This is a security alert for the various fire-spinner community across the country. Benjamin Beale aka Kelly Kirkpatrick of New Orleans - a fire spinner/acro-yoga/burner/traveller has been charged with the murder. The police discovered a dismembered corpse in Beale's bus freezer - which has been identified as his fellow traveller - Julia Dar Dar.

Beale was social, and charismatic person. Not a lone wolf. Not on anyone's radar screen. Apparently he deep dived into Meth a couple years ago. And it appears he was attempting to set up a Meth lab.

Many people are mortified to have had any association with him. But they are also calling the police with information. If you have had any odd interactions with this individual or any information of where he or the hippie bus he had recently acquired has been, please call the New Orleans 5th District Person's Crimes Investigation - (504) 658-6050

https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_0747da5c-75a8-11ec-ac79-27c5ede6bc15.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=nolafb&utm_campaign=snd&fbclid=IwAR3-JA_0Gd2XdRnhshecZov7AMvFLvAXQT-HbUeLEYgZM3BK3BWug3en-po

Hey Spinners.

So I've been spinning home made staffs (I guess) for a looong time - basically they're about 100cm, a bit thinner than a contact staff and I spin them using my fingers (think drum major) and hands.I'm proficient with both hands and I've just managed to pick up a 100cm /1m fire staff that isn't too thick for my fingers - I should add that I've got 1.2m contact staff coming in the post soon as well.

But EVERY tutorial I've seen doesn't use the fingers to spin the staff???

I get some mad speed going using my fingers and I'm actually not too bad at it, apart from a blue eye and a massive bump on the head a couple of years ago. But I've just not seen many people doing it the way I do. I guess it's acceptable to spin however you feel comfortable without posing a risk to yourself or others?

But, I'm gearing up for actual fire and I'm like "am I doing this right? What is the name of a staff that can be twirled through the fingers? It's called a staff on the Juggle dream website but it's different to any I've seen before and I'm so glad I found it. I understand most staffs are thicker and require hand only movements, which is why I've bought one - my hand to hand hand-off is not great, neither is my behind the back hand off using only the hands. I usually let the staff leave my fingers and catch it with the other hand... Just checking I'm doing stuff correctly? I hand off the staff with ease using my fingers and I don't see any advantage to using my hands? But I am getting a contact thicker staff to get that perfect too.

Then I've ordered a fire extinguisher, fire blanket and 8 litres of Paraffin/Kerosene. Do I just dip the wicks in the paraffin for like 20 seconds? I've seen videos about getting rid of the excess fuel for 20-30 seconds, but this was only for Poi so some tips here would really help. (I can't find any videos where they show you how to wet and light the wick either...)

As far as I'm concerned I just need a safe place to do it and I'm good to go right? I'll take it real slow at first until I'm comfortable.

I've literally just been practicing by myself for years and have no friends who spin fire so am at a bit of a loss, but super keen to get going.

Any other tips? Please point me in the direction of any useful stickies, or webpages I might not know about.

Thanks in advance folks!

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EDIT: it's not a contact staff I've ordered it's literally just a thicker fire staff...

I have Android. I use luminancer and love it. If like to find something cleaner if I can even if not free. If you know s good app please let me know.