Forums > Social Chat > fire earing

Posted: 8th Jan 2001
hey jessejamesI found a cool(hot) website all about fire eating/breathing. www.fyretr.com Look in the tips, there's a lot to read but its worth it.good luck

Posted: 8th Jan 2001
Ok my personal thoughts. 1) Start by spelling it with a "t" (just kidding )2)Find a proffesional- I too would really like to learn this art, but because it is just that, an art I choose to wait until I can find a proffesional to teach me. I have talked to many pros who all agree with this, unfortunately none of them are in my area to teach me. If you choose not to heed my warning find a pro like Mephisto, Slim Price, Hrley, any other performer. The fact is you WILL get burned, it's just a question of when and how bad. All in all it's a question of acceptable risks, I could get hit crossing the street, but that kind of risk is acceptable to me. I may hit myself swinging and die from a head injury, but that's an acceptable risk. When I first started swingin I was pretty sure, I wasn't going to progress to fire, now that I've moved on, fire seems like an acceptable risk. Fire eating does not however, because I like being able to talk and taste. If it seems like an accetable risk to you, then go for, but don't be stupid. I'm sure I've just touched off a holy war, so I'm going to sign off. Good luck, and be careful.-PSM

One can only see what one observes, and one observes only things which are already in the mind.-Alphonse Bertillon

Posted: 8th Jan 2001
Alright PS....not a holy war but close. Fire eating is near and dear to my heart...especially cause I do a whole half hour show about it! I would like to say also that both Vulcan and PS are right...www.fyretr.com is Mephisto and he is wonderful. His sight is full of useful information and it is made to only get through if you are serious. It can be a test of wills for certain.This is what I will tell you. Yup yer ganna get burned..but I haven't been burnt badly yet, knock on wood. The degree to which you research and are comfortable will generally determine how badly you're burned. The more comfortable you get with the fire in your mouth, the more laxed you get in safety, the worse you will be burned. A healthy respect for fire is needed at all times. Next is to know your boundaries. What are you comfortable with, what are you not comfortable with and don't push it until you're ready. Next...put your head back and practice with an unlit torch. Bring the torch to your mouth from a forty five degree angle or greater above your head...with your head tipped back of course. This is to get the perspective...because a flaming torch coming at you is really odd the first time.When you are ready to light it...have a spotter...a fire safety. Have a glass of something to drink handy as well. Light it up, tip your head back, make sure there is ALOT of spit in your mouth, stick out your tongue and good luck. I also will say here that you NEVER INHALE!!!!! while the torch is in your mouth. Scorched lungs is neither good for you nor fun feeling. At any rate...be aware of how you exhale or hold your breath...both can mess you up. I usuallyhold my breath til it's in and then exhale lightly. This of course is your standard torch fire eating method. Really that's all there is to it. Primarily it is psychological readiness. I have all of my taste buds and in fact my burns have not been interior at all but have been on my lips from misjudgement of the torch...where the metal touched my lip. The routine I do deals not only in flaming torches and blows but with flaming fruit, hot coals, "hot soup" and such as well. There are grades to the fire eating..the torch tricks being of the highest caliber. I had a slight discussion with Flavio on this very topic over on the New Moves board I believe. You might wanna check it out. In this case though I will say research and will power are really your two best friends. I don't think you have to find a professional in your area to teach you, while I had a mentor I was mostly self taught. My first reason for thinking this is that alot of professionals, myself included will not take the time to teach someone because of the liability. Giving pointers is one thing but the possible litigations if the learner gets hurt is amazing (I have seen it destroy a couple performers). Many pro's are happy to give tips but not lessons. I also think that researching, knowing yourself and your tools and being safe and reasonable, coupled with the sheer willpower to do it are all you really need. A professional can teach you the basics in about 15 minutes or less, everything else is up to you. Check out Mephistos web site though, really it is great. Also, Dube sells a book about fire eating, while there really isn't alot of extraordinary material out there on it, the book is goodfor basic information. Remember, it is an art with a deadly element and with potentially deadly consequences....please use your head, take your time and be safe.Any other info or questions you can email me direct....spiderblade@yahoo.comMy best to your endeavors.------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK

Posted: 8th Jan 2001
OK Pele- I seee your point, the information I presented was gathered from my research. You make a good point about liability, would you teach me? And once again it's all about acceptable risks. Right now it's not an acceptable risk for me, but your pushing me in that direction.-PSM

One can only see what one observes, and one observes only things which are already in the mind.-Alphonse Bertillon

Posted: 9th Jan 2001
On an ancedotal note:The first time I ate fire I didn't burn myself, and had a grand old time congratulating myself, because I was completely self taught. The next day I literally BLISTERED the roof of my mouth on a cup of hot chocolate. Which just goes to show that it's when you take things for granted that they can REALLY hurt you.... (Going along with what Pele said...)

AnonymousPLATINUM Member

Posted: 9th Jan 2001
A couple things that weren't mentioned in Pele's otherwise thorough posting are a couple of health issues. One of the risks of eating fire is chemical pneumonia if you inhale. This causes the lungs to fill up with phlegm. This means a month in bed while you mend and a permanent reduction of your lung capacity after that. Also, your intake of fuel, and their carcinogens, increases. You already have some intake by breathing in the fumes while you're spinning or standing over the fuel dump and breathing in the evaporations. Add fire eating and you're taking fumes into your mouth where your tissues readily absorb these toxins. This will most likely show up in the form kidney or liver pain and later, well, these fuels are cancer-causing. Just be knowledgable and prepared if you're going to take this on. Diana

Posted: 9th Jan 2001
In response to Diana, Alot of health issues also depends on what fuels you use, the more carcinogenic the fuel the higher the health risk. Also along with that is how often you actually do the eating/breathing. Everyday versus once per week is a big difference.I do know someone who has been eating/breathing for 30 years. He burned his lungs from and inhale once...took two months to heal and is fine now, including his lung capacity being normal. Other than that he has had no health problems what-so-ever. This isn't to say that it will be that way for everyone, and I agree that to arm yourself with all possibilities is wise. Everyone's body and reactions are different. I think that in the end there is more danger in riding in a car or smoking...and people still do that. Fire performing on the whole is something that needs to be done with forethought and knowledge. Thank you for pointing those possibilities out.PS...what else did you want to know? I am not actually trying to influence you one way or the other and I agree it is what you view as an acceptable risk....as is leaving the house in the morning or sitting in front of the microwave to watch the popcorn pop. However, if it is a risk you are willing to take, now or later...I would be more than happy to help you along....without liability of course! And damn Jesse!!!! Did you sue that McDonalds? Although Jesse brings up a good point as well...if you do get burned, try to let it heal all the way before attempting fire eating again, otherwise you will have a blistery mess in your mouth that will turn into a scarred up mess later.Take care all.......With Kero on the breath and fire on the mind.... ------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK

Posted: 10th Jan 2001
howdy folks thanks for all the inputon the point of carcinogens what the hell isnt carcinogenic? to me thats not a riski believe after cheecking out the fyretr site and all your tips i will be trying this out with much caution (of course)unfourtunatly im living in damn cold and snowy southern ontario and will be unable to experiment till the springlooking forward to add this skill to my showlove and ragejessejames

burnin down the house

Posted: 9th Jan 2001
Pele- I would like to learn from somone in person. However, the more comfortable I get with our medium the more it seems like a risk I'm willing to accept. My point in asking you to teach me (which I'd glady accept, by the way) was that teaching face to face, or not wanting to, may not be as much about liability with SOME preformers (not all by any means, probably just the small minority I've delt with) as much as it is that they just aren't good at what they do. Any moron with a bottle of kero and a lighter can call themselves a fire breather, but few are trained enough to teach. I'm sure everyone on this board is probably qualified, but there are many people ou there that aren't. My point is that before trying anything, one should weigh the risks, be careful, do what's comfortable, and be safe. As for me, I will continue my quest for a face to face tutor, possibly try a little on my own when it thaws. Right now I'm trying to break my neck on a unicycle though. -PSM

One can only see what one observes, and one observes only things which are already in the mind.-Alphonse Bertillon

Posted: 9th Jan 2001
Good for you Psychomonkey...for wanting to take that time. No probs.JesseJames, where in Southern Ontario?I am from Western New York...about 2 hours from Toronto and am familiar with alot of places in this region.Take care all------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK

Posted: 10th Jan 2001
OK let me get one thing right folks....we are all talking about fire eating yes? Heres my story. I have been performing and teaching fireswallowing (and breathing) all over the place for several years. If this converstation was about breathing i would definately agree with all the precautions and warnings, breathing is scarey and I dont do it unless I'm getting paid a shitload. But swallowing? Please forgive me if I sound foolish to you but I must say that I find fire swallowing pretty safe. It is the very first thing I teach all my students at uni and they all love it and never burn themselves in that first lessson. (maybe cos i teach them to be abit over cautious) In my experience, I have burnt myself swallowing only when (a) it has been windy or (b) i've been doing a reeeally long set like Pele was talking about, that really does it to you and once again Fireworks performers dont do that kind of long set unless we get extra cash. Other than those two situations, I rarely, cant remember if i even have, burnt myself. That does include lighting the tongue, the cigarette, two stcks at once and licking the wick when alight. I see no secrets other than lotsa spit, breath control and a sense of timing. But it is such a GREAT trick cos it looks so death defying and like you really will burn. I love it when I demo it to a student then tell them that in half an hour thell do that too, no one believes me, yet they all end up doing great and the shift in their mind frame is amazing, it is a very empowering thing to learn to do methinks, the realisation that something seemingly impossible for them to do is actually quite within their grasp.

...Firebreathing? Magic is only part of it my friend, diet does the rest!

Posted: 10th Jan 2001
This may sound stupid, but is there any possibility that liquid bacon fat could be used as fire breathing fuel??? It's flammable, it's consisntincey is close to that of kerosene, and it's mighty tasty.

Posted: 10th Jan 2001
Welcome Spiff, Spiff.....I wouldn't use it personally. It congeals (sp?) too easily to be properly aspirated I would think and it's flamability temperature is much lower than that of Kero which could really cause some harm. Any kind of fat or lard that needs to be warmed BEFORE I put it in my mouth to a melting point just has trouble written all over it in my eyes. Yet again, my theory is if what I do hasn't hurt, maimed or killed me yet..then why change? Thanks for the thoughts though...very creative.Do you eat/blow/spin or are just getting into it all? I see this is your first post.------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK

Posted: 11th Jan 2001
Oh well. It seemed like a good idea.I have justed started practicing Poi several months ago, and I am also trying to learn the Bo staff. I have given some thought to fire eating, but it still seems to dangerous to try.

AnonymousPLATINUM Member

Posted: 11th Jan 2001
Hmmm, now, I thought I posted a response already, but it doesn't look like it got logged. Anyway, here's my perspective for what it's worth. On the subject of burn, yes, I'd say blowing fire is a lot more dangerous burn-wise than eating fire. That's not my primary personal safety issue on this really. I've had a bit of personal experience with kidney pain after fire-eat shows. From doing shows on weekends. Of course, I don't exhale when I eat and my show focuses a lot on "flaming torch" which means more exposure to fumes. But from talking with the fire-eaters I know, this experience is by no means unique. I have a dear friend fire performer who recently had a mole bleed on her after 8 years as a performer. (Bleeding moles generally indicate skin cancer.) Of course, this is all anecdotal. For any story of someone who got hit hard there's another story of someone who got off easy. Yes, "everything gives you cancer" to greater or lesser extents. There are risks and hazards we take for granted in everyday life. There are choices we can make to mitigate our risks. Everyone's body will react differently and the situations of risk are different. But make no mistake. Exposure to fuels from fire breathing, eating, or spinning, for that matter, *will* increase your exposure to cancer-causing chemicals *beyond* the exposures you get in everyday life. I'm not saying anyone's *going* to get cancer. And I'm not trying to convince anyone to not do something I do myself. I'm saying be realistic and truthful with yourself about the risks you're taking now, so you won't be sorry later. Believing the risk is worth it, doesn't make the risk go away. With respect,Diana

Posted: 12th Jan 2001
This probably sounds stupid too, but what's wrong with using beer for fire breathing? I really don't want to put Kero in my mouth and I keep gettin ideas about alternative fuels.

Posted: 12th Jan 2001
Kero really isn't that bad. I have had alcoholic drinks that taste worse (Jagermeister for one). Most alcohol while generally flamable is not nearly enough for this type of think, thus not producing a blow of any mentionable proportions.Also there is the distinct possiblity of blow-backs. As an ex-bartender I am going to tell you that high proff alcohol, which is the only kind that would ignite well with a blow (beer is mostly water and will put out your torch) have flammable fumes. A blow back is when the fire of a blow ignites the fumes following them back to your mouth. I've seen it from people who have used high proof alcohol and who have used white gas. It isn't pretty and it a very real risk. I understand your wanting to find a "safer" alternative but I am also under the impression that anyone using fire to entertain a crowd has no business having alcohol in thier system for any reason until the show is over....then go nuts. But that is my opinion. Research the fuels out there but again in my humble opinion Kero is the safest and best I have found.And Diana....please dont think I don't support your statements about being well armed with all possibilities...I do whole heartedly. Some of the possible consequences of what we do are positively frightening but inthe end it is only a possibility. That was my point. The risk for each of us to weigh out as it applies to our own lives is what I feel should be concentrated on before a fire is even lit.Best to all.------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK

Posted: 13th Jan 2001
i was taught to eat fire by a professional he told me "...all u need to do is stick the flame in your mouth and close your lips around the wick to smutherit putting out the flame but dont inhale while doing this as u can badly burn the inside of your trachea..."after that it is just a matter of working up the balls to actually do this have fun and for gods sake be carefulldisclaimeri here by dont take any responsability for the actions take on by any person attemptingthis fire trick!!!!!!!!------------------**~~~~**

**~~<M!DEON>~~**

Posted: 13th Jan 2001
Pesonally I've found the technics in fire eating a lot easier to learn than poi. However even though I've caught myself on fire a couple of times with poi I've never burned myself. I can't say the same with fire eating. Just fire eating you normally won't get burned but Murphy's law of fire eating "Whenever teething a torch on a perfectly still day the wind WILL blow" I second the recommendation of www.fyretr.com this is where I began learning fire eating, the rest I picked up from other performers after I had the basics down.

How is it ever possible to feel safe and secure in a world in which everyone dies?

AnonymousPLATINUM Member

Posted: 14th Jan 2001
Hey all, Pele, thanks for your support. I was most alarmed in the context of someone else posting, after your post, that cancer wasn't an issue for them. That's why I came back with some hardcore. As far as safer fuels go, here's what I know. You can blast with alcohol. Like Pele said, there's too much water in beer to blow with. You can blow with very high proof or grain alcohol. **Using straight grain risks blow backs like you can get with white gas.** Those that I know use grain, use 2/3 alcohol to 1/3 oil olive and asperate it really hard. Yes, you do want to watch your alcohol intake with this. Even if you take small amounts in your mouth and don't swallow, your mouth will absorb a small amount of the alcohol. That will add up if you do a lot. Blasting, no matter what fuel you use, is for emphasis, not for doing all night. Be safe. Have a good time. Diana

Posted: 14th Jan 2001
Has anyone seen the film Coyote Ugly? Its probably been out overseas for ages now, we here in oz are always the last to get films released. Anyway, a girl is breathing fire in a bar so I assume its an alcoholic drink. Ace. I have not seen the film but I cannot think of a better way to piss off some loser trying to pick me up than a torching! Heeeeeeheeee HAAAAHAARGH!

...Firebreathing? Magic is only part of it my friend, diet does the rest!

Posted: 15th Jan 2001
howdy folksdidnt mean to sound to off hand about the cancer riskits seems though that in province(ontario) where there are 540 smog related cancer deaths a year not to mention daily intake of pesticides, hours spent in front of a computer screen/tv, talking on your cell phone, smoking.....that the risk involved with the fire eat is to me a reasnable one fore in this case it is a decision that i am making and not one that is forced upon me i would rather know that i had gotten sick(cancer) due to a decision that i had made and not by forces beyond my control(second hand smoke, car exhuast)thanks for the concernjessejames

burnin down the house

Posted: 15th Jan 2001
Hey Kerri...Coyote Ugly has been around here since mid-last year but I love the movie!!! I was a bartender in a bar like that in Syracuse, and the bar in the movie is a real one in NYC.However, what isn't real is her fire breathing. The movie company didn't want to pay the extra insurance for her or anyone else to really breath fire on the set so what they did was set up a camera angle so that you couldn't tell it was someone with a flamethrower on the other side of her head...which seems far more dangerous to me.I saw a bunch of stuff on how they made the movie when it came out here and she explained it in an interview in the magazine Maxim. I was soooooo disappointed when I read it.Sorry to burst the bubble.------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK

Posted: 16th Jan 2001
Hey Pele,Bummer, but the flame thrower had merit cos believe me, they ROCK! Has Chris told you about his? Ask him about it eh, its ace. That actress would have been pretty brave tho'. When i was doing Queen of the Damned and they were shooting stunt scenes I had a MAJOR career change and soooooo wanted to be a stunt person, I was obsessed! This girl was getting to fly thru the air (she was a vampyre) and tackle the guy playing Lestat, fwoa! Kinda over it now (reality has returned) but it may yet come to be in one form or anither.Cheers & sooty fangres,kerri

...Firebreathing? Magic is only part of it my friend, diet does the rest!

Posted: 16th Jan 2001
A friend of mine used to blow flames out of his mouth with sambouka.The flames aren't as impressive as fire breating using fuel though.Tastes nice but you wouldn't catch me attempting to breate fire with the stuff. But then I don't like the thought of putting fuel in my mouth either.Kat------------------"London is a city coming down from its trip and there's going to be a lot of refugees" - Danny,Withnail & I

Come faeries, take me out of this dull world, for I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame.

- W B Yeats

Posted: 21st Jan 2001
Is breathing fire of different colors possible? I've heard that you can produce flames of different colors for your poi by dissolving chemicals in the kero such as boric acid for blue, potassium for purple, barium for green, etc. https://www.geocities.com/firepoi/fuels.html
Can you breathe fire with these chemicals in the kero too?

Posted: 22nd Jan 2001
i don't think you should try as the chemicals used may well be toxic. i certainly wouldn't risk it. Rain.