I'm hoping someone can recommend a set of multiplying golf balls. Fakini doesn't seem to be available anymore so who makes a better or next best set?
Anyone have a Fakini set they would be willing to part with?

Joe

Http://www.houseoffakini.com/Fakini-Tour......Golf.htm

They seem to have them here.

Sorry to tell you that my old friend, the late Frank "Fakini" Radtke's business is "somewhat inactive". I've heard that it's for sale.

PM sent.

Curious if anyone has any news...Their website says:

Joe -

I would place a "Want To Buy" post in the "let's make a deal" section. There are a lot of Fakini sets floating around out there, many going unused.

Doc thanks for the suggestion. I have tried the "want to buy" route, the few PMs I received were asking foolishly high prices so I've been looking for an alternative.

There's a set (new) being offered NOW. It's a package deal with a salt gaff, and some coin droppers for $125.

(Not GOLF balls, but, they're white, and 1.75 inch.

Go to Jim Risers site and you can buy a download on how to make your own golf ball shells.Download is only 5 bucks.

http://jamesriser.com/Magic/JamesRiserMagic.html

Like most things,it will take some effort,determination,and you'll have to purchase a few things. But if you need them,want them bad enough....perhaps it may be a solution.

I first saw multiplying golf balls in a Magic Inc. catalog many years ago. I *believe* Laurie Ireland invented the idea of using golf balls instead of billiard balls in a mutiplying routine. Dick, correct me if I'm wrong. Anyhow, I went to the Magic Inc. site and they were selling a set but it was three "foam" balls and a metal gimmick. I don't think the originals were "foam." Dick, do you recall?

The original Ireland Golf Balls were rubber, not foam. I have a set. They deteriorate over time and are no longer usable. The shells were great in their day. The current foam product will not handle at all like the originals.

Doc just gave you the answer. In later years, Frances couldn't get the "original" rubber balls. She had to buy (and sell) the foam balls. IIRC, they only came in yellow. Fran had lots of metal shells, so she had them painted yellow. She bought the balls in "bulk". (I think, "by the pound"!) Many had to be discarded as they had minor imperfections. She asked the manufacturer, in China about that. The manufacturer replied, "We make them for cat toys. The cats don't care if they aren't perfect!"

Again, IIRC, In the '30s, Laurie had found some little metal globes of the earth, in a dime store. They were made in two hemispheres. Laurie just "split" them. Later, he had metal shells made up.

My first set, in 1947, were excellent, but, as Doc mentioned, the balls slowly deteriorated! (they would shrink!) We used to repaint them with "white wall tire paint" ! I still have a few of the old shells.

For 60+ years, I've done the (Bill Williston) visible penetration of a ball through silk, and, Abbott's "Perpetual Balls", plus a few flourishes. It's a very strong routine! I wrote it up in my book.

I dropped the multiplying ball routine, about 50 years ago. The penetration and the Perpetual bit, was getting more response than the multiplying! (In the mid '80s, I added a bit with the old "production of four balls, simultaneously, courtesy of Karrell Fox.) Jay Marshall gave me a Willman "silk ball", in the '70s as a follow up gag. I used it until the mechanism finally "died".

I bought one of Frank Radtke's first sets in the '70s. I'm still using them.

If you can find a used set in good condition the Fakini golf balls are great. If the balls have been stored properly they will probably still be in good shape even if they are 30 years old. The set I purchased at Hollywood Magic Shop in 1992 are still good.

Recently a set of Fakini golf balls went for only $33.00 on eBay. Whoever won that auction got a bargain !

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fakini-Multiply......88939901

(note: eBay links for completed auctions will disappear without notice. This completed auction is still viewable as of today , May 20, 2020, but no guarantee it will still be there in two weeks or two months ... certainly not in two years)


There is currently a set up for auction on eBay (as of today May 20, 2020 ... it's a five-day auction) on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Tournament-......35617374

Current bid is $26.00, but I expect that to go up.

I'm tempted to bid on them , so I have a back-up set. (the Fakini golf balls I have now are still in good shape, but it never hurts to have a spare set).



Many years ago I had a set of Ireland style multiplying golf balls which were used when I purchased them at magic club swap meet in the late 1970's when I was 14 . Those Ireland balls were probably late 1960's/early 1970's vintage, but were still in good shape when I purchased them and lasted another five or six years. Unfortunately the rubber golf balls do harden and disintegrate over time , so I don't still have the ones I purchased way back then.

In some ways I preferred the Ireland golf balls to the Fakini golf balls, because the soft, springy Ireland balls were easier for me to hold between the fingers and from a very short distance away they looked like real golf balls. You couldn't bounce them like you can with the Fakini balls , but other than that they were easy to use. Also, two
sh _ _ _ s will fit over one ball , making possible some moves that are not possible with Fakini.

A few years ago I found some soft foam "practice golf balls". I purchased four sets of the foam golf balls, three of which I have never opened from the original factory sealed plastic bags and I store them in a sealed container. I just checked them and they look like new , feeling them through the plastic bag they are still soft and springy. The opened set of balls are still in good shape, too. (I store them in a zip-lock plastic bag and inside another sealed container.) Most of the soft foam practice golf balls I see in stores or online are yellow , but the ones I found are white. If you can only find the yellow balls those will work if you paint the sh _ _ _ yellow , or as Dick Oslund mentioned , you can paint the balls with white wall tire paint , which is a rubberized paint. So the yellow balls could be converted to white if you prefer.

As was mentioned in another post above, James Riser is selling instructions (for $5.00) on how to make sh _ _ _ s.

http://www.jamesriser.com/Magic/JamesRiserMagic.html


All that to say , if you can possibly locate a set of the Fakini golf balls , get them !

The Bond Lee multiplying balls seem to have become the preferred alternative to the now unavailable Fakini multiplying balls. However, as far as I know Bond Lee does not make multiplying golf balls. Maybe in the future he will add golf balls to his line of manipulation balls.

http://www.sterlinimagic.com/bond-lee-s-......s-2.html



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I would say if can't locate a set of Fakini's , if you can find a set of the Ireland Golf Balls in good shape (should come with two sh _ _ _ s ) they are worth getting. I have two of the Ireland shells. They don't quite match the dimple pattern of most golf balls , but this is not noticeable at a short distance. The Ireland sh _ _ _ s will fit around a single ball , making possible some moves that are not possible with the Fakini golf balls.

Most of the Ireland balls will have hardened and disintegrated over time , but occasionally you can still find them in good shape. (or they may be been replaced over the years with the soft foam practice balls I mentioned in my previous post ?) I see that Winkler's Magic Warehouse is currently listing a set of Ireland Golf Balls. (this is as of May 20, 2020). --

https://www.winklersmagicwarehouse.com/p......vintage/

Note the photo and description:



But as long as the balls are still soft and have not hardened , you can paint them , as Dick Oslund noted , with white wall tire paint (a "rubberized" paint substance).
You could paint the sh _ _ _ s to match. (don't paint the inside of the sh _ _ _ s ) If you can locate the white foam practice golf balls I mentioned in my previous post , those should work with the Ireland sh _ _ _ s. The ones I have work with my Ireland sh _ _ _ s. You may need to try different brands of the practice golf balls to find a good fit for the
sh _ _ _ s. In the photo on Winkler's Magic Warehouse website you can see how the Ireland sh _ _ _ s have a slightly different dimple pattern , but again, this is not noticeable at a short distance.






I don't know if he uses it in conjunction with multiplying golf balls, but Martin Lewis has a routine with the "Senor Mardo Egg Bag" (which he sells) using a golf ball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5pCyxRpWwk

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If anyone is looking I have the whole golf act by Fakini never used.