fire eatting

[giant kid]

simple question about fire eatting, i don't know much about it, but want to learn, does the wick ever touch the inside of the mouth in process? i am looking to build some, and can i put metal screws in the wick to secure it? as a matter of fact what would make the best wick?

[Steven Ragatz]

Common sense dictates that metal screws are a bad idea. They get very hot and one bump will result in a nasty burn.

Steven Ragatz

[Rachel Peters]

Having someone show you, first hand, physically in front of you is the best way to learn.
I have, however, learned some good things from this book:

http://www.oddballs.co.uk/fire-eating-a-manual-of-instruction-fire-book-p-343.html

I use their advice in wick wrapping/tying off, and I think I may have even evolved it a bit.
It's a little bit like noose tying. ...Don't ask how I learned to tie a noose.

Anyway, find a mentor, too.

[jesus]

Just say no

First off, sooner or later all fire eaters get burned.
That aside, the toxins from whatever fuel you use will enter your body through the soft tissues of your mouth, and over a long carreer it will catch up with you. (But maybe you dont plan a long carreer.)
It looks really cool and show wise it is big bang for the buck; but there are safer ways to make a living.
And that...is my two cents.

[Stephon]

I strongly suggest you read, then re-read, this before you undertake learning to eat fire.

[Rachel Peters]

I once burned my whole beard off.

[Lee Nelson]

you gotta love that

It looks really cool and show wise it is big bang for the buck; but there are safer ways to make a living.
And that...is my two cents.

And this from a sword swallower.!!!

Thats worth more than two cents!

[roughtoughcreampuf]

[Schuyler]

But it was a job. You'd be around other performers, and after a while, if they liked you, and liked your attitude, they might just teach you something new. Sometimes you had to pay them, but they'd teach you.

It can be frustrating waiting for "a while" to be up, but there you have it.

[Rachel Peters]

Re: you gotta love that

Originally posted by Lee Nelson
And this from a sword swallower.!!!

Thats worth more than two cents!

Yeah, my first cautionary "I don't recommend it" was from Stephon.
Good times.
People told me how to do it right away, but I think they wanted me to die.

But yeah. I reiterate, get to know people. Read to get the basic idea, then make friends.

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

Take advice only from people who do it, if you want to do it. It aint rocket science; a monkey could do it, the guy telling you not to use screws never ate fire in his life: you can use screws. Heat rises, keep your head back. Don't inhale. Start with no flame, then use just one drop of fuel, then 2 drops, ect. Let the torch cool between sessions. I'll show you anytime. Its awesome and super safe, people are nailed to their seats for 5 minutes, if you play it right. I recommend it to anyone over three months old.

Other than that, I have no opinions.

[Rachel Peters]

You taught your kid to do it, didn't ya, Taxi?

I was on CBC Radio this morning *shining my chewed up nails on my shirt right now* and I was introduced as a "fire breathing filmmaker". I inturrupted to make the correction. I was a "fire eating " fimmaker.

"There's a difference?" She asked.
"Yes," I said. "Fire breathing is actually dangerous."

Then we talked about Martin's stupid story.
Apprently he's more interesting than me.
pffffft.

[roughtoughcreampuf]

Originally posted by Rachel Peters
You taught your kid to do it, didn't ya, Taxi?

I was on CBC Radio this morning *shining my chewed up nails on my shirt right now* and I was introduced as a "fire breathing filmmaker". I inturrupted to make the correction. I was a "fire eating " fimmaker.

"There's a difference?" She asked.
"Yes," I said. "Fire breathing is actually dangerous."

Then we talked about Martin's stupid story.
Apprently he's more interesting than me.
pffffft.

They make ya sound like some sort of dragon! Fire breathing.
Like Mushu from Mulan

[Steven Ragatz]

the guy telling you not to use screws never ate fire in his life: you can use screws.

OK, then let me qualify that statement.

On the rare occasion that I have had to dirty myself with such a pedestrian trick as fire eating, I have used torches where the wicks were wrapped onto the handle with wax-free dental floss. No wires or screws to get hot. On the other hand, my juggling torches have screws to attach the wicks since they need to be much more securely fixed to withstand the inertia when the torch is thrown. Sticking one of them in my mouth requires making sure that the screws are properly aligned so that they point to the side as they do get very hot. The wick itself doesn't get hot because the fuel is what burns, but any metal (wires or screws for example) that are used to fix the wick to the handle heat up nicely. I used to hold the lit juggling torch with my teeth, so I had to pay extra attention to the screw placement before doing that trick.

But, I have not had, or wanted, to do any fire stuff for years. Done that, been there, then decided that my health was way more important that some stranger's petty amusements. "Oooh! Look at the circus monkey!" When I became unimpressed, so did they.

Fuel poisoning, chemical pneumonia and ulcers are all on the short list of reasons you might decide not to bother with fire. Then there's the smell, the grease, the transport problems and having to deal with the fire marshal. Oh, and the biggest reason of all? It's what the audience expects, which in my book, makes it a deal breaker.

There are some good fire acts out there, but they are shadowed by all of the others who try to use fire in place of talent or skill. If you decide to get into it, don't just do it half-assed, REALLY get into it. Ignore the cheap wow factor and do the research to learn what fire is all about. Discover the new fire.

Fire manipulation/eating is still in my repertoire, but I drag the torches and fuel out of storage only under duress - usually when I'm having to be the desperate circus monkey.

Steven Ragatz

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

Ah!

Steve, I took a chance on that one, thought there was no way you had ever gone there. I just can't see you doing it.

You are wrong, though, even if you happen to be right. I use a Mr. Babache, the best fire wand on the planet, and they plonk two screws dead in the middle of the works. Never hurts a bit.

http://www.firetoys.co.uk/juggling/Fire_Eating_Wands.html