May 4, 2026, 8:29 am | Read time: 4 minutes
The Canadian YouTube channel “Hacksmith Industries” has set out to build a real lightsaber like those in the Star Wars films. On their long journey, the tinkerers have already reached an important milestone: a truly portable lightsaber that can cut through (almost) anything.
“Hacksmith Industries” is one of the largest so-called “maker” channels on YouTube, engaging in large-scale DIY projects. The team works on exoskeletons, power armor, and the iconic lightsaber from “Star Wars.” After several attempts to bring the noble Jedi weapon to reality, the creators have succeeded in designing a completely self-contained model.
A Lightsaber Like in the Star Wars Films
The company was founded by engineer James Hobson and primarily focuses on bringing science fiction technology from films into reality. Hacksmith Industries experimented with functional lightsabers years ago, which received a lot of criticism online. These were so-called “proto-sabers”—essentially precursors to a “real” lightsaber.
While the prototypes required a glowing rod and backpacks for the technology, the latest version is completely self-contained. Flow and fuel control, circuit board, oxygen system, and two gas tanks are housed in the lightsaber’s hilt. Despite this, it can generate an impressive 11,000 watts of power. The “blade,” made of a smooth plasma stream, can reach temperatures of up to 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit (about 2,200 degrees Celsius) and cut through steel like butter.
In the controlled environment of the Hacksmith studio, it melts and explodes glass, burns sand into glass, and even melts stone. In tests, the creators reenact scenes from the Star Wars films. For instance, the plasma lightsaber melts a hole in a 6-millimeter-thick steel plate or cuts an escape route out of an old car. In all tests, the plasma flame remains stable in a rod-like beam that barely bends—even when the lightsaber is held horizontally.
Unfortunately, the world’s first plasma lightsaber is not solid. This means that sword fights like in the Star Wars films are not possible. Here, the inventors (so far) fail due to the laws of physics. But Hacksmith Industries brings us a significant step closer to the dream of a real lightsaber!
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Criticism for Initial Lightsaber Attempts
For version 1, the YouTubers used highly heated nitinol wire. In version two, however, a rod with a tungsten-titanium alloy was used. Both variants were made to glow due to the high temperature. While they can cut through various objects, the “blade” is not retractable—like a “real” lightsaber.
The engineers at Hacksmith Industries have therefore considered how to make a retractable lightsaber a reality. The solution: a new design.
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New Plasma Blade for the Lightsaber
The new lightsaber is still a proto-saber, as a real lightsaber would require the power of an entire nuclear power plant. This power cannot logically be stored in our current batteries. Therefore, the Hacksmith lightsaber initially needed a connection to a backpack housing the electronics, gas bottles, and batteries. The latest version, however, incorporates all the technology into the hilt.
Unlike previous versions, the engineers are not using solid metal but plasma. Plasma is an electrically conductive gas mixture that can reach extremely high temperatures. But how can plasma, which forms during a hydrogen bomb explosion, be shaped into a lightsaber?
The Physics Behind the Project
Hacksmith Industries utilizes a physical phenomenon called “laminar flow.” Simply put, it involves a fluid, like water or gas, flowing in layers that do not mix. This makes the beam appear as a uniform—meaning evenly shaped—mass. Those with a garden may sometimes observe this phenomenon when watering plants, as a steady, transparent stream of water flows from the hose, almost appearing solid. Essentially, it’s “just” about creating a laminar flow with the right gas mixture. The advantage: By adding certain minerals, the blade’s color can be changed to blue, green, amber, red, or yellow.