Can anyone direct me to where I can find nice Chinese Sticks and Pom Pom poles?
Most of the online shops don't have them.

Thanks!

Rannie

Rannie,

As Far As Pom Pon Poles Go I Think That Kovari Has An Excellent Product.
I've Tried Many And Wound Up Keeping The One From Kovari.

As Far As Chinese Sticks Go I Know That George At Viking Mfg. Had Some Decent Sticks But I Think They Are Currently Out Of Stock.

Again, Kovari.
I Also Have Had Several Other Brands And Keep Working With The Kovari Sticks.
Mikame Sticks Are Nice But A Little Too Noisy.
You Can Check With Denny Haney And Denny And Lee Magic Studio In Baltimore As He Usually Carries The Kovari Sticks.
There Are Two Types:
One Is A Regular Set Of Chinese Sticks.
The Other Has The Cord And Tassle Grow To An Impossibly Long Length.
Not Sure Of The Name Of The Second Type.
Call Denny In Baltimore, Maryland, And I'm Sure He Would Be Glad To Help You.
I Hope That Helped A Little.

Best,

Vincent

Posted: May 17, 2008 5:32pm
Rannie,

Apparently The Rolls Royce Of Chinese Sticks Is Being Made By Gen Grant.
Not Cheap But People Like Harry Murphy Use Them And That's A Heck Of A Recommendation.
No Website For Grant But I Believe His Email Is: ggmagic@aol.com.

Best,

Vincent

Thanks a lot Vincent!I appreciate the help.

Best from Manila,

Rannie

I carry the Kovari sticks if you're interested Rannie.
PM me.

Just saw a new product: Kovari's Ultimate Chinese Sticks. It looks great, but I'm not sure whether the pricing is good? What is the normal pricing for a good set of Chinese Sticks? I'm interested in getting one too.

The Kovari sticks are expensive. I believe the list price is $240.

General Grant makes great sticks. They are well made out of polished brass. He makes both round and square sticks. He also makes a set of mini-sticks. The mini-sticks are around $100 and the other sticks are around $200, but I'm not completely sure of the price.

The really cheap sticks work surprisingly well. The $10 sticks work better than some sticks that cost up to $100.

I've never been fond of this effect, but Martin Lewis has a nice twist. He shows you how to construct your own - and then destroy them at the end of the trick, as you break them into little tiny pieces. Of course you need to make a new set for each show, but the prep is not that hard and it's worth the effort.

I have the ALI BONGO's Pom-Pom.Is very good! I buy for 16 years ago, but when I get it was not the Ali Bongo routine. Any body know where I can watch this routine?

Paulo

I have a set of Chinese sticks that are made by Davenports in England and I am very happy with them. The working is very smooth, also they are big and bright yellow, perfect kid show prop. You can find them on the Davenports web site.

Ali Bongo's original routine for the Histed Sticks (AKA Pom Pom Pole) is in a hard cover book "Magic Circle Magic".

Thanks Pete for the information.

Paulo

I wonder if anyone is able to perform the pom pom poles as magic.

Okay, it is possible for children younger than eight and for some (but not all) very old people, but I think everybody who sees it, knows how it is done. This would be a good piece of magic hundred years ago, but not nowadays, in a technical time.

Perhaps some or more spectators have fun watching it, but where is the magic? Does anyone see it and think "Oh, this is impossible, it can`t be, it is real magic!"

I am very interessted in your opinion!

Kind regards!

Angelo

I was lucky enough to see Ali Bongo perform the Pom Pom Pole live. When he cracked that pole apart and showed us no inner workings the audience was as fooled as it gets. He had us. It was the rhythm of his patter and the movement of the pom poms, it was very magical. But like all magic it can be done bad and it can be done...magically.

Okay, I also saw him, he is a very, very great magician - but he performed this effect 30 years ago!!!
And in old magic books (about 150 years old) you see the following trick: A dark room, one single candle and if you put a piece of window-glass behind it, there suddenly appears a second candle!

Kind regards!

Angelo

Hi,
I recently (about a month ago) so Kevin Spencer perform this in Austin (Spencer's Theater of Illusion) and my daughter (7) and my wife (30's) had no idea how it was done and they were both amazed. (Let me back a little they thought they knew how it was done until the final when he split it into two pieces. )
It was a very enjoyable trick but it does require the patter and rhythm to be great.

Suggestion did you try any of the collectors sales such as Ron Allesi,Martinka,or Kenna Thompson magic.some time they have very nice ones at resonable prices also try Fantasom Magic.

I was fooled the first time I saw the Pom-Pom sticks. When I learned how the Chinese sticks work I was doubly fooled by the pom-pom. Eventually I figured it out.

With all of the high tech stuff going on, I've heard some really amazing explanation of the Chinese sticks. One of my favorites was an electric motor in each stick connected to a little bit of radio controlled circuitry. When one stick senses the tassel is being pulled down, the other stick turns on the motor, and vice versa.

I almost wanted to divulge the secret to prove them wrong.

Marty... I made set with electric motors years ago. But now have a much better system. See my set on Stevens chinese sticks teach in.

Pete,

I watch the video often. I like some of the things you can do with your sticks that you can't do with the tradional sticks and have used your third tassel gag a few times with good reactions.

I like the tradional sticks but might make up a set like yours at some point.