Best way to charge my self with static electricity?

Question

I have been researching 17-18th century early uses of electricity for conjuring tricks and entertainers as part of my university studies. One story in particular came up at a dinner party where the entertainer used an early electrostatic generator called a Hauksbee electric machine to charge him self with static electricity and then a spark from his finger lit a glass of Cognac placed in the middle of the table, much to the delight of the audience.

Static electricity might not be the natural wonder it once was (more a children's curiosity) but I thought this would still make a good party trick! The question is how can I subtly charge myself electrically while say sitting on a wooden bench in the pub beer garden.

Perhaps utilize the mini Van de Graaff generator in a 'fun fly stick' if I were to cut away the protective plastic cover?

I also found this device on instructables.com:
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-mini-electrostatic-generator/
Which seems PERFECT for my needs, but I'm not very technically minded I'm afraid and I don't think I could build this, I don't know if anyone sells anything similar on the commercial market?

any ideas would be MUCH appreciated! Thank You!

Answer 1

Tazer!

Answer 2

you could walk round in socks on a carpeted floor, dragging your ft. yet that would not be accessible to you contained in the pub beer backyard! you may want to be careful now to not contact some thing that would want to discharge the static electrical energy previously the trick.

Answer 3

Wool socks and carpet !!!