Threnody 1.0
From EtymOnline:
threnody (n.) [THrenədē] “song of lamentation,” 1630s, from Greek threnodia “lamentation,” from threnos “dirge, lament” + oide “ode” (see ode). Greek threnos probably is from PIE imitative root *dher–(3) “to drone, murmur, hum;” cognates: Old English dran “drone,” Gothic drunjus “sound,” Greek tenthrene “a kind of wasp.”
Naming represents an important creative moment, and I wanted to take my time trying to find the right name for this saber. It’s part of creating the character, part of expanding the imaginative universe of the Story, part of the retelling of the journey.
I was listening to the soundtrack to Princess Mononoke (the animated film directed my Hayao Miyazaki, with brilliant music by Joe Hisaishi), and among some other favorite tracks, Requiem and the Adagio of Life and Death always stood out as beautiful and haunting pieces of music. Some how or another, I got to looking up definitions and etymological roots of requiem and adagio and stumbled across a similar word: threnody.
And it fit perfectly.
The Materials:
- PVC core chassis and construction throughout, covered with aluminum veneer.
- Cherry hardwood sleeve for main body.
- Aluminum detail components.
- Brass switch-plate, and custom auxiliary with and backlit acrylic activation switch.
- Brass components aged with ammonia vapor patina process.
- Genuine amethyst quartz crystal.
- MPS pommel from The Custom Saber Shop (TCSS)
- 1″ diameter thin walled polycarbonate blade from TCSS, with custom cellophane diffusion film installed.
- “Bullet” blade tip from TCSS.
The specs:
- Petit Crouton V3.5, Plecter Labs
- Color Extender, Plecter Labs
- Tri-Rebel R/G/rB high-powered LEDs, TCSS
- Crystal chamber, wired to mirror blade color and FX
- 7.4V 1050mAh 14650 Li-ion battery pack, TCSS
- Power Level Indicator (PLI), TCSS
- 2.1mm recharge port, TCSS
- R.I.C.E. port, TCSS
- 28mm premium speaker, TCSS
With shaky hands after several hours of soldering, and everything wired up correctly (I hope), and with the battery pack installed, I pulled the kill key from the recharge port, and heard the boot-up sound. A tap of the activation switch sent the blade shrieking into existence. At last, it is alive!
:The glam photos:
Color-shifting blade, thanks to the Petit Crouton sound module paired with the Color Extender board:
Access to the crystal chamber:
And also access to the R.I.C.E. (Real-time Internal Configuration Editor) port, and battery compartment:
Access to the micro SD card in the modified MPS pommel, and the 28mm speaker housing:
Detail:
Designing and building Threnody took me through many unexpected journeys, and through many different skill sets. I learned a lot throughout this process, gained a great re-introduction to small electronics and basic circuit theory, explored some basic micro controller coding, and dived into a whole host of materials and construction experience.
Sabersmithing is a unique blend of art, design, engineering, science, and fabrication, and by building this saber I’ve discovered where my true passions lie. We’ve all heard about STEM education, where it’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math that get the funding from states, universities, grants, and tax dollars. But creativity is non-linear, unpredictable, and incredibly multifaceted. Separating the arts and sciences creates a false dichotomy, which leads to half-truths, exclusion, and dangerously compartmentalized creative processes.
But there seems to be a movement afoot, seen in Maker Fairs, hackerspaces, local galleries, and YouTube channels. This maker movement recognizes the vital need for an additional discipline: Art. STEM becomes STEAM, and in this fusion incredible things become possible. In a small but significant way, building this saber helped redefine my interests and recognize the value of making a replica prop. Sabersmithing has become my gateway into STEAM, and a newly found source of joy in becoming a Maker.
See you when version 2.0 rolls out!
Binary Sunset Design 
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