Poi Components - Handles - Materials & Types

Poi Components - Handles - Materials & Types
last updated - 23 Jan '04 - 15:50 GMT

UPDATE NOTE: This first image I have loaded is a simple test image, although I welcome any comments. I will be improving the size and quality in the near-ish future.

NOTE: All information contained within is made up and may or may not be accurate, please use your own discretion and common sense.

NOTE: All additions I make to this topic will appear in this post. Discussion will occur after this.

NOTE: If you have any additions please PM with the details and I will update this post.

Type: Double Finger Loop.
Materials: Nylon Strapping/Webbing, Leather, Cotton, Denim, Kevlar, etc. Basically anything that is strong, thin-ish relatively flat and can be joined together.
Commonly Used With: Ribbon Poi, Fire Poi.
Comments: This design of handle is usually connected to the body via something; a split ring or something similar is common. However these can be built out of the body of a sock poi, more about that later.
Construction Notes: Dubious image added :oops:

Type: Knot.
Materials: Usually a knot is made out of the material of the Sock Poi, however rope will work as will a strip of cloth or maybe even leather. As always use a material that is suitable for the type of poi head.
Commonly Used With: Sock Poi.
Comments: Yum, counterweights the poi head. Also the pverall length of the poi can be altered by modifying the knot. Also the easiest to drop.
Construction Notes: The knot either needs to be tied somewhere along the length of the body of the poi, in the case of Sock Poi. If the body is say, oval link chain or ends in a split ring the the rope/cloth/leather can simply be looped through the end and again tied into a knot. To use a knot handle with other types of poi you will need use rope or a large-ish bit of material where your handle would normally be and knot it until it feels correct.

Type: No Handle.
Materials: Whatever suits the type of poi head you are spinning. Often string or shoe laces, pehaps rope for glowstick heads.
Commonly Used With: Glowstick Poi, Sock Poi.
Comments: One significant advantage of no having any sort of handle is that it allows you to have an extremely long body which can be wrapped around the hand (and other body parts) multiple times. This allows for a variable length to the poi which can be dynamically adjusted whilst spinning, great for incorperating moves which suit a variety of differingly lengthed poi. :roll:
Construction Notes: Err, well, yes. Aah, if it is nylon string/rope you might want to melt the end with a lighter so it doesn't fray.

Type: Noose. - This is perhaps the wrong word. It is possible that there is a slip-knot noose and also the type I am explaining below.
Materials: Nylon Strapping/Webbing, Leather, Cotton, Denim, Kevlar, The sock your Sock Poi is made from Basically anything that is strong, thin-ish and can be joined together.
Commonly Used With: Sock Poi, Fire Poi,
Comments: The Noose Handle has similarities to both the Single & Double Finger Loop Handles in that it covers 2 fingers (generally index and middle) but is a single loop, usually slightly larger than the Single Finger Loop Handle.
Construction Notes: A noose is basically a large loop, the noose is built by looping the loop over itself and onto your fingers, this causes the noose to tighten whilst spinning.

Type: Ring.
Materials: This is dependant on the weight of the poi head and body. Split rings (keyrings) for lightweight poi is ok, although they do then to a bit painful. For heavier poi, fire poi for example some sort of welded steel ring or something similar is preferable also something larger than a split ring, large enough to take 2 or more fingers is highly recommended.
Comments: If the ring is heavy enough it can be used as a counter weight to the poi head, allowing for moves such as isolated throws and making throws a bit easier in general.
Commonly Used With: Ribbon Poi, Fire Poi.
Construction Notes: Not really the sort of thing most people can make, might be worth putting some electrical tape over the sharp bits of the split ring though.

Type: Single Finger Loop.
Materials: Nylon Strapping/Webbing, Leather, Cotton, Denim, Kevlar, etc. Basically anything that is strong, thin-ish, relatively flat and can be joined together.
Commonly Used With: Ribbon Poi, Fire Poi, Sock Poi.
Comments: The size/length of the loop makes a differnce to the way in which this handle type can be used. Generally size is likely to vary from 1 finger to large enough for 2 or 3 fingers (dependant upon your finger size). If it is large enough it can be used as a Noose Handle.
Construction Notes: Take material, place through connector (if a connector is being used) and sew the ends together, ta da. I will add some sort of image for this later.

Type: Triple Finger Loop.
Materials: Nylon Strapping/Webbing, Leather, Cotton, Denim, Kevlar, etc. Basically anything that is strong, thin-ish relatively flat and can be joined together.
Commonly Used With: Ribbon Poi, Fire Poi.
Comments: Basically the same as a double finger loop but covering three fingers for increased safety.
Construction Notes: I will be adding an image or some ASCII art to show how to build this in the future.