YouTuber invents first working retractable lightsaber that can cut through steel

A YouTuber has won a Guinness World Record for creating the first working, retractable lightsaber, with the beam able to cut through steel.

Alex Burkan, the Russian social media star and YouTuber, is one of the few Star Wars fans to live out the dream of holding and using a working lightsaber.

He is now internationally credited as creating the one metre-long blade that can hit temperatures of more than 2,800 celcius, LADBible reports.

The blade can also attract lightning and other high voltage charges.

The YouTuber realised the possibilities of a working lightsaber when working on hydrogen generation equipment, using his knowledge to craft a working lightsaber.

Explaining his work to Guinness World Records, he said: "Every single step during [the] development and building process was a challenge.

"For many years I have collected ideas and spare parts for my lightsaber and power equipment on the internet markets and [from] scrap yards.

"The key component of my lightsaber is an electrolyser. An electrolyser is a device that can generate a huge amount of hydrogen and oxygen and compress the gas to any pressure without a mechanical compressor".

The social media star was already using an electrolyser on his motorbike.

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.

  • Masked Singer fans 'work out' Doughnuts as they're sure Dancing on Ice cameo is big clue

Alex manipulated the shape of the electrolyser to produce the shape of a plasma blade that he needed to make the working lightsaber.

He said: "The most challenging job was to squeeze the whole gas distribution system in a lightsaber handle. It is the starkiller lightsaber from 'The Force Unleashed' game."

The longtime Star Wars fan admits there's still a long way to go before the blade is finished and that the prototype has "lots of limitations.

"Someimes the lightsaber just blows up in your hand because of hydrogen flashback".

But Alex is the first inventor to be recognised for making a plasma-based, retractable lightsaber, and has been recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as such.

Source: Read Full Article