Here’s a list of some common lightsaber terminology, lingo and slang. Please contact me with additions and corrections. Visit the Lightsaber Terminology Category or click the links below for more detailed terminology articles.
as first built (or as first built by)
A lightsaber hilt intended to look brand new rather than weathered or aged in any way. Term is most commonly used with Master Replicas products.
battle ready
A lightsaber or lightsaber blade is described as “battle ready” if it’s able to reasonably withstand contact with other lightsabers or objects without high risk of breaking. Fragile and decorative lightsabers are not battle ready. See also “duel worthy”.
beater
An inexpensive and somewhat durable lightsaber intended to withstand the rigors of everyday use (i.e. heavy dueling).
blade plug
A cylindrical piece attached to a lightsaber hilt when the blade is removed. Often made primarily of plastic, blade plugs prevent the bright LED light from shining in someone’s eyes and can also serve as a decorative embellishment.
blade retention screw
A small screw located near the emitter of the lightsaber hilt that holds the lightsaber blade in place.
CFX (Crystal Focus 10)
CFX is short for “Crystal Focus 10, a soundboard by Plecter Labs. The board may be used in neopixel sabers or base-lit/in-hilt LED sabers.
choke point
A taper in a lightsaber hilt’s diameter that allows the wielder to spin the lightsaber more easily.
clan lightsaber
A common lightsaber design used by multiple Star Wars characters. For example, Adi Gallia and Shaaki Ti are depicted using the same lightsaber design. Clan sabers are most commonly associated with the Prequel Trilogy.
claw
A jagged piece of metal protruding from a lightsaber hilt, typically located near the emitter area. Claws are more commonly used with dark side or Sith Lord lightsaber hilts rather than Jedi lightsaber hilts.
commission
A custom lightsaber project that a buyer hires a sabersmith to construct for them. Lightsaber commissions can be highly personalized, detailed, expensive and time consuming.
cosplay
Short for “costumed play”. Cosplay is when a fan dresses up as a favorite character from Star Wars or from other media, often while attending a fan convention or event.
Covertec wheel / Covertec knob
A wheel attached to the lightsaber hilt, typically near the pommel, allowing someone to wear the lightsaber hilt by connecting the wheel to the Covertec clip.
crystal reveal
A lightsaber crystal chamber enclosed within the hilt that can be opened (i.e. ‘revealed’) as desired.
D-ring
A D-shaped ring attached to the lightsaber hilt, often near the pommel, allowing the saber wielder to attach the hilt to a belt clip.
day blade
A colored lightsaber blade intended for use in a bright environment. The day blade color often matches (or closely matches) the color of the lightsaber’s LED.
duel worthy
A lightsaber is described as “duel worthy” if it’s able to reasonably withstand contact with other lightsabers or objects without high risk of breaking. Fragile and decorative lightsabers are not duel worthy. See also “battle ready”.
dummy switch
A dummy switch is a non-functioning lightsaber switch added to a lightsaber in order to complete the look of the hilt.
Flash on Clash (FOC)
A visual effect where the lightsaber blade briefly changes colors–often to white–upon impact with another lightsaber or object.
flashlight lightsaber
A derogatory term referring to lightsabers. Some people refer to all stunt sabers as “flashlight” lightsabers. Other people refer to plain, flashlight-like hilt designs as “flashlight lightsabers”.
Flex
An abbreviation for Graflex, the defunct camera manufacturer that produced the flashgun and other components used to make several Original Trilogy lightsabers.
Force FX lightsabers
Officially licensed Star Wars lightsabers that light up and make sound. Force FX lightsabers were originally manufactured by Master Replicas and currently by Hasbro.
greeblie
Small, decorative pieces that add the finishing touches to a lightsaber hilt. A greebly may or may not have a function. Some greeblies serve a purely decorative purpose while other others serve a minor function.
kill key
A lightsaber kill key is a small piece that you install in your recharge port while your saber is not in use in order to cut off (i.e. “kill”) the flow of current to your lightsaber.
The Original Lightsaber
One name for the lightsaber that Luke Skywalker used in Star Wars: A New Hope. It’s called ‘The Original Lightsaber’ since Luke’s lightsaber was the first lightsaber designed for the film.
Nano Biscotte (NB)
A popular lightsaber soundboard manufactured by Plecter Labs.
pommel
The bottom end of the lightsaber hilt. The pommel on a lightsaber hilt is often removable and can be exchanged with a coupler (to join to saber hilts) or various compatible pommels.
retired
A product that is no longer in production.
scrap metal
A term referring to the exterior, cast-metal pieces that a lightsaber builder selects to construct a Savi’s Workshop lightsaber.
saber rattle
A rattling sound inside the lightsaber hilt caused by a loose battery pack, LED module, or other components.
sabersmith
A skilled craftsman who designs, constructs, customizes, or installs lightsabers.
screen accurate
A term describing a lightsaber, or other piece, that matches one depicted in a movie as closely as possible in appearance, material, etc.
shelf queen
A lightsaber hilt that serves as a display piece, often sitting on a shelf. Shelf queens are often–but not always–non-functional lightsabers.
show blade
A lightsaber blade intended for display purposes or spinning only and not dueling. Show blades are often ornate and fragile.
static hilt
A solid (not hollow) lightsaber hilt intended for display only. Electronics installs on static are difficult and generally not recommended.
standard setup
Ultrasabers term for lightsaber hilts that are powered by 4 AAA batteries.
string blade
A lightsaber blade that’s permanently attached to the hilt and contains a string of LED lights within the blade. The LEDs within string blades are often easily damaged, so sabers with strings blades are not intended for heavy dueling.
stunt saber
1. A lightsaber that lights up, but does not make sound.
2. A lightsaber designed for use on-set during the filming of a lightsaber stunt in a Star Wars movie.
tsuba
A Japanese-inspired handguard piece, often, but not always circular in design, and located near the emitter of the lightsaber hilt.
unicorn
A dream lightsaber that is hard to find, hard to make, prohibitively expensive or some combination of the three.
weathering
The act of adding scratches, marks, scuffs, textures, tarnishing, etc. in order to make the lightsaber hilt look like it’s worn or used in battle.
