I was hoping to get a little help with an older trick by Al Baker. I recently found a copy of Baker's book, Pet Secrets. In this wonderful little book is a trick called "Finesse With The Dye Tube." Essentially a standard dye tube trick, three silks are shown, placed into a rolled-up sheet of paper, and re-emerge colored differently than when first put into the paper tube.

Baker calls for 15" silks. He suggests buying 18" silks, cutting them down to 15 inches and re-hemming. I was wondering if there are dye tubes available that would take three 18" silks? I notice on the SKS site there are three dye tubes sized 2 3/4", 3 1/2", and 5". Would any of these hold three 18" silks (I would use SKS's spectrum silks for this), or would I need to go to a different manufacturer?

Thanks for your help!

Gary,

I think that when that book was written we got silk from Japan instead of China and they were available 3 momme (which I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy) through 8 momme. (That is suit lining for tubes, Devil's Hank, etc.) Baker probably used 15" 6 momme silk.

Try three 5 momme 18" silks with small flat hems. It just might work and if it does it opens plenty of opportunities to integrat different colors into your show. Otherwise, Rice (SKS) may still have some 15" ones. If that fails, get Richard Hughes to make you some. I have not used 15" silks since the 60s. When the US reopened trade with China everything switched to 5 momme and lining. Lining is 8 momme and much too heavy for a small silk trick. Art silks are another ballgame. (Of course, you would avoid serger hems in a dye tube anyway.)

Remember that you can use Sharpie Pens to make picture silks too. This way with your dye tube you can put in a plain silk and produce one that says, "Happy New Year!"

Good Luck!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Rice catalog says that the dye tube will work with 18" silks per their mis-made flag effect. They had or have 3 sizes of tubes that are sold for this effect. Just drop a note to Ruth Crone Rice and ask her, she is super.

Rice silks did sell 15" silks and may still do. I got Rice silks in 15" for my Duke's Dye Verson Routine.

Thanks again!