Hi everyone, I'm sure he would not mind because he already posted this in the You Oughta Be in Pictures but this silent ball manipulation routine by French magician Denis Fabre (corneille on the Café) is one of the nicest I've seen!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PULphmvLK0
He is using smaller balls than the silicon set I have and I think it really helps with minimising flashing. Anyway, he inspired me to dust off the only other set I have...a wooden set with about the same diameter as the ones Denis is working with. I purchased them back when I was a teenager. They were red and a bit slippery and over time (and a lot of drops) the paint started chipping off. Years ago I repainted them in a gloss white only to find they were even more slippery than before so back into the bottom drawer they went for a few more years. Anyway, after searching for smaller diameter silicon balls and not having much success I decided to paint a thin layer of white silicon sealant (the type used to fill gaps in the kitchen, etc.) over the balls. I have no idea whether long term they will still look good and work well...but right now I have a wooden set that I can finally palm. They also still make the sound that wooden balls make when struck together so a great convincer that they are solid. Anyway, just wanted to share in case there is anyone else out there in a similar position.

While I'm at it, Denis also has one of the most magical silent ring and rope routines (that actually only uses one piece of rope) that I've seen. John

That was beautiful. Thanks for sharing.


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Yeah, this is outstanding and fun to watch!

You could spray them with 2 light coats of a dull finish spray paint, like you would use in r---h and s----h playing cards. The grip will become better with less slippage.

A belated thank you to Dan Ford for the suggestion. I thought I better get back on here and warn others against trying silicone sealant as a coating. I continued experimenting with the sealant but despite my earlier optimism it did not work well. I used white sealant and applied it with a brush so the first problem was the uneven application. The balls looked lumpy...kind of like I made them out of paper mache. I then started from scratch and applied a thinner to the sealant to give it more of a paint consistency..that smoothed the surface a bit but created an unpleasant odor! I’ll end up using the sealant for what it was meant for...some bathroom repairs.

They still had that gorilla grip but too much of a grip! I could not do certain moves smoothly like the pop up from fist. So I’ve removed all the sealant again and am trying a brand from the hardware store that some have used for r..h and s..h on cards and I tested it on some playing cards and I’m finding it works great on the playing cards. I have a packet trick and an ID that needs some repair so I’m happy. But I’ll see how this new coating works on the balls...
John

Wax billiard balls.this from George Pearce,an old pro from new Orleans...

When I still used to use wooden B.balls, I used to rub neutral color shoe polish on them but NOT buff them, just backstage before a show. Worked perfectly. The rose-water and glycerine often touted was a mess. I saw guys billiard balls that used that and they were a mess.. GW

Greg, did the magicians you mentioned apply rosewater and glycerin to the balls themselves? I only applied it to my hands, never the balls themselves. That worked fine for me.

Stevens Magic sells Chamberlain Golden Touch Lotion for manipulation:
https://www.stevensmagic.com/shop/chambe......y-bottle

----- Amado Narvaez

Has anyone recently tried the 'French Polish' technique wherein shellac (I believe) is rubbed and buffed into the painted ball.

Apparently the heat of your hands is sufficient to make the shellac a bit tacky and makes handling easier.

Wasn't this mentioned in Amateur Magician's Handbook (by Hay) and also in the Alan Wakeling book?

Curious... is there any literature out there on turning your own set? I just bought a table top lathe and would love to give it a try

Somehow it got on the balls too. I think the silicone balls are the answer. Removes a lot of headaches. I mean, when you are young there is more moisture. I used the wooden ones no problem...but later...and really the neutral shoe polish without buffing it, just before a show, worked great. Also, Working Hands hand cream, kind of waxy, very good. I made my living for 16 years with billiard balls as part of the act. The House of Fakini sets are just no worries.

Jeff McBride favors the hand lotion Chamberlain Golden Touch.