Heavens! No "gloves to dove" and "flowers from a foulard"!!! What is the magic world coming to??? (Hee hee)

I saw Paul Daniels a couple of nights ago at the Playhouse Whitley Bay. Great show. (Is there anywhere on the Café to write about shows that one has been to, by the way?)
He used the Kovari Pom Poms - not as his opener, but rather after his C&B routine. He performed the Pom Poms with a routine that I believe he attributed to Ali Bongo... a rhyming patter throughout? Does anyone know where/whether that routine has been published?

Jay:

Ali Bongo's routine is published. He called it the Pom Pom Prayer Stick.

http://ustoymagic.com/pom-pom-prayer-stick-kavari-magic

Doug

Thanks Doug: I have since looked at the link higher up this page, and the same is true of the prop ordered direct from Kovari.
Cheers,
Jay

Check the Kovari website mentioned above. The Kovari pole comes with the Ali Bongo routine.

I ordered (and have received) a Kovari Pom-Pom Prayer Stick. Excellent customer service from the Great Kovari, by the way.
Notes with it detail three separate routines:
- Louis S Histead (inventor)
- Ali Bongo
- Hank Moorhouse
I performed a simple routine with it today to a group of fifteen year-olds (I am a teacher, and most of my performances are in that context): they were so thrilled with the effect. It was the best audience reaction I have had - better than for a lot of very much more 'sophisticated' magic. So pleased to have started to investigate this type of thing.
For the benefit of anyone else interested, I also found a very entertaining routine online by 'The Doctor' Scott Williams.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O6Lh8dlb78
Jay

I recently picked up a second hand Kovari Pom Pom Prayer Stick. When I pull down on both the lower pom poms to be able to pull it apart there is quite a tell tale noise.

At the moment there are cork plugs in the ends of the sticks. I've thought about maybe putting a soft rubber piece on each of the inside gimmicks to hopefully reduce what's happening. Anyone else having the same problem? I'd love to hear some thoughts on this.

Thanks in advance.

NO mine never does what you are saying. I think you may be pulling to aggressively, it is just a pull, not a jerk or tug. Also hold the stick level at all times.

If you put rubber on them it will create drag. I bought a mode that was poorly made before Kovari's was being sold here in the U.S. I took it completely apart and covered it with felt. It was nothing as superior as Kovari's model.

Of course, with you standing right on top of it, there is some sliding sound, very dull, and not noticed, as the performer is constantly talking.

Thanks for your thoughts Bill. Much appreciated.

Not sure if I was clear enough. The noise I think is coming from the gimmicks hitting against the two cork pieces that are fitted into the ends of the stick when I pull the stick apart. There is no noise at all during the normal operation of the apparatus. I pulled the stick apart again last night to try and figure out a solution. The gimmicks seems to quite strong and need a bit of pressure to pull them apart. Maybe I need to see if there is something I can do to help with the release of the gimmicks. Maybe try and put something between them to lessen their pull.

I'm very keen to use this in my kids show.

Alan

Al, on mine the corks are a little loose as cork does over time shrink when not kept wet. The corks in mine do not hit the corks inside. They are not near them when the strings are extended. As for pulling both pom's down are you taking one of the lower between the little finger and 3rd finger, and grab the other between the index and 2nd finger. then pull. The gimmicks are strong, but that is good, means the will last a long time.

On the pulling apart, if your is new or not used since you bought it, then it just need to be used a little, it will loosen up. Mine was never as tight that it took strong muscle to pull them apart, but you don't want them to wobble when they are together either. You could takes some 600 sand paper and or spray with a release agent/spray and see it that helps.

That is all I can advise without seeing them in person. I would say just practice with them and see if they don't improve. Anything new needs some breaking in. Practice will also help you learn you patter, and match your actions to the patter. Timing is also important in a trick like this.

Bill you said this: The corks in mine do not hit the corks inside.

I don't have any corks inside except the two stuffed into the ends of the stick. Should I have some inside as well at the back ends of the gimmicks?

Al

No, I mean the corks on the ends, mine stick in each end of the stick. I meant to say the gimmick does not hit the corks.

Someone just wrote me and asked if I ever finished my Chinese Sticks/ PomPom Stick idea. I'm happy to announce that in 2014, shortly after I posted that idea, I built them and included the idea in my "Roy Benson Style String Sticks" routine, found in The Wizards' Journal #27 for 2014 under that name.

This is the third stick that is held under your arm while doing the Roy Benson routine. It is painted red at one end because it is the "Emergency" cord you pull when something goes wrong with the other two (Chinese) sticks that needs fixing. And then, of course, it needs fixing itself in the Pom Pom style. But this stick can be pulled apart to "fix it" and then the red cord is pulled to fix the other sticks and all is back the way it was at the beginning. Lots of fun!

Great pic Jim. You're very creative.

I just want to share that I purchased a new Kovari pom pom prayer stick and got it a couple of weeks back.

The build is a bit different from the other second hand one I got a while back which is the old school Kovari type.

This new one the pom poms are a bit larger and the pole itself seems to be a different type of plastic and it's sticky to pull apart. NOW comes the biggest problem I'm having with it. I think the strings are too long. When I do the usual move and pull a pom pom down, the pom poms on the other end of the stick tend to hang down and don't really sit right on the stick. After separating the two pieces it's quite awkward to get the gimmick set again, mainly I feel due to the weight of the pom poms pulling down on string and the string being too long. You don't want to be standing there fiddling around with it. I'm probably not being very clear. I'm seriously trying to do something to shorten the strings just about an inch or so to make it feel not so loose when using it, to see if that helps.

I'm so sorry to say that I wouldn't recommend anyone to purchase one at the moment. In comparing it to the old one I have, which I've been using in all my shows, I don't think I could even attempt to use the new one in a performance setting.

All that to say, If anyone has an old Kovari Pom Pom Prayer Stick that they want to part with or aren't using, I'd be happy to take it off your hands for the right price.

Instead of cutting the strings, try untying the poms and retying them closer to the pole. That way you can test it to make sure the length is correct before you finally put some glue on the knot (to make it permanent) and finally cut off the end of the string.

Ron Diamond at Ronjo Magic makes several excellent Pom Pom poles. I recently picked up his mini version and I was amazed at how well engineered it is, and how effective the pocket version of this illusion plays. The mini version can be found here:

http://shop.ronjo.com/ronjo-mini-pom-pom-stick-by-ronjo.html

and I'm even eyeing the "Pro" version, which is quite beautifully machined, and can be seen here:

http://shop.ronjo.com/ronjo-pom-pom-pole......cti.html

Gary

Looking for a Decent comedy patter / routine for Kovari pom pom stick, is there one on a Dvd, Keith - magicwalsh@gmail.com

Not to knowledge of any routine on DVD.

Answered your other questions here:

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......art=40#8

I printed/published a fun, EZ routine in my book ("Dick Oslund -- Road Scholar") I've used it, since 1985, and it PLAYS, for adults, and high school students.