First Steps with a lightsaber: Install your blade

Your saber is charged and you're finally ready for the moment you've been waiting for: putting the blade in.

Fortunately, blade installation is one of the easiest parts of setting up a modern lightsaber. Whether you've bought a dedicated dueling saber, a replica, or a more elaborate custom design, the basic principle is almost always the same.

There are just a couple of things worth knowing before you tighten that retention screw — especially if you want to keep your blade looking good after hundreds of uses.

This article is derived from a video tutorial series and all information is properly illustrated in the following video:

The basic method

Most lightsabers use one or more blade retention screws to hold the blade inside the emitter.

You'll find these screws threaded into small holes around the emitter, usually close to the opening where the blade is inserted. Depending on the hilt, you may have one, two, or even several possible screw positions.

The good news is that you generally only need to use one of them.

Choose whichever position works best for your hilt and insert the blade into the emitter until it is properly seated. Then use the included Allen key (also called a hex key) to insert and tighten a retention screw.

That's essentially it.

The important part is understanding how much to tighten it.

Don't try to pierce the blade

A retention screw doesn't need to dig a hole into your blade to hold it securely.

In fact, you should actively avoid doing that.

It can be tempting to tighten the screw until you feel it bite deeply into the polycarbonate tube. It might seem like that would make the blade more secure, but that's not really how you want to approach it.

Repeatedly forcing a screw through the blade can leave permanent damage and create a weak point in the polycarbonate. Over time, particularly with repeated dueling, that damage can contribute to cracking or failure.

It also doesn't provide the magical increase in retention you might expect.

The goal is simply to have the retention screw press firmly against the blade and keep it securely seated inside the emitter.

You don't need to turn the screw into a miniature drill.

Be especially careful with Neopixel blades

This is even more important if you're using a Neopixel blade.

Unlike a simple baselit blade, a Neopixel blade contains electronics along its length, including an LED strip and associated wiring. At the base of the blade you'll also find the contacts that connect it to the pins inside the saber.

That means you have even more reason to avoid excessive force.

Insert the blade carefully and make sure it is fully seated. Then tighten the retention screw enough to hold it securely.

You should not need to crush the blade against the emitter to achieve a solid connection.

Why are there several retention screw holes?

Some hilts have two retention screw positions, while others may have three or four.

This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to install several screws every time you put in the blade.

Multiple holes can exist for several reasons. Sometimes they're there because of the physical design of the hilt. Sometimes they give you a choice of where the screw sits, which can be useful depending on how you hold or display the saber.

With some replicas, for example, choosing a particular screw position can make the retention screw less visible and preserve the appearance of the hilt.

For normal use, however, one properly tightened retention screw is generally enough.

Which retention screw should you use?

Depending on the saber, you may receive several different retention screws.

Some are longer, some shorter. Some have a flat end, while others have a pointed or slightly conical end.

The appropriate screw depends on the hilt.

A longer screw may be useful where the emitter allows it, while a shorter one can be preferable on thinner or more detailed hilts where you don't want the screw protruding unnecessarily.

Make sure the blade is properly seated

Before tightening the screw, push the blade fully into the emitter.

You may notice a little movement while the screw isn't tightened. That's normal.

The blade should be inserted far enough that it is properly supported by the emitter and, with a Neopixel saber, that the blade contacts are correctly positioned against the corresponding pins.

Once the blade is seated, tighten the retention screw gradually.

You don't need to use your entire arm.

A firm tightening with the appropriate Allen key is sufficient. If you start hearing plastic creaking or cracking, stop. That's a very good indication that you're applying more force than necessary.

If you feel the blade has a little wiggle room inside the emitter, that is something that can happen. The aluminium of your hilt can retract and expand depending on temperature changes and sometimes it creates a bit more tolerance with the diameter of the blade.

In this event you may have a good case where multiple retention screws are useful. But remember the 180° rule. Always put multiple screws on the same 180° side of the hilt. Avoid opposing screws as they would tend to create like an axis on which the blade will pivot and wiggle.

The final test: give it a pull

There's a very simple way to check whether you've tightened the blade enough.

Hold the hilt securely and gently pull on the blade.

You're not trying to perform a full-strength tug-of-war with it. Just give it a reasonable check to make sure it isn't going to slide out.

If the blade stays firmly in place, you're done.

A note for duelists

If you're using your saber for regular combat or training, you obviously want the blade to be secure.

But even for dueling, the same principle applies: don't assume that more force on the retention screw automatically means a stronger setup.

The retention system is designed to hold the blade securely when used correctly. What matters is that the blade is fully inserted, the retention screw is correctly positioned and the screw is firmly tightened.

If you regularly perform heavy-contact dueling, it's also worth checking the retention screw before sessions. Repeated impacts and vibration can occasionally loosen hardware over time.

A quick check takes seconds and is much easier than discovering that your blade isn't properly secured halfway through a duel.

Don't lose your Allen key

Your saber should normally arrive with the appropriate Allen key or hex key for the retention screws.

Keep it somewhere safe.

It sounds obvious, but this is one of those tiny tools that has a habit of disappearing precisely when you need it. If you already have a good set of hex keys, you can of course use your own tools as long as you have the correct size.

It's also a good idea to keep the spare retention screws that came with your saber. Different screws can be useful for different configurations, and losing a tiny screw somewhere on the floor is surprisingly easy.

That's the blade installed

And that's really all there is to it.

Insert the blade, make sure it is properly seated, tighten one retention screw firmly, and check that the blade stays securely in place.

You don't need to use every available screw. You don't need to pierce the blade. And you certainly don't need to tighten the screw until something starts complaining.

Take a few seconds to do it properly and your blade should stay exactly where you want it.

Now comes the fun part.

Your battery is charged, your blade is installed, and your saber is finally ready to come alive. The next question is one that isn't always quite as obvious as it should be:

Where is the activation button, and how do you actually turn this thing on?

That's what we'll cover in the next guide. May the Force be with you.