I know they’re old, but the Rice Encyclopedia of Silk will tell you everything you need to know about using, buying, storing, making, treating silks.

I have (non-cardboard) tubes I keep mine wrapped around, and… never keep them for long in plastic, they can deteriorate or even mold.

I have some silks that are older than most guys on the Café here, my original Rice six-foots are still in mint condition and from the 50’s. Nothing behaves like real pure silk, and it’s worth the investment.

Magically,
Walt

Walt,

Do you have any idea how old silk magic is? Until the 1200s, Europe didn't even know there was silk. The oriental magic is thousands of years old.

There are silk items in the USA that are four centuries old. Silk is an investment.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Actually the Byzantines stole silk worms from China somewhere around the 500s AD (maybe even earlier) and started to produce silk in and around Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) from that time. Yes, that's only just barely in Europe, but it's still considered Europe. In any case, the Byzantines were a western society descended from the Roman empire. I don't know if silk was used in entertainment at the time, but I wouldn't doubt the jugglers and dancers of the period had patrons who could afford silk. There are very few records of the kinds of entertainment found in the Byzantine empire (even though Justinian's empress was originally an entertainer), so I don't know if the silk was used in magic there, but they were intelligent and relatively sophisticated, so I imagine that European silk magic probably started there.

Byzantine history is sort of a hobby of mine...

Bill

Not sure if anyone mentioned this, but the knotted scarves work really well with nylon that's thicker than the normal silk. I got some Slydini scarves like that and brought them to a fabric store where they found the same thing (for practically nothing). You have to hem the hedges with a sewing machine (or get someone to do it for you).

Most synthetics are very cheap compared to silk.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Redhead,
Go with silk, but go with quality silks like Bob Sanders carries. Polyester and other blends just don't cut it!!

I just received a whole bunch-o-silks from Bob Sanders. Now, let me tell you, the silks Bob carries are amazing. In comparison to the ones I was using, the color of the new silks is so much brighter, the texture is so much more...well, amazing! They are soft like Butter! They pack small, play big and honestly, I must admit, I had no idea there was such a difference in silks! [...And I have been doing magic since I have been 5!] I should-a known and Bob has been TRYING to tell me!

Now, I am a 'silk woman'. I love silk and wear a great deal of silk. With my wardrobe, I could easily hold fashion shows wearing angel wings. My husband knows just what to get me for gifts [if he is not buying me magic.] But clearly, I did NOT know silks and their varying quality until I received this shipment from Bob.

Bob, these silks are so amazing in color and texture, I don't know whether to use them for magic or go out and get a pattern and start sewing! [Betcha' magic wins out!]
Thanks So Much!
Autumn

What ever you do don't use any bleach on them they will disintegrate, well at least one of mine did Had a dirty White 18" silk from my mis-made flag, tried to clean it added a little bleach in the water and Puff it all but vanished, good magic, but cost me $8.00 for a new one. Owln_1

There are ways to bleach silk but it is not for small batches or beginners. Try Woolite or Johnson's No More tears Baby Shampoo.

If the stain is too bad, you have a clue as to why we dye some silks multicolor.

Silks are really supplies just like decks of cards. "Experience" leaves marks on most things. LOL (I've noticed that I wrinkle!)

Good Luck!

Enjoy your silk magic.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

An inexpesive but good chap book on silk magic is Chanin's silk act. Also -- I have (only VHS I am afraid) a complete 6 or eight volume sets of instructions on silk folding and effects by Peter at P&A. Production values are horrible but visible -- but instructions and ideas are great. I'd be willing to sell them to anyone of true interest n PERFORMING silks.....

Since silks are light and colorful -- they are part of the act I am hoping to keep -- and have several thousands of $$$ tied up in them. I find that six footers can amaze a crowd -- and learned that you have to make sure you display what you produce long enough for the audience to perceive not just a message -- but the volume of what you have done.

And -- if you watch Jeff McBride perform it - you even can make "Blow Tube" a wower......

You make several very good points that don't get the emphasis they are due.

Timing! Give the audience time to acknowledge the beautiful silk productions. The speed of light is faster than many brains work. Let the audience appreciate what there is to see.

Six-foot silks are long gone. Today they have to be made from connecting smaller width silks. Some are very well done but it still adds weight and hangs and flows differently from the one piece 6-footers of the past.

Silk is an investment. Just because they take very little storage space, it does not mean they are less important in your investment in magic prop inventory. Frankly, they are among the few magic props that do increase in value if you buy the good stuff in the beginning. Simply the falling value of the $US in world markets works for you.

Real pros in stage magic use silk. They know what they are doing!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander