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Fake Light Sabers Making Real Cash

Posted by michael on from the enlarge-your-schwartz-now dept.

jdedman4 writes "The fanfare over Episode II brings with it absurdist prequel theories as well as this article from the Houston Chronicle detailing one fan-enterpreneur's success. In eight years, Forney, Texas resident Jeff Parks has made himself a millionaire by making customized light sabers for collectors. "My goal is to be the best light saber designer in the world," quips Parks."

24 of 240 comments (clear)

  1. Re:How is he surviving? by two_stripe · · Score: 3, Funny

    The force is strong in this one *lightsaber hum*

  2. feh by Highlordexecutioner · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yeah they are cool looking and all, but if they dont make the sound whats the point.

    --
    Where am I going and why am I in this handbasket?
    1. Re:feh by Jeremi · · Score: 5, Funny
      Yeah they are cool looking and all, but if they dont make the sound whats the point.


      The replicas' silent operation gives you the opportunity to make the appropriate sounds yourself.

      --


      I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
  3. Shooting High by donnacha · · Score: 4, Funny

    "My goal is to be the best light saber designer in the world," he said.
    Wow, lofty ambition what with all the competition out there.
  4. NEWS FLASH! by ziggles · · Score: 5, Funny

    Supply and Demand continues to be an economic principle!

  5. Strong in the Force... by LordYUK · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...but not strong enough to withstand a slashdotting!

    --
    This is my sig. Its pathetic.
  6. absurdist prequel theories by jaeson · · Score: 3, Funny

    Ahhhh the slashdot effect. Crushing absurdist prequel theories' web sites in seconds.

  7. duh.. by swoopx · · Score: 5, Funny

    *waves hand*
    "This isn't the company you're looking to sue"
    "move along lucas"

  8. Slashdot effect by s1r_m1xalot · · Score: 5, Funny

    .
    I felt a disturbance in the force as if all of parksabers.com's 56 kilobits of uplink all screamed at once and then died out.

  9. Malestrom, Apt Naming in Action. by donnacha · · Score: 5, Funny


    Well, at least they acknowledge where in their customers' psyches the deep-rooted need to own one of these things stems by naming one of their top models Malestrom as opposed to Maelstrom. I wonder if any of their customers notice this subtle dig?

    More worringly, I wonder what a Femalestrom would look like?

    1. Re:Malestrom, Apt Naming in Action. by liquidsin · · Score: 5, Funny

      More worringly, I wonder what a Femalestrom would look like?

      Probably just like a malestrom, but without the blade.

      --
      do not read this line twice.
    2. Re:Malestrom, Apt Naming in Action. by jcsehak · · Score: 4, Funny

      More worringly, I wonder what a Femalestrom would look like?

      It's the one that needs batteries.

      --

      c-hack.com |
  10. ~chuckle~ by Mulletproof · · Score: 2, Funny

    (!) "This isn't the company we're looking to sue..."
    "Let's move along and make another sequel."

    --
    You need a FREE iPod Nano
  11. Curses! Foiled again! by TechFaerie · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dang it! Someone has beat me to the lucrative market of making completely inconsequential items for insane amounts of money! Curses! My plans for world domination.....crushed....

    ...now to take over the world by selling fast food, containing a minute dose of alkaloid...completely harmless, but absolutely addictive!

    *Sigh* So much evil, so little time

    --
    "To make apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." -Carl Sagan
  12. How did he do that?! by Eddy+Johnson · · Score: 4, Funny

    The sabers need special materials for them. The Obi-Wan saber needed a rare British grenade, a shower head, and a few other materials. All the other ones (from the original movies, at least) need camera attachments for flashbulbs, with wiper blades and little electronic bits attached, for the most part. The camera attachments are reasonably expensive now, and are moderately rare.

    So how did this guy find all the rare goodies to make all these things to become a millionaire off of them? He must have been awfully rich to begin with.

    --


    Anonymous Coward: (n.) 1. nerd at school or library. 2. karmawhore in training. 3. embarrased prep.
  13. For those who weren't sure... by peter_gzowski · · Score: 5, Funny

    The 33-year-old resident of Forney, 20 miles east of Dallas, makes custom light sabers,

    Huh?

    weapons used by Jedi knights in the Star
    Wars films.

    Ohhhh...

    Also, on Parks' website, you can get a utility belt! I thought it was funny that it lists it as The DefianceTM Belt, Adjustable to fit sizes 32-40. I think he's grossly underestimated his clientelle...

    --
    "Now gluttony and exploitation serves eight!" - TV's Frank
    1. Re:For those who weren't sure... by johnathan · · Score: 5, Funny
      Also, on Parks' website, you can get a utility belt! I thought it was funny that it lists it as The DefianceTM Belt, Adjustable to fit sizes 32-40. I think he's grossly underestimated his clientelle...
      <comicbookguy>
      I do not have a receipt -- I won it as a door prize at the Star Trek convention, although I find their choice of prize highly illogical as the average Trekker has no use for a medium-sized belt.
      </comicbookguy>
      --
      You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
  14. Jedi are nothing compared to the power of the /. by cyberlotnet · · Score: 3, Funny

    More powerfull then a any hacker
    Faster then a speeding DoS Attack
    Able to quelch tall servers with a single post
    Its a bird its a plane no its /.

    --
    Personal Website
  15. Touch-sensitive buttons by Mike1024 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hey,

    Minichino, who bought his Arc-Wave in 1999, also likes the touch-sensitive button that turns on the light panel and blade.

    Yeah, they are the best type.

    (You see? It's funny!)

    Michael

    --
    "Goodness me, how unlike the FBI to abuse the trust of the American public." -- The Onion
  16. Get a server by WiggyWack · · Score: 2, Funny

    He should use some of that $1 million to buy a new webserver.

    --
    Macintosh humor! MacComedy.com
  17. as opposed to the more common method by unformed · · Score: 4, Funny

    of forcing the public to become customers by new legislation

  18. May the force be with his server... by SoCalChris · · Score: 2, Funny

    Luke... I slash dotted your site!

  19. Re:indestructible by gvonk · · Score: 3, Funny



    I think I'll hunt you down and stab you to death after I finish smacking my girlfriend around...
    ...
    Disclaimer: I do not yet own a Katana, I will be making that purchase in a couple of months.

    Ahhhh, Slashdot... Where you have to disclaim the fact that you don't yet own a three-foot-long sword and that you will soon, but you need not disclaim the fact that you actually don't beat up your girlfriend.

    --


    El Karma: excelente(principalmente la suma de moderación hecha a los comentarios de los usuarios)
  20. I'm surprised nobody has yet mentioned .... by ayden · · Score: 3, Funny

    The potential cross-over product between the Lightsaber and sex toy industry. Click here to check out Count Dooko's Lightsaber and see what I mean.

    --
    "I'm The Bounty Bear. I will find him anywhere. I'm searching."