiller lightsaber from The Force Unleashed game!"
The Guinness World Record that he was awarded in 2022 was for making the first retractable lightsaber.
It does, of course, have limitations - with it only having enough power to last 30 seconds.
Burkan added: "This is a first prototype so it has lots of limitations. It works for only 30 seconds on full power, the hydrogen torch is not as stable as it could be and you can easily see it when it moves.
"Sometimes the lightsaber just blows up in your hand because of hydrogen flashback."
He isn't the only Star Wars fan that has created a lightsaber, though.
One was created by Hacksmith Industries, but unlike Burkan's, it is powered by tanks of liquid propane gas, as well as oxygen gas which are both stored in a small backpack.
He added: "I know I’m not the only who tries to make the dream of a Jedi lightsaber become real, and that’s cool.
"The most crazy thing is that we made them almost simultaneously. Isn’t it cool that two guys from different parts of the world dream about one thing that doesn’t even exist?"
Topics: Star Wars, Science, Technology
Joe Yates