The double-bladed lightsaber, also called a saberstaff or lightstaff, was a lightsaber variant that featured a blade emitted from both ends. Several variants on the type existed, including the hinged double-bladed lightsaber, the split saber, the lightsaber pike, and the double-bladed spinning lightsaber. According to the mythical Qel-Droma Epics, double-bladed ligthsabers dated back to a Sith Lord named Exar Kun.
The double-bladed lightsaber was, simply, a lightsaber with blade emitters on both ends. Such a weapon could be wielded like a typical single-bladed lightsaber if only one blade was ignited. This lightsaber style had several variants: Hinged double-bladed lightsabers effectively consisted of two single-bladed lightsabers joined with a hinge at the ends. Notable wielders of this saber style included Pong Krell and the Jedi Temple Guard. Temple Guards also used lightsaber pikes, which had a much longer handle and shorter blades compared to typical double-bladed lightsabers.
Split sabers had handles that detached, allowing their owners to fight with either one double-bladed weapon or two single-bladed weapons as they pleased.
The Imperial Inquisitorius used distinctive double-bladed spinning lightsabers, which had relatively short handles and a ring around which the active blades could spin, allowing their wielders to even fly in certain locations. However, the ring was also a weakness, as cutting it would instantly destroy the weapon. This weakness was used against the Grand Inquisitor on two occasions, the second leading to his death.