Can anyone ID this devil stick / knows where I can get an equivalent?
A while ago I found a devil stick that had been lurking in a bag of un-played-with props for a long time and have been having fun learning something new. I figured I'd try two devil sticks, so ordered a couple of Mr.Babache ones so I've have a matching pair. They showed up, and I was immediately surprised at just how much heavier they were than the one I currently have.
I weighed them, and the one I had before weighs 150 grams, the Mr.Babache ones weigh 250 grams. So that would explain things -- it's just that I'm _used_ to the lighter one. (I'm not sure if less weight is good or bad, but it's what I'm used to and it feels a lot easier/faster to knock around). Looking at other places that make devil sticks, they all seem to be in the same range; Henrys ones are "circa 225 grams", Renegade's are 220-235 grams, play's are 250, dube are perhaps even heavier. There's a 'juggle dream supreme glitter' I saw mentioned that comes in a 'light' version but nobody has them in stock. (there's lots of flower sticks that are probably lighter but those are going to be even slower)
So, long shot -- does anyone recognise what I have? I would have got it at a BJC in the '90s, most likely, so it's a pretty big stretch to see if anyone can identify it but I figure if anywhere would have someone that can, it's here.
It looks like this: (the mr. babache one is on the left, for contrast): https://imgur.com/8AnRfZH
Not sure if the decorations are distinctive enough to be identifiable; the ends look like this: https://imgur.com/UGGSD1L if it helps at all.
Alternatively, should I just toughen up and get used to the heavier ones? What's the advantage there? (I assume there's a reason all the existing ones are about the same weight, after all)
That looks an awful lot like the ones we sold in Oddballs in the 90s. (I might even have sold it to you. :-) ) The end caps look quite thin to me now, but perhaps they were thickened at a later date? Maybe that's a small factor in the weight difference. Also, wood is a naturally varying material, so perhaps you just got the lightest one in the pack. I can't remember what brand/model name we used for them at the time (prism? holo?), but I can tell you they were made by https://www.jacjuggling.co.uk/index.asp , so maybe they can help you.
Cheers, Void.
mike.armstrong - - Parent #
It looks very similar to one that I have in my bag of un-played-with props...maybe made by Beard or Absolute?
I'll try to dig it out later and weigh it
The one on the right looks identical to one I had. I think I bought it from the Butterfingers stand at the BJC in Nottingham 1997. I was definitely told it was an Absolute devilstick.
It sounds like I'm not going to be able to find the same one again -- Jac are still around, but their standard devilsticks are very different, and their flower sticks have the same style of decoration but are flower sticks. (I already have innertubes and hockey tape and doweling, so made my own flower sticks)
I am genuinely impressed at the depth of arcane historical knowledge here, though -- thanks, everyone!
mike.armstrong - - Parent #
I've dug mine out of the loft, and it looks remarkably similar. You're very welcome to have it if you like, but mine weighs between 190 and 195 grams (on my old-skool kitchen balance I can't be more precise that that!) - so I presume it's no use??
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