Topic: Wanna make own Slydini's silk

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Posted by: asgar (Nov 6, 2009 4:51pm)

I wanna make my own pair of Slydini's silks. Will the silks in the market work? Which silk is best for this use?

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Posted by: Ron Vergilio (Nov 6, 2009 5:58pm)

If I'm not mistaken, the Slydini Silks today are made from parachute material. You might check that out.

-Ron

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Posted by: Bob Sanders (Nov 6, 2009 6:13pm)

The marketed Slydini Silks are made from rip-stop nylon. He taught me how to perform it with regular 18" silks.

His were 21".

Enjoy!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

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Posted by: Mary Mowder (Nov 6, 2009 6:23pm)

Rip-Stop is available in a variety of colors at Joann's and Hancock Fabrics.

If you tease a thread out along the outer border and hem lines it really makes cutting a true square and hemming easier. It is well worth the extra time. pm me if you want details as it is not easy.

I'm usually working with Butterfly linings which look like Silk (don't pack like silk) and wear like iron.
I'm assuming the same would apply to Rip Stop.

-Mary Mowder

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Posted by: asgar (Nov 6, 2009 6:32pm)

Thanks everyone. Specifically where can I get the cloth like rip-stop nylon, Butterfly linings, parachute material near Washington DC and how much it will cost.

And again I guess Bob Sanders personally knew Slydini. I'm the biggest fan of Slydini. I hope he will write 'bout Slydini as a person, his interactions with him and then send a pm to me informing where he posted it.

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Posted by: Bob Sanders (Nov 6, 2009 6:49pm)

By trade, Tony Slydini was a tailor. That is why he made these rip-stop hanks himself. What he sold at lectures and in shops were all white, but he made me a few from colored material because I was about his only student who liked dove magic best. I have never used them because they are just too stiff for pretty dove magic. But, of course, they are priceless to me.

Bob Sanders
Magic by Sander

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Posted by: Mary Mowder (Nov 6, 2009 7:23pm)

Dear asgar,

Never mind about the thread teasing stuff. Rip Stop has a tiny grid that will make it unnecessary.

Just ask the people at the shop if they have Rip- Stop or parachute material. The right material has a tiny grid in it. If you've seen Slydini Silks you know what I mean.

I'll pm you the rest.

-Mary Mowder

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Posted by: Bob Sanders (Nov 6, 2009 7:34pm)

The lady is right on target!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

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Posted by: JNeal (Nov 7, 2009 12:33pm)

Having made plenty of these 'silks' out of rip-stop nylon, pay particular attention to making a very narrow hem (difficult to do with this material!) and the corners need to be FLAT!. Otherwise, you are realy making problems for yourself on the performance end of things.

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Posted by: Bill Hegbli (Nov 8, 2009 3:11am)

Just buy a French hemming/serger machine for an attachment for your sewing machine. Today's sewing machines are really easy to use and do all the hard work for you.

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Posted by: Bob Sanders (Nov 17, 2009 5:52pm)

Used sets are often for sale here on the Café. I don't know if you have to have 50 posts to get in there but it may be better than making your own.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

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Posted by: rmoraleta (Apr 3, 2012 3:04pm)

Does anybody know the size of the silks included in the Slydini's Knotted Silks with DVD?

TIA!

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Posted by: JNeal (Apr 3, 2012 8:04pm)

18"

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Posted by: Rainboguy (Apr 4, 2012 10:21am)

I'm lucky....

Tony Slydini gave me four sets of his silks when I met him at the Faucett Ross Magic Fest. He loved my false shuffle and said it was the best he'd ever seen.

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Posted by: Alan Munro (Apr 27, 2012 3:52pm)

I've been using silks from Bob Sanders for years, for the effect. Good silks will hold up the the stresses of the handling. I sewed a few stitches in the corners of one silk, in a slightly different color, so that I can tell them apart.

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Posted by: Dr_J_Ayala (May 4, 2012 5:43pm)

I have been using the marketed version for a while now and just because it is what I have used, I probably will not use anything else.

As far as making them yourself, you may end up paying more to make them yourself than if you just bought the marketed version. The ones that I have, as Alan mentioned above, have a corner on one of the silks to help keep track of it in the tying process. After a while of doing it, you more than likely will not need it, but sometimes it is a great help when having an audience member help tie them. They also have a ridiculously tiny hem and the thread that was used to sew the hem is quite thick (read: strong).

FYI - the version that I have was $30 from a dealer. BUT, if you still want to make your own, I have seen the Rip-Stop material at JoAnn Fabric and Hancock Fabric stores as Mary mentioned above, but also in some Hobby Lobby stores.

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Posted by: Mr. Mystoffelees (Jul 23, 2012 10:09am)

Jay Scott Berry sells (or did) a diamond silk that is longer than it is wide, but in performance looks like a regular silk. I am wondering if that pattern would be better for the Knotted Silk routine, as there would be less bunching at the knot.

Jim

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Posted by: Bill Hegbli (Jul 23, 2012 10:26am)

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On 2012-07-23 10:09, Mr. Mystoffelees wrote:
Jay Scott Berry sells (or did) a diamond silk that is longer than it is wide, but in performance looks like a regular silk. I am wondering if that pattern would be better for the Knotted Silk routine, as there would be less bunching at the knot.

Jim

There is a reason to use nylon and NOT silk. It works better, silk will catch and tighten. Being the trick depends on seeing the knot (that is where all the audience attention is focused) a full material is best for this effect. Using the thin corners of a Diamond Silk, would not work in my opinion. Small thin knot, harder to see, and will not release visually as it is suppose to, it would kill the magic moment and the total effect.

Just received General Grant's Price list, he lists the Slydini Silks for sale from him as well.

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Posted by: Mr. Mystoffelees (Jul 28, 2012 9:08am)

Good point, Bill. Thanks.

Jim

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Posted by: Alan Munro (Aug 12, 2012 10:07pm)

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On 2012-07-23 10:26, Bill Hegbli wrote:
There is a reason to use nylon and NOT silk. It works better, silk will catch and tighten. Being the trick depends on seeing the knot (that is where all the audience attention is focused) a full material is best for this effect. Using the thin corners of a Diamond Silk, would not work in my opinion. Small thin knot, harder to see, and will not release visually as it is suppose to, it would kill the magic moment and the total effect.

I use silk and it works as well as nylon. I wanted to add color to my act, and using quality silk was a way of doing that. My routine is different than Slydini's routine, in that I have a spectator on stage with me throughout the routine, tying the knots. The slight difference in knot size isn't a big issue. Also, my knot displays are such that the knot is obvious.

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Posted by: Mr. Mystoffelees (Aug 17, 2012 10:55pm)

That is exactly what I was asking about, Alan. Thank you for giving me the direction necessary for me to move forward with my attempts to work this out...

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Posted by: Bob Sanders (Aug 18, 2012 8:41am)

LOL! Silk has 2/3s the tensile strength of steel. (The US Navy quit using Nylon rope for a reason!) Silk is used for safety with copper wire. Guess which breaks first!

Tony used the Nylon for several reasons. One - it is cheaper than silk. Two - it looks like a man's hank. Three - he could make them himself with a home sewing machine. (Remember that he was a tailor by trade.) Four - it did not look like something you could buy readymade.

As reported before, he taught me the routine using real silks back in the late 60s. For teaching purposes, he even used two different colors.

This reminds me of card magicians who debate using red or blue backed cards for the 21 card trick! We are majoring in the minors here.

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Posted by: Bill Hegbli (Aug 18, 2012 9:20am)

Bob, is just sounds more like, just tell me what I want to hear.

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Posted by: Bob Sanders (Aug 18, 2012 10:39am)

Sometimes that is what the facts are. Tony gave me many sets of the Nylon ones. Remember that I am also a graduate marketing professor and consultant. The Nylon hanks were more about marketing than anything else. I have no problem with that (nor would Tony Slydini).

I have never said don't use them. But Nylon versus silk in this case is not supported by any other facts than just marketing. The meat of the effect is the routine and not the props. Even magicians have to deal with the facts sometimes.

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Posted by: Mr. Mystoffelees (Aug 20, 2012 1:39am)

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On 2012-08-18 08:41, Bob Sanders wrote:
LOL! Silk has 2/3s the tensile strength of steel. (The US Navy quit using Nylon rope for a reason!) Silk is used for safety with copper wire. Guess which breaks first!

Tony used the Nylon for several reasons. One - it is cheaper than silk. Two - it looks like a man's hank. Three - he could make them himself with a home sewing machine. (Remember that he was a tailor by trade.) Four - it did not look like something you could buy readymade.

As reported before, he taught me the routine using real silks back in the late 60s. For teaching purposes, he even used two different colors.

This reminds me of card magicians who debate using red or blue backed cards for the 21 card trick! We are majoring in the minors here.

I am trying to understand, but this makes no sense to me!

First, what does tensile strength have to do with a knotted silk magic trick?

Second, if "cheaper" was a factor for Slydini, then I am going to quit magic and look for a job in the car wash.

Third, ignoring the fact that the man was a tailor - why do you not want your silks to look ready-made- is "special" better?

Lastly- to those of us who are not among the world's best, the last para is insulting and arrogant- if this stuff annoys you, you should go do something that makes your heart sing...

Jim

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Posted by: Alan Munro (Aug 22, 2012 9:22am)

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On 2012-08-20 01:39, Mr. Mystoffelees wrote:

First, what does tensile strength have to do with a knotted silk magic trick?

If you perform it as a challenge effect, like I do, they will tie a VERY tight knot. Cotton will rip. I've been using the same silks for a few years now and they are holding up better than nylon ever did.

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Posted by: Scotty Walsh (Aug 22, 2012 5:24pm)

Years ago, a friend of mine made a number of sets of these for me out of the rip-stop fabric from Jo-Anne's; 18" in both White and Yellow. I showed them to Harry Anderson when he had his shop in New Orleans, and he liked them but said he liked them bigger, so we made a 24" set for Harry. He said that he liked to put the knots in his mouth to undo them.

Bottom line, though, is I still have a number of these sets. Why? Because they are indestructible. I used them in my street show in New Orleans during the hottest time of the year until they got soft and pliable. And dirty. I washed them and they came clean. I am still on my first set, and it's like new, except for softer. I ordered a Magic Maker's set from Penguin recently, because I am in Italy and my silks are not. But the Magic Maker's set is already ripping just from a little practicing and one performance.

So, use the nylon rip-stop and break it in to make it softer, would be my advice.

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Posted by: Mr. Mystoffelees (Aug 22, 2012 9:08pm)

I will try that - thanks!

Jim