Wire wool

So can this be done with staffs as well?

I've seen it done with poi enough times and I don't see why not but I've never heard of anyone doing it before and nothing came up when I searched for it in the staff section.

Anyone done it? I'm sure it'd look sick!

pyrophile, I have been tempted to try Wire wool with the staff as I have done it enough times with poi but I am not very good with the staff as yet and I am far too worried about giving myself some serious burns if I do try it

Mark P

Mark,

What things should I consider when setting out to do this? i.e. safety & construction

Cheers.

I havent had much experience with anything other than cages for poi.

Someone once told me that you could just wrap your wicks with some Wire wool and use something like a little but of wire to hold them on - I dont know wether this would damage your wicks or not as it would leave some molten steel behind.
Another way would be to make a chicken wire cage to attach to the ends on the staff.

As for safety, make sure you have plenty of space between you and any spectators as the sparks do go for a long way. Remember to wear long sleeves and trousers if possible, this just acts as enough of a barrier to stop you getting little burns on legs/arms. You also must remember that you wont be able to do all the moves that you can do with the staff, things like the corkscrew would just end up throwing loads of sparks into your body.

All in all I have done quite a lot of Wire wool burns with my poi-cages and havent had too many problems. I have once been shouted at because I was convinced to do it at a party which didnt really have enough space so I just stopped and at Glastonbury I got a bit carried away doing 360 weave turns, got dizzy and hit myself on the leg - this resulted in a little burn but nothing serious

Hope this helps and I look forward to hearing the results soon.

Mark P

Hey Hey, Wire wool, that material is sooo much fun! You can use cages for poi, but as Mark P says you can also wrap wire around a standard poi and fix with a single strip of garden wire. (did you see thae ones i made a Glastonbury?)

Apply this princible to ya staff, i found it best to use a long staff for the simple reason of 'the hot bits are further away from ya body' A short staff may release the Wire wool too close to ya body.

If you get a small section of towel and wrap it round your kevlar wicks before applying the wire, this will stop any moulten metal sticking to the kevlar and destroying your wicks.

I found as long as you keep the momentum going you shouldt get burnt (please dont quote me on that one!)

Anyhow mate hope it helps - go on get out there and give it a try!

Strugz.

Strugz, didnt manage see yours at glasto (were you in the fire display cos if so then I saw them in action )

I was in the stone circle most mornings before sun rise and did at least one Wire wool burn with my cages each day, I did take 2kg of Wire wool and 52l of paraffin between 2 of us!!

Mark P

Mark P & Strugz,

Which one of you was spinning the Wire wool poi whilst Hugo and I were spinning fire staff on the last night at Glastonbury?

I remember that the poi spinner was called Mark but I thought he was from Southampton and not Bath. Strugz sounds familiar, is that the Mark I know?

Either way, cheers to both of you for the advice, I'm going to get this made sometime this week and hopefully put some piccies up on the site.

And I'm back in England for a year in a few months, would be wicked to catch up with you all for a spin sometime.

Hi Pyrophile, unfortunately Glastonbury is all a little hazy (especially the sund night/mon morning).

I was in the stone circle doing fire and Wire wool on the last night we were on the left hand side (as you looked up the hill at the stones) near to the big tree. I can remember some other people were around (doing staff and poi) but cant remember who!

Mark P

A hazy last night for me too to say the least!

But I was on the right hand side as you look up the hill, we were with Ros (from HOP) and Hugo. (The Mark I met had fair short hair).

By the way, if Strugz is the guy I'm thinking of then he was performing on stage on the Sunday.

Dammit must have been another Mark, we were on the right hand side looking up the hill at the beginning of the week but then we moved to the LHS for the last couple of days.

If you are down this way then get in touch it would be good to go for a spin

Mark P

Will do mate, I'm in Plymouth next year so I'll email you sometime when I'm there.

Hey pyrophile -

the Mark you're thinking of is Mark Strugnell - Strugz He was the one spinning Wire wool while you and Hugo were spinning staff. It looked bloody amazing too Some huge sparkly poi in the centre spun by Mark and then Dave and Hugo spinning staff either side in front - I only wish that disposable camera had bothered to work

We couldn't see over to the other side though Mark P. But there's always next year.......

Hey there Ros!

ah good memories indeed! BTW Strugz had a camera with him and someone took photos with it so I might email him if he doesn't read this to ask if we can arrange to get copies and to see how things are, etc.

I'm going to try out this Wire wool staffing this weekend with any luck, I'll post up some piccies to let you know how it went, hopefully skin burn free!

Roll on Glasto 2003!

(Ros, I'll send you that music pm today or tomorrow)

think imust have met you all there as well, esp on sunday night on the right hand side... tho my playing was cut short by a whack on the head with my staff but i would happily subscribe to getting some pics if there are some floating around . and would be hideously and overpoweringly grateful also.
R
all good for 2003?

Mineiro,

Will definitely pm or email you if any photos show up!

hey Ros, it would be good to meet up if we make it to another festival or something soon

I met quite a few spinners at Glasto but as ever I cant remember all the names!!

Here are the photos which woody took with his digi camera : Glastonbury 2002 Photos

Contains photos of Wire wool, lemons, fire, lemons, flags, lemon launching and general silliness (oh yeah and did I mention lemons!)

Mark P

What exactly is Wire wool and where do you get it cause it sounds absolutely amazing.

Sindominia,

Check out your local DIY store and start from there.
I don't know how much experience you have spinning fire as you haven't been on this site much but I'm guessing if you haven't been doing it for very long I would suggest you wait a little while as this is more dangerous and requires a bit of reading up.

Saying that, look at the photos that Mark P put up, and see it as the light at the end of the tunnel!

(I myself am only moving into this area which is generally more unexperimented with staff as I've been spinning for a few years).

I've been doing staff for almost 4 years and poi for about a year but yeah you're right I haven't spent a lot of time on this site or any other so I'm kinda ignorant.

sindominia, I have only been indulging in the art of fire spinning since last October so I am sure you know a hell of a lot more than me with the staff!

Basic guidelines for Wire wool are as follows :

1. Ensure you have enough space (big empty field is a good place to start)
2. Have someone ready as a safety.
3. Start with basic moves that keep the ends of the staff away from your body (self explanitory really but there will be one hell of a lot of sparks!)
4. Spin fast and most of all have fun

Mark P