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The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Smooth as silk » » Slydini Silks...Worth it? (0 Likes) Printer Friendly Version

joeKing
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United States
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I am about to get Malone's On The Loose set and this (Slydini Silks) is one of the props required to learn all his tricks on this set. I am curious to know if they are worth the 25-35 bucks. If you have any recommendations as to where I can see a demo or where I can buy these at a cheap price it would be greatly appreciated if you tell me. Smile
~joeKing
Harry Murphy
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Maryland
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The Slydini silks are not totally necessary for the trick. Yes they are made of parachute material that is tough as nails and yes one has a hem sewn with a contrasting color thread (so you can keep track of your knot as you tie it), BUT any two silk or rayon handkerchief’s work fine. They just won’t take the punishment for as long a period of time.

I have watched General Grant do his version of the Slydini Silks for years (a version that Slydini himself enjoyed watching by the way). He uses standard 18-inch silk hanks.

I perform a version of the trick and use 24-inch silk scarves. My silks seem to last about 100 performances before the hem starts to rip apart.

After you have done the knot a few dozen times you will not need to have the contrasting colored thread to help you. You will tie the knot without looking. Watch Bill Malone do the trick. He rarely looks at his hanks as he ties the knot or upsets the knot; he is making eye contact with his spectators.

The Slydini Silks will not last forever either. They will eventually have to be replaced. I suspect that they will last several hundred performances before showing any real wear.

Are the special silks a good buy? Absolutely! Are they a necessary element to performing the trick? No, they are a “nice to have” not a “must have”.
The artist formally known as Mumblepeas!
markyeager
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Mike Skinner's Performance of this on the Tonight Show was stunning. The effect is without explanation from a audiences point of view.
It's Fun to be Fooled
TheAmbitiousCard
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Eternal Order
Northern California
13425 Posts

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I don't think it's without explaination if you're a rock climber, boater, sailor, backpacker, etc.
I'm thinking that people that work with ropes to any degree might easily find the answer.

Regardless, it's one wonderful thing to see.

This effect plays well to all ages, I believe.
Very magical.
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thehawk
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The silks are great and do last, very little wear.
Shafique
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London
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I agree that the silks aren't necessary to do the trick, but they do help. I picked up a set from e-bay for under $20 some time ago.. worth keeping an eye out for them.

These were the 'Slydini silk' set - made from parachute nylon and with the small hems and different colour thread.

Cheers,
Shafique
zombieboy
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Connecticut, USA
889 Posts

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They are not necessary, but I would still get them. They are much more durable than regular silk, and they have a great texture.

Also, there are some moves with the silks that will fool mountain climbers, boaters, sailors, backpackers etc.
TrcikPony
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Steve Draun has the best silks for this

http://www.STEVEDRAUN.COM


He also teaches it.

Jeff
Bob Sanders
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1945 - 2024
Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama
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Tony was the Magic in Slydini "Silks"

Slydini Silks are nice mostly because of the source. I still use three sets I bought from him at a Ring 35 meeting in Birmingham before 1969. (Yes, the world was flat then.) They are not without problems and are certainly worth more as collector's items than as props. I recently found the cloth on sale for $1.00/ yard at WalMart. Tony Slydini is gone, but not the materials. He is the greater loss.

Problems do come from these "silks" if they are left in the light. They change colors and that is OK. But they also become weaker because, like nylon and poly rope, they deteriorate very quickly and badly in just plain light. That part cannot be "covered" satisfactorily. A basic fact you should have learned in high school physics class was that silk has two-thirds the tensile strength of steel. In my forty-two years of magic, I have ruined more than my share of silks. However, it was never because they just pulled in two. Good silks work as well as the "special" cloth used in the Slydini "silks" for the knotting tricks. Real silk is not as easy to hem and is more expensive. Tony wasn't just smart about magic. Looking back, he made some that were 21" rather than 18". That is significant to me, as a dove worker, for covering body loads with the same "silks". The originals also looked more like a man's handkerchief. Best of all, when I see them, I still remember Tony's one-sided smile and tilted head. He could make anything magic.

Bob Sanders
Bob Sanders

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Bob Sanders
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1945 - 2024
Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama
20504 Posts

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In the last few months, someone I have yet to identify mailed me the DVD, book and "silks". Apparently it was a gift from someone who forgot to enclose a card. Bill's DVD is good. I'm sure Tony Slydini would have been embarrassed to sell the new "silks". They are light years from the quality Tony Slydini produced. Given a chance to buy them separately, I would pass them by.

However, don't confuse the technique with the props. Virtually any silks (real or otherwise) would work. Supply your own. Any silks will work as long as you can tell one from the other. Bill's presentation is good. Buy the technique and leave the props in the bag. They are a poor match with Bill's DVD and Tony's effect. It is certainly a quality effect. Bill's a good teacher.

Bob
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TheAmbitiousCard
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Northern California
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I have Steve Draun's silks which are red and I just got the Tony Clark DVD which has white silks.

The white silks are FAR nicer than the red ones. Red ones work ok but the ones I received are very shiney and don't look like silks at all. Yuck.

The Tony Clark DVD is very good. I have not seen the Malone DVD except what was on his "On The Loose" series.

For a short comedy routine, the Malone routine on his "On The Loose" is great. To take it further, Tony Clark's is fantastic.
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Bob Sanders
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1945 - 2024
Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama
20504 Posts

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Frank,

Tony is the new writer on the Dove Hotline and he is also a Tony Slydini student. You know I would have to agree with you!

Bob
Magic By Sander
Bob Sanders

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Allan
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After purchasing Tony Clark's DVD on the Slydini Silks, I have mixed feelings. The DVD was wonderful. It was the perfect DVD to learn from with split screens and rear views.

In my opinion, the silks he supplied are terrible. After using the silks I realized why he teaches only Granny knots on the DVD. It is because the supplied silks are of such poor quality & so thick that they will not release with a tight square knot. They also fell apart within a few days. The other problem is the color thread is so light that without a well lit room, it is hard to see.

I think he (and we) would have been better off if real Slydini scarves were offered at an additional cost instead of including the really bad ones that come with the DVD.

The routine is wonderful. I do it all the time. If I did not know about the better quality available, I would not bother doing the effect.
DrVG
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Dear all,
i once came upon a video on youtube of a gentleman doing a parlor act with the silk, it was very humorous as he was teasing the crowd.
Spectators were drawn to think he unknoted then he proved them wrong, every time doing a suspicious move then proving it s still knotted.
After a bit of this byplay he would SINGLE handedly drop the silk (in a hat? or some container), then do a magic pass and show it s unknotted.
Anyone could remind me the name of that magician or point me to the video?
thanks
VG
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