Fire Eating Torches

Warning!

Fire burns! Burns Performers AND Onlookers!

STOP here if you don't believe me.

Having learned fire at a tender age, I'll pass on a few tiny tips

• I make torches using 13 inch long silver-steel rods (although plain welding rods will do) last time I used 1/8th inch diameter.
  If they are too thin they bend when you're waving them about!
  If they are too thick, they get heavy (for instance if you are holding one in your teeth it might fall over ... )
• Don't use wadding/cotton/old-rag to bind torches - it can catch fire!
  Dubé's have a special string in their catalog. Item #0285: Fire Eating Cord (Wicking Cord). Ask a (boy) Scout how to do "whipping" to fix it on.
  Basically:
  • Double the end of the string and lay it along the rod with the loop just past the end.
    

          _________
    loop (________________________string
          =========================rod
    

  • start winding the string _tightly_ over the doubled part, covering it completely but leaving the loop and the short end sticking out.
    You can make two or three layers according to how fat the torch has to be.

          0000000\
    loop (-_-_-_-/--short end
          ==========================rod
          0000000__long end
    

  • Tuck the long end through the loop. and pull the short end with a pair of pliers so that the loop disappears under the binding.

  • cut off the ends.