Product Range:

Freaks Fire Eater Sticks

Freaks Unlimited was the first ever juggling equipment manufacturer to produce fire eater sticks. We have been making professional fire eating equipment since 1994 (which is about 10 years longer than anybody else). We now offer two different fire eater sticks, both designed to reduce the likelihood of hot metal burns; Including the Freaks Standard Fire Eater Stick (the original fire eating stick) and also our new highly advanced Flourish Stick.

Will I Be Able to Use a Fire Eater?

Fire eating involves placing a burning fire eater stick inside your mouth, which you may or may not extinguish in the process. Fire eater sticks are also used for ‘Fakir’ which means fire on the body, this involves stroking various parts of your bare flesh with naked flames. Typically this may include fire on your tongue, your bare arms and hands and more adventurous places like your chest (or anywhere else you feel the need!). There is no trick involved, no magic lotions (or potions!), just the appliance of science and a lot of courage. If you do not already know how to fire eat then you are strongly advised to get advice from a professional or at least a decent book. The process is not particularly difficult but it needs to be done exactly right or you will be burned. We are working on a Fire Eating book which we will make available as soon as it’s ready.

Fire breathing (blowing large flames from your mouth) is very different to fire eating, because unlike fire eating it does not require any skill and it also poses a huge risk of poisoning from contact with fuel. It is extremely dangerous, both to the breather and the audience. Fire breathing is impressive but requires no skill whatsoever (if you can spit then you can fire breath) and fire breathing is almost guaranteed to cause serious illness from contact with fuel. We don’t wish to dismiss the skill of those few performers who do indeed perform fire breathing with skill (i.e. breathing fire whilst doing mid-air somersaults etc. !) but in general if you insist on fire breathing you should limit it to the end of your performance and do it only very occasionally.

Which Fuel Should be Used For Fire Eating?

Fire eating can be done outdoors or indoors (if you are well prepared and very careful), in fact it is a little safer done indoors because there is less risk from wind blowing the flames around. Fuelling and refuelling is a quick and simple dip in fuel or a careful ‘squirt’ from a lighter fluid tin. The recommended fire eater fuels are: Lamp oil (a kind of purified paraffin) or lighter fluid for a cleaner burn with less smoke, or barbecue lighter fluid (clean but hotter flame). Otherwise paraffin (kerosene) will do but has stronger odour and more smoke and soot and will make equipment harder to clean.

As with all fire equipment it is important that you avoid over-fuelling the wicks and prevent fuel from running down the shaft onto the grip. This can be done by dipping the wick, then shaking off excess fuel with repeated ‘swishes’ (swipes or flicks) of the wick towards the ground. Failure to do this can result in burning fuel being transferred to your skin / mouth etc..

If you do get fuel on the shaft or grip of your fire eater you should wipe it off with a slightly damp cloth immediately. If you get fuel on your hands or clothes - DON’T light your equipment! Instead, change your clothes and wash fuel off your skin immediately.

DISCLAIMER: You use this fire equipment entirely at your own risk, we do not accept any responsibility whatsoever for damage or injury however so caused by direct or indirect use of this fire eating stick. You are very strongly advised to receive proper tuition from a professional or at least a good book, before attempting to fire eat. Not for sale to persons under 16 years of age. All fire skills are very dangerous and we do not offer any endorsement or recommendation of any kind for any activities using fire. We do NOT recommend fire-breathing as this has serious health risks from fuel contamination.

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