Is there a way to restore silks to make them crisp and shiny again? Is there a chemical or starch than can be used with an iron for silks?
After using silks several times, they become super soft. I wish there was a way to restore, or at least bring back the crispiness of a like-new silk.

Often hitting them with a hot iron will restore the shine to silk. As for the crispness, try rinsing them in a very mild starch solution.

Richard

Thanks, Richard, I'll try that today. If it doesn't work, I'll need to replace them.

Hey, Lou - thanks for the post. This is something that I have wondered as well. Mostly, a new silk has compression that seems to get lost over time. Is there a way to restore the compression? Maybe Richard or Bob Sanders can shed some light on this.

Thanks in advance,

Scott Compton

It worked. I first washed the silks with a mild soap. After that, I rinsed it in a small solution of cornstarch and hot water, ironed it, and they feel crispy and shiny again. I could not really take out some small rusty stains, but, anyway, I can use them again.
Thanks Richard!

Glad it helped.

Richard

OK, I will try the starch method. Thanks, Richard.

Oh yeah, Richard, the Devil's Hank that I got from you IS the best I have ever seen. Excellent workmanship!

Lou,

Sometimes lemon juice will get out rust.

Bob

In a bind if you don't have an iron, you can get the silk wet, stick it to a mirror, and let it dry. When it is dry, peel it off and it will be pressed. I don't remember where I read this advice, but it was from a famous magician.

The "famous magician" that I learned this from was my mom! She was a major source of encouragement for me in the entertainment business. She was a singer/dancer and a great coach.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander