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Bilboquet in the US?

Started by timfromtexas, 28 November, 2011, 20:08:48

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timfromtexas

Hi,

New user and a first post! I have been playing kendama off and on for the last 4 or 5 years and messing around with baleros and other odd wooden skill toys but after watching edits of Etoc on youtube a long time ago i have lusted after a bilboquet. Does anyone know of a reliable place to order one in the US? A while back I was emailing back and forth with a shop in Europe somewhere and the bilbo was going to cost around 100 bucks plus shipping which is a lot considering a kendama is around 20. I would rather not use ebay, and i have looked on amazon and other webstores that do importing but those sites always look so sketchy.

Anyone have anything for me?


BKA

Hi Tim, welcome to the forum.

Buy a Performer and remove the cross piece?

timfromtexas

Thanks!

Although that is a good idea, it's not the same at all. There is usually a notch or catch on the spike to rest on the lip of the ball or barrel so that the spike wouldn't go in too far making it hard to flip. I ran into that problem when I was making one of my own from bits and pieces I picked up from the hardware and a craft store. The experiment went ok at best but it was awkward and didn't play well at all.

AlexSmith

I've worked out a little trade/deal with Kendalex just today... and in a month or two I should have my own bilbo! Excited to get my hands on one and see what I can come up with... KendAlex's videos make it look like a ton of fun.

My understanding is that bilbos come in different shapes and sizes - not just a standard across all models like kendama. This means some won't play as 'well' as others, so some tricks may be more difficult or even not possible. Thus there is a 'best' shape/size according to some players, so I think ordering from the european sites is probably the way to go. They're pricy, but they're larger than a kendama, and of good quality from what I've heard.
That and I have never seen a N american store/online shop/anywhere else selling a good bilboquette.

Keep in mind I don't have a bilbo yet, this is just what I've been told (but it comes from very reliable/experienced sources)


Greg the Strangler

Courtney and I are getting Bilbos from KendAlex too! I'm so excited to try them out. They look much more physical and aggressive than kens, I look forward to everyday closer to Metal Bilboquet: Volume 1.

I've been VERY disheartened with the USA kendama community as of late and look for something new!
January–Kengarden Beginner Champion
May–Kengarden Intermediate Champion
December–Kengarden Advanced Champion

Greg the Strangler

Looks like Alex Ruisch is fathering a North American bilboquet scene! Woot Woo
January–Kengarden Beginner Champion
May–Kengarden Intermediate Champion
December–Kengarden Advanced Champion

timfromtexas

Dang! I was hoping to avoid ordering over seas and paying an arm and a leg for one of these just to try it out! Oh well. It was probably 2 or 3 years ago that i first pursued a bilbo mostly because of etoc's videos.



Interesting comment on the USA kendama scene.... I feel as though the ken community is exploding right now but I can still somewhat see what you mean. A lot of people learning the same tricks other people are doing in the videos rather than pushing the envelope in new directions and in new more creative ways.