Carlos Farfan diamond weave zoo cable, which started as the Hawthorn net cage.

Frankfurt


In our discussion on mesh cable, both Mark Horton and I mentioned "nic press". Those are the little silver "dots" or sleeves that you see in these two photo's, which hold the cable together in the "diamond shape". In my profession it is known as a "Farfan knock off", about half as expensive and much quicker to make then the interwoven pattern invented by Carlos for Hawthorn. Those are why many folks choose to go this route to make the "diamond shape" which was found to lay, drape, and pull up neater and tighter then the old "square shape" which would get misshappen. The two greatest disadvantages to using the nic press to hold the cable together at it's diamond points, is if the cable breaks for any reason, and believe me the prop crew will find something to hook it on and tear it, it can only be repaired with another nic press. If it tears with a Farfan diamond weave, you have one "dot". If it tears with the knock off, you have three "dots", one at the repair and one aboe and below it. The greatest advantage to the Farfan weave is it's appearance. Double click the two pictures and you should see the multitude of nic press "dots" and are across the picture. That is the same thing that happens to an act using the knock off. All publicity pictures have hundreds of little silver dot's across them highlighted by the spot lights. The same thing happens in a zoo. The illusion of "openess" is destroyed, and almost goes back to the day's of old with chain link or bars. Carlos is of course deceased and his son in law and daughter are manning the business. I talked to him last winter, when he was in Paris doing some stuff for a zoo over there, and he mentioned that he had one section cage, with the Farfan diamond weave left, that they had in storage for a numbe of years. They aren't making them any more because there were no buyers for them given the cost. They are only working with zoo's, and won't make any more circus arenas. My son is lucky, he one from Hawthorn. I called a trainer in Australia, a trainer in Germany, and a trainer here to try to sell it for him. They heard the price he was asking, and they all gagged. But like Larry Mahan boot's of old, you may have paid a thousand dollars for them, but it you took care of them, you would have them most of your life. I have over a dozen pairs that are over 30 years old, and look brand new.