Bingowings said:
Presumably there must be saber-proof materials otherwise the sword hilt would melt at the projector end and fall to pieces.
Having the cross-guard like that is a bit like having a razor sharp handle for a razor.
From what I always gathered from reading supplemental books and articles back in the day (not sure how much those can be relied upon now with Disney reclassifying what is canon) the positioning of the crystal had to be so precise, that even a micron out of line and the handle would explode upon activation. This certainly suggests to me that from the crystal upwards, the blade isn't in contact with the inside of the hilt at all, though that's just my interpretation of it.
You're spot on about the cross-guard. The "it's just like a sword" argument doesn't take into account that the cross-guard on a sword can't itself murder you. But I'm willing to suspend some of my disbelief when the wielder has magical awareness and reflexes :)