Forums > Technical Discussion > oval chain cords vs wire...
Login/Join to Participatenewbie
14 posts
Location: Europe
14 posts
Location: Europe
Posted:
Hi there,
I just did a search, but most discussions were about ball chains...
I like to see your opinions. It´s time for a new pair of poi chains and I think of getting me wire instead of chain. Any experience with that? Anyone? What about SAFETY? Has anyone see a wire fail? (I´m gonna buy some here on this site! No more self-made experiments...too many kids around in the audience - and burnable tents ...!!)
The other one I like (thats about what I got now) is the 3mm twist oval chain cords. But mine aren´t welded, so I like the safety aspect of those I can get here
I don´t like ball chains, no matter how good they maybe are...but I don´t trust them . I can never be sure if there is no frizz inside a ball..and if it will make my poi fly off into the people... I can live pretty good with burning myself...but I don´t have the money or insurance to pay if others get burned or worse!
Hope to hear some ideas!!! Come on !!
Hi there,
I just did a search, but most discussions were about ball chains...
I like to see your opinions. It´s time for a new pair of poi chains and I think of getting me wire instead of chain. Any experience with that? Anyone? What about SAFETY? Has anyone see a wire fail? (I´m gonna buy some here on this site! No more self-made experiments...too many kids around in the audience - and burnable tents ...!!)
The other one I like (thats about what I got now) is the 3mm twist oval chain cords. But mine aren´t welded, so I like the safety aspect of those I can get here
I don´t like ball chains, no matter how good they maybe are...but I don´t trust them . I can never be sure if there is no frizz inside a ball..and if it will make my poi fly off into the people... I can live pretty good with burning myself...but I don´t have the money or insurance to pay if others get burned or worse!
Hope to hear some ideas!!! Come on !!
SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom
Posted:
Chains every time Wire is quite restrictive, in my opinion. Plus it kinks.. = bad
Chains every time
Wire is quite restrictive, in my opinion. Plus it kinks.. = bad What a wonderful miracle if only we could look through each other's eyes for an instant.
Thoreau
GOLD Member
enthusiast
389 posts
Location: Utrecht [NL], Netherlands
enthusiast
389 posts
Location: Utrecht [NL], Netherlands
Posted:
I'm only a fire-newbie (2 fire swings), so don't trust me... but I can't imagine my firepoi with something else than a steel cable.
It's 2mm thick, highly adjustable (just unscrew the 'clips'), strong (afaik) and VERY light.
I'm only a fire-newbie (2 fire swings), so don't trust me... but I can't imagine my firepoi with something else than a steel cable.
It's 2mm thick, highly adjustable (just unscrew the 'clips'), strong (afaik) and VERY light.
"Don’t know how long, this one’s gonna take;
I could fail, but I’d rather be a fuckup, than a fake"
SILVER Member
Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England
Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England
Posted:
My first set of fire poi were cable.
- Once they've kinked they never quite spin right.
- They tear out hair if you wrap somewhere like your arms
- It doesn't take much to break a strand of cable. When that happens you're spinning around a broken piece of wire with 2 very sharp bits that can quite easily slice bits of you open.
Since I've spun with chains, there's no way that I'm going back to any poi made with cables. Not even if they were free.
My first set of fire poi were cable.
- Once they've kinked they never quite spin right.
- They tear out hair if you wrap somewhere like your arms
- It doesn't take much to break a strand of cable. When that happens you're spinning around a broken piece of wire with 2 very sharp bits that can quite easily slice bits of you open.
Since I've spun with chains, there's no way that I'm going back to any poi made with cables. Not even if they were free.
But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
resident bagpiper
342 posts
Location: Vermont, USA
342 posts
Location: Vermont, USA
Posted:
done both, use chains... for the love of god, use chains... had a bad experience with an airwrap...
ballchain is my pref
done both, use chains... for the love of god, use chains... had a bad experience with an airwrap...
ballchain is my pref
Q:What's the difference between the Great Highland Bagpipes and the Northumbrian Pipes?
A:The Great Highland Pipes burn longer.
PLATINUM Member
bastard child of satan
1,113 posts
Location: Raanana, Israel
bastard child of satan
1,113 posts
Location: Raanana, Israel
Posted:
ball\oval chains are the best... in a few words...
WIRES SUCK!!
It's very hard to do hyperloops/airwraps with them... and you can't do wraps with them... hurts alot (it can cut your skin...)... and I think they transfer heat if you do buzzsaws
ball\oval chains are the best... in a few words...
WIRES SUCK!!
It's very hard to do hyperloops/airwraps with them... and you can't do wraps with them... hurts alot (it can cut your skin...)... and I think they transfer heat if you do buzzsaws
GOLD Member
ARRRR!
529 posts
Location: Charlotte, NC, USA
ARRRR!
529 posts
Location: Charlotte, NC, USA
Posted:
Ditto to what the others have said. Your first choice should be ball chain or twisted oval link chain. If you are concerned about safety and longevity then the welded twisted oval link chain is the answer. Ball chain will last for months of spinning but after that it's anyones guess as to when they will fail. Twisted oval link chain is slightly more difficult for hyperloops and does not swivel as well as ball chain. It's basically a tradeoff between performance and observable dependability. Either way (ball chain or oval link) you will have the best poi chains for the job.
Ditto to what the others have said. Your first choice should be ball chain or twisted oval link chain. If you are concerned about safety and longevity then the welded twisted oval link chain is the answer. Ball chain will last for months of spinning but after that it's anyones guess as to when they will fail. Twisted oval link chain is slightly more difficult for hyperloops and does not swivel as well as ball chain. It's basically a tradeoff between performance and observable dependability. Either way (ball chain or oval link) you will have the best poi chains for the job.
"My skin is singed but it heals my heart and with glowing pride I'll wear my scars." -Davey Havok
newbie
14 posts
Location: Europe
14 posts
Location: Europe
Posted:
Thankyou!! So I´ll go again with oval link chains!!...welded this time! Actually I fell in love with some I´ve seen on here, although they´re more than $ 60!! But looks like they are worth it!!
Take care!!
Thankyou!! So I´ll go again with oval link chains!!
...welded this time! Actually I fell in love with some I´ve seen on here, although they´re more than $ 60!! But looks like they are worth it!! Take care!!
BRONZE Member
old hand
929 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
old hand
929 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
Posted:
Even though you're determined not to make your own, I've got dog choker chain collars on mine, comes in various sizes and still welded and strong.. I'd only spin ballchain on practice poi but thats just because I'm paranoid of catastrophic failure with fire. Stick with the curb chain
Even though you're determined not to make your own, I've got dog choker chain collars on mine, comes in various sizes and still welded and strong.. I'd only spin ballchain on practice poi but thats just because I'm paranoid of catastrophic failure with fire. Stick with the curb chain
#homeofpoi -- irc.newnet.net Come talk to us we're bored
Warning: Please Do Not Jump On The Seals
SILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
Posted:
Ive had the same ball chain for over a year now. and its tiny. the balls are about 2mm big.
and they are strong.
yes, they have broken when ive been using them, but only after I have accidentally hit one of them on the floor hard.
I love ball chain, and I would go exactly with Bovril on not even using wire cahin even if it was free.
EDITED_BY: Unattractive Cranky Old Freud (1108498666)
Ive had the same ball chain for over a year now. and its tiny. the balls are about 2mm big.
and they are strong.
yes, they have broken when ive been using them, but only after I have accidentally hit one of them on the floor hard.
I love ball chain, and I would go exactly with Bovril on not even using wire cahin even if it was free.
EDITED_BY: Unattractive Cranky Old Freud (1108498666)
SILVER Member
addict
475 posts
Location: Van Diemans Land, Australia
addict
475 posts
Location: Van Diemans Land, Australia
Posted:
There is also one other thing.
Whatever material you could buy that home of poi endorse (i guess if they sell it they endorse it) wether it be wires or chain or balls.
its going to be good for poi and the rest is up to personal preference.
My personal choice is Stainless steel oval chain. its strong, looks good and is nice and heavy the way i like it.
But please please please use quality equipment especially when working with fire. thats all i will say. at my local spin there are some people that have home made poi with cheep hardware store thin tiny chains with fishing swivels and otherbudget items.
I cannot stress this enough. You are working with FIRE please use good quality equipment and really you cant go wrong
There is also one other thing.
Whatever material you could buy that home of poi endorse (i guess if they sell it they endorse it) wether it be wires or chain or balls.
its going to be good for poi and the rest is up to personal preference.
My personal choice is Stainless steel oval chain. its strong, looks good and is nice and heavy the way i like it.
But please please please use quality equipment especially when working with fire. thats all i will say. at my local spin there are some people that have home made poi with cheep hardware store thin tiny chains with fishing swivels and otherbudget items.
I cannot stress this enough. You are working with FIRE please use good quality equipment and really you cant go wrong
Fair luna bright, fair luna moon
it shines at night but fades too soon
fair luna moon, fair luna bright
forever we dance
we dance under starlight
BRONZE Member
old hand
929 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
old hand
929 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
Posted:
That's like going rock climbing with the keychain carabiners..... Stupid, but where theres a way, stupid people will find it.
That's like going rock climbing with the keychain carabiners..... Stupid, but where theres a way, stupid people will find it.
#homeofpoi -- irc.newnet.net Come talk to us we're bored
Warning: Please Do Not Jump On The Seals
GOLD Member
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom
Posted:
stainless steel ball chain is the only way to go....size dependant on head size.
stainless steel ball chain is the only way to go....size dependant on head size.
Let's relight this forum 
SILVER Member
addict
475 posts
Location: Van Diemans Land, Australia
addict
475 posts
Location: Van Diemans Land, Australia
Posted:
Maybe i will have to make a ball chain poi set.
I seem to be the only spinner who doesnt use them
Written by: Dunc
stainless steel ball chain is the only way to go....size dependant on head size.
Maybe i will have to make a ball chain poi set.
I seem to be the only spinner who doesnt use them
Fair luna bright, fair luna moon
it shines at night but fades too soon
fair luna moon, fair luna bright
forever we dance
we dance under starlight
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