Can the Federation build a lightsabre ?

[Darth Wong]

Even an elongated laser scalpel wouldn't function the same as a lightsaber; you couldn't use it in a defensive fashion, because the "blade" wouldn't be able to parry anything.

Unlike a lightsabre fight, a laser scalpel fight would be extremely short

[darthdavid]

Even an elongated laser scalpel wouldn't function the same as a lightsaber; you couldn't use it in a defensive fashion, because the "blade" wouldn't be able to parry anything.

Unlike a lightsabre fight, a laser scalpel fight would be extremely short

And funny. Veeeery funny.

[Robert Walper]

Even an elongated laser scalpel wouldn't function the same as a lightsaber; you couldn't use it in a defensive fashion, because the "blade" wouldn't be able to parry anything.

Unlike a lightsabre fight, a laser scalpel fight would be extremely short

Thus, a Federation attempt at creating a lightsaber would result in that much better version of a weapon. All hail the mighty Federation with their laser scalpels!

[Ghost Rider]

Even an elongated laser scalpel wouldn't function the same as a lightsaber; you couldn't use it in a defensive fashion, because the "blade" wouldn't be able to parry anything.

Unlike a lightsabre fight, a laser scalpel fight would be extremely short

Thus, a Federation attempt at creating a lightsaber would result in that much better version of a weapon. All hail the mighty Federation with their laser scalpels!

Not exactly...seeing redshirts trip and killing themselves because they don't understand where the weight of the blade is, does not make a superior weapon

[Spanky The Dolphin]

They could make something like it (we have seen "laser scalpels" with short, contained, visible energy blades like a lightsabre), but even if the mechanism were similar the power would be lacking.

I doubt that these "laser scalpels" function even remotely similar to Lightsabres, though.

[Sir Sirius]

Maybe the Federation could create a "lightsaber" handle that projects a long thin (1m by 2cm) cylinder shaped force field split in to two sections that join together at the tip of the "blade", fills the field with neon and then applies enough voltage to the electrodes at the base of both of the chambers to cause the neon to ionize. It wouldn't cut jackshit and would be totaly useless as a weapon, but it should look like a red lightsaber and allow sparring with the blade.

[Ender]

I'm fairly certain they lack the ability to make energy cells that small and that powerful. So no.

[Admiral_K]

In short, they could make a weapon that looks pretty much like a lightsabre, but creating one that performs like a lightsabre would be beyond their current technical means.

[Gandalf]

What about those Ferengi energy whips, are they in anyway relevant?

Also, would some sort of deflector do anything to a lightsabre?

[Darth Wong]

What about those Ferengi energy whips, are they in anyway relevant?

Not unless they can punch a hole through a metre-thick durasteel blast door in a split-second.

Also, would some sort of deflector do anything to a lightsabre?

Possibly. If tactically effective personal deflectors capable of stopping such powerful energy weapons were common in the Federation, this would be an issue.

[Gandalf]

What about those Ferengi energy whips, are they in anyway relevant?

Not unless they can punch a hole through a metre-thick durasteel blast door in a split-second.

I was thinking perhaps they could be developed onto something or other. Of course not on par with a lightsabre, but the underlying ideas could be adapted.

Also, would some sort of deflector do anything to a lightsabre?

Possibly. If tactically effective personal deflectors capable of stopping such powerful energy weapons were common in the Federation, this would be an issue.

Good point. Though a little one might stop bat'leths.