Safe way to set beard on fire?

Struggling with an effect? Any tips (without giving too much away!) you'd like to share?

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Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby black_beard » Nov 25th, '11, 16:02



A J Irving wrote:My advice would be to not bother with it. Just going to the party dressed as Blackbeard should be good enough as my guess is most people would have no idea that he used to set his beard on fire so doing so wouldn't really add more to the costume. You'll be in the situation where you have to explain to people that you're burning yourself because that's what Blackbeard did, they'll look midly interested and then nobody will want to go near you for the rest of the evening because (and I can't emphasise this enough) burnt hair smells really bad and the stench will hang around for hours!

You'll be known forever as the guy who stunk out the Christmas party rather than the guy who did the amazing burning beard thing. :shock:

All valid points. I'm not actually looking to set my beard on fire, despite the thread title. Either a way to give the impression of fire, or of setting fire to something a short - but relatively safe - distance from my face.

black_beard
 

Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby black_beard » Nov 25th, '11, 16:04

Heckler wrote:Stick a couple of battery powered candles in your beard, job done!


Something like this might work. I could probably clip something small in with some kind of hair clip from a female fashion accessory store. Thanks.

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Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby black_beard » Nov 25th, '11, 16:06

Mandrake wrote:
Le Petit Bateleur wrote:If this forum was hosted in the US, the board lawyers would be jumping up and down to close the thread and stick in disclaimers everywhere

Good point, y’all listen up now!

    As with flash paper/wool/cotton and other fire effects, you do them at your own risk and peril. Any suggestions made on TalkMagic should be carefully evaluated by the user before trying them out. Bear in mind that some replies will be intended to be humorous and/or satirical rather than factual.

See also ftopic3632.php" target="_blank , where it sez
posts made by individual members are just their personal comments and thoughts which are outside our control. In no way can TalkMagic accept responsibility or be held accountable for them.


I wont be holding anyone responsible for my actions but myself.

black_beard
 

Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby black_beard » Nov 25th, '11, 16:10

DaveM wrote:Having flame under your chain for 10 to 20 seconds is not going to be pretty. Heat rises and no manner of cream is going to stop your chin and lower face from blistering badly due to the constant heat. This is a daft idea.


Yeah believe it or not, I'm not completely retarded. If it was a live flame, I'd be looking to keep it small, and not under my face, and at a reasonable distance from my skin.

You raise an interesting point though; thinking laterally, it could be possible to arrange a photograph where, say, candles were arranged in my beard and then lit and photographed while I was lying down against a backdrop, thus avoiding the rising heat (but not the dripping wax).

black_beard
 

Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby black_beard » Nov 25th, '11, 16:12

Le Petit Bateleur wrote:I love trolling questions on a Friday :lol:


It's a genuine question.

Perhaps a juggling/circus skills forum would have some ideas. They love setting things on fire.

black_beard
 

Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby mrz0mbie » Nov 25th, '11, 16:41

The only thing I can add to this is my old friends who used to do fire staff and juggling would cover their hair with a bandana and for performances with fire breathing and stuff would use some sort of flame retardant grease in their hair, anything to avoid flames getting near it.

It's blood dangerous and I'm sure we've all seen how quickly hair can burn. So I'm not saying don't do it, but I am saying I don't know of a safe way it's possible

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Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby TonyB » Nov 26th, '11, 03:44

The solution is simple. Use short lengths of incense sticks. They will smoulder, and release smoke, just like Blackbeard's beard did. They shouldn't get hot enough to more than singe an odd hair, and they will certainly not burn. You will be able to get the effect to last a few minutes easily. You could do as he did - attach bits of rope to your beard, with the incense sticks on the rope. Get rope (or fire-retardant cloth) of a similar colour to your beard. I think it is a good idea, and quite safe if done properly.

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Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby kartoffelngeist » Nov 26th, '11, 17:45

I like Tony's idea, nothing like the real thing...

Something like this might be handy too: http://www.discountmagic.co.uk/product_ ... ts_id/1028 I've never tried it, but it looks like it could fit the bill.

Also if it's a big enough beard, hiding some small LEDs in it could be possible, maybe a bastardised set of poundland fairy lights could work...

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Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby Tjex1 » Dec 13th, '11, 14:38

My second thought was "how alive/seriously burnt/injured would you like to be once it has been put out".

Then again my first thought was "I wonder how much petrol you'll need"

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Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby daxi » Dec 13th, '11, 19:09

kartoffelngeist wrote:Also if it's a big enough beard, hiding some small LEDs in it could be possible, maybe a bastardised set of poundland fairy lights could work...


LED's could be a good option. They are nice & bright, but light on the battery. They come in a variety of colours, even colour changing & a very simple sound activated system could be thrown together in a few minutes.

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Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby wittyusername » Dec 13th, '11, 20:24

I love how the OP went from this:
''Yeah believe it or not, I'm not completely retarded.''

to this in 2 lines, hahaha, i had to laugh
''it could be possible to arrange a photograph where, say, candles were arranged in my beard and then lit and photographed while I was lying down against a backdrop, thus avoiding the rising heat (but not the dripping wax)''

You can get flickering LED candles in pound shops at the moment, due to it being after halloween+ bonfire but before christmas.
Instructables might have something you could use.

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Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby bmat » Dec 14th, '11, 18:39

Before you do anything. You may want to check with the venue to see if this is even allowed. Here in the USA and in Canada most would say, 'not a chance' Liability is too great, even if done 'safely'

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Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby DaveM » Dec 15th, '11, 02:06

Can we get a copy of the pictures. I'd love to see one of you and the A&E guys. :)

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Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby Mandrake » Dec 15th, '11, 12:18

I'm surprised nobody has asked if Chris actually wants to be set on fire, safely or otherwise......

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Re: Safe way to set beard on fire?

Postby daleshrimpton » Dec 15th, '11, 14:05

do you know anybody that has bought pure smoke, or one of the other recent smoke producing gimmicks?
If so, why not have the thing set, so it smokes from under the beard, instead of out of the sleeve?
If you want the look of fire, add some of those joke cigarettes with the red glitter ends. Then you have smoke, and glowing embers.

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