I have been working with canes in my act for a while now, but recently I have been trying to do a silk to cane, and it isn't working too well. The particular one I am going for is spinning the silk around that turns into the cane (like Dimmare). I have tried countless things, including weighting the end of the silk, but I just cant get the release right. I must just be holding it wrong or something becuase it just doesn't look right. Any advice would be appriciated. Thanks

Video tape your self! It may look fine to the audience, but you might be catching a bad angle or something. Good luck.
Kyle

You might also need to try a different weight of silk.

I make Dale Salwak's for the cane to silk and then reappearance of the cane. It is a very thin silk and a special size. A heavier silk would allow it to open more slowly. Just a thought.

Neil Foster used to to this method also.

The cane silk I am using right now is very light, as I am using a Fantasio cane. It is also in the shape of a cane, which I don't like as much, but its the best I could find at our local magic shop, and I have been looking all over the internet for an actual cane silk but have been unable to find one. Does anyone have any advice on any special way of holding the cane? or where to find a real cane silk? If anyone has ever seen Dimmare do this, you know how slick and clean it is.

If you want a silk that looks like Dimmare's buy a white silk, and with a permanent marker, color all but the one corner.
Kyle
P.S. I am sure they sell these silks, but I haven't seen one. This is just and idea.

Rice Silk King Studio's sells these white tipped silks.

http://www.silkkingmagic.com/cat2.htm

They come in 18" size and sells for $20.

Something tells me that my Fantasio cane won't work with this silk. Can anyone recommend a good appearing cane that might work with a silk this large? I have been using Fantasio exclusivley, so I don't know much about other canes.

On the Fantasio Appearing Cane, for how long does it keep it's snap? Would you recommend a plastic or metal cane?
Thanks,
Loren

Any of the metal appearing canes will work with the Rice silk. You are correct, as you did not state you used Fantasio. Fantasio only can use a 12" silk, I never tried the diamond cut silks with the Fantasio cane. They may work just fine.

Again, I must point you to Rice's for the routines for metal canes.
http://www.silkkingmagic.com/cat3.htm

Should I go with a Walsh cane? I have heard that lots of people use them, and I have always thought about upgrading the canes I have to metal ones. I know they (Walsh) make appearing canes but do they make vanishing ones as well? I will definatly go with a metal cane so I can get the cane silk and use it.

Loren, I really wouldn't recommend a Fantasio Cane. They don't seem to keep their snap for very long at all. I have been trying to practice with mine a lot recently, and it is just getting beat. I always store it open and everything, but it just not very high quality for extended use. I'm beginning to think of them kind of like a "disposible" cane.

Walsh was a brand name no longer available. The book has routines and ideas on magic you can do with all metal canes.

Now all metal canes are imports from Germany, India, and Japan. Tannen's Magic had some high quality canes but their web site is now down, think they are going out of business.

The appearing metal canes are easy to learn but the metal vanishing are more difficult and has been known to cut your hand if not properly executed. Therefore, I use the vanishing cane in newspaper as discribed in the book. I have seen the vanishing cane performed for a visual vanish, but I have never used this method in shows.

Have you ever done the spinning silk to cane? If you have, do you have any advice on getting it to work correctly? There must be something that I'm not understanding in the way you hold the silk and the cane before you let it go. When I used to do this effect in my show, I would just produce a regular silk and turn it into the cane...but now that I am spinning the silk, it makes it an entirely different story.

I don't know if I can help because the effect is done in a number of ways. Some let the cane out gradually and others really work at the spinning and let it fly. Hold the end between the little finger and 3rd finger. Do not stop after letting go, keep spinning for several revolutions with the cane fully extended.

It will not work with a Fantasio Cane as well. Remember it is plastic and therefore it will fly out of shape. A metal cane will hold it shape.

Yeah I think I will have to get the metal cane before I can really do the effect well. I am definitely going for just letting the cane fly, but my issue is I'm spinning the cane and its like the silk is getting sucked up into my hand as the cane is shooting out the other direction from my hand. But in order to spin the silk it can't have a direct shot back into the cane. I'm very confused

First of all the silk is tied to the cane by a corner of the silk. 2nd, it does not work with a plastic cane. Third, that is exactly what happens, except if you use a metal cane it is much faster, and you will not see it happen.

Hold the cane in the right hand with the silk showing. Make a circluar motion with your arm and spin the silk. Let go of the cane and hold onto the ferrule as you are spinning. Stop and show the cane.

Thanks, I understand it better now. I will get the cane and try it. You have been a very big help

I would recommend either getting a Walsh cane or a Japanese cane. To date, these are the best quality avaialable.

If you can't find one, write me and I might find a spare that I could sell.

Are you using a metal cane? That would probably work better.
Kyle

Metal's good but it can cut you worse than a papercut. Be careful your first few times practicing.

In my performance I would display the silk then almost instantly toss the silk as it transforms into the cane.

If the metal canes are done right, they do not cut.
Kyle