I got a new juggling toy recently called meteors.  It's basically a thick nylon rope about 7 feet long with large monkey-fist knots on the ends.  You swing the weighted ends of the rope around until eventually the centrifugal force pulls the rope taught enough to be used like a staff.  Deadly.  Rope.  Juggling.

http://www.renegadejuggling.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?page=props6.html&cart_id=1705074.9447