Vampire Fang Creation Directions You are about to embark upon a thrill-filled journey into the wonderful world of amateur dentistry. Prepare yourself.. for the unknown, the unexpected, and the slimy gooey messy smelly stuff you'll be spending unreasonable amounts of time trying to shape into something scary-looking... Reality Check! Before you start imagining those pearly white fangs gleaming in your mouth, glinting menacingly in the moonlight as you smile at mundane passers-by, take a moment for a brief reality check. What you are about to do is play with dentistry materials which you have probably never worked with before, try to make something which you've likely only seen in professional films or hand-drawn pictures, and hope it turns out breathtakingly well. Right? As you can probably guess, it won't be that easy, so if you're still harbouring notions of spectacular fangs a few short hours, or even a week, please be prepared for at least some minor disappointment. The good news (yes, something good can come out of slimy goop, and knock-you-out fumes) is that with practice you can learn to make fangs quickly and incredibly cheaply. In fact, once you have a working cast of your teeth, a set of fangs costs little more than a couple dollars, and can be made in only a couple of hours. Until then... expect it to be a learning and character building experience. What You'll Need The following materials are essential to making fangs, and, as far as I can figure, can only be purchased from dental supply distributors. Look up a list of 'em in your local Yellow Pages (try under Dental Supply Distributors or Dental Labs), and call around for the best prices. * Some places will not sell certain products unless you have a dental licence of some sort (or a friend of yours has one..heheh). Inquire about this when you call * Alginate - This is the gooey pinkish stuff dentists use to make impressions of your teeth. - Also available in a hideous minty green. - It comes (at least in Edmonton) in tubs which will do about 30 impression trays (which means 15 people, or 15 tries, assuming you and your friends have both upper and lower jaws). - Buy the fast setting stuff if it is available. You'll thank yourself for it later. - Tub for 30 sets costs around $10.00 - $15.00 Dental Acrylic - aka polymer, or "Jet Acrylic self curing resin" - This is the white powder you mix with a liquid monomer, to make teeth. Its the same stuff which is used to repair chipped teeth, and make dentures. - It comes in a variety of shades. We used Lang (brand name) #62, but if you have yellower ("smoker's") teeth, #87 is closer. - This stuff can be mixed to match the color of your own teeth. - A 2oz bottle will do about 10 sets of fangs, even allowing for mistakes. Unlesss you make BIG mistakes. - Costs around $6.00 for 1oz, but I've seen the prices as high as $20.00 for a bottle. Monomer - aka Methyl Methacrylate Monomer, or "Jet Liquid Acrylic" or, alternatively, "that really smelly stuff". - This is the stuff some places won't sell you without a license. - Monomer is very volatile (it evaporates fast). It has to be stored in airtight containers. - If you are sharing it with friends, use GLASS jars to divy it up. The stuff eats through certain plastics (don't store in plastic tubs) - You'll need ~6oz for 10 people, allowing for lots of mistakes. And believe me, you will make mistakes with this stuff. - Costs around $60.00 a quart, though some places will sell it in 8oz bottles, for a good bit less. You'll also need to buy something to make the casts out of. You can probably find the following at a dental supply shop: Dental Stone - You can the expensive stuff, or go with "HydroCal" which is cheaper. - This is the plaster-like stuff the cast of your teeth is made of. - You can get varying degrees of hardness (or PSI - basically, how much bashing around it can stand before it breaks). I suggest getting something pretty strong. - A 50 pound bag of HydroCal costs around $25.00 Or, you can find the following just about any place: Plaster - also called Plaster of Paris. You know what the stuff is. - Available at any art supply or craft store. - You'll want around 5 pounds for 10 tries, or 10 people. - Costs around $5.00 * Prices are in Canadian Dollars * If I can't find this stuff, then what? Well, without the preceeding supplies, you can't really make dental enamel fangs. I suggest trying friendly plastic (which I'm told is simple to work with, cheap, and makes pretty convincing fangs), or buy the pre-made ones from the store..the kind that you can sort-of fit to your teeth if you have generically shaped teeth, and don't mind having the exact same fang-shape as every other vampire on the block. However, if you have looked thru the phonebook and can't find any place that carries or will sell you what you want, you can try contacting my favorite supplier, based out of Edmonton. They are: Westan Ltd. 10525 - 116 st Edmonton, Alberta (CANADA) T5H - 3L8 Phone: (403) 426-2050 or toll free 1-800-661-7429 Talk to Cathy Kinnee or Loretta Haney. Both have been wonderfully helpful to me, and won't even bat an eye if you say you plan to make fangs with their products. In fact, if you explain that you're making fangs, Cathy will probably know exactly which products you're looking for. Other supplies you will need: To make an alginate impression of your teeth: Your toothbrush. Margerine tubs or Bowls to mix alginate in. Spoons to mix alginate with. Measuring Scoops, for alginate and water. Most scoops are 20 ml (1 1/2 tbsp), but check the directions on your alginate. Water, or a nearby supply. A washcloth. 2 small plastic yogurt containers - the 250 ml (1 cup) variety, or any small plastic container with a base ~6 cm (2 1/4") wide. (These will be used to make impression trays.) A pair of scissors (also involved in making impression trays). A garbage can nearby. (Actually, an empty icecream tub is ideal) To make a plaster cast: 2 more yogurt containers, the same size as the previous ones. Margerine tubs or bowls to mix plaster in. Water, or a nearby supply of it. Spoons to stir the plaster with. A knife or other implement capable of carving plaster. Scoops for the plaster and water (about 80 ml (1/3 cup) each) Nearby garbage can or Icecream tub, again. To make fangs: Vaseline to coat the plaster cast with. An eyedropper, to control the flow of monomer with. A metal spoon to mix the dental acrylic on. Toothpicks to mix the dental acrylic with. A small, fine metal file. (A metal nail-file works). A small Exacto blade to shave off excess enamel with. (But only if you know how to use one safely. If you don't, don't bother - or bring a first aid kit and/or lots of bandaids, because EVERY time we've done it, someone has cut themselves. Dental Acrylic is really tough to cut when dry, and people just don't learn sometimes...) Newspaper to coat whatever surface you're working on. Well, any paper will do.. but make sure its paper. A plastic sheet will NOT do.. A momomer spill can eat through the plastic. * Note on measurements: I don't claim to have converted metric to imperial with any precision. In most places where measurements are given, however, only an approximation is needed, the exact amount doesn't matter as long as equal amounts of both substances are used. * Other requirements: A HARD-FLOORED workspace. (You don't want this on the carpet!) A WELL VENTILATED area for working with monomer. Something other than your best clothes on. PATIENCE Willingness to practice TIME INVOLVED: Your first few tries will probably take up a whole afternoon (4-8 hours), unless you work on making a good plaster cast one day, and the teeth another. This is a good idea actually, because it gives the cast time to dry in between. Once you have a functional cast, you can work on the fangs anytime you have a couple spare hours. Instructions Read ALL instructions completely before beginning. Or at the very least, read 'em before you reach the time sensitive steps. STAGE 1: Making an Alginate Impression of your Teeth (Make sure you have Alginate, & the other necessary materials.) First, you need an impression tray. That's the metal or styrofoam tray which dentists fill with goop and put in your mouth. If you happen to own some (what are you, a nut or a dental student?) use them. Otherwise, you'll have to make your own. Cut the bottom off your yogurt container, about 1.5 cm (3/4") from the base. (Fig. 1) Cut this bottom section about in half. (Fig 2) Smooth down the pointy edges, at an angle. (Fig. 3) Here we go: ASCII Graphics!!! (If you can, take a look at my .gif graphics to see what on earth I'm trying to show) 1. container, side view 2. Bottom of container (top view) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ | _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _| / \ | | / \ | | | | | | cut line -> | - - - - - - - | | | \ / | - - - - - - | <-- cut line \ _ _ _ _ / | _ _ _ _ _ _ | / - - - - - - 3. Bottom of container, side view /_ _ _ _ _ _ _ | Now, brush your teeth to make sure they're clean and we're off... Mix your Alginate: 1 scoop (20ml / 1.5 tbsp) of powder, 20 ml (1.5 tbsp) of water, in an otherwise clean bowl or margerine tub. - Mix for 45 seconds (or what the instructions on the alginate container say) but DO NOT make bubbles if you can help it. - In fact, tapping the bottom of the container sharply should bring unwanted bubbles to the surface. - Your Alginate should be a mushy paste. Take ~30 sec to spread it onto the impression tray, trapping as few bubbles as possible. - Place the tray in your mouth, & squish the alginate up around your teeth, but DO NOT LET YOUR TEETH TOUCH THE IMPRESSION TRAY! Well, maybe at the molars, but not the front teeth! ***THIS IS IMPORTANT!*** - Make sure the alginate in the tray comes up past your gumline. Push your teeth further down into the tray if it doesn't (but don't let your teeth touch the plastic) and, if you need to, pull your top lip over the edge of the impression tray, (but DON'T let your teeth touch the plastic. Is that being made clear enough?) - Supress your gag reflex if you find it necessary to do so. - While the alginate is setting, you probably will salivate. Use your washcloth to soak up excess drool. Sorry, most workshops aren't equipped with those neat tools dentists invented to suck up people's faces. - When 1 1/2 minutes (or whatever the directions say) are up, remove the tray from your mouth and the alginate from your teeth. ***Be careful not to rip the alginate impression, or you'll need to do these steps all over again.*** You should have a clean, well-defined impression of your teeth. - If you do not, (ie - if the teeth were touching the plastic, or the alginate didn't come up past your gumline, or the impression is full of pockmarks (bubbles), or the alginate is still gooey, etc), redo it. It's easier to do a new impression now than wait an hour for your plaster to set, only to find out the cast is useless. Wrap the alginate impression in a damp paper towel so it won't dry out while you mix your plaster. KEEP IT IN THE IMPRESSION TRAY. Make the second set (for the bottom) just like the first. For this, though, it doesn't matter if the impression isn't perfect. STAGE 2: Making a plaster cast of your teeth (Get your plaster and necessary items together.) Mix your plaster. Take 80 ml (1/3 cup) of plaster powder, Mix with 80 ml (1/3 cup) of water, in a relatively clean margerine tub or bowl. Be careful, again, not to stir in air bubbles. The plaster mixture will be thin and runny at first, but should start to thicken as you stir it. When you notice it getting thicker (after about 2-5 min, usually) get ready to pour it. Don't wait until it's porridge thick, though... at that point it's only suitable for the three bears. Place your alginate impression (complete with tray, but unwrapped now) at a 90 degree angle in your second small container. Your "front teeth" ought to be touching the bottom of the container. Pour plaster into the container, so that the "front teeth" are filled first as the plaster level rises, and then the other teeth fill one by one. This, in theory (theories.. haha. Gotta love 'em), prevents air bubbles from being trapped in the important front teeth. Tap the container to knock loose any air bubbles which may be present despite the soundness of the theory. Gently submerge the entire alginate mold, now, by turning it from a 90 degree angle to 180 (flat). The entire mold should be submerged. (If you are having real trouble with this step, you can even leave the plaster to set with the teeth at a 90 degree angle) Do this for your second alginate impression as well. If you're doing this in a small group, label both plaster casts as yours. It's really frustrating when you go through all this trouble only to lose your teeth to someone else who thought those were _his_ teeth, and takes them out of the mold too soon. Wait a FULL HOUR or more for the plaster to harden before you remove it from the container. This is Really Important. If you don't let it set, your teeth may break off when you remove the cast. Find something to do so you aren't tempted to rush the setting. Help someone else with their cast. Go for lunch. Chat with the other suckers you conned into doing this with you. Have fun learning about exothermic reactions by holding onto your container and noticing that it gets warmer as the plaster sets, and then cool again later (ain't chemistry fun?). When the plaster has set, remove it from the container. Pull the alginate off the plaster cast. (It's okay now if it rips. In fact, it probably will). Let it airdry 10 minutes more, or longer if it is still damp. Now is a good time to (re)label your cast. Scratch your name into it. When the cast is suitably dry, shave off the excess plaster. (PLEASE do this over a newspaper or you'll have a lot of sweeping to do). The top and bottom set need to sit against each other like your real teeth do, so remove any plaster which would prevent them from doing so. The finished product should look sort of like this: ___________________ \ | Upper Set \ | --- (_)(_) V ] ] <- yes, those are supposed to look like teeth _ _ --- ( )( )|^|] ] Lower Set / | /__________________| OOoooh, I hate ASCII graphics. *** Be careful not to break the cast while carving. *** Make sure your cast has all the important teeth intact - the first bicuspids, canines, and secondary incisors. SMILE! Top View Front View ( ) ( ) -- molars ( ) ( ) --/ O V [][][][] V O O O -----bicuspids | \ / | O O -----/ | incisors | V u u u u V - canine (eye tooth) \ / / \ \canines/ incisors Unless your race is fundamentally different from earthlings, your teeth should bear some resemblance to the preceeding illustration. You may, of course, be missing certain teeth (due to extractions, baby teeth not falling out, fistfights, or other mishaps & accidents of nature or nurture). Check in the mirror to see how your teeth compare to the diagram, and learn their names (unless dental nomenclature is a hobby of yours, and you know them already). --> Are the important teeth intact on the cast? Note: - If any air bubbles were caught in the alginate or plaster, they will look like little round bumps or holes in your teeth. - You may shave off the bumps and fill in the holes (with damp plaster or wax). - If any of the tops of your teeth are missing, its because air bubbles were caught there. If the canines and the teeth next to them are intact, you're probably alright, but if they're malformed, you may have to redo the whole procedure. (This is where the Patience comes in). Also Note: It is important that while you shave the plaster, you RESIST THE IMPULSE TO "FIX UP" YOUR TEETH and make them look like you think they should look. Except to clean off bubbles, you shouldn't touch the "teeth". If you start shaving them, your vampire fangs will not fit your real teeth. When you are done, you should have a near perfect copy of your teeth. Take the two sets and set the top one on the bottom one in the same way which they sit together in your mouth. You may need a mirror to do this... Mark (with a pencil or felt pen) how the teeth line up (draw a line from a top molar to a bottom one, or something). This way, you can put them together again when building your fangs. STAGE 3: Building your Fangs (Get together the monomer, polymer, and other assorted supplies) Decide which teeth you want to elongate into fangs. - The canines (eye teeth) are the "correct" ones to use, and on these the fangs will remain hidden unless you smile wide. - The secondary incisors are also a common choice. Fangs on them will show up better, which is why Theatrical Fangs are often built on these teeth. It is more difficult, however, to drink or talk with fangs in this location - you tend towards the characteristic "Dracula lisp" - If you want to make those funky double-fangs from 'Interview with the Vampire' build up separate fangs at diffent times, and then stick them together in the later stages (carving if necessary). If you build them both at once, they just run into eachother and form one big dumbo-fang. Although... some people swear they've managed to make it work. Waiting for the stuff to dry each time is the key. - You can also make tusks or bottom fangs, if you want. They work just like fangs made on the top teeth, but you use your lower canines instead. If you want to make a set of each, make sure your top set is dry and polished before starting on the lower set. Once you have decided where you want your fangs, coat those teeth (on the plaster cast, not in your mouth!) with vaseline. Also coat the ones beside them, on both sides. And the gums, too. Hey, coat the whole thing if you're up to it because the liquid acrylic which the fangs are built out of will drip everywhere. ***** This step is VERY IMPORTANT! If the teeth are not properly coated, then when you build your fangs, they will stick to the plaster cast. The model you painstakingly built will break when you try to pull the fang off. This means you can only build one pair of fangs, and if they are in any way faulty, you'll have to start all over at the beginning. ***** Try not to over coat the teeth, though. If the vaseline is standing up in huge globs on the plaster cast, the fang will be shaped to fit that, and not your real tooth. This, however, is slightly preferrable to breaking your cast, as there are ways to correct it. Coat the bottom teeth with vaseline as well. For this, the amount you slather on is inconsequential, really. Mix the liquid acrylic: On a spoon, pour a little acrylic powder. Use the eyedropper to add a few drops monomer. You honestly DON'T NEED MUCH of either. Just enough to make a thin paste. Do not go coating the whole spoon with it!!! Really! If you have more than a pinkyfingernail's worth of powder on the spoon, its WAY too much! Think real small. (Keep the monomer bottle capped tightly, using the eyedropper to hold as much as you need at a time, or the smell gets quite bad.) While it is still runny, mix the two together thouroughly with a toothpick, and before it hardens (just as it turns pastly) drip it onto the tooth which you have selected as your fang. (This means you will have to hold your top set of teeth upsidedown). It may run a bit. DONT PANIC. It's allowed to. You have plenty of time to scrape the excess of with a toothpick before it gets super hard, and if you don't, it doesn't matter much anyways. Once it is starting to harden, turn the top set of teeth right side up (teeth side down) so any acrylic still in liquid form will run to the tip of the tooth, elongating it. Or so goes the theory (theories... did I mention my feelings on theories? .. Well, with practice, it works). Do this several times. It takes LOTS of practice. BUILD YOUR FANG UP IN LAYERS. That is what your trying to do here, okay? You are NOT, I repeat NOT, and I'll repeat it again (because this is the most common mistake at this stage, next to forgetting to vaseline the teeth) NOT trying to build the entire tooth in one shot! This might seem like it will work at first, especially if you have far too much liquid acrylic on your spoon, but when you try to build the fang up, you will quickly discover that the layer beneath hasn't actually dried properly yet, and the whole thing will crack and split open. Then you're left with a gummy mess. If you build your fang in layers, however, the acrylic has time to harden. Then, when it is subjected to stress, the fang will keep its shape. The finished product will be far more durable. Even if one layer in it was to crack, all the others would hold it together. Unless, of course, you are hitting it with a sledge hammer... Some people find it works best to hold their teeth right side up throughout this entire procedure. Some people use a toothpick to smear the hardening acrylic onto the tooth. Do whatever works for you. You may need to use multiple methods. As your fang grows into something which looks rather like a lumpy blob of whitestuff stuck to a tooth, press your two sets of teeth together periodically (the markings you made to show how your teeth normally fit together are very handy, now). Don't be concerned if this procedure changes the shape of your fang. In fact, it should. It ought to leave little dents in the back of the fang where it presses against your lower teeth. If this is done properly, you should still be able to clench your teeth completely closed, even wearing fangs. While shaping the fangs remember that real fangs don't look like people think they ought to. They aren't sharp and pointy, in fact, they're rather curved. If you can, look at some pictures of fangs on animals, or check out some of the really good vampire artwork (not the trash stuff). If you don't have any of that at your disposal, look at the following illustrations. Never mind - I can't do these illustrations in ASCII. Don't build your fangs too big. Yes, you might think it would look really cool to have these monstrous tusks of ivory in your mouth, but they honestly don't look all that good. Build them small. Just a few millimeteres (a quarter inch, max) longer than your tooth is fine. If you are building your fangs twice the length of your real teeth, THEY'RE TOO BIG. For best results, build them about 1 1/2 times the length of your real teeth. Realistic looking fangs are very understated. A person should be able to look at you wearing your fangs and not quite tell at first what is different. They shouldn't notice you're drooling like a slavering idiot, with lips puffing as if they're full of cotton. If you really want a set of monsterfangs, try building two sets, one to show off how big and slavering they are, and another to actually wear around town, or wherever you feel they'll make the best impression (the bar, class, church, whatever) When you do have a functional fang, pull it off the cast (carefully. If it won't come, don't force it - wiggle it. If the plaster breaks off inside the tooth, you can use a pin to pick it out so it will fit on your tooth, but your cast will be useless). Test the fit of the fang by putting it over your own tooth (make sure it's the correct tooth - we're not working with mirror images). It will probably feel rough against your lips, but that's okay. If it hurts or digs into your gums, or overlaps onto other teeth, just file or cut away some of the offending acrylic. Use a file (or a knife if you're very careful) to shave away excess acrylic. The fang should now take on a more "fang-like" shape. If you have a dremel, this is an ideal time to use it. Just make SURE the fang is dry before applying the grinding tip to it, or it will smudge it up and misshape the fang. Hints: - Don't file it to a sharp point - it won't look as good as you think it will, and you may injure your lips on the point. - Leave a bit of overlap at the top of the fang, over the upper gums. If you file it down too far, it will be obvious you're wearing fake fangs. - Slope the edges of the fang where it touches your gums so it will look more natural, as if it's growing out of your gums. - Don't shave too thin or it will break. - Check your progress frequently by looking (in a mirror) at the effect you are creating. It is best not to finish filing the first fang completely before the second one is done. This way, you can see how they look together in a mirror, and get the shapes to look identical. Note: identical shapes when worn do not always equal identical shapes of the individual fangs. Concentrate on getting them to look right in your mouth, not in your hand. When your fangs look good & feel comfortable, polish them with a dremel, or a very fine file. Some people I know buff theirs up when they're done using a white flannelette cloth. If you're lucky, you now have a pair of smooth, perfect fitting, realistic looking fangs. If, however, you are like most human beings, there's probably a thing or two wrong yet. The fit may be too loose, the fangs may feel rough, or look uneven, or they may have small cracks. Welcome to the Real World. There are solutions to these problems, though: - Denture cream (Polident etc) helps loose fangs stick perfectly. - Additional filing may solve shape & texture problems. - Wearing the fangs frequently will also smooth them, and get your mouth used to the feel. (A few Vampire wanna-be's I know barely notice when their fangs are in, it feels so natural). - I've heard some people use super-glue to coat their fangs to give them that glossy look. I would not recommend this. Glues are for external use, and most haven't been tested for safety inside the human mouth. - Small cracks can sometimes be filled by dipping the fang in monomer (solvent) and sprinkling enamel powder along the cracks (do not get any inside or the fang will be too tight). - And if all else fails, make another set of fangs. They're easier to do the more you practice, & you can use the cast of your teeth over & over as long as you vaseline it each time. Take good care of your plaster cast. You can make more fangs on it again later. Neat Tricks with Fangs Well, now that you have a nice set of fangs, you can wear them proudly right? And when people ask if you bought them or had someone make them for you. you can even answer, "No.. they're my own". Here's a few other fun things to do with them: - Wear them to the local goth/alternative/vampire bar, and pick up guys/babes (whatever your preference). (That was what you made them for, wasn't it?) - Wear them to a local bar, and smile at the drunk/drugged people with your fangs. Quickly hide them when the poor victim tries to convince other people you have pointy teeth. - Play in a Vampire LARP, or wear them as part of your halloween costume. - Wear them to school or work (especially if you have a nice understated pair) and see if anyone notices. Snicker under your breath when people say "There's something different about you.. Did you get a haircut? New glasses?" - Try eating a ham & pineapple pizza with them in. See if you can actually bite off large chunks using your fangs (and/or tongue) - Pour yourself a glass of red wine, and drink it, smiling at people/a mirror .. the effect is really quite nice. (DON'T drink fake blood... the red dye usually stains the teeth pink. Oh, and don't drink real blood either, okay? .. it can turn the teeth brown. (You're welcome to ask how I know, but the answer isn't as exciting as you might think.) - If you're really confident about how sharp your fangs are, how nicely they stick in your mouth, and you have a spare set just in case this doesn't work, try biting into a beer or pop-can. BE CAREFUL though that you don't cut your lips or gums on the sharp metal. You have been warned. (I actually carry a coke can with my fang supplies to show people the teethmarks a friend left in it.) - If you aren't as certain of your fangs' abilities, or don't have as great a need to express your testosterone, try biting apples or other less damaging substances. - Get dressed up & go to a vampire flick, hopefully a late, late show. - Grab a camera or videocam and take a few dramatic pictures, or film a few shorts or a commercial. - Whatever else tickles your fancy. You have an imagination, right? Notes on Prices I haven't actively hunted down any going prices for vampire fangs, but having been in the business for about four years, people have mentioned a lot of 'em to me. Here's a few price-quotes I've heard... A professionally made pair of fangs, (made by a dentist, at an appointment specifically scheduled for such) costs around $100.00. I've also heard as low as $30.00 and as high as $250.00 (the person quoting that price to me chose not to use that dentist. Go figure.) If you're going to a dentist for a visit anyways, have a decent rapport with him, or have him doing some work on your teeth anyways, or are maybe related, I've heard some will do it for $20.00 or less... maybe even free. (Hey, if you can get that price, what're you reading this for?) I've heard that casts (if you just CAN'T get yours to work out properly) can be made for a minimal fee. $20.00 or so at your dentists, or maybe you can find a nice dental student who'll make you a cast for $5.00. Rumor has it that some dentists actually do fangs regularly, and do some very nice work, at that. I don't have names or numbers, but I've heard of such a "Tooth-Fairy" in Seattle, who is rumored to do custom teeth for $20.00 a shot. (That's American, of course. The rest of my quotes are Canadian). But hey, at that price, who cares? For a first set, that's a better deal than I can offer... though with practice, you can make pretty good fangs for much cheaper. Some Cons offer a fang-making deal, on-site, in under an hour. These are apparently pre-made fangs or a pre-made mold, which is then sized to your teeth. (Though, with cons, it would really depend on who's making them, wouldn't it? I'm sure its not the very same guy who hits every convention.) The prices I've heard have been around $15.00 - $30.00 Workshops (at which a bunch of people all come & learn to make their own fangs) can be run at a cost of $10.00 - $20.00 per person. However, a large workshop doesn't guarantee everyone a good set of fangs, just a chance to learn. If you want a nice pair, you'll still want to get some supplies & do some of your own work. Sometimes fang workshops are run as fund-raisers, to raise money for LARP clubs (hey.. that's what I do) or for conventions, or the like. Asking $10.00 per participant, with 2 or 3 volunteers to help people at each stage of the process, they can do 30+ people in an afternoon, making one or two hundred dollars for the group. Doing this to raise personal money is tougher, though, because people expect a perfect finished product. Care and Maintenance of your Fangs (feel free to detatch this section and keep for reference) Store your finished fangs in water. - Remember, they are dentures, and, just like granny's dentures, they will become brittle if you let them dry out. Besides, its harder to lose a pair of fangs in a small, capped, water-filled container than lying next to the bathroom sink. - A small glass jar works perfectly. You can buy them from most hobby stores. Optionally, you can use one of those teeny jam jars some people give for Christmas or thank-you presents, or an empty model paint (Testors) jar. To keep the fangs firmly in your mouth, use Polident or Fixodent if you need to. You can apply it to your fangs with a toothpick. Don't use too much - you aren't putting in a partial plate. Besides, the stuff tastes pretty gross. Eating with fangs in should be done carefully, at least the first few times. Try starting with soft foods. If the fangs feel loose, or come out, don't make a habit of eating with them in. - Don't eat foods that'll stain the fangs (beets, licorice, etc) Fangs can be cleaned, if they become stained, the same way as dentures can. - Use denture polish, or baking soda on a regular toothbrush. - If you brush your fangs in your mouth, do so carefully. - If you clean them out of your mouth, make sure the sink is plugged. or all your hard work may just go down the drain... - Apparently, "fizz tablets" also work quite well. :)= :)= ENJOY YOUR FANGS, AND SMILE OFTEN! =(: =(: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- L. J. vanderZee (aka Raven@TSC) TheRaven@Freenet.Edmonton.Ab.Ca Special Thanx to the Live Role Playing Society of Edmonton, to Sean Nikolai Smith for his ideas and assistance, and to anyone who has been a guinea-pig at my fang workshops. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No copyright, no rights reserved. So enjoy, photocopy, share, reproduce (in whole or in part), distribute, display, post, store in mechanical or electronic devices, edit, alter, add comments to (Please!) and laugh at as you see fit. Please leave my name on it though. Oh, and yours too, of course, if you add your two cents. Thanx!