# applications for large ballchain? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 28, 2014, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203 "2014-07-28T02:48:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/1 "2014-07-28T02:48:17Z")
Ballchain is that stuff you see at banks keep pens from being stolen, and in id badge necklaces (or any other place you want an adjustable length loop). Apparently it comes in a variety of sizes (diameter of the balls), from the aforemention bankpen size up to 1/4" or more. What the heck are the larger sizes used for? I didn’t even know they came that big until they were used on an episode of Mythbusters. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/2 "2014-07-28T02:50:05Z")
Mardi Gras 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/3 "2014-07-28T03:09:28Z")
Giant pens. Duh! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/4 "2014-07-28T03:32:26Z")
Actual chains for balls. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/5 "2014-07-28T04:13:38Z")
[Jewelry?](http://contentinjection.com/necklace-chain/) (Scroll down for pic of big ball-chain necklace.) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/6 "2014-07-28T04:15:50Z")
Decoration. Room dividers, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/7 "2014-07-28T04:19:54Z")
Jewelry. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/8 "2014-07-28T09:11:36Z")
A pull-chain for lights in the basement or garage. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/9 "2014-07-28T10:21:21Z")
“Specialized industrial applications” according to [ballchain.com](http://www.ballchain.com/chain_sizes.html). Also [ShimmerScreen](http://www.shimmerscreen.com/), which is just a trademarked beaded curtain AFAICT. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/10 "2014-07-28T11:40:39Z")
You can do interesting experiments with [standing waves.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dQJBBklpQQ) Wait, you meant chain made of large-diameter balls, not just long chain. Well, you just need more height then. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/11 "2014-07-28T14:02:46Z")
We use the (approx.) 1/4" size for leashes and “jesses” for birds of prey. Traditionally, falconry gear is made of leather. Today other materials including twine/rope of various natural or artificial fibers may be employed. Some few individual birds at our facility chew through and destroy leather jesses and leashes almost as fast as we can create new ones. For these, we have experimented and achieved success using bead chain. It is extremely flexible, and since each bead is its own swivel, it is very resistant to problems caused by “twist”, which can be an issue with stiff leather, especially with smaller raptors. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/12 "2014-07-28T20:00:01Z")
Thanks for the info all.I don’t know why I didn’t think of ceiling fans & light fixtures, since that seems to be the preferred material for Pullchain switches. > [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > You can do interesting experiments with [standing waves.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dQJBBklpQQ) > > Wait, you meant chain made of large-diameter balls, not just long chain. Well, you just need more height then. That’s exactly what the mythbusters were doing with it. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/applications-for-large-ballchain/694203/13 "2014-07-29T09:26:55Z")
Not what I expected from the title.