This might be a totally off the wall question doomed to destroy my Vernet multiplying balls. Which is why I am asking if anyone else has ever done this before I obliterate my Vernet balls.

Has anyone ever tried to polish their Vernet multiplying balls in a tumbler? My goal is not to make them shiny (which it would do) but to smooth out the sharp, spiky, grip bumps so that they do not shred the skin on my fingers.

I happen to own a tumbler that I use to polish pinballs and pinball machine plastics and small metal parts. The media I usually keep around is corn cob media. If anyone has ever had any success with this, what media did you use? What speed did you use?

The problem with the Vernet Billiard Balls is that they are plastic, then a chrome is applied to them. Usually, chrome will not stick to plastic, so a coating of copper is applied first. So if you try to flatten or remove the points, you will either see a copper or the actual plastic the ball is made of. Most likely white plastic. I guess you could try, just rolling them on a hard surface and flatten the points just a little. I don't know if the colored balls are made with the same colored plastic as the outside, so it is just something you have to clip off a point and see if it is still the same color.

I believe a polisher would just destroy the balls. Chrome is usually only polished with chrome polish paste and buffed, which you cannot do because of all the points.

Thanks, Bill! That is why I asked first. My set is the white set (presumably untreated as you described the colored ones are) - but if this worked I was going to eventually get more colors and then I would be stuck with the copper showing through the chrome problem you described. Polishing might remove the chrome finish entirely. I will try your suggestion of flattening them by hand and report back. The next time I am at my local magic shop I will examine the different colored Vernet balls and see if I can discern if it is just the silver balls or all colors that are treated that way (unless someone here can speak further as to their manufacturing method). I have seen other non-magical plastic products treated in a similar manner irregardless of color - so I do not have my hopes up.

Pinball plastics are of pretty tough plastic material and any art is sealed inside. They are made to withstand high speed impacts from a ball bearing - which is why they work well in a tumbler/polisher. The Vernet balls are comparatively flimsier so I too am concerned they might just get destroyed.

Update:

I spent an hour rolling the balls hard on my kitchen table and uniformly flattening out the spikes. They are not as bad as before but still too painful to use.

Then you may be using balls that are to large for your hands. Depends on several factors, your height, your size hands, but having said that, I found Vernet balls to be very painful as well.

Again, I know nothing about you, but I find the rubber Billiard Balls they sell on eBay to be excellent. They ship form China, and are firm and soft, they come in two sizes and Red, White, Green, and I think now Yellow color. The rubber grips easily and can be held easily because they are rubber that will give a little between the finger.

The only thing I did to them is paint the inside of the shell to make it more opaque. Paint the same color as the sh**l on the inside only. Or do not have any back light while holding the hand out away from the body. Like don't perform in front of a window. They are very reasonably priced as well with free shipping from China.

Are those the gorilla balls?

No they are soft rubber balls.

I did forget that the Jieli Balls come in silicon and are excellent. Each set comes with 2 gimmicks.

I will PM you.