Fire breathing

First, I wanted to say 'hi' to everyone. I have been reading this site for a while now, and the things that you people do with fire is amazing. Anways, I am most intrigued with Fire Breathing. There is just something about it that is so cool...I dunno maybe the 10 foot flame coming out of your mouth?

I know everyone talks like Fire Breathing is an instant cancer or something, and it seems like it is looked down upon in this community, but I just wanted to ask a question or two.

First, I have read a lot and I know that alcohol is supposedly out of the question for a fuel, but did you ever see it used? On the weekends I work at a bar, and another employee there fire breathes with Bacardi 151, during the song "When the Devil Went Down to Georgia", and his flames do to the ceiling, atleast 15ft high from his head, and they are aggressive looking, with a strong bluish white flame in the center. It actually looks scary, I will definitely get a picture this fri/sat of him doing it.

Now, when I do it with lamp oil, I just get a think, smokey flame which is impressive but it just seems like 151 is a better choice when it comes to flame look. I bought some 151, and I barely can get a small fireball out...I cant aspirate the thinner liquid.

Ok now my question (the previous was just some stuff I wanted to share) is when I use lamp oil...if I have a half mouthfull and I blow, most will come out as liquid. When I get to about 1/8 to 1/4 of a mouthfull I start to get nice flames. Im assuming this is all due to me not aspirating correctly...so any advice? What I do is I close my lips just like they are resting, then hold them taught while blowing through. Most FAQ's say to purse lips like playing the trumpet, but of course I have never played it so I have no idea how do do this. The other FAQ said to act like you are going to whistle, and blow out. If I do that, it basically comes out 97% liquid stream. Thanks for any advice.

first off the reason people say never to use alchol is because of the flames heat its is very hot which is porbebly why it has a white flame. Its also very unpredictable as you said its a less viscous matieral thus harder to vapourise,

I am sorry but i cant give you any advice on Fire Breathing as i dont feel i am the best person to give advice on it and i wouldnt want it on my mind if you got injured

Also, of course, alcohol is absorbed through the membranes in the mouth, causing inebriation/drunkeness.

This is the last thing you need when doing something like fire-breathing, which is, by far, the most dangerous of fire arts and one which has seriously hurt many sober and experienced practitioners.

Thanks for your replies. I know that alcohol as a fuel can be more dangerous, but man the flames are definitely impressive.

I have been doing very well and I have good control of holding the fuel in my mouth, not swallowing any fuel, breathing through my nose only, and wiping my mouth after breathing.

Can anyone help with the aspiration process, moreso the way the mouth should be used? Like I said above I can do nice with a small amount of liquid, but with a larger amount of liquid, mostly large droplets come out which wont burn. Thanks for any advice.

I have to say that while you claim to have done research, I find it hard to believe. A simple thread search on HoP will turn up dozens of Fire Breathing based threads, many with the information you are asking for in it (it also shows me that you ignored the insta-search that happens when you go to post a new thread and pulls up related threads).

I can also tell that you did not read the information in those threads that pointed to our own articles here on HoP about Fire Breathing. If you had, all of your questions would have been answered, including why alcohol is *the worst* fuel to use and aspiration and practice techniques and that if you are not aspirating properly, you should even be attempting with fire at all anyway.

check here for faq


here for interview

On the net it still sounds to me like you have not done alot of research as I *know* there are alot of very good sites that answer your questions (because I contributed to many of them personally). There is also the website of websites....just for you

pele cares a great deal about this subject, and other peoples safety, just saying that as it's your first thread so I hope it's not put you off.

I think I'd be right in saying If there's too much liquid in your mouth then it's not possible to mix it with enough air as you exhale to produce vapour, ie, the air is stuck at the back pushing the water out, instead of mixing through it.

Thats me just being a little interested in the theory behind it though, mostly I'd say it is worth thinking deep calm thoughts about why such a huge group of performers are so happy with such dangerous toys, but stay sooooo sooooooo very clear of this.

and isn't it cute the way the term Fire Breathing gets automatically turned into a link to useful info whenever you post it in a thread

P.S. I reckon it's easier to pull cute girls/guys with poi/staff/CJ on fire or not, than any display of spitting, no matter how practised or colourful

Thanks Yakumo I really do and this topic is sooooo near to my heart.

You can have a strong amount of liquid in your mouth as long as your aspiration technique is strong, as that is where the air is introduced. It is most important to get as fine of a mist as humanly possible.

LOL...the sex appeal of Fire Breathing has never really been tops. Between the shiny residue on the face and the kero breath/burps...it's hot I tell you H-O-T! NOT! lol

neither count if he's planning to do it with alcohol, hence 'creative spitting is still spitting!' jab

great link pele

thanks

actually, that makes this duped thread entirely worthwhile for me too, I hadn't actually seen the Pele interview before, that was great. (as an interview, all the accidents are obviously regrettable)

>edit<

wrote the above only half way through the vid..

Pele ..... that's terrifying
I'm so glad you seem to be doing ok now.

I used to occasionally do some Fire Breathing at parties, but decided never again, decision so much far more reinforced now...

Well first off, Pele, I did infact do a good amount of research on Fire Breathing. The instant search that comes up before posting did NOT give me any help with aspiration techniques, so I went ahead and made the post. If you dont believe me, try the instant search and post what you find about aspiration techniques.

Second, I know WHY alcohol is not the best choice in fuel, and a dangerous choice indeed, I was stating the impressiveness of using 151 as fuel. I have already tried using 151, and it definitely works easier for me than lamp oil, but 151 burns my mouth too much to use it often so I have been using lamp oil.

Also, I have seen your video about the accident you had with Fire Breathing, and I watched that a good while ago, before I even thought about trying Fire Breathing. I think that was a horrible accident, and Im glad you are doing good today.

In my searches, which I know are doubted, I cannot find help in the specifics of aspiration! On every search that I have done, people write 90% of the Fire Breathing article on saftey, and the other 10% on what to use, fuels, kevlar, etc, and none of them really go in depth about aspiration. Mostly the articles spend .001% of the text on actually blowing it out.

aares, I did write it in my article on it. Like blowing tight lipped raspberries. Blowing a trumpet supposedly (I never have myself). That's it. That is all there is to it. Practice controlling the flow using your cheeks and your tongue. There is nothing more to write on it because that is it.
For most people water is harder to aspirate so most of us advise that you practice with that until you get it where you want it to be.

Seems to me you might be looking for some kind of hint or help that is not there because it actually isn't any more complicated than that.

Simply, keep practicing. If your fuel is coming out mostly liquid, try harder. Tighten your lips, breathe harder. The majority should come out in a mist. Once you can do this, lamp oil should be more productive for you. The reason you are getting better results from alcohol right now is because it burns faster and therefore more of the liquid fuel is getting burnt whereas with the lamp oil, it just falls to the ground. Once you can get a good mist with the oil, you'll get much bigger flames. Also try holding the torch closer to your face when using oil. I believe the technique for alcohol is a bit different in that you should hold the flame further from your face. With lamp oil, it needs to be a bit closer to burn more of the fuel. I get the best results from igniting lamp oil within 6 inches of my mouth.