Jedi who survived Order 66 in the Star Wars prequel trilogy found creative ways to hide their lightsabers. Palpatine envisioned the Clone Wars as the ultimate Jedi trap, for the Jedi lost just by participating. Order 66 was the coup de grace, with the vast majority of Jedi slaughtered by the clone troopers they had been leading into battle mere moments before. The Emperor swiftly established the Inquisitors to hunt down the few survivors, who were forced to hide in the shadows. But, as the Inquisitors reflected in the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ TV series, the way of the Jedi was like an itch these survivors could not help but scratch.
According to the Star Wars: Force & Destiny sourcebook Unlimited Power, some Jedi found creative ways to carry their lightsabers around with them in spite of the looming threat of Darth Vader and his Inquisitors. Apparently in the past, elderly Jedi had taken to reconstructing their lightsabers and fitting them inside the body of a sturdy walking stick. "If the blade is a Jedi's life," they had reasoned, "why shouldn't it make things a little easier?" The idea had fallen out of practice by the time of the prequel trilogy, but some Order 66 survivors used similar techniques to keep their lightsabers at hand without them being recognizable. "The concealment does come with a cost," the sourcebook notes. "The awkward size and inconsistent weighting often interferes with use in heated combat."
How Many Jedi Survived Order 66?
Order 66 was tremendously effective, but it clearly didn't kill all the Jedi. According to Kanan in Star Wars Rebels, there were around 10,000 active Jedi when the Clone Wars began. While many Jedi fell in battle, it's reasonable to assume there could have still been 6,000 or more when Palpatine issued Order 66. Even assuming Order 66 was 95 percent effective, then, there could have been hundreds of Order 66 survivors. Ironically, some elderly Jedi may have been more likely to escape the clone troopers, simply because they may not have been on the front lines - and they'd have sensed the slaughter in the Force, swiftly choosing to hide.
This would explain why lightsaber walking sticks could have become "fashionable" among the Order 66 survivors. Elderly Jedi could have used a walking stick design to keep their lightsaber at their side, more as a memento and reminder of their true identity than anything else. Other Jedi could use them because they had been injured when fleeing the clones who were following Order 66. These Jedi would have waited, attempting to be true to the light, as they adhered to Obi-Wan Kenobi's message warning them to keep their heads down.
Many Jedi Survivors Would Have Been Exposed Over The Decades
Unfortunately, as creative as the idea of hiding a lightsaber inside a walking stick may be, it carried certain risks. The Jedi would inevitably find themselves watching as the galaxy tipped towards the dark side, and they'd encounter countless situations where they were tempted to intervene. That temptation would have been even greater given some of these Jedi literally had a lightsaber in their hands. A single act - one moment where a Jedi triggered their lightsaber - would have left them exposed and hunted by Darth Vader and his Inquisitors.
It's even possible Inquisitors could have sensed them while traveling across the galaxy. The kyber crystal contained within a lightsaber has a presence in the Force, and those attuned to the light side would have been easy to detect. These Jedi may have been cunning and creative, but unfortunately they were still taking a great risk, explaining why few survived into the time of the Star Wars original trilogy.