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HeroTech’s lightsaber has a blade that physically extends from the hilt: a springy aluminum magician’s cane provides the structure, while flexible LED strips loop around its tip and unwind from a spool inside the handle. It is an ambitious illuminated cosplay prop, not a real energy blade or a commercially documented kit.
How the blade extends and retracts
A geared motor drives the cane out of and back into the hilt. Make: reports that the cane extends just over 3 feet and that the motor has a 1:90 gear ratio. The LEDs travel with the mechanism: the strips are stored on a spool inside the handle and loop around the cane’s tip, helping the extended blade appear illuminated from multiple angles.
Rotating bearings at contact points are intended to help the strip move without fouling. This arrangement has to solve two problems at once: package a physical blade inside the hilt, and route the flexible lighting so it can travel through repeated extensions and retractions.
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What is inside the hilt
The build combines mechanical parts, motor controls, lighting and sound in a compact, 3D-printed ABS hilt modeled at scale after Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber. Make: reports a base diameter just under 2 inches; decorative details extend beyond that. The article identifies these components and functions:
#1 Best Overall
- LUKE SKYWALKER: Luke Skywalker was a Tatooine farmboy who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the greatest Jedi the galaxy has ever known
- TRUE TO CONTENT HILT DESIGN: Kids can act out imaginary duels with the Star Wars Non-Electronic Luke Skywalker Lightsaber, featuring a hilt inspired by Luke Skywalker’s Lightsaber from the Star Wars galaxy
- FLICK TO EXTEND: This Lightsaber for kids features a blue extendable 4-segment blade that opens with the flick of the wrist (approximately 30 inches extended, 76 cm)
- FULLY RETRACTABLE BLADE: All 4 segments of the blade collapse into the hilt for easy and portable play (approximately 10 inches retracted, 25 cm)
- STAR WARS COSTUME: Use this Lightsaber toy as part of a Luke Skywalker costume for kids -- look for other roleplay toys like Star Wars masks to add to a collection (Sold separately. Subject to availability)
- Springy aluminum magician’s cane: the physical structure of the extending blade.
- Geared motor assembly: drives the extension and retraction.
- XIAO RP2040 microcontroller and Adafruit motor driver: handle motor control.
- Proffieboard V3.9: provides blade ignition and retraction effects and customizable lightsaber sounds.
- High-powered COB LED strips: illuminate the blade.
- Four-cell, 14.8V LiPo battery: supplies power, as reported by Make:.
Jacob Uy, one of the three builders, described the project’s goals as “a fully contained blade extension and retraction; a compact, to-scale hilt design; [and] a realistic blade and sound.”
These component descriptions are not a complete bill of materials: Make: does not provide all exact part models, wiring instructions or a guaranteed parts list for reproducing the build.
Rank #2
- STAR WARS LIGHTSABER MULTIPACK: This 2-pack of officially licensed non-electronic Lightsabers includes a Lightsaber inspired by Darth Vader's signature Lightsaber and one inspired by the Mandalorian's Darksaber
- TRUE TO CONTENT HILT DESIGN: Kids can act out imaginary duels with these toy Lightsabers, featuring hilts inspired by the Star Wars galaxy
- FLICK TO EXTEND: These Lightsabers for kids feature extendable 4-segment blades that open with the flick of the wrist (approximately 30 inches extended, 76 cm)
- FULLY RETRACTABLE BLADES: All 4 segments of the blades collapse into the hilt for easy and portable play (approximately 10 inches retracted, 25 cm)
- STAR WARS COSTUMES: Use these Star Wars toys as part of a Mandalorian or Darth Vader costume for kids -- look for other roleplay toys like Star Wars masks to add to a collection (Sold separately. Subject to availability)
Why thinner hilt designs are difficult
The cane and the LED strip routing take up space, and the strips need room on both sides of the mechanism. The builders said other hilt styles could work if they avoid excessive tapering, but a thin neck is a particular challenge. They suggested one possible routing arrangement: keep the cane in the upper portion of the hilt and route the LED strips through a thin neck. That was a proposed approach, not a completed adaptation.
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The team also considered MJF-printed nylon as an alternative to its then-current FDM-printed ABS structure, with the aim of improving mechanical and thermal resistance. Make: does not report a completed material change or comparative test.
Rank #3
- The light LED space swords set: including 4 colors (red,purple,green and blue). pick up your favorite color sword to clash with the motion sensitive sound effects, giving your kid a real feeling of being in the space dueling.
- Silent sode & fx sound sode: press the button to switch three mode: 1st press for light and sound effects mode which match with battle, 2nd press for light and silent mode which parents love, and 3rd press for trun off.
- Full retractable handle: our glowing blade can be fully retracted into the handle which same as the movies. perfect for cosplay, halloween costume props.The star you will become in the fierce war.
- Easy to carry: It is made of high quality durable plastic with portables telescopic extendable designed! the light up sword toy can be expands from 11.6 to 31.5 inches in length. suitable for children girl boy ages 3 years old and up.
- Glow in the dark party: great for xmas parties present, stocking Idea, last minute gift, galaxy war fighters and warriors, dress up accessories, role playing. also, it is a good gift for birthday or christmas for adults and teen.
LED durability and deployment speed
The flexible lighting is a major engineering concern because it must bend and travel through the hilt. The builders described replacing an LED strip with solder joints every 0.5 meters with a continuous flexible PCB 3 meters long. They also described testing a larger tip and softer contact material. Those are builder-reported design changes; the article does not publish cycle-life results proving how long the strip lasts.
Speed presents a trade-off. The builders expected faster deployment to raise the risk of LED damage and to require more motor and battery power. The article does not give a measured deployment time or establish a tested maximum speed, so faster operation should not be treated as a demonstrated capability.
Rank #4
- Retractable Lightsaber Handle: This red and blue lightsaber features a spring loaded mechanism, with a simple press of the button on the hilt, the glowing blade instantly extends, and the blade can be fully retracted into the handle, suitable for role playing by adults and kids, as well as a costume prop for christmas or halloween
- 2-in-1 Red/Blue Lightsaber: The fully retractable lightsaber allows you to insert the blade into the launcher, then turn on the power switch, the auxiliary port at the base of the hilt allows you to connect red and blue lightsabers to form a dual-blade lightsaber for dueling
- Compact and Expandable Design: The plastic sword made of high quality durable plastic with portable retractable expandable design, the light up sword toy expands from 8.7 to 22 inches in length, suitable for kids ages 3 years old and up
- Costume Accessory for Multiple Occasions: The light sword serves as a costume accessory for cosplay, beloved by both kids and adults encouraging imaginative play and active outdoor movement, suitable for Halloween costume accessory, birthday party, Christmas gift, and party dress
- Interactive Family Entertainment: Put down your phones, ignite a lightsaber duel, bring parents and kids or friends closer together, and shake off stress with engaging lightsaber battles and cosplay dueling activities
What the published figures do—and do not—show
Make: published the following project details in its May 4, 2025 article. They describe the build and interview, not independently measured product performance.
| Detail | What Make: reports |
|---|---|
| Blade structure | Springy aluminum magician’s cane extending just over 3 feet |
| Motor | 1:90 gear ratio |
| Hilt | Base diameter just under 2 inches; decorative features protrude beyond it |
| Battery | Four-cell, 14.8V LiPo pack |
| LED strip revision | Original strip had solder joints every 0.5 meters; builders described sourcing a continuous 3-meter flexible PCB as a replacement |
The article does not report runtime, brightness, deployment speed, cycle life or independent safety certification. It therefore does not establish that the prop is combat-ready or has passed a durability test.
Is it a product you can buy?
Make: presents HeroTech’s project as a maker-built cosplay prop, not as a commercially available lightsaber or kit. It names a Proffieboard V3.9 soundboard, but does not establish that HeroTech sells the board, a complete parts package or a compatible kit. Anyone sourcing components would need to verify the current listing, board revision and compatibility for their own design.
Read the project feature in Make:’s “HeroTech’s Really Retractable Lightsaber”, published May 4, 2025.
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