I wanna make my own pair of Slydini's silks. Will the silks in the market work? Which silk is best for this use?

If I'm not mistaken, the Slydini Silks today are made from parachute material. You might check that out.

-Ron

The marketed Slydini Silks are made from rip-stop nylon. He taught me how to perform it with regular 18" silks.

His were 21".

Enjoy!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Rip-Stop is available in a variety of colors at Joann's and Hancock Fabrics.

If you tease a thread out along the outer border and hem lines it really makes cutting a true square and hemming easier. It is well worth the extra time. pm me if you want details as it is not easy.

I'm usually working with Butterfly linings which look like Silk (don't pack like silk) and wear like iron.
I'm assuming the same would apply to Rip Stop.

-Mary Mowder

Thanks everyone. Specifically where can I get the cloth like rip-stop nylon, Butterfly linings, parachute material near Washington DC and how much it will cost.

And again I guess Bob Sanders personally knew Slydini. I'm the biggest fan of Slydini. I hope he will write 'bout Slydini as a person, his interactions with him and then send a pm to me informing where he posted it.

By trade, Tony Slydini was a tailor. That is why he made these rip-stop hanks himself. What he sold at lectures and in shops were all white, but he made me a few from colored material because I was about his only student who liked dove magic best. I have never used them because they are just too stiff for pretty dove magic. But, of course, they are priceless to me.

Bob Sanders
Magic by Sander

Dear asgar,

Never mind about the thread teasing stuff. Rip Stop has a tiny grid that will make it unnecessary.

Just ask the people at the shop if they have Rip- Stop or parachute material. The right material has a tiny grid in it. If you've seen Slydini Silks you know what I mean.

I'll pm you the rest.

-Mary Mowder

The lady is right on target!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Having made plenty of these 'silks' out of rip-stop nylon, pay particular attention to making a very narrow hem (difficult to do with this material!) and the corners need to be FLAT!. Otherwise, you are realy making problems for yourself on the performance end of things.

Just buy a French hemming/serger machine for an attachment for your sewing machine. Today's sewing machines are really easy to use and do all the hard work for you.

Used sets are often for sale here on the Café. I don't know if you have to have 50 posts to get in there but it may be better than making your own.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Does anybody know the size of the silks included in the Slydini's Knotted Silks with DVD?

TIA!

18"

I'm lucky....

Tony Slydini gave me four sets of his silks when I met him at the Faucett Ross Magic Fest. He loved my false shuffle and said it was the best he'd ever seen.

I've been using silks from Bob Sanders for years, for the effect. Good silks will hold up the the stresses of the handling. I sewed a few stitches in the corners of one silk, in a slightly different color, so that I can tell them apart.

I have been using the marketed version for a while now and just because it is what I have used, I probably will not use anything else.

As far as making them yourself, you may end up paying more to make them yourself than if you just bought the marketed version. The ones that I have, as Alan mentioned above, have a corner on one of the silks to help keep track of it in the tying process. After a while of doing it, you more than likely will not need it, but sometimes it is a great help when having an audience member help tie them. They also have a ridiculously tiny hem and the thread that was used to sew the hem is quite thick (read: strong).

FYI - the version that I have was $30 from a dealer. BUT, if you still want to make your own, I have seen the Rip-Stop material at JoAnn Fabric and Hancock Fabric stores as Mary mentioned above, but also in some Hobby Lobby stores.

Jay Scott Berry sells (or did) a diamond silk that is longer than it is wide, but in performance looks like a regular silk. I am wondering if that pattern would be better for the Knotted Silk routine, as there would be less bunching at the knot.

Jim

There is a reason to use nylon and NOT silk. It works better, silk will catch and tighten. Being the trick depends on seeing the knot (that is where all the audience attention is focused) a full material is best for this effect. Using the thin corners of a Diamond Silk, would not work in my opinion. Small thin knot, harder to see, and will not release visually as it is suppose to, it would kill the magic moment and the total effect.

Just received General Grant's Price list, he lists the Slydini Silks for sale from him as well.

Good point, Bill. Thanks.

Jim

I use silk and it works as well as nylon. I wanted to add color to my act, and using quality silk was a way of doing that. My routine is different than Slydini's routine, in that I have a spectator on stage with me throughout the routine, tying the knots. The slight difference in knot size isn't a big issue. Also, my knot displays are such that the knot is obvious.