I too would recommend the Tim Star Reel.

I know that George at Viking is working on a new one too.

Ken

Please, do any of you guys know of a reel that will hold say 15 feet/ 5 metres of strong thread

I gather that the old Thornton Reel held up to 50 foot but where would one find a Thornton Reel in 2011? And who could afford one?

Allen Tipton
UK

Try John Kennedy's Hummingbird electronic Reel. It holds a lot of thread.
http://www.johnkennedymagic.com/scripts/......oduct=10

Posted: May 11, 2011 5:54am
I am bothered by all these comments about wanting a reels that is strong and fast. None of the reels are strong and fast, although that statement is subjective.

The reel is made to work with a silk or rope. Has very little to do with the speed and strength of the reel. If you are looking for a reel to anything other then the Serpent Silk or Silk thru microphone stand then a finger reel is not the best choice.

If you think your reel has to be faster, then it is your method of using it that is incorrect. The best instruction on the the reel and how to use it was put out by Paul Diamond years ago.

The reel is not suppose to reel in the silk so fast so all you have to do is stand there and hold the silk, the performer must do the correct actions for the effect to work correctly.

All the finger reels suggested for this effect perform all about the same as far as speed, because of the thread it must handle. Making a more powerful reel means you need to use a stronger thread, thus it is not as invisible, and you will be right back asking for a more invisible line for your reel.

So in the end, learn the proper handling of the reel and you will have an enjoyable experience with it.

I wonder if an automatic fishing reel would take the place of a Thornton Windlass. The prices are nice!

I've used many types of reels. Badge reels fail easily and are meant to be disposable. I had a Paul Diamond reel, many years ago, but the spring would break on a regular basis. The best that I've ever used for light duty work is a S. S. Adams bill snatcher. It was reliable and quite quiet, after I sprayed the line with silicone spray.

You can find a variety of reels here: http://www.abracadabra.co.uk/